Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1873-11-18
THE yIRGINIUS.
FULL PARTICULARS OF HER CAP
TURE.
THE CHASE INTO BRITISH WATERS
Caught While Flying the American CoIors.

THE CHASE INTO BRITISH WATERS.
Caught While Flying the American CoIors.
THE COURT MARTIAL AND TRIAL AS PIRATES.
New YoRK, November 13-An Havana let
ter dared Sth instant gives the following par.i-
culars Of the capture of tie Virginius:
The Virginius, shortly after the departure Of
the French steamer for Santiago de Cuba, left
Jamaica. 1t was the intention of the expedi.
tionists on board to sail direct for the port OF
Cuba, but slight damage to the machinery
obliged them to enter the port of Hayti This
they left touching at Port au Prince, Hayti,
and another port of the same island. Ga the
30th they concluded to sail for Cuba, and
ATTEMPT LANDING.
Ga that day the Spanish consul at Kingston
advised the government at Santiago de Cuba
that the Virginius was in the vicinity of Mar
rant Bay, Jamaica. As it happened. the Span
ish man-o war Tornado had that morning ar
rived at Santiago de Cuba and Governor Bur
rel Immediately communicated to her COM
mander, Costello, his information, which caus-
ed her to leave four hours afterwards.
The following day, the 3lst, the Tornado.
under full sail and but little steam on, as some
sightrepairs were being made to her machinery.
came in sight of the Virginius, which probably
supposed the Tornado to be sailiog vessel. as
her course was not changed On the Tornado
every effort was made to hasten the repairs
they were engaged In, and at o clock the chief
engineer pronounced them completed. All
steam possible was Immediately got up and the
vessel headed for the Virginius, soon reaching
the speed Of IA knots, and slowly gaining on
her
THE CHASE
The Virglnius had in the meantime kept her
course, but divining the hostile intentions of
the Tornado, changed it towards Jamaica. and
being out focal, commenced to burn petroleum,
grease, tat. and other combustibles from the
provisions
Night closed in and the vessels were in the
same relative positions the Tornado. however.
gaining on her prey. The bright light of a full
moon kept the Virgiaius in plain sight and her
two masts, and dense clouds of smoke, on &C.
count of her nature of her fuel, were clearly
visible TO he slowly gaining Tornado. Further
to facilitate their flight. they
THREW OVERHEARD
horses, CO 1non and many cases of arms and
ammuGiti IN afterwards stated to be 600 Re-
mingtons, mltraieuse, seven horses and a
quantity ct powder and small arms
As soon as they got within gun-shot, the
Tornado
FIXED A GUN.
followed by three OF hers of shot aud shell. This
brought he Virginius to, and two armed boats
from the Tornado came alongside, took possess
SION Of the vessel, add made prisoners of all on
board At the time of the capture, the Vir-
ginius was flying
THE AMERICAN FLAG,
but this was pulled down by'the Spanish officer
and the Spanish ensign hoisted in its place al
though the papers of the vessel, duly dispatch
ed for Colon, were handed to him.
IN BRITISH WATERS
The vessel at the time was in British waters
and within league, "a [ am positively assured,
of the coast CT Jamaica. On this point all ac-
counts differ. One gives the capture as having
been effected twenty miles from Jamaica, an
official account states twelve miles the Dinrio
states twenty-three miles the journals of Santi
ago de Cuba eight miles and tweaty miles and
the version of the Ioz de Cuba twelve miles
The com mander of he Tornado publicly stated
It IN Santiago de Cuba that an hour later and
the Virgi1ius could have saved herself by enter
ing some port of Jamaica.
After the capture, the next two hours we're
employed 10 transferring some of the prisoners
to the To oado and putting prize crew on the
Virginus.
THE PERSONS ON BOARD.
The tot al number OF persons Oh beard amounts
co TO GIG nUnufeG ana SlXGy-nVe. OF whom
ninety are SAID to be natives of the island, ard
the remainder foreigners. OF these one hun
dred and sixty-fge persons, sixty-lhree are
thought TO form the crew.
At mi; hight that night the two vessels start
ed for Santiago de Cuba, and arrived the fol-
lowing day at 5 clock in the afternoon, having
been joiue by the Spanish steamer Cantabro
This fact alone, of seventeen hours steaming
would ten.l to prove hat they were considera-
BILE distance from Cuba and very near Jamaica,
as the distance Is no. much above 100 miles.
THE COURT MARTIAL.
The following day, the I'd inst. a court-mar-
tial was held on board the Tornado, which COM
menced at A. M. and terminated at P M.
All were tried as pirates. and the findings of
the court and sentences were sent to the cap
tain-eecera and admiral in sealed package
After the court had concluded its task all the
prisoners we're all transferred to jail
General Burrie coolIy asked that all the pri-
soners Should be turGed over to him, with the
exception Of the captain and crew, who should
be sent TO Havana, at the disposal OF the Com
mandante-General de Marina. and declared that
within twenty-four hours afterwards all should
be tried and executed, In order TO avoid any
complications with the exterior--that is foreign
intervention.
He also detained telegram which the Uni
ted States consul desired to forward to the Uni-
ted States consul at Kingston, reporting the
capture, and inquiring as to the nationality Of
the Virginius.
Ali the news was received In Havana with
great rejoicings by the Spanish.
Last evening the Captain General received a
telegram from BurrieI, telling him Of the fate
. Eo rool