The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-15

Sumter. but in reality TO take a suitable posi-
ton on the route of the Trent to st. Thomas in
order to intercept her The next day when
about to board French brig, the latter ran into
the San Jacinto. on the starboard side at the
mainchalns. This mishap caused considerable
delay. The San Jacinto was not injured, but
| the bowsprt and foretopmast of the brig were
carried away. Captain Wilkes took the brig In
tow. He put officer and some men on board
to repair damage Before night ne left her with
fair wind within about eight miles OF the
Havana light. He then went over to Key West,
in hopes of finding the Powhatan or some other
united States steamer, to accompany tue san
.Jacinto to the Bahama channel, in order to make
1t impossible for the Trent to escape either by
| night or day Finding that the Powhatan had
lett the day before, Captain Wilkes recrpssed
communicated with the Sagua le Grande on the
4th. lie hoped to receive telegram from Mr.
Schufelt, our consul general at Havana, an
nouncing the time of the departure of the Trent
Receiving no dispatch, the San Jacinto was inn
mediately headed to the eastward. Steaming
about ninety miles, she entered the Old Bahama
channel, In sight of the Paredon del Grande
lighthouse. The channel is only fifteen miles
wide at this point.
Here, in order to avoid all possibility of es-
cape, the San Jacinto cruises until the morning
of the 9Th. AT ll40 A. NJ of that day the smoke
of an approaching steamer is first seen. Con-
GLIDING that this is the Trent, the San Jacint0
takes position to the westward OF the entrance,
In the narrowest part of the channel. 1t soon
becomer apparent that the approaching steamer
is the Trent
The San Jacinto is now ready to finish some
work for the diplomates of two continents. At
l25o o'clock the command is given to beat to
quarters, hoist the colors and load the guns.
When the two vessels are mile apart the San
Jaclnto fires shot across the bow of the Trent
The latter vessel Immediately displays the
English colors, but still maintains her speed.
She shows no disposition to heave to. Then
she'll is fired across her course. This has the
desired effect 1t brings her to at once When
the Trent is witbi1 hailing distance, Capt Moir,
her commander, inquiries to what is wanted.
Capt. Wilkes replies that he will send boat.
He had already given orders to his executive
officer Lieut.. ID. NJ. Fairfax, to have the second
and third cutters fully manned and armed, il
readiness to board the Trent, which was then
hove to under the guns of the San Jacinto.
Lieut. Fairfax at once proceeds in the
third cutter, with a full-armed boat crew
and a guard of marines. His instruc-
tions are TO board the Trent, demand
inspection of her papers, her clearance from
Havana, and the list of her passengers and
crew, and should he find Mr. Mason and Mr..
Slldeli, and their secretaries Messrs. Mcfarland
and Eustis, to make them prisoners, and send
them on board the San Jacinto In such case
ne is to seize the steamer as aprize He is to act
with all delicacy and kindness. He is to avoid
using force if possible Any dispatches found
on the persons arrested, and their trunks and
other personal effects are also to be taken.
=
the Trent in the armed cutter. He is accom-
panied by the second engineer and the boat
swain. Leaving these officers in the boat with
orders to wait until 1t becomes necessary to show
some force, the Lieutenant goes on board the
Trent. He is shown by her first officer to the
quarterback. There he meets Capt. Moir. He
informed the Captain of the object of his visit
He asks to see the passenger list This the
Captain declines to produce, whereupon Lieut..
Fairfax says: II have information that Mr.
Mason and MIR Slidel Mr.. Mcfarland and Mr..
Eusts, have taken passage at Havana for St
Thomas. will satisfy myself whether they are
on board before the steamer is allowed to pro-
coed" Capt. Moir still opposes anything in the
nature of a search of his vessel. He per-
sists in his refusal to show the
passenger list or other papers In O
few moments the four gentlemen sought
for appear Lieutenant Fairfax makes known
to them his instructions. Mr.. Slidel and Mr..
Mason protest against such arrest and dispo-
sition of their their persons and effects. They
refuse to leave the ship unless compelled by the
employment Of an actual force greater than they
can resist. Mr.. Eustis and Mr.. Mcfarland unto
with them in expressing like determination.
There is considerable noise among the other
passengers at this time They talk of resistance.
This reaches the officers in the cutter. They re-
pair board with six eight armed men.
After several unsuccessful efforts to induce the
commissioners to 90 with him peaceably, and
being in the mean time reinforced by the arrival
of the second cutter, Lieutenant Fairfax pro-
excitement becomes SO great on the quarter-deck
that the marines and some of the armed boats
crew are ordered aboard. They form outside of
the main deck cabin, where the four gentlemen
have gone to pack up their baggage. In a few
minutes the latter reappear, still perSsting that
force must be used. Lieutenant Fairfax then
calls to his assistance four or five of his officers
and taking hold of Mr Mason's shoulders with
another officer on the other side, they march him
in this custody as far as the gangway of the
ar They second cutter.
Mr.. Slidell insists that considerable force
must be applied to him to get him into
the cutter. Therefore three of the officers
take hold of him. They lead him to the gang
way, hand him over the side, and seat him beside
MIR. Mason. The secretaries, Messrs. Eustis
and Mcfarland, after protesting go quietly into
the boat The families of the commissioners are
passengers. Lieutenant Fairfaxis instructed by
Captain Wilkes to extend an invitation to them
to accompany their friends to the United States,
and to say to them that all the attention and COM
forts that could be commanded on the San
Jacinto would be freely placed at their service.
They are invited. This invitation is declined
Although Captain Wilkes considered that the
successful result of his search and the opposition
offered would have justified the seizure of the
Trent as prize, he decided not to detain her, as
there was large number of passengers on board
who would have suffered great loss and incon-
venience by such action. In concluding his of
fetal report of the affair. he said: Although in
my giving up this valuable prize have deprived
the officers and crew of well-earned reward, L
am assured that they quite content to forego
any advantages which might have accrued to
them under the circumstances. may add, said
he, that having assumed the responsibility
am willing to abide the result"
At $3.50 p NJ. the Trent was allowed to proceed
on her voyage. The San Jacinto bore away to
the porthward and westward with the distin-
guished prisoners.
AN INSPIRATION.