Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1860-04-04
VISIT TO TIE PRIZE STEAMER MARQUES DE HA-
RAMA

The steam propeller Marques de Habanna lately cap
tured by Captain Turner of the United States soOp Sa
ratoga a. a prize of Vera Cruz, up the river yes
erday and anchored near Slaugherh house Point, below
the city. Shortly after she came TO anchor boarded
her aud were politely aud kindly received by Lieutenant
TAYLOR who has the Marquee in charge with prime
crew OF twenty detailed from the Savannah and Sa
ratoga.
The Marques left Vera Cruz the day after her cap
ure for this port but OF her engines failing to work.
Lieutenant Taylor was compelled to rely upon the remain
ing engine and her sails She proved TO be pretty good
saer and reached the mouth of the river day before
Yesterday The Mramon followed her, and will proba
bly be in port today.
The Marques Is not very prcpossessng looking craft
especially board her decks being still cumbered with
the debris filth and confusion created by her recent
ers by her crowded condition and the confusion incident
in her capture. Her capacity We should Judge TO be
about eight hundred tonnage She is well masted and
spared, and has high bulWarks like ships OF war She
has a quarter deck quite high up from the main deck
Her build and stye are Englrh, and We learn that she
was built in Canada whence she sent TO Havana and
there bought by MramonS agent She is obviously an
OLD aud very valuable vessel and only II; for an enter
prise in which there great ha2lrd She has no
equipment and entirely uBpreplred for conflict
Her oay arms three old Eaglshmade cannons, un-
mounted, one Is and two Founders The gun carria-
g,s to mount these lay near them on the main
deck in confused pile with other rubbish There were
we learn no small arms board the Marques when She
captured.
There was but one single mark of the broadsde Of the
Saratoga noticeable on the Marques thirty-iwo pound
ball had entered her buwIrks about midShps on the
starboard aud passed through on the rbOard side
king n round clear hole il il had been cut with cir
cuar saw In its passage this ball carried oil both legs
of an unfortunate American who in evil hour, doubt
less under the pressure of desperate stress Of for
tune had enlisted in Marns enterprise. IL is remarka-
Bile that he the only person the Marques who was
killed and he was the only American in her He
bled 10 death lying his bunk which with his blankets
is still to be seem saturated with his blood within few
feet Of where he received his death wound. The name
Of this unfortunate not known to any on board.
His trunk will be opsned when the United States Marshal
obtains possession Of the ship in order TO obtain
some clue as to his identity. The rest Of the crew
we're Spanards, Mexicans Germans and Eagishmen -
There were twenty Of them held prisoners in the
! ror,costle of the vessel They ironed rsor
which was deemed necessary by the commander in view
of their equality in number with his prizc Their
aspect generally very detected torloru though
they certainly a very mongre and uuavor'ble look
ing The majority OF them seemed to be of the very
lowest class Of Spanish, Portuguese and McXican sailor.
There were however, among them two or three melan-
choly looking Germans who did not seem to relish the
discomiorts Of their lot manifest appreciation
OF the society OF their swahy companions from more
Southern cline In contrast with our bold, vigorous,
wel.fed Jack Tars this mougrel certainly present
ed very piratical and degraded aspect-Ner orleans
! Deltd 22d