The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-24
PRKVATEERING.

Vessel hy the UntGed SttIeN amarshal--
Description of the SteanAer-Is the
Spa fnh COso I'M Gree I'm DR" ,ser7 Etc.
q For the sast fe w days the Spanish and Chilian
residents OF this city have been making inquiries
F as to the destination Of large steamer lying in
the vicinity of BrooklSn, and supposed to be
4 intended TO sail as privateer, with a commits
4 4 ion from the Chlllan Government, to destroy
Spanish commerce on tie high seas. The mys-
terry was partially uRravelled Yesterday. when
4 the Heieor, the suspected vessel, was taken in
charge by the United States Marshal and pre-
vented from leaving this port.
THE CASE.
The facts of the case, as gathered by the
reporter, can thus be summed up:-It appears
that some time since the representative of the
Chlhan Government in this CITY entrusted GER
tam party with special mission. This person
was to examine all vessels for -alr in the harbor,
make inquiries SO to Their tonnage swttness, and
price, and report the result OF h8 Investigations
TO those who were empowered To transact the
flnarc al affair OF the Chilan Government The
delegate performed Che task required OF him,
and crew uD q list of available steamers, such
seemed best fitted for the purpose the purchasers
had IN view.
Last on the report was the propeller Meteor, a
vessel OF great strength and Speed and pos
| sessed OF all the requirements OF % prvateer
The document descriptive of the several vessels
was at once placed the hands of a certain
delegate of the Chlian Government, and it is
alleged C. at he after inspection OF the Meteor, at
4 once purchased the vessel.
A crew was Dnmeu1ateIY placed on O0arQ the
steamer, provisions in abundance supplied, aud
the supposed destination of the vessel made
public, On Monday last clearance for Panama
was requested OF the Custom House authorities,
and after due inquiry had been made by Sur
veyor Wakeman the required documents were
duly made out and placed in the haGds of the
interested parties. 1t was at once determined
that tho Me'eor should get up steam and leave
the port at an early hour yesterday morning.
if# TIE SEIZURE.
On Monday afternoon reliable il form ntior Was
conveyed to the Spanish Consul and representa-.
tves in this citV to the effect that the propeller
MeteOT, that was to have sailed the morrow
for Panama, was in reality des ine1 to be trans
formed, twenty -four hours after her clearance
from this port, into Chilian prlvateer. Acting
upon this information, Mr.. Pldestat, one OF
the attaches of the Spanish Legation, at present
In this city, made affidavit to the effect that in
the belief of the defendant the Meteor was lifting
out for the purpose OF seiHing and capturing
shirs and merchandise, the property of the
Spanish Government and its citizens, upon the
high seas, the vessel being under commission
from the Gillian Government, with which Spain
is now at war. The deponent her stated that
il the Meteor was allowed to leave the port of
New York. such act would constitute violation
OF The treaties between the Spanish Government
and the United States.
The affidavit was placed IN the hands Of United
States District Attorney Dickinson, who at once
issued his monitton to Marshal Robert Murray.
This official proceeded 10 Brooklyn, boarded the
Meteor, and took the vessel in charge Yester-
day afternoon, Ex-Governor Andrew and Hon.
VIM. NJ. Evarts appeared as counsel for the
owners OF the vessel and endeavored to obtain
her releases but the District Attorney declined
to give the permit until satisfied that the pro-
peller was destined to the uses of merchant
vessel 1t is stated that appraisers have boarded
the Meteor for the purpose OF ascertaning the
value OF the ship and liking the amount of bonds
to be given by the owners; but nothing definite
as TO the disposition to be made OF the case has
yet transpued.
DESCRIPTION or THE METEOR"
The steamship lNeteOr is a long, low, rakish
looking craft, PAINTED black, and sitting most
gracefully on the water. She is such vessel as
any old sea-dog would feel proud to command,
and such as the knowing ones would select for
privateeIing purposes; but just at present it
must be admitted she appears quite harmless,
and looks like anything but cuccaneer, not so
much as popgun being visible. The following
are her dimenslons:-Length on deck, two hum
dred and siXty-one feet; breadth of beam, thirty
four feet eight inches; and depth oil hold sixteen
feet tour inches She is one thousand four hun
dred and eighty tons burden, was built at Ports
mouth, New Hampshire, in 1855, and is owned
by j. MEForbes & Co., of Boston, Mass. She is
furnished with two double English direct engines
OF siXty-two and half inch cylinder, and three
1eet stioke of piston. The machinery was built
at Greenock by the Messrs. Horn.
The Meteor is propeller, full shiprigged, with
three decks, the main deck beng what is known
as ''fush," from stem to stern. She is con.
structed principally of OAK ana chesndt, and is
copper and iron fastened. She was originally
built by The merchants of Boston, for the express
purpose of catching the Alabama, and 1t is said
that she can, under ordinary circumstances,
steam easily fifteen knots per hour. The noto-
rious Alabama meeting her fate before the Meteor
was ready for sea, she was chartered by the Gov.
ernment and employed in transporting troops
from one point to another along the coast, be-
sides which services she has since made one
voyage to New Orleans for purely commercial
purposes. She is clipperbuilt and clIpper-rigged,
with round stern and sharp bow, and her lines
are indicative of great speed.
The steamer was in charge OF deputy United
States Marshal during the afternoon and last
night; but the captain of the Meleor hoped that
his vessel would be bonded at an early hour
this morning, when she would proceed upon her
voyage to Panama. The fires were banked up,
but the machinery was kept in motion through
out the entire afternoon The men were at
work and the officers we're walking to and fro
on the quarter deck, the vessel presenting no
suspicious appearance whatever. There were
/ no curious persons upon the wharf, no noise
about the steamer, and everything betokened
quietude and peace when the reporter left. Gap.
tain Kemble claims that his vessel was about to
start upon regular and legitimate voyage, and
that he had nothing but provisions Tor the ships
use and seven hundred tons of coal upon her
when she was seized by the authorities.
The following Is list of her otticers:-Com-
mander, E. Kenble; first officer, j. Belts; second
officer r. Bullen; third officer, f. Kemble.
The crew, including officers and men, numbers
ftty-seven, all told.-N. \. Herald.
The Fenian PrivateeT "Cuba."
I,,a .-te.Iu