The Opelousas courier., 1892-07-23

- loftOuS NlfSlnIuS ny d Spanish
gunboat and the execution of a
6 number of the crew, the nara
tor Of the occurrence was serving on
board the United States ship Kansas.
That vessel was then on the North At
antic station, and in the early part of
March, 1878, was detailed to convey a
surveying expedition 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 comma d of Cap
tain Crossman. In due coufs,je of time
the vessel reached the Near guam coast,
but the leader of the party was drowned
at G%reytown while ~endeavoring to land
through the surf. The command of the
party devolved upon Commander Hat
field, the Captain of the Kansas, who was
the next senior officer. He turned over
the command of his vessel to Lieutenant
Commander Edwin White, his First Lieu
tenant, with instructions to proceed to
Aspinwall for a supply of provisions and
coal.
The arrival of the Kansas at that port
was opportune, as her crew were destined
to discover before leaving it. The vessel
came in at night and chose an anchor
age between two large vessels whose out
lines could hardly be distinguished in
the tropical darkness. By the light of
the succeeding morn they discovered n
to be- the Spanish man-of-war Pizarro,
and the other the American merchant
steamship Virginius. The former was a
heavily armed steam sloop and the latter
a vessel which was said to have been en-
gagged in the transportation of arms and
munitions of war to the revolutionlsts in
Cuba. She had put into the harbor Of
Aspinwall and had tsen there blockaded
BY the Pizarro, WI lie commander had
made known his Intention 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 Kan
sas found on her arrival in Aspinwall, or
Colon, as it is now known.
When the Captain Of the Virginius
discovered the presence of an American
man-of-war in the harbor, he at once
came on board and asked for a safe es-
cort to sea. The acting Captain OF the
Kansas, was fer too conservative to give
a hasty opinion. He first communicated
with the United States consular repre-
sentative and then asked to be shown the
ships clearance papers. These were pro-
duced and a careful examination
failed to discover any flaw in them. At
ter duly considering the case he was con-
WINGED that no power had, the right to
interfere with the Virginius, and what
ever her past record had been, there was
no evidence to warrant her detention by
a foreign man-of-war.
He had hardly arrived at this conclu-
sion before the Captain of the Pizarro
came alongside in his gig. He was re-
ceived with the usual courtesies and
shown into the cabin of the Kansas.
Captain White extended the customary
welcome TO his visitor, and before de-
parting the latter expressed a desire to
make an inspection of the little gunboat.
The request was courteously complied
with, and the two commanders made a
tour of the ship.
The only gun of Importance which the
Kansas mounted in her battery was an
eleven-inch Dahlgren shell gun, one OF
the same kind that sunk the Alabama.
II was certainly a monster gun to be
mounted on so small q ship, aud the
Spanish Captain expressed his astonish-
ment at the fact. 1t was carried on a
pivot amidships, capable of being fired
from either side.
aThat is a very formidable piece OF
ordnance" commented the Spaniard.
81 had no idea that vessels of this small
type could carry such a heavy gum
Captain White looked at its cavernous
muzzle and smilingly admitted that he
had rather be some distance from its
business end when a Yankee tar was
holding the lock string.
Over a parting glass of wine in the
cabin the Virginius was mentioned for
the first time. The Spaniard clinkeo
his glass against that of his host and
said that his orders were to prevent tina
vessel from going to sea by force Il
necessary. Captain White emptied hi
glass and quietly informed his guest
that it was his intention to fire on an
vessel that interfered with her. Will
this pleasant understanding and mutua
good wishes the pair separated.
Hardly had the Spaniard's gig left th'
ganrwey before the shrill notes of th'
boatswain were heard calling the creV
to muster on the quarter deck. Whel
they had all assembled aft, CaptaI
White made a brief address telling ther
Of his Intention and asking them to stan
by him. The crew YVES very small an
the odds were much against them, bu
there was not a craven soul within thos
ribs Of oak, and when the address vi
finished the Captain felt sure that n
could depend upon his small but vallan
crew. The Captain Of the Virginia
was formally notified that his yesse
would be escorted to sea the next day.
noon sharp.
The preparations for sea were quietl
conducted. AS soon as nightfall col
9 aled the movement, the guns of Il
Kansas were run in, charged with hy
second she'll ana run out again ready &
nrIns me eIeven-inch gun wa pivott
&c as to bear on the Spaniard, and Il
piyot ports which masked it were maj
ready for knocking away at q moment
notice. All the usual preparations T
battle we're made and no precautiol
were neglected. The Spanish CAPITA
had said his orders were to FIRE on Il
yirginiua if she attempted to leave T