Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-11-09
FIRST GUN FROM THE Gi,OUCES
TER WAR.
rnc owner of the Horton hssS> Cor New
e'ApeEs for ass Eesse2-Sccretiry iSoute
wau Between Two Fires.

correspondence OF the New York Herald
WAsmNGroN, Oct, q, 1877.
The Treasury Departments Yves to-
day the theater on which the Giouces-
ter fishermen played their interesting
little game, The Collector CT Customs
at Gloucester officially notified the Sec
rotary Of the Treasury OF the seizure
of the schooner Edward a. Horton on
the LIST OF September, 1871, by the Do
mlnion cutter Sweepstakes, for IN IL
legged violation of the Canadian fishery
laws. She was taken into Guysboro,
N. 5, About a week ago the owner went
to Guysboro TO look after his vessel,
and found her lying at a wharf He
quietly and peaceably took possession
Of his vessel, and sailed for Gloucester,
where he arrived on the 18th inst AS
the papers of the schooner have been
lost, the owner respectfully asks that
new papers may be issued, rs provided
in section 81 of the Revised Reqlla-
tons There has been no oondemation
of the vessel by English courts
1t viii be seen THAT the question os The
seizure Of the Horton must necessarily
No 6tLtAtNi ttlpiE bLI' ItNAbA'..C III tllt-
schooner could be of any value TO her
owner.
Section 81 OF the regulations referred
10 by Collector BatsOn refers only to
vessels sold and transferred by process
of law, bpt another section, and the
one upon which the Secretary Is bound
TO act, makes ii applicable also TO pa
pers lost to the owners use and control
by reason OF their being wron9tully
withheld and detained from his DOS
session. Ii can easily be understood
how important the issuance OF new pa
pers Is to the owner, as in the present
state of the case he cannot take his
vessel out OF port, ms seizure being
practically without any benefit to him,
and it was asserted to-day that Score
tary Boutwell, has ordered the Collect
or at Gloucester to give the necessary
documents and remit all fines and for.
FIXTURES; but Mr.. Boutwell, says lie has
rs yet taken no steps in the matter and
viii not oompl y with the request made
through Collector Dabson without
further information on the subject. He
has 30 informed the Gloucester Collec-
tor, and the fishermen of that ancient
town have the satisfaction OF knowing,
after all their feesting and buster, that
the schooner Is as useless as il she We're
still tied up at the wharf at Guysboro.
Our own registration laws make it I'M
possible for the Treasury Department
to athoriZe the vessel to leave
the port on any pretext what
ever, unless in the hands Of her Blue
Nose captors, without Involving the
Government IN endless complications.
A mere compliance with the request of
Collector Babson would be an assump-
ton Of the act of the Horizons owner
by the United States, and it would
place the Government IN worse posi-
ton than we held toward Bfazil in the
case of the Florida, because it would
be M atlront to Great Britain by a
Cabinet Minister; consequently the
Dominion authorities may, if they
choose, compel our government to take
the initiative in the settlement Of The
question, or look on and laugh while
the schooner Is rotting in the harbor Of
Gloucester. The latter course, which
is not at all improbable, would be one of
btiE AtIIIllItob VI IL HIliEt lIIttI
national question on record, and
would be lesson on the impractical
bility Of taking the law into ones own
hands which even fishermen would not
be likely soon to forget. Canada has
virtual control OF the schooner, and
nothing except the voluntary return Of
the papers, or the justification of the
aot of her owners by the United States
can enable the Horton again to "walk
the water like thing of hfe." This
phase of the case will make Secretary
Boutwell's proposed visit to Massa-
chusetts next week Observation-Disclosures
full, and between General Butler and
New England fishermen he may ex-
pect happy time, He has his choice
between doing his duty and displeas-
ing the Yankees, or making fearfn!
international biunder and securing .
weeks repose at Groton- 1t IS pc
wonder, therefore, that Mr.. Boutwell, is
waiting for further information,