New-York tribune., 1873-12-18

inc to tho Spanish commander, the Vlrgih'"'
has already coal enough for seven u"y'
When supplied with provisions and Goa, '"o
Virginius will probably be sent to nor'ne'"
port. Washington and Norfolk are "o"
toned among the prize officers. Much W .,'o
disappointment Of some OF the 0fhcers' VIZ
Federal Courts are now anxlously looking ou'
for her arrival and immediate seizure. on0
will not enter the harbor of Key West at ALL
express orders to that effect having been IT,
ceived from Washington.
OPINIONS OF THE MODE OF SURRENDER
After all, the surrender was some"na'
tame affair, although conducted with propo'
dignity by the officers whose duty IL "aS S :"
carry out the provisions of the protocol. ino
Spaniards seem to throw contempt upon .no
whole proceedings by smuggling the Vnginiu'
out of Havana by selecting an obscure n"i
Dor not a port of entry as the place Oh oui
render, and by turning over the duty oi '"i
render to the commander of little sioop en-
gagged in eurveying while the Tornado, "hi0"
made the capture, lay in the harbor OF Hav"h"'
and the Isabel la Catolica, which had Deeh
selected az a convoy, steamed back to Ia
vana under cover of night. / find the o'hceis
and American residents in Cuba are u"an'-
nous in the opinion that the surrender has
not been in accordance with the demands Oh
Justice. While rejoicing that the ship IL once
more under the American flag and manned ny
American seamen, they believe that our UoV.
ernment ought to have required that she shouiu
be surrendered with all the prisoners on boaru'
either at Santiago de Cuba, where the Iorhauo
brought in her ill-gotten prize, and where Tue
inhuman butcheTies were committed, OF III
Havana, where she was afterward taken in
triumph, and received with the cheers OF the
excited Spaniards over the humiliation OF the
American people.
Much speculation has been INDUCED in by
the officers of the Navy as to the probable
course of the owners of the Virglnlus' VINO
the owners are, is, as vet, not officially known.
1t is thought not improbable, however, that
they will abandon all claims to their yessel,
as they well know that the United States VIII
investigate the operations OF tne
vessel, and if not critically correct and legal
will visit upon the owners the heaviest penal
ties for everything like infraction OF the
neutrality and other laws. This will make
the owners wary of claiming the vessel, ana
the officers of the Navy, who were present at
the surrender, are indulging in the pleasant
hope that inasmuch as a prize crew was put
on board the vessel, there will be some prize
meney 10 divide.
Beside the officers and crews of the Despatch
and La Favorita, and the members OF the
prize crews, the correspondent OF IHE
TRIBuNE was the only witness of the sur
render. Not single person appeared
on the shores of the bay, and not an
inhabitant of the town of Bahia Honda
or surrounding country felt sufficient IN
terest in the proceedings to walk or SAL
to the scene of such an important historic
event. Some Americans presented themselves
at the entrance of the harbor in chartered
vessel, but, not being provided with clearance
papers or passports, were stopped by the
boat from the fort in the several attempts to
enter the harbor, and finally Withdrew without
the surrender.