New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1872-01-13
TIE ouTRAGEs ON THE FLORIDA.
STATEMENT OF THE MASTER OF THE VESSEL
SHE WAS TWICE BOARDED AND SEARCHED
RY OFFICERS FROM SPANISH WAR VESSELS.

STATEMENT OF THE MASTER OF TIE VESSEL
SHE WAS TWICE BOARDED AND SEARCHED
RY OFFICERS FROM SPANISH WAR VESSELS.
George Mitchell Master Of the steamship
Florida. has made sworn statement Of the cucunl-
stances attending the departure of the Florida from The
nort Of ST. Thomas This statement, which Is corrobO-
rated by the first and second mates ahd Others Oi INC
crew of the vessel, Is as follows:
On tho 18th Of December the Florida set sail from ST.
r1,oros laden i'm ballast and bound fer Nrw-York. At
o'clock on The morning Of That day the vessel hove
short and set fOrcsail and mainsa NJ Ga m stah-
tng came alongside and took the ships haN ser ana she
men weighed anchor and proceeded ~ At a. m.
the seau-tug cast on its nc and the Florida ser an san
Az a. m the Spanish waryesscl NdscO Nmcl de Balboa,
Which had been watching the Florida while In port, was
seen passing Water Island under steam and sail, directly
in the track OF the Florida At 1880 q. m the war
steamer which bore castuOrthcdst, distant three miles,
ccwcd up her sails and bore down on Tie folua' ~
1910 A. m the smoke OF q steam vessel was seen to
windward When the war-steamer hauled to the
Florida The strange steamer proved TO bc the Halifax
and st. Thomas mail boat The steamer then bore
down the Florida with her at quarters and guns
run ready for action. when the war steamer was in
speaking distance she fired blank shot at the Florida
and lowered a boat nearly 10 the waters edge The
United States flag was then hoi.ed on me fioIld anu
no further notice taken Of the hostile dem0nstra
ton. Ten minutes after firing the irst gun Tue wr
steamer fired second gun and the shot was seen 10
ricochet asern Of the Florida. The Florida was then
hove to- and cutter from the steamer came toward
her the Isle OF TIC Virgin group hearing south
cast quarter cast, distant ten miles. boat from the
NascO Nunez de Balboa came ana An Ocor ana
Interpreter came on board the Florida and requested
TO her papers. which were shown To mem ny the
II,
turned them then asked permission 20 go through
The betweendecks, and the master considering that II
ac0uicsced The officer then went from the cabin
through betwccn-decks and came out of the fore hatch
way, having gone through tho ship from att forward
officer and Interpreter then went away teng the
master hc could proceed on his voyage All possible sail
was then set the Florida, and She proceeded on her
Io9T'S S OTsT rom milne he Eastward d fine weather the
war steamer keeping company with the FLORIDA. Al r.
the Florida slowed anchors and boat the NascO M
,'r'eoa -,in heinz n h"T @o,"'%y ",5 az r. %
the Florida lost sight O the NdscO NuhtE de b'IpOa
light astcrn. 80
The Florida then proceeded on her voyage without
ANYTHING worthy Of note occurring until Thursday, the
list of December shortly after midnight whcn ina heavy
equal from the northwest the ship gave very heavy
lurch and plunge. which carried away her fOreOpmast
boring and straining greatly, ana leaking The pumps
were properly attended 10. The crew succeeded IN
saving the wreck and rigging OF the fOret0pinast me
weather became moderate, but with heavy sea sui
running They wore ship 10 the westward. Friday the
odd, began with a moderate breeze ana very heavy
sea running; the ship aborng and rolling greatly
her disabled state, the master bore away Tor Nassau
where arrived the morning OF the 2ith OF Decc-
bcr being tOwed into port on account 81 bad WINDS
Having repaired damages Saturday the 3Uth OF De
on her intended voyage to New York. the spanish gun
boat Dcscubfidor following the ship out OF port AT $50
a. M when distant about mile IRON tie Florida the
gunboat fred blank shot. The national nag
was then hustcd the Florida At 9iOa In the spanish
guboat fired a shot, which came wbistng through The
air across the Flordas stern, ard falling IN the water
the foreopsan and hove the ship to- AZ 1918 ~ M an
officer from the gunboat came alongside the oilda m
boat with boats crew. all armed The officer came on
board the Florida ana requcsed 10 see lbf papers.
which were shown hun. He read them aud returned
Them TO the master. He then asked permission 10 20
through betwecn-dccks, to which INC master having no
Ford,, which made all sail and proceeded ON her Noy-
are toward NcW-GOIB.