The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1878-05-02
Alleged Search for Fast Sail
ing Cruisers.
THE IRISHMAN'S OPPORTUNITY.
Five Thousand Fenians 10 Make Descent on
Canadian Provinces.
RumOrS Of Privateering Prof.
ect in Philadelphia.
[FRox OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.


WASHINGTON Nay I, 1873
Although peace still continues between Circuit Brit
ain and Russia, the possibility Of war breaking out at
any tmo between these two Powers has kept the
proper government officers hero on the alert, and
caused them 10 keep themselves quietly informed OF
what the possible bcligcrcnts may be planning on
this side and coasts. The arrival OF the Chm
bria ut Southwest Harbor was not fetal surprise,
therefore, to the authorities here. M "'
WHAT WAS K&JwS OF THE cIxBaIA iaf
II Wa known throdsho dispatches from tho cousuls
q. Hamburg, Riga ana Isysl, .ha, the vesse, was
either chartered or purchased at Hamburg BY Rus
stan agents In April, and lifted there with several
hundred mattresses anda supply Of provisions tor
largo ships company. Shc next turned up at Ria,
where II Ia reported Thar she lay lew days and re-
csived some new rigging ana additional storos. Sho
finally sailed from Revel tho chief Fort in tho Gulf Of
Finiand, and It there supposed for port in the
Unitcd States.
FEARS DECLARED
She was expected TO havo made her appearance in
Now York or Boston, and that sho chose 10 anchor
frat In Southwest Harbor, on the coast OF
Mount Desert, is accounted for hero tho SUPPOSE
ton that the Russian commander In charge feared
that. whle he was at sea war might have been de-
clarcd, 10 which case the objects OF his expedition
could not be openly carried out So long peace
continues nothing Is gained by secrecy, aud tho rc-
ports from Southwest Harbor show that tho Rus
SLAMS, having satisfied themselves that var had not
6eSun Immediately gave up any attempt to keep their
whereabouts or their force q secret.
SEARCH FOR CRUISERS.
The Information In tho possession OF government
agents hero leads to tho superstition that the Russian
officers and crow on board Of the Cim5ria III 0 in
tended to man steamers which Russia IN negotiating
20 purchaso n this country. 1t Is said that Russian
agents have for somo time possessed complete list
OF all tho fast sailing and substantial scagoing steam
ers now owned IN this country, both on tho Atlantic
and Pacific sides, aud that negotiations
foot Tor the purchase OF several Of
these ana their formal invcstture as Russian
war vessels before war Is declared A government
officer said here 10 day that at least three tour
vessels, very A. for fast cruisers. DO obtained IN
this country These steamers would not be able 10
cope with regular msn-owar, but they would be able
10 slsam last enough 10 Keep out Of the way OF pursuit.
and supposed that their orders would b. case
OF war, to attack and destroy merchant vessels ana
run away from men-of-waE Russia Is bound not to
use bvalses or isue letters Of marquc by her ogreo-
ment to the Convention OF Paris, but that would not
preclude her from Sending out regularly commits
stoned mon. war, under tho command OF naval
officers and flying the lg OF the navy, capture and
destroy her onemy's merchantmen
THE NEUTRALITY QUESTION
Toe President will take the utmost and every
possible prccauion to prevent violations OF neutrality
10 declared, bat until this event happens there
WILL OF course, be interference or any kind 20 pre-
won't tho purchase OF ships arms or machinery the
ou.G, and manning Of vessels in ports by any
who chooses to spend his money In that way. Tho
Cmora waits In Southwest harbor. probably because
her on Under has learned that the ships no was
70 man und turn into Russian mcn.o.-war aro
not ready for him and at the lonely port on Mount
Desert ho keep his crows more choaply and with
loss OF risk IRON desertion. IL would surprise
persons authority hero II OF the Russians on
board tho Cimbria should presently be shipped 10
California tho Pacific R,ircad rs It Is known that
there arc two stancn and fleet steamers 10 DO oh.
which wouid II 10 believed, answer tho purpose OF the
Russians.
ARMS AND AMxrSInoS
IL Ii not known TO any ono In authority here, so
fnr can be asccrtaincd that Russia Is buying
ammunition 10 this country. Bat there . beIier
that machinery Tor tho manufacture OF arms has
been bought and may be shipped tho Cimbria, and
also that light. long range cannon have been pur.
chased and await tho RUSSIAN orders rho supposi-
tion Is tina. all tnoso snibs and materials OF war are
10 DO 60, out Of harbors before war Is declared
so as not only To- AVOID detontion Under
tho neutrality laws, but also capture by British
vessels which arc Watching vlgiiauty everything
done BY Russian agents In our rorts.
ESLsrxksf''or IRISH SOLDIERS
A Treasury officer mentioned to-day u report that
secret negotiations had been Tor time ON foo,
for the enlistment Of corps OF Ave or six thousand
Irish soldiers 10 DO sont TO Russia for against
England and Il was this dc,cctives belief that tho
Clmbria would take hcr return passengers a part
OF this force. Inquiry shows mat even such enlist.
mcnt would not DO violation Of law while peace
tinucs, Ms tho would probably ship us iaborers
Ter public works
ANoTHi II ACCOUNT.
wAsnISGroy, May 1, 1878.
Tho latest Intelligence hero about tho Russian