Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1889-02-08
INSULT TO THE FLAG.
AN AMERICAN VESSEL SEIZED By A PORTr.
GUBSB GUNBOAT.
The Whaling Bark Mary Frazer, Cruising Of A15rts,
Boarded BY an Armed Orsw-Csp'. Lapham
Virtually a Prisonsr-Ths U. Consul
Will Appeal 70 the Government

NEW BEDFORD, MASS, February T.
Information has been received here Of
another outrage on the American flag.
The whaling bark Mary Frazer, Of Edgar
town, was seized, while cruising of Azores,
By the Portugese gunbOat Acor, and TO-
ward Fayal, October 3, 1883.
At the time of her capture the Mary
Frazer was on the high seas, fully eleven
miles of PicO. The day previous the
second officer and the steward Of the
vessel had been landed st q village
called Calditas, on the island OF P.c,.
to see their families, they being
natives Of that island Captain Lapham.
OF the Mary Frszer, took the men ashore,
and on landing was asked by some men.
whom he believed to be coast guardsmen.
whether he had tobacco aboard. The cap
tain replied that he had eleven hoxes, weigh
ing perhaps one hundred pounds or more.
He gave the information merely out Of
courtesy, and not because be recognized
the right of the men to demand il. and ~
be was not at anchor, but wss cruising on
the high sees.
The following day, while cruising about
awaiting the return of the second mate and
steward, and while fully eleven miles Of
shcre, tie Mary Frszsr was boarded by an
armed crew from the Portuguese gunboat,
and the officers ia charge demanded
TO know what quantity Of 20
bacco there WAS or board Ctp-
tain Lapham, referring t. his manifest,
stated he had eleven boxes, the exac;
weight being 200 pounds The vessel was
searched and the return was found TO be
correct in every particular. At the same
time Captain Lspham protested agsinst
being boarded and searched and searched
when more than three miles beyond the
Portuguese jurisdiction and while flying
the American dag Soon afterwards Csp-
tain L9phsm went aahore after his two
men, and he was followed by boat from
the Portuguese gunbOat. The Portuguese
captain landed and compared the rough es-
timate given to the coast guardsmen with
the manifest, and at once seized the Amer
ican vessel, puttingan armed crew on board
and towing her into Fayal, where che ha,
since been delayed.
For two days the captain was held q
prisoner, rot being allowed TO land with
out permission of the captain Of the gun
boat and then only when accompanied by
two armed men. The custom house 0fli-
cals fiued the vessel 2l0 Portuguese do
lars on the ground that false manifest
had been given. While the Mary Frazer
wac in tow Of the Portuguese gOnboat the
cook, an African, handed a paper TO tho
Portuguese officials, stating that soma to-
bscco had been sold when the American
vessel WAS OF Flores. This was not denied
by Captain Lspham, but rs the trausac-
ton took place at sea, more than twelve
miles of shore, it WAS no concern Of the
Portuguese government. 90 this latter
case Captain LsphOm was fined $500 IN
Portuguese money.
when the. Consul General Of The United
States wished to appeal the Lisbon Gu-
thorities, permission was refused unless
deposit of 81, 900 was made. Under these
circumstances Consul General Dalsney de
cided to hand the Mary Frazer over 10 the
local authorities and appeal to his Govern
ment for redress Cip,ain LGpham has
been obliged TO give security for 81 coo TO
appear when called upon. lie Is, there
fore, unable TO leave the island, and is vir-
tually prisoner He is destitute, being
unable to raise any funds, and his vessel Is
lying idle. 1t is claimed that the Poitu-
guese Government, by it's act, has not only
inflicted great personal wrong upon AN
American skipper and c.ew, but has
caused serious loss to her owners