The British and American difficulty at Panama.
--The Panama Star and
Herald of October 30th, gives a narrative of events which have resulted in a correspondence between
Flag-Officer Montgomery, of the United States squadron, and
Captain Miller, of the British man-of-war
Clio.
It appears that British sentries were placed in front of the
British and French Consulates, with orders to challenge every passer, and demand an answer to the challenge.
On Saturday, the 20th,
Dr. John P. Kluge, an American citizen, and employee of the Panama Railroad Company, complained to the
American Consul of the manner in which he and others had been molested by an English sentry, and the case was taken under investigation and laid before
Flag-Officer Montgomery.
The same night, as
Lieutenant Fitzhugh, of the
United States sloop
St. Marys, and a son of
Captain Engle, of the United States Navy, commanding the Chirique expedition, were passing the
English Consulate, they were hailed by the sentinel, to which they made no reply, and upon attempting to pass were stopped, the sentry presenting his bayonet.
The sergeant of the guard was sent for, and when requested to go for the lieutenant did so, after ordering the sentry to shoot them down if they attempted to escape.
On the arrival of the lieutenant they were released.
On Monday,
Flag-Officer Montgomery addressed a communication to
Capt. Miller, of the Clio, with a statement of the circumstances that transpired Saturday night, as also the complaints made through the
American Consul, and demanded the immediate discontinuance of the practice, regarding it as aggressive towards the
United States, and unless it was immediately discontinued he would at once adopt measures for the re-establishment of the neutrality of the city and
Isthmus of Panama.
The
flag-officer also opened a correspondence with the Intendant of
Panama, with the view of fixing the responsibility where it belongs.
On the 23d,
Flag-Officer Montgomery addressed a communication to
Capt. Miller, in reference to the arrest of
Dr. Kluge, on the night of the 21st, by the guard in front of the
French Consulate, when he was detained a prisoner till morning.
Subsequently,
Montgomery addressed
Capt. Miller another letter, suggesting the duties of guards furnished for protection of Consulates in foreign ports from ships-of-war, and gave that officer to understand that their operations must be confined to the precincts of the Consulates, and not one foot beyond; and had he known in time of the imprisonment of
Dr. Kluge, he would have employed the necessary means to procure his instant release.
