Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1854-08-23
Another Com plant against Cuba.

Messrs. Jenness, Chase & Co., of Portland,
known as among the most erterprising and
honorable merchants of New England, have
authorized us to publish the following state
ment:
"About the middle of last February, the bar
que c. B. Hamilton Of this port, Thomas
Means being Master and part oyner) arrived in
Havana from New York, with a general cargo
described in forty-nine bills of lading. In due
time the captain prepared his manifest, and
delivered it to the boarding officer.
"Upon going ashore, however, to the house
of his consignee; and comparing his bills of
lading with his freight list he found that in some
few particulars they disagreed; and fearing that
the errors might extend to his manifest and
anxious to leave open no possible chance of
difficulty with the Island officials, he repaired
at once 10 the custom house and asked to see
his manifest, in order to correct it if it were
wrong But the collector refused to give it to
him; with the usual insolence of his class, re-
fused also, to give him any reason for OBTAINING
it.
"This was within three hours after the mani
fest had been deiyered; and the custom house
regulations of Cuba expressly provide, that
during the twelve hours after having delivered
the manifest, which are to commence from six
in the morning until seven at night, the captain
supercargo or consignee, can make any altera-
ton he thinks proper or necessary, and for this
purpose he will call on she collector, or in his
absence on the commander of the custom house
officers in service Within this provision Capt.
Means had clearly brought himself He had
called on the collector-be had stated his pur.
pose-he had asked for his manifest; but the
collector would not give it to him, and he had
to leave the custom house without it.
"The twelve hours, however, did not expire
until the next day at 10 o'clock; and in the
morning, with the clerk of his consignee, he re-
newed his application at the custom house.
The collector still refused him until 10 o'clock,
and then the manif est was returned to him
Without leaving the custom house and in few
minutes, he found the errors he looked for, and
corrected them; but upon rendering the correct
ed manifest to the proper officer, he was told
that the twelve hours had expired by twenty
minutes, and that it could not he received
"Thus, after having made it impossible for
him to alter his manifest, until after the pre-
scri bed time, the officer cody took advantage of
his own wrong, and left the Captain to be
victim of Cuban tyrany. Of course the Cap
tain protested, but his protest did no good; and
in order to clear his vessel, his consignees were
obliged to give heavy bonds to secure the pay
ment of any claims which might legally be ad-
judged gainst her. 1t was believed however,
that from case of such clear and manifest
wrong on the part of the authorities, there could
never result any serious trouble to the owners
but that the whole matter, probably, would be
speedily and summarally dismissed.
"To this end, proper statements were pre-
pared and transmitted to the Captain General,
and Capt. Means has since made voyage to
Havana without hearing oft But by late |
arrival, the consignees of the vessel (Messrs. |
Drake & co., have transmitted drafts on Messrs. |
Jenness, Chase & Co., her agents, and part
owners here, for the sum of six thousand and |
eightyseven dollars claims, and thirteen hund.
red dollars expenses, which they have been
obliged to deposit in Havana, to await the fur
her action of the Cuban Courts and authorities
On this easel"
From the reputation of the parties making
this statement, we are quite certain that it will
1t once command the attention of Government,
and that measures of redress will be immediate
y applied In the case of the Black Warrior
here was a color offault, to say the least, in the
part of the shippers officers of the boat, how
ever many palliating circumstances there may
be found for their justification. But in the
case of the barque Hamilton, it is belived that
every form of law has been observed, and that
the case is one of absolute wrong on the part of
the Cuban authorities.-L Portland State of
Maine, llth.