than the movements of 1885 and 1895. In
January 1900, however, Vice-President Jose Marroquin seized upon the
government, imprisoned President Sanclemente (who died in prison in
March 1902), and another period of disturbance began. The rebels were
defeated in May in a desperate battle at Cartagena; and continuous
fighting went on about Panama, where British marines had to be landed to
protect foreign interests. As the year 1900 advanced, the conflict went
on with varying success, but the government troops were generally
victorious, and in August Vice-President Marroquin was recognized as the
acting head of the executive, with a cabinet under General Calderon. In
1901 the rebellion continued, and severe fighting took place about
Colon. Further complications arose in August, when trouble occurred
between Colombia and Venezuela. On the one hand, there were grounds for
believing that the Clericals and Conservatives in both countries were
acting together; and, on the other, it was expected that President
Castro of Venezuela would not be sorry to unite his own countrymen, and
to divert their attention from internal affairs, by a war against
Colombia. The Colombian revolutionary leaders had made use of the
Venezuelan frontier as a base of operations, and the result was an
invasion of Venezuelan territory by Colombian government troops, an
incident which at once caused a diplomatic quarrel. The United States
government in September offered its good offices, but President Castro
refused them, and the state of affairs became gradually more menacing.
Meanwhile both Panama and Colon were seriously threatened by the rebel
forces, who in November succeeded in capturing Colon by surprise. The
situation was complicated by the fact that the railway traffic on the
Isthmus was in danger of interruption, and on the capture of Colon it
became necessary for the American, British and French naval authorities
to land men for the protection of the railway and of foreign interests.

On the 18th of September the Venezuelans, who had entered Colombia, were
totally routed near La Hacha, and after fierce fighting the insurgents
at Colon were compelled to surrender on the 29th of November. But the
Civil War was not yet ended. For another eight months it was to
continue, causing immense damage to property and trade, and the loss of
tens of thousands of lives. In many towns and villages the male
population was almost entirely destroyed. Not till June 19