The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1858-05-27
The Last Outrage by n British
Cruiser,

Cruiser so
As there is, at the present time, some
surprise and indignation in the community,
in. mercantile circles, at the ex.
traordinary course and conduct OF the Brit
ish naval authorities in the Gulf Of Mexico,
in regard to American vessels, which they
not only board and search, bat fire into, thus
the lives Of all on board, we
have obtained from Capt. Loring, of brig
Wingfold, of Boston, which vessel erriVed
here on Sunday, from Sierra Moreha, Cuba,
April 3oth, the following account of his be.
ing boarded by boats Crew from British
war vessel, but short distance from the
harbor OF Sierra Moreno, on the 18th OF
last month:
Capt. Loring states that on the 18th he
as running before two or two and half
knot breeze, for Sierra Morena, where he
intended % load for Boston. He was in bal.
fast, and was about a mile distant from the
anchorage Of the harbor. The place was
new to Capt. Loring, and his attention was
principally engaged in looking after his ves-
sci, but ns he swung his glass around he no.
ticed boat coming in the direction OF the
brig; this he supposed might be a fishing
boat and he did not pay much attention to
it, as he thought they might be coming to
offer their services as pilots; little later,
upon looking Ot the boat, he saw that it was
full, or nearly SC, Of men, perhaps some
twelve or fifteen, who had FATHER hard look !,
and the thought suggested itself that they
might possibly be deserters out of food, and
who were about TO levy on him for a supply;
or perhaps even worse-that they were pi.
rotes. 1t was not until they had got within
half cables length of the vessel that he
noticed the English flag, Ga small pat,ern)
flying in the stern of the approaching boat.
It was then little forward of the beam oil
the Wingfold, and within easy talking dis
tance; there was no hail from them; but
they passed along by, and when they were 9
cables length ustern, they fired three mus
kets from the boat to the Wingfold; one oI
the 'mnskets was apparently aimed at him
but he supposed that it was loaded with
blank curtridge only. The third muske
fred contained ball, for Captain Lorlng dis
tinctly heard it whiz by his head, and STRIKE
the mast. Ii was afterwards picked up from
the dock, aud found to be Minnie ball.
I This ball is now in the possession o
Messrs. Blanchard, Sherman, g. Co., of thi
city, who chartered the vessel.7 At this
Captain Loring hailed the 'hoat, and inquire
what they wanted; what they were 6rin,
at him for !" at the same time he notice,
that they were at work noun ing a swive
in the forward part of the boat. The repI,
was, "we have swivel here, and if you d.
not heave to We'll sink you."
He then hove to and they came alongside
Captain Loring asked them who and wha
they were; they replied, "N-e'll let yo
know when we get on board" The BritisI
officer then came ON board attended BY te
or twelve of his men, all fully armed wit
revolvers and cntlasses, which they had ia
ken from an arm chest on board the boat a
they neared the vessel. The officer aske
Captain Loring why he did not heave to, ia
quiring if he did not know that it was q
English war vessel. Captain Loring re
piled that he did not know the fact or Sc
the flag until about the time that the mu:
kets were fired, and inquired of the officer t
what vessel they belonged; this duestio
Capt. l.. asked three times without obtainin
a satisfactory answer; at one time he sui
{ that he belonged to the steamer out there
pointing to vessel in the distance: tn
second time, he replied that it was none G
Capt. LIS business; and the third tim
"never mind" With the politest langna o
that had been used, the officer then aske
the captain to "pleaSe let him see his pa
pers." With dozen armed men aroun
him, Capt. l., of course at once assented
and led the way to his cabin. The office
followed, accompanied by one of his mer
with loaded revolver in one hand and
drawn CutlasS in the other. At the cabi
door was placed another man, armed with
cutlass and revolver. The other men fror
the boat were ranged about the deck. Hsy
ing examined the papers of the brig an
found them all right, be mustered his ME
and soon after left the vessel. Captain (,
describes them os curious looking set =
The officer had on pair of pantaoons at
parently made ont of an old blanket: hi
cap, however, had faint insignia of the En-
glish coat of.arms. The men were dresse
in slovenly style-some in gauze fro, H.
and some in other materials. Captain +
could hardly believe that they were attacbe
to an English man ot.war, were it not fo
their flag, arm chest, &c. He learned o.
shore, that they belonged to the Englis
sloop'of.war. Buzzard, engaged, in connec
ton with the Styx, in searching all vessel
| on the coast, in accordance with orders re
ceived, as they said, from the admiral upo,
the Jamaica station. At Sierra Morena tb
American CONSUL upon being informed O
what had occurred, took down the statemen
ul Capt. Loring, which was sent 10 Havana
and thence ere this has been placed in tn,
hands Of the authorities at Washington
Capt. Loring is positive that he was no
hailed to heave to, before the last muske
was fired; and though quietly disposed
person, who has been for some time in tb
West India trade, is Of course highly ind,g
nant at what occurred, not only consider
ing the search of his vesse el illegal, but tba
the way it was conducted, and the careless
ness exhibited in regard to human life, to b
OF highly outrageous character.
Captain boring also states that the Amer
lean barque V. 4. Martin, Charles A
French, commander, while lying in the har
Dor OF Cardenus; was boarded by an Englisl
naval officer, who requested to see his bill
OF iading and his charter papers, but was Fl
nally satisfied with an inspection OF the reg
ister: The barque James Cook, Captai
W: Blanchard, was boarded in the port O
Sagua BY British officer, at about mid
night the captain walked up, and required t
show his pagers.
In addition, we learn from Captain Lorin
that fore-and aft American schooner. hail
ing from New York, whose name he doe
not recollect, was seized by British wa
steamer off Stone Key. This schooner
Capt. L. says, he laid near by while in tn
port OF Havana, and noticed that she too
on board lumber and large quautity G
water but her papers were all regular, an