The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1877-11-25
HEAVY SHIPMENT OF ARMS.

DEPARTURE OF THE BRITISH STEAMSHIP JOHN
MIDDLETON WITH ARMS AND. AMMUNITION
FOR THE ARcHIpELAoo-wHo BOUGHT
THEM?
For several weeks back an English steamer. the
john Middleton, 200 tons register, has been lying in
TINS port. She came from Glasgow in ballast and ar
rived hore October II, and consigned 10 J. $.
Tucker, Pine street. She halls from London, Eng
land, and is owned ny the firm OF Watts, Mburn Co..
OF that place On the Esd inst she cleared and left
this port yesterday for the Mediterranean but pre-
csey spot In that sea, along whose shores float
the aags OF many rival nationalities, she was finally
bound Tor, was not given TO tho general public
The rongshoremen who loaded her know thar she
taking board heavy cases OF goods, but II was
difficult to find any who really were aware OF the
character OF tho wares carefully bound up and
nailed. IL leaked out however, that the boxes con-
tanned arms and that they were 10 be forwarded to
some unknown foreign port The outcry about the
Baby Eslele led many to bolove that tho John Mid
dietop was an English Of the Cuban "infant,"
bound for the Queen Of the Antilles carrying supplies
TO the insurgents THIS belief gained ground daily as.
although laden. the English steamer ala not so to sea
tor some days.
AN OLD Salts VIEWS.
The ancient mariners along the docks Immediately
framed all sorts OF theories about her. s'She would
have gone. said to HERALD reporter yesterday,
"oniy that her skipper was afraid the authorities
would seize her after all this talk in the newspapers
the Esellc. believe she IS chock ull Of arms
Tor Cubans and IL is only dodge on Captain Rob-
sons part give out that she is gong up the Med
iterranean. The revenue folk LOO, have been
here Tor the last few days nspyin' out alter
ner They knows as bow them long cases
don't contain -, hshin' rods nor nor the square
there Cuban mission. The Estelie business was only
blind TO draw suspicion of the Middleton, SO as TO
let get clear before the Dons took any notice OF
her She'll take her departure right and from
Sandy Hook. ana shape her course, no doubt, east
clearance Tor that place, hear When she gets away
out 10 sea her skppcr Will alter her course ana steer
for Cuba"
REpoRrRR-Yes; but don't you know that the au-
thorilies must be thoroughly we'll aware OF what she
has on board aud where she Is goings
ANCIENT MARiNER-They oughter; but they was
fooled easy enough during the war and scnco And
what is 70 prevent their being sold out nowr
MIDDLEroS's DESTINATION.
After careful investigation HERALD reporter dis
covered that the steamer was, indeed, ladeu with
arms aud That she was bound tor Greeco. Her man.
fest showed that her Captain had cleared her Tor
Syris and port in Greece. 70 walt for ORDERS She
had on board, at the time Of her departure
munition. The manifest classified the cargo
thus:-rwove thousand cases Of cartridges 500 cases
oil cartridges, 500 OF caroines 1900 cases OF
rifles, 500 cases VI scabbards, cases OF bayonets,
cases oil guns These are consigned TO the Captain.
No other name as receiver abroad appears on I've
arms Tor either the Greek or Turkish government
Ihey were shipped ny the Providence Tool Company
and o. \. Winchester Persons well posted on the
subject OF International maritime Law say that the
likely 10 DO Tor the Turkish government,
that this indicated by the plnnseoiogy oil the
manifest Everything suggests an attempt TO screen
English from suspicion ot their having
chartered their vessel 10 carry contraband goods 10
the enemies Of Russia They would Ike make IL
appear, IL 10 said, that the Middleton carrying
Greece or us dependencies. Her port oil call
SYRIA where great many vessels 20 Ito wait tor
ordess." IL Is the capitai or an island OF the same
nam in the Archipelago, and is one OF the principal
stations Of he kngIish Mediterranean steamers
bound 70 Conssap'inopio The vessels which
chiefly make u port oil call arc
Turkish, English, Greek and Austrian. Her Cap
tain hopes 10 get into Syria IN about twenty-eght
days. Is thought ana there receive his orders tor
Turkish port remote from Russian surveillance,
where no may discourage his cargo with safety IT IL Is
Tor the Turks. he has nothing 10 fear from Russian
cruisers-nonc ure in those waters 1.-The peases un-
der his clearance he can 90 TO any port IN ASIA Minor
deliver his cargo His owners do not fear that his
friendly ana neutral port, and there IL nothing 10
show that the really for the Turks although
IL Is thought they She certainly IL not bound