Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1874-01-01


/ No other craft except two or three coast
| ing schnoners were then visible, and IL
| was not until we were about TO come TO
/ anchor that we discovered a Spanish
sIoop-of-war lying close under the shore,
about two and half miles away. The
| Dispatch proceeded slowly and steadily
along, and anchored about 400 yards
| from the Virginius. Almost imme-
diately afterward boat from the Spanish
| friga,e came alongside the Virginius. and
at AS O'Clock the stars and stripes were
raised by Spanish hands, and again
fioated over the vessel which carried
Ryan, Verona, Fry, and their unfortunate
comrades 10 their death. A boat was then
pulled away, and at the same moment we
| saw by The aid OF glasses another boat let
down from the Spanish vessel, which
proved to be the captains gig. Ii
| brought to the Dispatch handsome
young Spanish naval officer In full uni
| form. He was courteously met at the
gangway by Captain Rodgers. He intro
| duced himself as Senior Dc la Camara,
| commanding the sloop-ofwar Favorita.
He was invited into the cabin,
but being informed By Captain
Rodgers that Captain Whiting was
| TO receive the surrender, he stepped
| briskly toward the latter, and the Span
| lard and American lifted caps in courte-
Gus salute Commander De la Camara
remarked that he had received copy OF
the protocol requiring the surrender of
the VIrginius, and was prepared to exc
cute IL either ON that or the following
day. Captain Whiting replied that he
was instructed TO receive the vessel on
Tuesday, but the hour would be left to the
convenience of the Spanish Commander
II was then agreed that the ceremony
should take place at nine O'Clock on Tues
day morning. Salutes were again ex.
changed and Senior De la Camara left the
ship, the interview not having consumed
more than five minutes. In the afternoon
Captain Whiting and Lieutenant Mariax
returned the call, and were received with
proper courtesies.
On Tuesday morning punctually, as the
bells on the Dispatch struck for nine
O'Clock, and before the echo had died
away, the American flag flew to the flag
staff OF the Virginius, and at the same
moment boat containing Captain Whit
ing and Lieutenant Mariax put away from
the Dispatch. As they assembled the &C
commodation ladder of the Virginius, q
single man on deck, who proved to be
Senior De la Camara, advanced and made
| a salute. The officers then read their re-
spective instructions, and Captain De la
| Camara remarked that, in obedience TO
| the requirement of his Government
he had the honor to turn over the
| steamer Virginius to the American au-
thorities. Captain Whiting accepted
her, and ascertaining that a receipt
would be acceptable, gave one A word
| or two more were civilly spoken and the
| Spaniard stepped over the side, signaled
| to his carmen, and in ten minutes was
again upon the deck of his own vessel,
having discharged with becoming digni-
| ty the unpleasant duty imposed upon him
| by his government
The Virginius was In a most filthy con-
dition. She was leaking considerably,
and the Spanish captain stated that he
had kept the pumps going continually
| since her arrival, to keep the water down.
| Barring the filthy condition Of the vessel,
she was much better than expected. The
| Virginius steamed about 200 yards, all
going well, when her engines suddenly
| refused to do duty, and it became neces-,
sary for the Dispatch b take her in tow.
The two vessels went out of the har-
Dor briskly, the Spanish flag being dis
played by the fort as they passed. In an
hour we were at sea. The Virginius was
soon again under steam. The Dispatch
ceased to tow her, and the two vessels
steamed together towards the Tortugas.
When the steamers reached the Tortu.
gas they found the United States sloop-of
war Ossipee and coal schooner awaiting
their arrival Provisions will be trans
ferred from the Ossipee to the Virginius
and whatever coal may be needed will be
supplied by the schooner. When sup
piled with provisions and coal the Viz
ginius will probably be sent to
a northern port. Washington and Nor
folk are mentioned among the prize Off.
GERS, much to the disappointment of some
of the officers of the Federal courts, who
are now anxiously looking out for her ar.
rival. She will not enter the harbor of
Key West at all, express orders to that eff
feet having been received from Washing
ton.
Besides the officers and crews of the
Dispatch and La Favorita, and the mem
beers of the prize crews, the correspondent
of the Tribune was the only witness of
the surrender. Not a single person APP
peared on the bay, and not an inhabitant
of Bahia Honda or the surrounding coun-
try seemed to feel sufficient interest in the
proceedings TO walk or sail TO the scene
of such an important historic event.