Munitions Shipments Across Panama

The railroad across the Isthmus of Panama served a strategic purpose for the acquisition of arms for Peru. While Chile shipped their weapons from Europe around the cape, Chile tried to prevent the traffic of arms across the isthmus. Also, apparently Panama was also in a state of siege. Policies in place required that agents of the Panama Railroad Company report any arms being shipped. Since a permit was required from the government, the Chilean consul could learn of any impending shipments. (New York Times, September 20, 1879)

On May 9, 1879 the Chilean consul in Panama claimed that the steamship the Acapulco arriving that day from New York carried 3,000 rifles and 100 boxes of munitions bought in the United States and directed to the Consul of Bolivia. In addition, he claimed that the steamship Para brought 150 boxes of arms and munitions consigned to the consul of Peru. The Secretary of the government of Panama insisted that he was misinformed.

On May 19th, the Chilean consul in Panama denounced the arrival of arms and munitions for Peru on the Crescent City from New York. He learned this from a cable from the Chilean minister in Paris. The consul asked the government of Panama for the shipping manifest of the steamships to see what quantity of arms had been brought.

On June 2nd, Panama, after consultation with Colombia, resolved to have no limitation on any type of traffic or merchandise across the isthmus, since there was no customs at either end of the isthmus, and held the establishment of such to be inconvenient and ineffective. Henry Ehrman, a banker, handled the transfer of munitions across the isthmus.

On June 25th, the Panama consul to Lima, Consul Marquez, reported that three torpedos of the Casa Grace were in Panama (Lopez, 1930, pg. 298). On June 26, Panama apparently reversed its earlier decision and issued a prohibition for the use of the ports to transport cannons, arms, and munitions to other than neutral ports. There is some indication that a possible revolution in Panama occurred on July 7th, and by the 29th, Panama again agreed to permit the transport of arms without obstacle.

On July 13th a Mr. Fisher wrote to Secretary Evarts regarding the stated neutrality of the United States in the Chile and Peru-Bolivian war. He reported large boxes on the train cars in Panama that from their shape and size attracted the attention of General Edward McCook, his fellow passenger on the Acapulco. They were eight foot square and high, one on each platform car and five in all marked the same Cargadora de Huano, Callao. A torpedo shipped from the United State to Peru had already been seized by request of the Chilean consulate at Panama, so other shipments of a similar nature were expected.

Fisher also met Lieutenant Eden R.N. on his way to Callao to join the H.B.M. ship Triumph. Eden told him that the Captain of the Lima had refused to receive on board five boxes marked as above, because he had heard they contained a torpedo boat for the Peruvian Navy. Fisher suggested that the United States consul at Aspinwall be instructed to examine suspicious looking packages.

A report to the New York Times dated September 11 (Panama) indicated that the shipping of munitions across the isthmus continued. Barrels marked "Breakfast Bacon" and destined for Chile contained contraband of war. Containers of lard heading for Peru carried cases of cartridges. Shippers marked containers full of Remington rifles "agricultural equipment". Torpedos masqueraded as "derrick material" or "guano shoots". Innovative agents labelled boxes of cartridges as "Mrs. Winslow's Soothing syrup". The report raised the concern that such shipments endangered the lives of workers and passengers on both the ships and railroads transporting the goods. (New York Times, September 20, 1879)

Resources
Lopez, Jacinto. 1930. Historia de la Guerra del Guano y el Salitre o Guerra del Pacifico entre Chile, Bolivia y El Peru. New York: De Laisne & Rossboro.