, 1860-05-03

Capture OF two War Steamers by U. .. Naval
Forces.


Forces.
Miramon commenced the seige Of Vera Cruz
March 5lh On the 9Th, two war steamer,
which left Havana under Gen. Marni, appeared
before the city, passing all Tive squadron, aud re-
fused to show their eo.ors, though ordered 10 do
50 by 4 shOtiron the Castle Of San Juan d Ulioa,
and other Signals. The English, French and
Spanish vesscls.Of war took no notice Of the
TACT Commodore Jarvis ordered Commander
Turner, in the Saratoga, with detachmentS from
the Savannah and Prvble, on the steamers lndi.
an0la and Wave, " proceed TO the anchorage Of
the two Ostenners of Anton Lizardy, and asce. tain
their character. As the Saratoga appr a;lIed,
one Of the vessels was seen to move OF, when
u shot was fired ahead to bring her to, according
" ole account The lndiaLola, according 10
another account, sent u boat with a flag 10 dc.
lnand the nationality, when the steamer Gen.
Airau.on tired Oh tue boat with cannon and
musk,try. A moment after this, the Saratoga
tired q broadside into the Mranon, and the ac-
lion became general. Both leaineIs now ho;stCd
tue SpanishLag. spirited engagement ensued,
in which the Americans had tllrve woundtd-
one mortaliy, and the MexicaIs about fifteen
Killed, and between twenty aud thirty wounded.
The result was the capture Of the GeIl. Mirauluu
and Marquee, with most Of tie men, and Gen.
Marn.l the Mramon was sent 70 New Orleans
IS prize in charge Of an American otlicrT, and
has arrived there. Tho Prebie was expected
here in q few days, with Gen. Marn, aud some
other prisoners aboard, the rrman Ter having
been distributed among the other sIeamcrS Il
was said there was much excitement in Vera
Cruz amol Z the French and SpaniaIds they de-
nouncmg the conduct Of the squadron. The
prisoners cUfiObOTate this rrlon. There were
two st. amcrs cllarcd from Havana as mere ant
men, and hoisted tie NJ xiean flag alter leaving
the port. and subsequently they mounted guns
l'rvsid.nt MiramOn paid $o5,OOO for the two
steamers. taHeiG q aa' 1gl
1he news created . profound sensation at
Washington. Particulars are awaited with hr,at
interest,". II is supposed that the steamers were
attacked as pirates, and the act on the part Of
Of our naval force is fully sustained. The SpaI-
ish aulhorii.s condemned the fitting out Of the
expedition, as al act against tine Constitutional
1t is believed by some, that they were iitfcd out
by the Spanish authorities, aud sOstaiueI by
tTa' &c. 7' ''f ltifa'fii '" .'.'l 'ii 2
TIRE we're captured with the two steamers,
six nlOrtars, six 22-pounders, and $4,000 stand
OF SIlinlI arms lhe hlAIgF,a.s ,UI var wee
slowed away below out Of sight and tile meii
Sho were on board were fnrCed into service
A dis ehtch trom WashiRgton, March 2lst,
says thai there is the best authority for stating
4 at the capture Of the steamers W not in coi,-
seYus nee u even line Of instructions % the
commanders Of the squadron from either the
PrcsidenLpr Secretary Of the Navy, though the
act is fully approved by the Administration.
Yesterday, morning Secretaries Cass and TOu-
cey had conference on the subject s.
Another dispatch says that the refusal Of the
steamers TO SHOW their coiors, when asked, is
sufficient to place them in the position Of pirates.
This view Is adopted by the Administration.
The latest accounts tom New Orleans state
that Mramous steauIers returned the SaFatogas
fire. The lndian0la pursued the Miramon, when
the latter tired on her After the lndianola re-
turned the Hre, her crew boarded the Miramon
at The point Of the bayOnet. A portion Of the
lndanolas deck was carried away by a shot.
The Mir,ln0n was run aground. The Saratoga
brouSht Lls Marqnrz 10 che two steamers two
hun ired men were killed and forty wounded.
lhe lndianpla and Wave had eighty men each.
The fieayUne leaFns from some French prisoners
on board heffize (tlie MARQUEE being anchored
opposite New Olleans0 that the fighting was
dode priiCipally by officers who were obliged 10
charge and lire the guns, assisted only by Mex.
can oitcrs from the shore. .aa,j
Il is stated that the exdrdition cost $500, 900,
mostly furnished in Havana, Ly the Government,
under secret articles
Capt. Turner asked Gen, Marni why he fired
on the American vessels without provocation.
Marhl tepied that the men could not DO con-.
trollled He knew the nationality Of the Sara
toga and understood the signals, but the men
tired contrary. to his orders. Turner relliei 1.
+" You are entirely responsible for The Outrage"
JuaruE issued proclamation declaring Marni's
expedition piratical and authorized any one TO-
capture it, si .s ,a's !. .,.,,.l. ss,sh -
A dispatch from New Orleans, March 2I, says
that MIramon has nOtilied the foreign vessels
that he would commence the bombarlment Of
Vera Cruz on the night Of the 18th; he would
not bo responsible for shipping anchored under
the castle On the night " the 18th, the oil.
Gers ou the decks VI tue Gen. Miranon heard
heavy eannonading IN the direction Of Vera
Cruz.
The steamer Pocahontas is now under orders
for Vera Cr1z, and the steamer NarTagansett Is
on tho eve Of leaving Norfolk for the Pacific.
A Washington dispatch adds that remarka.
bic change has taken place within the last forty
eight hours among congressman opposed TO the
Nicapguan and Mexican treaties I; Democrats
and Republicans Of the Senate, each, had eau
Gus on Tu, sday morning on the subject. The
Democrats discussed the propriety Of closing III,
efforts " make any treaty with Spanish America,
since the Rspublicans brought matters TO q dead
lock. The discussion was warm. the Repub-
lican caucus Dixon aud several others Joined In
supporting the policy indicated by the VOTE. An
effort will be made 70 resnscitate the Nicaragua
treaty, and pass it, with some notifications A
short Executive session Of the Senate was held
on Tuesday, aud preliminary steps were taken
10 the rcsuscitation.
Great Britain has demanded general amnesty
and religious tolerance from Mexico. If this 8
declined, England will demand Of both parties
full indemnity fOr damages done TO English sub.
jeets MlramOn has proposed terms Ius an arm.
islie. HeStipulates that England, France, Spain,
Prussia, and the United States shall be media.
tors; aud meanwhile, the custom dues shall be
equally divided between the two parties Juarcz
has replied that The proposition isabsurd and In
.Au,;.-,l,ia