Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1873-12-24
Maintaining our Maritime Rights.

Maintaining Our Maritime Rights.
Active Measures tn be Taken for It's sup
preston.
HAVANA, Dec. 1.-THE proposed enrolment
for military duty, of all men between eighteen
and forty-hve years of age, a fourth of whom are
TO be conscripted for active service, is gaining
advocates The DiaTiO says, we are now at the
18th of December, and we have raised no means
and done nothing new to crush the rebellion.
Let us give fresh impulse TO the winter CAM
paign, II we would advance on the road to the
paCitcatiOn of the Island. The enemy will gain
time and territory and we will have cause TO de-
plore our criminal vacclation. Without great
and united movement on our part the war will
drag on as 1t has to the present hour. 1t has
consumed annually from ten to fifteen thousand
soldiers and 100000 When we find our
selves fallen never to rise again, we will bitter
~ regret our short-sighted lack of preparation.
The Ioee dc Ch0a shows that the prolonged re-
sstance of Carthagena is draining the resources
of Spain and weakening her power. CASTELAR,
is not strong enough now to oppose the exac-
tons of foreign governments, which nearly all
tend to the destruction of Cuba and the longer
his declining power is respected and obeyed in
Cuba the greater is the probability that the OBJ
;ect of those foreign demands will be accom-
plished Several letters appear in the evening
journals add essed to the Captain General
calling on him to declare the island in state of
siege and to enroll citizens.
A steamer from Cadiz arrived to. day with
oOO soldiers ana lou s6ainen.
Surrender of the Virginius.
KEY .WEsT Dec. ls.-The small steamer
Dispatch, Captain W. d. Whiting, which had
been assigned by the United States Government
to the duty of receiving the surrender sailed
from Key West last Sunday evening, and ar
rived in the harbor of Bahia Honda. the next
morning where she found tho Nirginius ia
charge ofthe Spanish sloop of war, La Favorita,
Senior De La Camara, commanding. Shortly
after noon the latter came on board the Dispatch
and made arrangements with Captain Whiting
for the surrender at clock Tuesday a. m.
COurtesies Between Officers.
His visit was returned later in the day by
Captain Whiting. The intercourse was of 4
most courteous character On Tuesday the
weather was bright and clear. The only spec
tators of the scene about to take place were on
the Dispatch and La Favorta and some ragged
and dirty Cubans in fishing smacls, apparently
intent upon fishing alone. At half-past eight
o'clock the gig came over from the La Favorita
to the Nirginius containing the oarsnien and
a single officer. As the latter stepped on deck
petition officer and half a dozen men, who
had stood watch on the Nirginius during the
night, went over to the side and remained in
charge awaiting orders.
The Flags Raised.
Promptly as the bells on the Dipatch struck
for nine and before the echo had died away
the American flag flew to the fay staff of tho
Nirgnius, and at the same moment the boat
put away from the Dispatch. AS they ascend
cd the accommodation ladder of the Virginius
there was but a single man on deck who proved
to be Senior de la Camara, advanced and made
courteous salute. The officers then read their
respective instructions and Capt de la Camara
remarked that in obedience to the requirements
of his Government he hadth honorto turn over
the steamer Nirginius to American authorities
Captain Whiting accepted and ascertaining that
receipt would be acceptable, gave one A
word or more civilly spoken and the Spanard
stepped over the side, sgnaled his oarnian and
in ten minutes WAS again upon the deck of his
own vessel, having discharged with becoming
dignity the unpleasant duty imposed upon him
by his Government
The VIrginius in a Disabled Condition.
The engines of the Nrginius were found to
be in n bad condition, and she was lowed to
sea by the Dispatch. Both vessels left the har-
Dor at 3 P. NJ, the Spanish flag being displayed
by the fort as they passed. At ?. NJ. they
were met by the naval tug Fortune Steam
was subsequently gotten up in the Nlrginius,
and she with the Dispatch went to Tortugas,
where they met the Assippie and a coal
schooner Provisions win be transferred from
the Assippie to the Virgnius and whatever
amount of coal may be needed will be supplied
by the schooner. When supplied with pro-
visions and coal the Nirgnius will probably
be sent to Northern port Washington and
Norfolk are mentioned, much to the disap-
pointment of the officers. The Federal courts
are now ,anxiously looking out for her arrival.
ALL express orders to that effect having been re-
ceived from Washington. The Fortune pro-
ceeded to Key West, where she arrived at 4
o'clock this afternoon, with dispatch to Adj
mral Scott, giving full account of the surren.
der.
Witnesses 40 the Surrender.
The officers and crews of the Despatch and La
FavOrita, the members of the prize crew and the
correspondent of the TIlG,U,e were the only witt
nesscs of the surrender. Not a single person
appeared on the bay and not an inAabitant of the
town of Bahia Honda or surrounding country
felt sufficient interest in the proceedings to walk
or sail to the scene. Some Americans presented
themselves at the entrance Of the harbor in a
chartered vessel but not being provided with
clearance papers and passports, were stopped
by a boat from the fort in several attempts TO
enter the harbor and finally withdrew without
witnessing the surrender
FITTING Out for Cuba
NEW YORK Dec ls-The Edgar Stewart.
which has made six successful landings in Cuba
is reported to be fitting ont at Baltimore