The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-08-04
THE SPANISH ARMAnk
Seizure Of Thirty Spanish Gunboats by
the United States Government.
pumor that Belligersnt Rights viii be
Granted 10 the Cubans


The Tammany Sachems Flanked by
the Administration.
Great excitement was created throughout the city
yesterday when rumor with Its hundred tongues an
pounced the fact that General and United States
Marshal Barlow had made swoop upon the numes
rous neet OF Spanish unboats at present IN progress
Of speedy completion in this city and put them in
charge 6f his deputies, The news was the more
startling and astounding following upon the doughty
achievehsnts Of the said marshal, n which he rem
derd nugatory the mighty EFFORTS Of the Cuban yunta
ana their Geherallssimo, the valiant Colonel Ryan,
to send an expedition from this port to help the
liberators Of the Queen Of the Antilles in
their Efforts to secure liberty and self-govern-
ment. From this very seeming inc66sisteHty
Of action on the Part Of the United States ofhcial
may be deduoed this Consideration IN their favor,
that an Official. while his acts may be unpopular
and irritating to the pubic mind, he Is, after ALL
but opeying the behests Of superior authority, and
that be should not be held accountable for or indeed
conf0hnded, Is too often the with the orders
whatever they may be, unless in the discharge
thereof and with the tulhment Of hls duty he tran
sends his authority or acts in specially offensive
or 0iciOus manner. This Is at all times provo
cative Of the worst feelings between those clothed
with authority and the people, as Is seen in the fire.
quent conflicts between the myrmicons Of Super
intendent Kennedy and our citizens. But Marshal
Barlow must be acquitted Of any charge that on
the late .war upon the Cuban Junta" he acted gu
perciliously, onensively or over-onlciously. The
Marshal is rather gentle and mild ocer by nature.
and were he TO reverse his sympathies as an Amerl-
can citizen ana as one who had himself served In
the tented field, would naturally have toned down
the 0cial ire and ardor for distinction and caused
him to have dealt mildly with the gallant fellows
Who taking their lives In their hands. went forth to
strange land to aid the cause OF legitimate revolution
But new aud more favorable opportunity mas been
happily offered the Marshal and bis deputies to ex-
hibit the esprit de corps OF their profession and call
ing. fresh scent has awakened all the keenness
Of the chase within them, and now instead Of run.
ming after Cuban expeditionarcs they ARE hunting
down and running to earth, with all the eagerness
OF sleuth hounds, the powerful foes Of those very
Cuban liberators. The Marshal has now directed
the enginery of the law against the Spanish gov.
eminent itself, and storming with just Indignation
and Official zeal he has as completely and efficiently
scattered, captured and demolished this second
Spanish Armada as the storm OF the elements scat
tered and overthrow the Armada Of Phillip II.
FLEET OF SPANISH GuNBoATs.
It has been long known 10 the government at
Washington that the Spanish authorities were hav-
ing built here, and intended at out and equip on
their completion with all the necessary mate,1el
and enginery Of war; 1eet OF gunboats.
The object Of this great naval preparation however
II might have been really known and understood by
the authorities, was winked at or quietly shelved
out Of sight. The unequal struggle between the
lberators ana their oppressors stil waging, but
still incinlng In favor Of the oppressors, and in
sucn cases made and provided there Is little sympa
thy and less mercy for the oppressed. And SO the
work Of building the great feet was permitted,
and Spanish gold, promptly and lavishly
expended, was urging on the zeal OF
the builders, ard everything babe fair
for the successful launching and departure OF the
neet. No less than thirty Of these powerful gun
Doats-powerful considering the weakness and I'M
preparedness OF those against whom they were des.
tined to act-were rapidly progressing towards CON-
petop. But the fiat Of the government at last went
FORTH and the hopes founded by the spanish govern
ment and their paid officials here upon the
speedy termination Of the work and the app.
cation OF the vessels 10 the contemplated
service were by that fat at once overthrown.
1t was never sought to be concealed that these
sgunboats we're intended to operate in the subjuga
ton OF the government OF Peru to the imperous
demands Of Spain with regard to the Chincha islands,
and which Peru in resisting, couple years ago, had
two OF her seaport cities subjected to bombardment
by the Spanish leet. 1t was with feelings of shame
and indignation that the people saw the govern
ment tacitly permitting the preparation OF
these vessels Of war, intended to be used BY
. stronger Power against a weaker and against
a government and people with whom this people
and government were ON terms OF International
comfy and good will. The rigid enforcement of the
neutrality laws on behalf Of this same Spain against
her struggling coonists Of Cuba, painting after that
independence ana right Of self-governmeut which
the Spaniards themselves had but 30 recently
wrested from tyrannical and hated government
drew the attention OF the people to the supine.
ness OF the government In the matter of the
Spanish gunboats. The Cuban Junta time and
again called the attention of the authorities
at washington to the unjustness and inconsistency
OF these acts IN the referred to. These appeals
were made In vain for long time, till some changes
on the political chessboard opened the eyes OF the
government to the necessity OF a change OF tactics
and then came, as the first move in new direction
the order for the seizure of The gunboats.
the SEIZURE.
The order Tor the seizure was jointly received by
CEited States District Attorney Pierrepont and
Omitted States Marshal Barlow few DAYS ago ana
though the whereabouts OF the vessels were at the
time perfectly well known to these of,ce.s some
Juuc uhe was ueeueu 10 lay Their plans
for the most perfect and et1cen. iuinlment OF these
orders In the premises Yesterday morning every.
thing was working well. General BRrlow and a
posse Of deputies proceeded the pier foot OF Thlr
leenth street, and there, stretching some distance up
tle river. along the adjacent wharves, they found
fifteen gunboats. Eight OF these boats had their
bocrs III, and were having their machinery rapidly
completed and fitted In under the personal supern.
tendence ana business pr0mptitude OF Mr.iDelama
Ter, The first builder OF the Ericsson monitors.
The work, for the purpose OF despatch. and
which We specially note for the pcuett or
ral
shops The manufacture of the boilers OF these
vessels was contracted out by Mr.. Delamater to q
pIm In Newark; so that the completion Of the boats
Nv us going on simultaneously In their various paris
IN different places Al one ana the same time fJDsy
30 here remarked that no expense was shared OH
the rart OF the Spanish government for the speedesI
lrui0n their fenfinna mn dasirna .uiih rolrrI