1883-July-17: As a new revolution against the Haitian government took hold, Minister Preston appealed to the U.S. State Department to prevent the departure of the steamer Tropic from Philadelphia.

1883-July-17: As a new revolution against the Haitian government took hold, Minister Preston appealed to the U.S. State Department to prevent the departure of the steamer Tropic from Philadelphia. The Haitian government alleged that the vessel was being used by insurgents to transport arms and men in violation of U.S. neutrality laws. This launched a series of legal actions in American courts to determine if shipping “separate parts” of a military expedition, such as sending arms on one ship and men on another to be joined later, constituted a violation of the neutrality statutes.