Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1883-05-09
FENIANISM IN CANADA.
HALIFAX HARBoR TO BE FILL
ED WITH TORPEDOES.

Another Butler Scare Launched In the
City-Mysterious Crafts Manned by
OminOus Looking Crews--A Suspic-
iOusly Secret Epistle-The Guards Re-
ported Ordered Doubled.
| HALIFAX, May S.-Halifax is again in
| fever of excitement because of rumors
that certain American vessels having
sinister designs are lowering in the shell
tered waters of the neighborhOod. await
ing an opportunity to do mischief. The
present stories are even wilder than those
sent from here last year about ga
long, low, black schooner, in which
some of Ben Buffers myrmidons
were transporting arms and
munitions for an unexplained, but GER
tainly evil purpose" but which vessel
turned out to be on peaceful errand and
entirely innocent Of connection with But
Ter. The present story was to the effect
that startling letter had been received
by Lieutenant Governor Archibald warn
ing him OF the expected visit to
Halifax of two suspicious American
vessels and cautloning HIM to have pre-
cautions taken for the safety Of life ana
property about the city. The Iieutenant
Governorxon being interviewed admitted
having received a letter, but refused 10
make known its contents or the nature Of
the measures which had been taken bv
the military or naval authorities.
From other parties who are i'm positions
TO know, an inkling was obtained of the
contents of the letter, which can be pret.
ty we'll relied on. Col. Clarke on
Sunday communicated to certain
officers information, said to be from
Sir. John Macdonald, that two sus-
piciousEyessels, manned, it was believed,
by Fenians, and carrying quantity OF
torpedoes and other dangerous explosives,
had sailed from Boston a few days ago.
and, 1t was thought, intended to make
Halifax their destination. On arriving
mere, ii was asserted that the tOrpedoee
with which the vessels were laden would
he laid, as opportunity offered, beneath
the water of the harbor, with the inten-
ton of blowing up shipping entering or
leaving. n line of tOrpedoes was to be
stretched from Sambro up the harbOr az
close to the city as possible, and when
the time arrived all would be fired
Particular mention was made in the
letter of the necessity of keeping an eX-
traOrdmary strict watch on the nth inst,
the day on which Brady and other Phoenix
fark murderers are to be executed, and
IL was also recommended that the guards
at the various barracks, powder maga-
zines, dock yards, and on the war ships
in the port be strengthened. 1t could not
be learned whether or not the guards on
the imperial property all over the city
had been increased, but on Her Majesty's
ship TenedOs, now in port, this has been
done, and the sentries stationed at various
points in the city have been instructed to
be careful whom they allow to enter the
gates at which they guard.
Owing to the receipt by Lieutenant
Governor Archibald OF the startling letter
of warning from Sir John Macdonald, q
number of special policemen were sworn
in this afternoon. The origin of the scare
is said to be the report of a detective pre-
sent at the Philadelphia convention, that
Brady's hanging day was to see combined
action against England wherever posi-.
Bile, and at Halifax especially, as the most
impOrtant British- A mericnn eitN