The arms of the ypiranga

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AUGUST

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MICHAEL

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of Veracruz was going 011.39 Fearing possible retaliation from the Mexicans, a number of American nationals asked Captain Bonath for passage to some United States port. Bonath agreed and a few days later transported the new group of refugees to Mobile and New Orleans. He made no attempt to land the arms before departure. Although the Department of State had been advised in a number of independent dispatches that the Ypiranga would return to Germany rather than land the arms shipment at an alternate Mexican port, the Hamburg-American Line had other plans. Having dropped off the American passengers in Mobile, the ship dallied in the Caribbean for a week waiting to see if the diplomatic impasse would be broken. On May 16 the captain sailed into the harbor of Tampico again to establish contact with officials of the line and receive instructions. The captain of the German cruiser Dresden, also in Tampico, promised United States naval officials off the coast that the Ypiranga would not discharge its cargo.40 Captain Bonath did take on some passengers at Tampico, however, and left for Veracruz the same afternoon. The Ypiranga remained in Veracruz for a week and a half, its captain consulting frequently with Carl Heynen and other company officials to discuss various plans of action. Finally they opened direct negotiations with Mexico City and reached a decision. Huerta gave the Hamburg-American Line special permission to land the cargo in Puerto Mexico (Coatzacoalcos), even though the original bills of lading specified Veracruz as the port of discharge.4' On May 26 the ship cleared Veracruz for Puerto Mexico, a small Gulf port some 200 miles to the south. Here the cargo was immediately unloaded and placed aboard waiting railroad cars bound for Mexico City. The controversial shipment reached the army arsenal in the Mexicall capital before the month was out, but the military position of the Huerta government had deteriorated to such a degree during the spring of 1914 that the shipment was of little value to the federal government.42 Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels was especially angered when the news reached him that the arms had arrived at their desti"Statement of Facts Given to the People of the United States by 372 Tampico Refugees, Albert Bacon Fall Collection, Papers from the Senate Office Files of Senator Albert Fall Relating to Mexican Affairs, Group T. 40 Daniels to Bryan, transmitting report of Badger, May 16, 1914, RDS 812.00/ 12014. 41 Declaracio'n hecha por el senior Carlos Heynen, represeitante de la lifnea hamburguesa-americana en Veracruz, DHRM, II, 95-97. 42Badger to Daniels, May 27, RDS 812.00/12118; Badger to Daniels, May 28, 1914, RDS 812.00/12123.


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