New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-12-12
HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE.

HAVANA CORRESPONDENCE.
! spsei.1 u ~ nv orie.n. Crescent
Y HAVANA, Dec. I, 1859.
Ia Crescent By the kindness Of Colonel Helm
\ United States Consul General here, have beer
permitted to copy the following declaration of Mr.
u James Brown, late mate Of the steamer Decatur
" supposed to be lost off the coast Of this Island
n HAVANA, Nov 80 1859
y hereby certify that the steamtug Decatur
sailed from the port Of Havana on the oath of No
yember, at 8 A. Nj; at 81 a. N. passed the More
y the man-holes Of the boilers gave out, and we WERE
forced to draw the fire and blow off the boilers te
allow the engine and boilers to cool down for the
engineer to examine them, to find out the whole
extent OF the leaks--the ship having put head to
the sea, and everything secured board--the
4 ships crew employed. pumping and bailing the
whole of the day. At p. NJ. the captain held a
consultation with the chief officer and engineer to
4 inquire what was to be done came to the conciil-
sion to hoist flag Of distress, as there were other
! vessels in sight; but night coming on the signal
was not observed !; the ships crew employed pump
ing and bang Az 3 NJ t .r MORO ngas oose
II midnight More light east half south distance,
eighteen miles; wind blowing very fresh from the
4 eastward ships company still pumping and bail
ing The engineer and firemcn employed in repair
i ing the mar-holc draw, and getting ready for get
4 ting up steam. November 18th, at 81 A. NJ, OBJ
served a steamer to the westward; at forty-iive
1 minutes past 6 AZ M, steamer passed within two
miles distance, steering to the eastward-we hay-s
i ing our ensign union down; she paid no attention
to us-the sea running very heavy, and the vessel
laboring very much; thought it advisable to throw
the coal on deck overheard for the safety of the
vessel At A N. lighted the fires and tried to get
up steam but could not, owing to the man-hoes Civ
ing way again, and the tubes and boilers leaking
very much. At 5 P. NJ. drew the fires and blew out
the bOilers-tlle ships crew pumping and bailing.
The engineer informed the captain that he could
do nothing more with the boilers the wind blow
ing still very heavy eastward. At 1880 p. NJ, OBJ
served = light on shore, distance II miles, At
l1:30 F. NJ, the Funnel Guys carried away got up
hawser and secured the pennant, the ship laboring
very heavy. At A. NJ, 26th, Saturday, the en-
gineer having again secured the man-hoe doors,
pumped the boilers up, lighted the fires and got up
steam, but could not proceed, having again blown
off the man-hole doors At 1880 A. NJ, saw
schooner which bore down towards US, and hailed
her at A. NJ, when she took us in tow, standing
for Honda Bay, (Boliver Head. AT 10 A. NJ, saw
steam vessel which made for us. At IL A. NJ,
hailed and asked what was the matter; when in
formed he asked to let him take us in tow which
offer was accepted and the schooner let us go. At
1l:30 A. NJ, received two hawsers from the man-of
war; he proceeded, the ships crew still employed
at pumping and bailing. At 8 P. NJ, saw the light
of Marel. At IL P. NJ, the captain of the steamer
hailed us to haul in one Of the hawsers, that he
wanted to speak with us, he in the meantime
stopped his engines and his ship falling off carried
away port hawser, he came in collision with us,
his stern falling very heavy on our starboard side
amidships, with q very great crash, doing much
damage, and in the collision was knocked over
board, and the steamer-of-war then proceeded to
Havana.
signedl JAMES BROWN, Mate.
The coasting schooner Teresa, Bartoleme Puente, |
master was the vessel that had the Decatur in tow
and had towed her about four leagues, and when
at distance of about quarter league from port
(Bahia Honda) thad to let her go, by order of |
man-of-war steamer Isabel Francisco.
The following are the names of the officers and
crew Of the Decatur: S. P. Godfrey, captain
James Brown, mate George Hith, engineer
Charles Martin, cook N. Higgins, Peter Jensen, |
johnson Bodderstrop, fremen; Jacob Smith,
Charles Ingal, Jacob Smith I'd, Charles Ingal and
George Hearn, seamen; of whom only James
Brown, mate, and George Hearn, seamen, were
saved. James Brown, the mate, gives it as his
opinion that when the man-of-war steamer struck /
the Decatur amidships, of the rivets (the De-
catur was an iron yesseD were loosened, which
was not discovered at the moment, and that her
plates afterwards opening, she filed rapidly and
went down with all on Board.
one hour in each week-from u till O'Clock on
Mondays.
There was a fire at Cardenas on 9th ult., which
destroyed one house and partially destroyed two
'thers. There was also fire, supposed to be the
york of an incendiary, at a small farm near the
abroad depot at Guanabacoa, on goth ult. Very
title damage was effected.
Our new Captain General has written it is said.
0 the Governor of Matanzas, that he intends
hortly to pay visit to that city.
At meeting Of the Corporation of this city, held
n 18th ult, General Plana, Second in command )
ia very patriotic speech, invited the growers of
obacco in this island to make donations of that
taple for the use of the Spanish troops engaged
| the war with Morocco and it was resolved by
ne Corp grafton that such donations would be re-
eyed until 9th inst either in leaf tobacco, segars
aper segars, or in picaduru molida (ground to.
acco used in making paper segars) Twenty
laces are published at which the donations are to
e received.
The Spanish residents of the Island or rather
ome of them, are making a vast display of their
atriotism on the occasion of the war against
lorocco. Thus, the retired Colonel Don Ramon
anchez Hurtado de Mendoza, with vast deal
bombast, addressed communication to his
xcellency the Captain General, offering to sup
ort two of the soldiers . who were about to
sht under General O'Donnell also, the (his)
word, which is !" covered with laurelsn and has .
ever been, nor will be ,'aanc7iado (staned)
| do not think. though, that by this the retired
olonel" intended to offer his personal services to
yht against Morocco, but only to lend his sword to
me younger man, for observe that only the offer
support the two soldiers y is accepted by his
xcellency the Captan-General in the name Of
y most gracious majesty. The following named
all officers of the Horse Rural Militia,
It more nobly. They offer their personal services
go to Spain to join her army and fight the Moors:
on Miguel Tejada y Torilles, Don Antonio de Cor
ava Escnlana, Don Ricardo, Alvarez Fernan-
ez de Cordoba and Don Juan Ramon Blanco, all
whom no doubt deserve to have their names
cid up to an admring posterity as true patriots
hey express desire to embark soon, because
they fear the campaign and the war will be
nded before they can reach the scene of action u
hey embark believe, in the Spanish mail steamer
sail on the 18th inst
The following named gentlemen are appointed
lds-de.camp to his Excellency the Captain Gen
raj: The Excellentisimo Senior Don Jose Maria
lerrera CAIRO, Commandante of Cavalry; Ex-
ellentisimo Sehor Don Pedro Pablo O'Reilly, Cap
ain of!lnfantry; AlSehor Don Francisco Romero /
CAPTAIN of Cavalry and Sano, No., A.