The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-11-24
FIRST EDITION
sTHE sPANIARD.
n Seizure of the Gunboats to be Made
To-day-Five Spanish Frigates
Bn Route for New York
a The Operations of the
Junta.
.om The N Y. World Of to-dan.


gunboats by the civil authorities did not take
place yesterday, in consequence of the time re-
qtired for completing the necessary documents.
separate libel has to be made out for each
gunboat, one copy of which is served on the
vessel, another is sent to Washington, another
is deposited with the United States Marshal, and
the fourth is retained by the United States Dis
trict Attorney. Thus 120 documents are neces..
sary for the simple act of taking possession of
the thirty vessels. These, together with all the
accompanying papers, were to have been com
pletcd last evening, and 1t is expected that the
seizure will be made this morning. At late
hour yesterday Judge Pierrepont telegraphed to
Washington for further Instructions, but the
nature of the reply has not transpired.
The LibellIDR AHdavit,
npon which District Attorney Perrepont's ac-
tion s based, was made by Senior AlfaTo, of the
Junta This gentleman has been closely watch
ing the vessels from the day the first keel was
laid until the present time, and through discreet
agents he has kept himself posted respecting
every movement made in connection with them.
As soon as the Spanish Government made the
formal demand for their surrender, he drew up
affidavit, setting forth the character of the gun
boats, stating that their armament and munitions
II had already been conveyed to Havana; that
the officers and crews intended for them were
present In the harbor, and that their evident
purpose was not only to make war upon an es-
tablished government in Cuba with which the
United States was at peace, but to relieve the
Spanish squadron and enable it to resume hos
Titles against the friendly nation of Peru. This
Judge Pierrepont, measures were at once adopted
by that officer to execute the laws relating to
the subject.
1t having been suggested to Senor Alfaro that
according to the neutrality laws one-half the
proceeds from the sale of vessels condemned
for violation of said laws goes to the informer,
that gentleman announces that should the gun
boats be condemned and sold he shall present to
the treasury of the Junta whatever amount may
accrue to him from the transaction.
The gunboats are still in the hands of the
tI,n
Yard being constantly on duty with tug at the
'ssvharf where the gunboats are lying. A revenue
cutter is anchored out in the stream, and every
precaution is taken against any one of the yes
sells stealing away. The sum to be paid for
them by the Spanish Government has been kept
"a profound secret but some idea may be formed
of their cost from the fact that the sails of each
E.essel were contracted for at $4,000, making
0000 for this item alone. AS the sails are
small and few in number. the total contract price
Of the vessels, estimated from these figures, must
be rather heavy bill for Spain to pay in the
present condition of her finances.
The Cuban Juntu
is in the best of spirits over the new aspect of
affairs, and the headquarters at No II Broadway
!. was crowded yesterday with enthusiastic
Cubans. Half dozen officers of the steamer
Cuba, seized at Wilmington, were assembled
about the place most of the day, and notwith-
standing their own disappointment in not being
able to carry out their purposes with the new
Cuban war steamer, seemed to be scarcely less
pleased than themselves at the prospect of as
sistance to the cause from the United States
authorities. The apartments of the Junta were
thrown open, and the secrecy which has usually
characterized business there was wholly dis
pensed with.
Only one or two members of the Junta were
present, and at times the headquarters were left
entirely in the charge of the attendant, who
busted himself at a desk in the ante-room while
visitors strolled in and out ofthe apartments and
spread themselves about rs if it were sort of
moving day and the occupation of the Junta had
ceased Occasionally member of the Junta
would drop in, chat with his acquaintauces,
! smoke cigarette while he looked over the
4 papers, and then drift out again, evidently in
very comfortable frame of mind.
a In an upper room at some distance from these
headquarters very different scene was pre-
sented Here the members of the Junta sat in
ne0uncil around long table, and two secretaries
" an adjacent desk were busily writing. The
proceedings of the council were secret and
whenever the meeting was disturbed by callers
All business was suspended until the visitor had
eft- The nature of their deliberations will trans
pire in day or two, however, with important
results to the Cuban interests involved in the
seizure of the gunboats.
The Junta claims that ataccording to established
precedent the Spanish gunboats must be con-
aemned, and cites the case of the privateer
josefa Segunda, which in the year 1920 was
sent out by the colony of Venezuela, while that
colony was in insurrection against Spain, and
1 before there had been any recognition of the
belligerency of the insurgents. This prvateer
captured q Spanish merchantman, and brought
her prize into an American port. The Spanish
Government made demand for the surrender
OF the vessels and the United States Supreme
Court decided that although Venezuela had not
yet been recognized as o belligerent the exist
ence of war between her and Spain was every
where known, and that she was by her mainte-
nance of the war virtually an independent State.
i Upon this decision the request Of Spain was
denied, and the vessels were declared to be the
lawful property of the insurrectionary colony of
Venezuela. The Junta applies this theory
70 the situation in Cuba, and
aTgues that the same principle the
]aited States mnst recognize the Cuban repub-
c as a Stale at peace with the United States
and prevent Spain from carrying on any opera
tons against Cuba from Am erican ports. The
Cnbans also place great reliance upon the action
q Congress, now about to assemble and are
~9lghy gratifed and encouraged by the nume-
fcns petitions being signed by the American
people praying for the recognition of Cuba by
The United States. In addition to the memo.
xlals which heye been signed by thousands in
New York, Boston, Philadelphia, and other
clues throughout the country, a monster petit
tion has Just been started by the ladies of Bal
tlmorc, TO be signed only by ladies.
-Four thousand signatures have already been
obtained In that city alone and it is intended to
circulate the petition throughout the State, and
npQly TO present it through q delegation to visit
Washington for that purpose. The members of
HE Junta state that If they can do no more than
ecure the detention OF the gunboats uatil Con-
,fesf meets they will be content as they feel
assured that among the first acts of Congress
slll be the formal recognition of Cuba.
spanish Frigates Coming.
Letters received by the Junta from Havana
I'tate that five Spanish war vessels are about TO
proceed from Cuban waters to New York These
vessels are the iron clad Victoria the lrst-class
tWO0den frgates Almanac and Corona and the
..... - 1T. 20 Iool al