The New York herald., 1874-07-22
SEIZURE OF THE HAVANA STEAMSHIPS.

An Indignant Protest from Mr.. Alexan-
dre-COpy OF Certificate to Carry Conn
busttble Materials-The Matter Now I'm
the Hands OF the Secretary OF tho
Treasury.
Considerable excitement exists in shipping cir
cles with reference to the seizure OF several ves-
sells belonging to the Havana ana Mexican line for
alleged inractiOn Of the Steamboat law The iol-
lowing are the names OF the vessels seized and the
onences charged: City OF New YORK, for carrying
too many passengers; City OF New York IA second
time, for carrying petroleum; CITY OF Havana Tor
carrying petroleum; City Of Merida, for carrying
petroleum.
The following Is the statement OF Mr.. Alexandra,
Sr., OF the firm OF +. Ale exandre Sons, the owners
OF the vessels In question:
STATEMENT OF Mr.. ALEXANDRA, SIR.
look upon the seizure OF our vessels by the in
former Abel as simple piece OF blackmailing.
have written to Mr.. BristOw, the Secretary OF the
Treasury, explaining the matter and complaining
Of the persecution. Ny firm has built more ship.
ping than any other house in New York for the
last five years, and instead of our being encouraged
by the government we are prosecuted BY an In.
former VINO hopes to make money out OF us but
he Is very much deceived. for we Will fight his un-
Just claims TO the bitter end. TO SHOW you how
our business mas been inter,ered with may state
that We have contract to snip 1900 cases OF
petroleum in cases to Havana by our line. We
have shipped about 5000 and are unable TO snip
the remaining 1000 tn the present yeXa0us per
10 be placed nfty ieet from the boilers,
making 1t about seventy feet distance
main deck, forward OF the forehatch, from whence
II can be easily thrown into the water should
fre break out on board Our arranGemenss 1u Ia 10
the crew ana passengers are assigned beforehand
to their position and boat. In addition to TINS
false alarm Of Are u sounded each trip to drill the
crew. All we ask Tor Is an examination by COM
petenJ people Of our fire arrangements, and we
DEFY anybody to find Iault with them. The same
applies to our lIeboats, which are always kept pro-
vsioned but that Is not the question at the pres
ent moment. We have carried Oil to Havana since
the first boat OF our line left this city Tor that
pOrt-viz., on october g. 1867. We carry IT, as be-
fore stated, on deck. in place constructed tor
Mail and Atlas line OF steamships, plying from this
port carry petroleum at ordinary rates. and, we
maintain, in no safer manner than that adopted
REPoRrER-Can you show me, Mr.. Alexandra,
one of your licenses to carry combustible mate
Mr. ALExANDRE-Certainly, sir. Here is one.
from one OF the steamers seized by Informer
LICENSE TO CARRY ooMsUsr1pLE xArERIALs
State Of Ne~ York District y Ner Yorh;nApplicaton
steamers eT said district 70 grant fsns &c 1Ss G the
Ne% Sy Whereof DeakeS to
trOleum tnat will not ignite at less temperature than IO
sss svs @
re the saS ss ri sep 70 5. N
outside with the article contained therein,
and lower main deck, forward OF fore
hatch separate from other freight and to be kept not
Given under our hands and ais this day july
A. D. 1872 L. II. BOOLt.
JOHN X. MATHEWS
.You Will see from the foregoing" said Mr..
Alexandra, "that we have had authority Tor car
rying petroleum under section Of the United
states Shipping law"
ANOTHER PROTEST AGAINST INFoRMEB ABELL
"With reference to the seizure OI our steamer the
City Of New York. lOr lnfractOn OF the Steamboat
law OF February 2s, 1871, section 49, to the effect
that no passenger steamer shall carry more pas
sengers than ner certificate states | have only
to remark that she IL q new vessel OF 1,715 tons
register, and that have lately received q cOmmu-
nication from United states Steamboat Inspectors
Messrs j. Simonsen and J. X. Mathews, VINO sur
veyed her on the l4th ofOctober 1873 stating that
II we had MADE the request we cOulG have had in
serted IN her passenger certificate the right to
carry 40 instead OF eighty-fve passengers as II
now stands. The vessel IN question was selzed for
carrying 1oS and 12o passengers respectively, ano
violating Its license so, you see this seizure is
as small potato AFFAIR as the seizure Of our other
vessel for carrying petroleum. The City Of New
York is bonded in the Brooklyn United States
Courts for $3400."
Thanking Mr.. Alexandra for ntS courtesy the re-
porter bid him good day.