Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1873-11-27
Flight, Pursuit and Capture of tn
Virginius.

havana papers puOHsn Iull details
of the capture of the Virgiaiu 8. The
Didrio de la Haband says the pur-
suit commenced within Spanish wa
tiers, and that the capture was effec-
ted in the high seas twenty-three
miles from the coast Of Jamaica, and
about 100 miles from that of Cuba.
The Virginius was overhauled by
the Tornado at 10 o'clo ok p. m. on
Oct. 81, after chase of nine hours,
and was brought into the port of
Santiago de Cuba at ) o'clock in the
evening of Nov. l. The Virginius
was first sighted, according to Span
ish accounts, at 2 O'Clock p. m. of
Oct. 81. At that hour the Tornado,
cruising along the Cuban coast in
the vicinity of Aseradero, observed !
far on the horizon q steamer which !
was coming in the direction of the
place mentioned. Suspecting that
the strange craft might be the Vir-
ginius, for which keen lookout bad |
been for sometime kept up the cap.
tain OF the Tornado made for the |
stranger with the view of reconnoi.
tering. Scarcely, however, had he
turned the Tornado's PROV for that
purpose before he discovered that
the other vessel had commenced to
make for the coest of Jamaica, at the
same time feeding her fires with com.
bustlble materials which produced
great volumes of dense black smoke.
The captain of the Tornado had now
become sati. fed that tho eluding
vessel was the Virginius, which had
previously give the Spanish marine
so much trouble. Under full head
way OF steam tho pursuit now COM
menced in earnest, but at this june
ture an accident happened which
marred the effort of the Spanish cor
vette 10 overtake the fleeing Virgin
'us. The pump which supplied the
Fornado's boilers with water broke
Blu. the Spanish commander set the
crew to work dipping water from
the sea, ana the chase was kept up
At the rate of thirteen to fourteen
miles an hour by the corvette, while
the distance between the pursuers
and the pursued gradually lessened.
Night came on in the middle of
the pursuit. but, by the light Of the
moon, which, most unfortunately for
the unhappy company of tho Vir-
| ginius, enabled the Tornado to dis.
Germ the column of smoke which
rose from the two cbimneys of the
| latter, as well as her two masts, the
course pursued by the fleeing Cuban
vessel was clearly mars ed out. An
Understandable anxiety prevailed upon
the Spanish vessel when, upon the
highest attainable positions upon the
masts, the l0okOuts watched through
the mellow light shed by the moon
and reported to the captain the
movements Of the doomed Virginius
The Tornado shuddered with the
commissions OF the machinery, and
from her chimney great showers of
sparks flew back ward in the vessels
wake. As the Tornado neared her
prey Il blank shot from her cannon
was fired rs a signal for the Virgin
JUS to bait. But as tho vessel took
no notice Of the summons, but on
the contrary accelerated her speed,
three or four shotted guns were dis
charged at her. Up to this time the
Virginius had had hopes Of reaching
the friendly refuge of the British
water on the Jamaica coast They
were distant but twenty miles, and
another hour would have secured
them The promised safety.
As the Tornado, like an eagle
sweeping on its prey, bore down up
on the Virginius an interval of fear.
full anxiety intorvened upon the lat
, ter vessel. The last chance of secur
lty lay in throwing the cargo over
board and tightening the ship. In
pursuance of this plan the crew bus
led themselves with casting into the
sea horses cannon, and other arms,
ammunition, clothing, and food sup
plies. The furnaces were fed with
all the combustible materials on
board, and the last desperate effort
to reach Jamaica was made. But III
this juncture three shells from the
Tornado's guns flashed through the
air, and the Virginius, seeing the i'm
possibility of escape, was compelled
TO halt at u point between Cabo Cruz
and Santiago de Cuba. ii boats
crew, under command Of an office
was sent to her ana the demand for
{ her surrender was complied with,
and he prisoners were transferred
without resistance to the Spanish
corvette.
Varona told his captors that the
? Virginius left Kingston on the 24lh
OF October, shortly after Lhe depar-
ture of the French steamer from that
port. The intention was to proceed
forthwith to Cuba, but an accident
to the vessel compelled them to enter
Haytien port. When the necessary
repairs had been made the Virginus
again put to sea. She again entered
Havtien ports subsequently, o.wit !:
that of Puerto Principe and another.
and it was only on the Both that they
decided to make the attempt to land
in Cuba. On the 3lst vessel was
seen few miles from the Cuban
coast with sails spread. The Vir-
ginius, believing that this was mere
~ a sailing vessel, and anticipating
no danger, made no attempt to evade
her. She proved, however, to be
the Tornado, which was cruiting un =.
der sail while some slight disarrange-
ment in her engines was being re-
paired. 1t was at this juncture tbs I
the Tornado perceived the Virgin;us
and gave chase, as has been describ.
ed.
Fashion Notes.