Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1889-04-02

In The sVfiuE oi CERTAIN var, hot lI
from the clo-cof the SinstSuth century.
when the political rlaiions between the
United State, and Gr'at Britain teCame
sn strained that careful ohcrvcr on
both stiles - the Atlantic were forccd %
the bclirf that ssrious brcak Ia those
relations might d, looked fof AZ any
time. the nshing schooner Eliza Drum
sailed from Iort Ia Maine fuf the tanks
of New foundland
II Was In thi, year that a new system
Of pruicction for American fishing vcs-
sels had t-cn adopted In Washington.
Every ic,t ~ thcsc vessels was accom-
panirl by one or more United States
crui-crs. which remained on the fishing
grounds. not onlv for the purTo-s Il
warning unwary American craft who
might approach too near the thrcc mile
limit. bat al-o 90 overlook the action oi
the British naval vessels on the coast,
and 10 interfere. a, least by protest. with
such -cinrc. - American tshing boats
A. nigh, appcar 10 L. unjust In the
opinion u all persons u sob'r Judgment
there Was nothing In the condition oi
affair al this time ~ dangerous 90 the
psacc ~ the two countries AZ the prcs-
cncc ~ ths-o American cruisers In the
fishing waicn.
The Eliza Drum was late In her arri.
val on the fishing grounds. and having.
under order, from Washington. reported
o. the commander ~ tho Lennchaha.
the United States vessel In charge at
that place. her captain and crrw went
vigorously O. work 10 make up Tor Lot
time. They worked 90 vigorously and
with eyss to single % tho catching II
dsh. that on the morning % the day
after their arrival they were hauling up
col 1T a point which. according to the
nationality ~ tho calculator. might L.
two and thrccquartcrs az three and one
quarter miles from the Canadian coast.
In cons.qucncc % this inaticniion to
the apparent extent ~ The marine mile
the Eliza Drum. a little bsforc noon,
was oycrhaulcd and scilcd by the brit.
ish cruiser Dog Star \ few miles
away the Lcnnchaha had perceived the
dangerous position of the Liza Drum,
and had started toward her 10 warn her
90 take a Ices doubtful position. but
bcforc shc arrived the capture had taken
placc When be reached the spo, where
the Eliza Drum had bccn fishing the
commander of the Lcnnchalla made an
observation u the distance from the
shorc. and calculated Il to 10 moro than
three miles. When hc ant an officer
ina toat o. Tia Dor Star TO state the re-
suit of his computations the captain Of
the British vessel replied that hc was
satisfied the distance was lc,s than three
mile. ami hat he was now about 10
take the Eliza Drum into port.
On rccciying this Information. the
commander ~ the Lennchaha steamed
closer "a the bog Star and Informed her
captain by means ~ aspcaking trumpet.
that II be- took the Eliza Drum into u
Canadian port. hc would firsi have To
sail over hls ship Tothis the captain Of
the Dos star replied that hc did rot In
the least object to sail over the lcnne-
haha, and pruccedcd Ia put prize crew
on board the fishing vessel.
At this juncturc the captain of the
Eliza Drum nan up a large American
fiAg. la five minutes aftcrward tho cap
tain % the prize crew hauled Il down; In
less than tcn minutes after this the Len
nchaha and the Dog Star were blazing II
each other with their low guns The
spark had bcen struck.
The contest was not long one. The
Dog Star was II much greater tonnage
and heavier armament than her antago-
mist, and early In the afternoon sho
steamed for ST. Johns. taking with her
As prizes both the Eliza Drum and the
Lennehaha.
AL that night, at every POINT in the
United States which was reached by
telegraph. there burned "A smOthored fire.
and the next morning. when the regular
and extra editions II the newspapers
were poured out upon the land. the fire
burst into a roaring blaze Prom lakes
% gulf. from ocean TO ocean, on mount
ain and plain. In city and prairie. 1t
ruarcd and blaEed. Parties. sections,
poliiics wercall forgotten. Every Ameri-
can formed part Of an electric system;
the same fire flashed into every soul No
matter what might 10 thought on the
morrow. or in the coming DAYS which
might Liing letter understanding. this
day tie unreasoning fire blazed and
ruafcd.
With morning newspaper In their
hands men rushed from the breakfast
tables into the streets 10 meet their fe!-
low men. What was IL that they
should dog
Detailed accounts Of the affair cams
rapidly. but there was nothing In them
10 quiet the national Indignation. Th'
American nag had been hauled down b.
Englishmen. an American naval vessel
had been fired into and captured. that
was enoughl No matter whether the
Eliza Drum was within the three mile
limit or mott No matter which vessel
fired frstl n II were the Lennehaha.
the more honor 20 her; she ought TO
have done III From platform. pulpit.
stump and editorial Office came one We
hsment, passionate shout directed to-
wAxd wsAhin<t0n - .----------