The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1889-03-14

In the spring Of o certain year, not far
from the close of the Nineteenth century,
when the political relations between the
United States and Great Britain became
so strained that careful observers on
both sides Of the Atlantic were forced to
the belief that serious break in these
relations might be looked for at any
time, the fishing schooner Eliza Drum
sailed from port in Maine for the banks
of Newfoundland.
It was in this year that a new system
of protection for American fishing yes
sells had been adopted in Washington.
Every fleet of these vessels was accom-
panied by one or more United States
cruisers, which remained on the fishing
grounds, not only for the purpose of
warning unwary American craft who
might approach too near the three mile
limit, but also to overlook the action OF
tho British naval vessels on the coast,
and to interfere, at least by protest, with
such seizures Of American fishing boats
as might appear to be unjust. In tho
opinion of all persons Of sober judgment
there was nothing in the condition of
affairs at this time 50 dangerous to the
peace Of the two countries as the pres
ence Of these American cruisers in the
fishing waters.
Tho Eliza Drum was late in her arri-
val on tho fishing grounds, and having.
under orders from Washington, reported
to the commander Of the Lennehaha,
the United States vessel in charge At
that place, her captain and crew went
vigorously to work to mako up for lost
time. They worked so vigorously and
with eyes 30 single to the catching Of
fish, that on the morning Of the day
after their arrival they wero hauling up
cod at point which, according to the
nationality Of the calculator, might be
two and three-quarters or three and one
quarter miles from the Canadian coast.
In consequence Of this inattention to
the apparent extent Of the marine mile
tho Eliza Drum, q little before noon,
was overhauled and seized by tho Brit
ish cruiser Dog Star. A few miles
away the Lcnnehaha had perceived the
dangerous position Of tho Eliza Drum,
and had started toward her to warn her
TO take q less doubtful position. But
before she arrived the capture had taken
place. When he reached the spot where
the Eliza Drum had been fishing the
commander Of tho Lennehaha made an
observation Of tho distance from the
shore, and calculated it to be more than
three miles. When ho sent an officer
In boat to the Dog Star to state tho re-
suit Of his computations the captain OF
, the British vessel replied that he was
satisfied the distance was less than three
miles, and hat he was now about to
take the Eliza Drum into port.
On receiving this information, the
commander Of the Lennchaha steamed
closer to tho Dog Star and informed her
captain by means Of q speaking trumpet,
that II he took the Eliza Drum into a
Canadian port, he would first have to
sail over his ship. Tothis the captain of
| the Dog Star replied that he did not in
tho least object to sail over the Lenne-
haha, and proceeded to put prize crew
on board the fishing vessel.
At this juncture the captain Of the
Eliza Drum ran up q large American
flag; in five minutes afterward the cap
tain of the prize crew hauled it down; in
ke>oS t11S1u kcu AA tc1 SAAA6 VIC ASCA4-
nehaha and the Dog Star were blazing at
each other with their bow guns. The
spark had been struck.
The contest was not a long one. The
Dog Star was of much greater tonnage
and heavier armament than her antago-
mist, and early in the afternoon she
steamed for st. Johns, taking with her
as prizes both the Eliza Drum and the
Lennehoha.
All that night, at every point in the
United States which was reached by
telegraph, there burned a smothered fire;
and the next morning, when the regular
and extra editions of the newspapers
werc poured out upon the land, the fire
burst into q roaring blaze. From lakes
to gulf, from ocean to ocean, On mount
ain and plain, in city and prairie, it
reared and blazed. Parties, sections,
politics were all forgotten. Every Ameri-
can formed part of an electric system
the same dre flashed into every soul. No
matter what might Be thought on the
morrow. or in the coming days which
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