The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1864-11-28

IRON the New York Times, Nov. ls.l

ehave been in possessitn n, for some time
pat, of highly interesting and important
inf rmation derived from Havana, 10 re-
ga / to a proposed rebel plan for captur-
log American passenger steamers upon
the Pacific ocean. Hitherto We have re-
Trained from giving the facts publicity.
lest a premature announcement should
tend to defeat measures that had been to
ken to Illustrate the plot, aud arrest the
parties thereto. Now that any danger OF
that is over We are at liberty to show how
narrowly we have escaped the necessity Of
recording anther Roanoke affair. only on
q larger scale on the waters of The Pacific
ocean.
The details of the plot in question were
contaminated at Havana some time since
under the approval of S. X. Mallory, the
Confederate Secretary of the Navy. Its
leader and manager was Thomas A Hogg.
holding com mission IN the rebel navy
ne Master, who with party of from six
Teen to twenty men left Havana, for Pan
anna, New Grenada. the last Of September
or early in October, for the purpose OF
getting on board the Panama K. r. Co.'S
fine steamer Guatemala, seising her At sea
and then using her as pirate vessel to
capture steamers of the Pacific Mail
Steamship Company plying between Pam
anna and San Francisco. The parry were
all well ermed and abundantly supplied
with ammunition concealed in their bag
gage. They were to take passage on the
Guatemala for different Central American
ports so as not 10 excite suspicion. Hogg
was to go on board first, carry his baggage
which was to contain nothing suspicious.
If it wo3 not searched his followers were
to convey on board their trunks suisse
quently, with the arms and ammunition
concealed in them
The seizure of the weasel was not to be
attempted until she had got to point up
on the Central American coast some two
hundred miles from Pansma, where there
was no danger Of filling in with cruiser,
or with any craft that could give notice Of
the change of command of the Guatemals
when it had been effected. No serious
difficulty was apprehended in taking pos.
session Of the Guatemala, ss her offiaers
were not likely'to anticipate any danger,
aad were expected to be thrown entirely
of their guard and without the means oil
resistance In their hands.
The Guatemsla carries two guns for her
own protection from privateeIs. Relying
upon these for offensive purposes, The
pirates then proposed to cruise for the
passenger and ieeie-carryiug steamers 0.
the California trade, until they bad cap.
tured at least one of them, with which,
probably they would have essayed trip
across the Pacific to East Indian waters.
provided the; could obtain tie necessary
coal By csptu OF some one the golfers
constantly enjoyed 10 carrying steamer
supplies of fuai w Ceatral American ;,orts.
Panama, Acapulco, San Juan del Sur aud
San Francisco Ultimately The conspirators
hoped to follow up their success by pro-
ceedlng IN tie Guatemala, to the coast of
Northern California. and there making a
raid against Ben Hallodsy's line OF steam
ere, between San Francisco, Oregon and
British Columbia.
Fortunately, the scheme was discovered
oy some means, and We presume informa-
ton must have been sent direct from
Havana 10 The lsthmus, in time To frus
trite the execution, as we hear, on pri-
vate authority from Panama, that the
parties known to be implicated were all
there and at Aspinwal, as late as the Alb
OF this month, aud we're known to the
United States consuls at both places, to
the Commanders of the Panama Railroad
Cempany's steamers, and to tho United
States Naval Commander in the port Of
Panama. 1t appears that the desperadoes
arrived too late for the Gustemala-a
portion of them having gone to Aspnwall
Via st. Thomas. The Guatemala sailed
on the Goth ofOctober The next Panama
Railroad steamer for Central American
ports, was the Salvador, to eal On the
losh instant, and it was understood n.
Panama that the piratica partv were To
take passage in her II they did so, they
were promptly arrested after their arrival
on board - every arrangement having
been made for that purpose. Nothing
eau have prevented their capture, probs
bly,, unless be fact shall have leaked on.
at Panama, that they were suspected; in
which event, Of course. they would not be
likely to plaee themselves under the
American fas, where their seizure voula
DC Tree from international embarras.
ment.
Master Hogg, sometimes called Eoer.
tom We understand, is a native of Rs),,
more, who las lived some time in NJ
Orleans. His chief officer is . man nausd
Bradshaw, who claims to have once hesn
commander of the Guaten,as. Edw.ra
y. Norville, native OF Baltimore h,,,
now OF Mobile, lie Hogg's master: W;;IL.m
Black, OF New Orleans, is Purser: Ed
ward SWAIN, of New Orleans. Midsb;n
man; Thomss Reynolds, of New O,le.n.
Masters Mate; Jno HddIe, (aliss Smith I
is Engineer; Timothy O'Grsdy and Geo
March, Of New York, are Quartermas.
tiers; aud. among the crew are Raha'.
Lyons. and men by the name ossHiga;a.
Stoddard and Sullivan. We hoke ~ hs.,
by the next arrival from the Istrrnn, tn,
all the above named parties, and some
whose names we have not given. are safe
on board sn American vessel at Panama.
unless, indeed they have arrived here IN
charge of Uniied STATES officers. simul,a.
neously with the announcement If their