Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-10-08

Ifcers arrived in the city Sunday morning
and chartered the tug Alpha to proceed to
Smithville and then take a small vessel
which had been chartered in tow, bringing
her to the city and towing the boat back
after loading her with the desired supply
of coal. The custom house authorities got
wind of the matter and a'government Of
fcer was dispatched on the Alpha and re-
connoitred and reported the true char
acter of the vessel. The officer who had
engaged the coal after returning to the
city on the Alpha got wind of the position
of matters and left Sunday night about 2
o'clock in small boat. The Alpha was
then chartered by the government, the,,craft
loading with coal was seized, and U. s.
Deputy Marshal Neff, supplied with the
proper papers from the U. S. Commits
sioner, went down yesterday morning, leav-
the armed vessel where she lay under the
guns of Fort Caswell
The Marshal found the vessel to be as
represented, was politely invited on
board by the Commander, to whom he ex-
hibited his papers. The officer exhibited
his commission from the Cuban govern
ment, not pretending to deny who he was;
but objected to being seized and brought
up by the government officials, as he had
put in here in distress. He consented,
however, to come up to the city volun-
tarily, and gave his personal pledge to re-
main in port until the matter. was settled
by the government, which being agreed 70
by the Marshal, the vessel proceeded up as
stated last evening. The Collector of Gus
toms then autographed all the facts to the
Government at Washington, laying the
whole case before it for action. Many
dispatches passed over the wires, but no
disclosures are made as to tbs disposition
of the ship.
THE VESSEL
AS is stated above is now known
as the Cuba and was formerly
called the Hornet )" and during the war
was 9 blockade runner which made one
or more trips into this port and was finally
captured under the name of g Lady Ster-
ling" She is fine craft of great speed
and sister ship of the "North Heath"
sunk just previous to the evacuation of
Wilmington by the Confederate forces
about three miles below this city.
WHERE FITTED OUT.
The "Cuba as reported by the
Captain was lifted out at sea. The
last port that she is known to have sailed
from is Halifax, N. S., where there are re-
ports of her having been seized by the
authorities and being forced to pay con-
siderable sum before released.
ARMAMENT AND MEN.
The Sc Cuba " has an armament Of some
six guns and is manned by about 100 men,
with between rs and 80 officers. She is
we'll fitted out in every respect and is quite
formidable craft.
OFFICERS
=, The officers are all gentlemen and a fine |
looking and handsome set as ever walked |
quarter deck. Commodore Higgins, the
Commander halls from Norfolk, Va; sew
eral others are Virginians, and nearly..all of
them hail from the South and were in the |
Confederate army. Commodore Higgins
was Lieutenant i'll the navy before the
war, entered the Southern army and was a
Brigadier General under Pemberton at
Vicksburg, and now has his full rank in
the Cuban navy. He, Dr. McNulty, Capt,
Ingraham and MI. Phillips came ashore
last night and took quarters at the Purcell
House. They were dressed in the regular
blue inform of the American navy and
presented a very fine appearance. The
following is complete list of the officers :
Commodore Edward Higgins, Commander.
Thos L. Dornin, Lieutenant Commander.
David A. Telfair, Navigating Officer and Lieu
tenant; q. W. Read. Lieut.; DR.. Fred. J. McNul-
ty, Surgeon; Eugene vaiente, Paynaster
Secretary to Commander; DR.. E. W. Du Bose,
Asst Surgeon ID. d. Munro. LIST Lieut. of Ma
rines; Nicholas Esng, Master R: sommers,
Henry s; Cooke, A: N, NJ Mason, R. a. Gibson, En-
shipmen Louis French. Chief Engineer Rob't
Graham, John Lynch, w. b. Robinson, let Asst
Engineers; JAS. Dennison, Stephen Kearney,
Joaquin Aguiar, Edwendo Torailas, Cd Asst En-.
gineers; John Mullay, Paymaster's CLERK W J
Taherty, Masters Mate.
THE RESULT
OF their detention here is looked upon
quietly by the Commander, who seems to
feel no special anxiety. He conducts him
self with the dignifed bearing to which
his position entities him, and throughout
has been only the perfect gentleman and
man of honor. His officers partake of the
same spirit, and the Marshal is warm in
his acknowledgment of their gentlemanly
and courteous treatment of him while on |
board of the "Cuba." We will probably
hear something about the final disposition
of the vessel to-day.-Daiiy Journal 5th
The "CUBA "--EER FORMER MOVE
MENTs.-As the sudden appearance of the
Cuba " among us has been made in ad-
vance of the disclosure of her movements,
we publish as of some interest to our read
ers the following information which has
reached us by mail ALI along she has