New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-02-21
FIXED o. BY 4 DrrcH GARRISON
TIE STRANGE EXrfmENcr oP rHg STEAMSHIP
VAIEHCIA.

TIE STRANGE ENPFEENCE OF THg STEAMSHIP
vALE&CIA
The United states mail steamship Valencia Of
tie Red j. Line un her return trp from the spanish
Main to New lOrK was hr,d ulOu by the Dutch
garrison stationed AZ the tort on tnc Island u Gu
raCpa. The NairucIa arrived ln t4s city yesterday.
Among the passengers vas Alexander q. pouuclly
who was seen yesterday bS tlIErNt reporter.
Mr.. Donbcily is mining eng ncer and has been 10
South America 10 survey some lands. lie said
1--WE left iortoC ahriiO NcncI urll on Ichruafy land
arrived at the Island of tufacoa IN The 9Th. here
we toOk la al additional cargo of cone0 and sailed
Al Il H. m February H. Alter tho ship had left the
dock auL hIl swung out into tAr narrow channel.
sal down behind Tie smoking room on the hurricane
deck. near to ana facing the ag,tan on The stern
of he snip. did tli- e. got better view while
passing through the narrow waief-ghic INTO the
open sea lUOkcd forward toward the bridge oi the
ship aud saw tho captain and the Government pilot
~ their posts az TIE Instant the ship started also
Ob,er, cd u sailor standing urlT the flagstaff ready
to DIP the coUt- when should pass tho tLri.
Suddenly noticed that the sallur hal "a startled
look his face AZ he stood looiug 10 tho direction
o! The Tort tuning 100 that Gilccilun saw com
pany OF -OilicIn oai Iug "a cannon which they mad
run on ON the parade ground m front of tho Gov
crnor Generals h"ue IA the rear OF the fort IL vas
q gun OF large Cal4uIr and Wa, hauled up neat to
the ha-tl0n commanding the entrance 10 the harbOr.
At tins fnumrnt, heard the Dutch pilot shouting
from the bridge TO the soldiers loading the gun.
We were only short dstan.r from the shore Inc
sol lrrs rclllrI but what was -.il rouId OF M
dcr-tand. The sulog at the flagstaff Immediately
dipped our ensign twice. Then heard the captain
Of the ship shout NJ false that nag and don't
7
the Flagstaff Dl the tort aud the ship IA th. open
sea All on hJtul were confident that the fort in
tended to omen fro on M. We were running at half
speed and when were about 500 yards from the
fort the stopped To dscaf 70 tho ptlOt
] was standing with Captain Broihcrtnn, Of the
brig Willie. when as sunk o.. Porto CabellO, aud
who with his wife and child was returning homo
to Baltimore. We were looking AT the tort when
suddenly we saw smoke leap from the moi, IA of the
cannon. and IN an0 her SECOND the shot struck the
water about sixteen feet trCm tie Of the SHIN
The water WAS forced high IN the and there wa,
vibration a "a nst the side of The ship then went
forward 10 the after cabin and saw Dir. Barnes
| nitcd States Consul ut CuracOa, who talking
with llUralin y. Beach, United States Consul nj
PoItD CabeliO, Venezuela ] asked Nr. Barnes " hat
tbs firing meant. and he replied that he nidnt Know
and could not explain IT. then went down under
the NAN deck with the two COnsuls to the shIps
ladder The Dutch pilot was Just getting into his
zig 10 20 ashore with consul Barnes As tho boat
pulled away, Captain Hess, of the Valencia said TO
Consul Barnes, who had como out To see Consul
Beach safely ont of the harbUr, Remember, MIR.
Barnes that have my fort pass and that my pa
pers all regular. and that the sergeant from tho
fort came on board before ielt the dock and told
nv that the ship was all right aud that could
proceed to sea- Then Captain lcsn ordered our ship
stcered south ~ 10 he out OF range Of the guns.
No one knew why the ship bad been fired upon"
Captain Hess was found Oh his ship IN BROOKLYN
YESTERDAY aud his story differed IN no way from that
already gwen Consul Beach WAS found at the
Gilsry House and cOrrObOfatcd the stories of the
captain ard of Mr.. Donnelly. Mr.. Beach took am
dayits OF all Il officers and passen gers the Va
lcncia and will present them at Washington on hi.
arrival there to-day. At tine Office OF the com any
AT No. 13J Pearl-s the Story was rdlculed. 1t
was not believed that the cannon was aimed inten-
tlonaly at the ship.