Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1892-10-18
A NAVAL ESCORT
NECESSARY TO PUT AMERICAN VESSELS INTO
THE PORTS
Of Vs1ezaela-A Detailed Account Of an Exciting
Trip Of the Philadelphia-Ysnszus Gun
Boats Ourun By a Nerchanman-Tha
Kearsarge as Guide.

NEW YORK, October 1.-THE steamship
Philadelphia, Of the Red Star line, arrived
from South American ports last evening
at BrOOklyn. THIS is the vessel that had
quite an experience with Venezuelan gun
boats. The ships of this line carry the
United States mails. A reporter boarded
the philadelphia shortly after her arrival
at her dock. but her commander, Captain
John Cham ers, and two mates were on
reporter, however, saw Quartermaster
Benjamin IngemansOn and Engineer Ed
ward ROebhng, aud between them got a
story of their trip.
1--WE left New York "they said, "On Sep
TENDER 20 and struck Curacao in about a
week. We had general cargo on board
aud some passengers. While lying az Cur
acoa, Captain Chambers learned that port
Isabella, our next stop, was blocked. He
telegraphed the kearsarge, lying at La
GUayra, TO see US safe into Port Isabella.
We left Curacao about twelve that night.
The following morning we
SIGHTED THE REAEsARGE
lying outside POct Isabella.
"Just about the time we sighted her the
Venezuelan gun boat Pamtara came right
out towards US The kcarSarge was on
the watch and she steamed up between the
Pamtara and US. The kearsarge then
came alongside Of US and the kearsarge
commander told our captain 20 regulate
his speed by the kearsarge and he would
see US in. We steamed about fifteen miles
with the kearsarge alongside OF US The
Venezuelan guubOGt did not bother Us.
The Kearsarge frightened her.
eve dropped anchor OF Port Isabella
and the kearSarge did the same. We were
only about $50 yards apart. Then we got
orders from Customs House at Port
Isabella 70 come into dock and discharge
cargo and put OF passengers. The same
night we left Tor La Guayra. We got
there all right and after four days started
back again 70 Port Isabella.
We HAD ANOTHER CARGO.
"The day before we left La GUayra the
Venezuelan gunbOats Pamtara, CarDOnese,
Parsara, and another received orders, as
we are told, if we attempted 10 enter Port
Isabella, 20 sink Us. That did not scare US
much: we had an Armstrong rapid firing
twelve-pOunder on board that would sink
any of their guuboats. Then most Of our
crew of dfty-fOur are men OF the nava, re-
serve who can handle vessel well. Why
if they had shown real fight we would
have rammed them.
"Weu, when we heard they proposed
coming for US, we Immediately got up all
steam we could and ran out for Port lsa-
bella.
eight or ten miles from us. When they
caught sight of US they came out of shore.
We steamed more inshOre, and seemed the
swifter; we ran clear away from them and
out of range OF their guns. When we got
near Port Isabella, the kearsarge came
out and took Us In harOOr. We lay there
al that day till late in the evening, when
we started for Curacao again, the hear-
sarge seeing us cut
AT Curacao we remained couple OF
days, and then went back TO La Guayra,
Ogaiu missing Port Isabella. We were IN
La GUayra about three hours this time for
the mails, and from there
We CANE RIGHT on TO NEw YORK,
bringing coffee ana hides as cargo and
some passengers When we were at La
Guayra these thsee hours, detail of about
q dozen United States marines, with OIL
GERS came on oOard. They came in a steam
launch from. our man-Of-war, the Chicago.
There we 1ther marines in boats around
sir'R-A ,ssibc put on board if needed.
- - ~ ebut Of La Guayra the marines
le.8 our ship and went back 20 the Chicago.
We left there q week ago today