The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1872-01-18
TIE FLORIDA.
Statement of the Circamstances At
tending the Oyerhai.3ing OF the
Florida by the Spanish u ar Vessels.

New YORK, Jan. l2-We are indebted
to the Tribune for the following: George
Mitchell, master of the steamship Florida
has made d sworn statement OF the circum-
stances attending the departure of the
Florida from TIE port Of St. Thomas. This
statement, which is corroborated by the
hrst and second mates, and others Of the
crew Of the vessel, is as follows: On the
l4th OF December the Florida set sail from
St. Thomas laden In ballast and bound for
New York. At 5 o'clock of the morning
Of that dag the Spanish war vessel, NaSco
Nunez de Balboa, which had been watch
ing the. Florida while in port, was seen
passin Water Island under steam and sail
directly in the track Of the Florida. At
1880 the war steamer, which bore east
northeast distant three miles, clewed up
her sails and bore down on the Florida
The smoke Of a steam vessel was seen to
the windward, when the war steamer
hauled 10 northward, III 4 parallel course
with that OF the Florida. The strange
steamer proved to be the Halifax and ST.
Thomas mail boat. The war steamer then
bore down on the Florida, with her crew at
their quarters and her guns run out ready
toI action. When the war steamer was in
speaking distance she fired blank-shot ut
the Florida, and lowered boat nearly to
the water edge.
The t. ) nag WAS then h0istcl on the
Florida and no farther notice was taken of
the hostile demonstrations. Ten minutes
after the firing of the first gun the war
steamer fired second gun, and the shot
was seen to richOchct a-tcru Of the Florida
The Flor Ia WAS then hove to, and Il cutie
from the war steamer came toward her. \
boat from the iasco Numcz dc Balboa
came alongside, and an officer and intc-
prefer came on board the FiOri!a and re-
qlested to see her papers, which were
shown them by the master, and after cx-
amining the papers the officer returned
them. lie then asked permission to
go through betw, en- the decks, and the
master considering that it would be useless
to contend against the superior force, ae-
Quiesced The officer then went from the
cabin through between the decks and came
out at the fore-hatchway, having gone
through the ship from aft forward. The
officer and Interpreter then went away,
telling the master that he could proceed on
his voyage.
The Florida then proceeded on her
course to New \ ork. On December DIST,
she became disabled in a gale, and was
obliged to bear away for Nassau, where
she arrived on the morning Of the 9th of
December. Having repaired damages on
Saturday, the 39th of December,
the Florida sailed from Nassau
and proceeded on her intended voyage to
New York, the Spanish gunboat, des
Cucrilor, following the ship out of port,
and when about Il mile distant from the
Florida the guuboat fired 4 buuL-shot Ut
J:-tl Il. n, The Spanish guuboat fired Il
sAot, wE..h came whiotiing through the
,;r across the flari!a's stem, and falling ii
.hc Waser some 900 or 3Dt yards distant
iLe master then hove the sAip to, and an
.iD.s. from the guHboat came alongside Of
the florida in boat, with the boat 5 crew
IL armed. he officer came On board the
Fio:i Ia ami re iPe.trl t. see her papers,
wh.cl were shown E.n. lie read thpm
nu returned !.l.tn 10 The na~t"- II"
hen u>tic permission t. go through be
tween the dSc.>, 10 which the master,
having Ho rpUr" II resist, consented. At
tu:.5 the o-r.r left the FIori Ia, wh;ch
ma r all sal and Proceeded on her voyage
T. Ny York