Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1892-06-15

Lots all the children in
The Christian at Work.
4 NAVAL INCIDENT.
The naval service is replete with
4CJs Of unrecorded gallantry and
numbers many heroes unhonored and
uuSung. Nearly every American
knows Of the historical deeds of such
men as Decatur, Perry, and Farragut,
and there are some who are familiar
with the circumstances in which stern
old lngraham, with only a small YES.
sci, dehed an Austrian naval force.
An incident in which an obscure
officer played part equally heroic
has happened in recent years 1t is
a TemniSCenCe Of the year 1873 and
was recalled by the spectacle of the
spanish flag ripping from the gatf OF
mdu-Of-war at anchor off Liberty
Island. The man who told it is a
naval veteran, whose entry into the
service antedated the complications
which threatened TO involve this
country in a war with Spain, and was
az actor in the incident that he de-
scrlbed. 1t was prelude to the
tragedy that was enacted later on.
which is believed To this day, notably
abroad, to have been settled by an
abject apology to Spain.
Before the capture Of the notorious
Flrginius by Spanish gunbOat and
the execution of a number of the
crew the narrator of the occurrence
was serving on board the United
states ship Kansas. The vessel was
then on the North Atlantic station.
and in the early part OF March was
detailed to convey a surveying eXpedi-
ton TO Nicaragua. In compliance
with her instructions she called at
Key West and there received on board
the members of the expedition, which
was under the command of Capt.
CTOssman. In due course of time the
vessel reached the Nicaraguan coast.
but the leader of the party was
drowned at Greytown while endeav-
oring to land through the surf. The
command Of the party deyolyed upon
Commander Hatfield, the Captain OF
the Kansas, who was the next senior
officer He turned over the command
Of his vessel to Lieut. Commander
Edwin White, his First Lieutenant,
with instructions 10 proceed to As
pinwall for a supply of provisions and
coal
The arrival of the Kansas at that
port was Opportune, as her crew were
destined 10 discover before leaving it.
The vessel came in at night and chose
an anchorage between two large YES
sells, whose outlines could hardly be
distinguished in the tropical darkness
BY the light of the succeeding morn
they discovered one TO be the Spanish
man-Of-war PiZarro and the other the
American merchant steamship Vir-
Etnius. The former was a heavily
armed steam sloop and the latter a
vessel which was said to have been
engaged in the transportation OF arms
and munitions of war TO the revolu-
tiOnists in Cuba. She had put into
the harbOr of Aspinwall and had been
there bloCkaded by the Pizarro, whose
commander had made known his in
tentiOn of capturing her the moment
she quilted the waters of a neutral
port for the high seas. Such was the
condition Of affairs that the Kansas
found on her arrival in Aspinwall, or
Colon, as it is now known.
When the captain of the Virginus
discovered the presence OF the Ameri-
can man-Of-war in the harbor he at
once came on board and asked for a
safe escort to sea. The acting captain
OF the Kansas was far to conservative
ogive hasty opinion. He first COM
munlcated with the United States
Consular representative and then
asked to be shown the ships clear
ance papers. These were produced
and a careful examination failed to
discover any flaw in them. After duly
considering the case he was convinced
that no power had the right to inter
tere with the Virginius, and whatever
der past record had been there was no
evidence to warrant her detention by
foreign man-of-war.
lie had hardly arrived at this con-
clusion before the cartain Of the Pi-
ATo came alongside in his gig. He
Sas received with the usual courte-
sles and shown into the cabin of the
Kansas. Capt. White extended the
customary welcome to his visitor, and
before departing the latter expressed
desire to make an inspection of the
hCtie gunboat. The request was
courteously complied with, and the
Two commanders made tour of the
ship
The only gun of Importance which
Zoe Kansas mounted in her battery
was an eleven-inch Dahlgren shell
sun, one Of the same kind that sunk
TIE Alabama. 1t was certainly a
monster gun to be mounted on so
small a ship, and the Spanish captain
expressed his astOnishment at the
tact. 1t was carried on a pivot
tmidshlpS, capable Of being fired
from either side
THAT is avery formidable piece Of
ordinance, " commented the SpanIaII
mad no idea that vessels of thi:
suiall type could carry such heavy
yul."
C6p'. White looked at its cavernous
muzzle and smilingly admitted that
ue would rather be some distance
tIom It's business er1 when a Yankee
|at was holding the lock-string.
over parting glass of wine in the
s4eih the Virginius was mentioned
IOr the first time. The Soar.iard
.Heea ms glass against that CT his