Page:Dramatic Moments in American Diplomacy (1918).djvu/273

This page has been proofread, but needs to be validated.
IN AMERICAN DIPLOMACY
253

ship. Also, there could be no warship without a revolution. Very well, the United States had been sufficiently informed that there was going to be a riot on November 3rd. That being the case, undoubtedly they would send the ships. It remained to use this fact to its limit to encourage the juntas and convince them that they were in the hands of a great power.

Bunau-Varilla planned to leave them in their delusion. He looked up the position of the navy. The Nashville was at Kingston. He felt sure it would be ordered to Colon. It would take two days and a half to get there. It was now the 29th of October. He cabled Amador in his code.

"All right. Will reach two days and a half."

They understood this to mean that he had ordered a warship to their assistance that would arrive in two days and a half.

This was one of the greatest impudences and most splendid bluffs ever made by a private in-