The morning call., 1893-06-04
WARSHIP IN A POCKET.
How the Spanish Ironclad ArapiIes
Was Detained in a Critical Time.

Brooklyn Eagle.
Speaking of docking at the Brooklyn
maynard of the huge Spanish ironclad
Reina Rrgente naval officer who is full
of rt III iniscences of the past told the story
of the last Spanish cruiser which availe d
itself of the privileges of that drydock
1t was in 1873 and the ship was the Ara
piles. She was comparatively new ship
of about $4,000 tons. ironclad. and at
that time equal in fighting strength
to a half-dozen of our wooden men,
of-war. the best ships we had. The
Araples had been at the yard the
entire summer. undergoing the most ex-
tensive repairs. Her machinery had been
thoroughly overhauled and when Novem-
Der came she W as in the drydock getting
her bottom scraped and painted, and, in
short, receiving the finishing touches
which would make her entirely ready for
the sea, dangerous cruiser for an enemy
to meet, armed as she was with a splendid
battery OF Armstrong and Whitwnrth
guns. But just as she was about finished
and ready 10 go the capture of the Ameri-
can steamer Virginlus by the Spanish Gov
ern ment and the execution. by shooting,
of her captain and forty of his men at San
iiago de Cuba occurred, and in an instant
war was imminent.
Telegraphic order were sent from Wash
at the yard, and in twenty-four hours the
working forcs was increased to 1000 men,
working hammer and tongs night and day
getting the ships ready for Cuban waters
The old Colorado, which few months be-
fore had returned from the China station
and was resting dismantled in the "or-
binary" row. was one OF the first to be
ready, as were also the gunboat Kansas
and the old Wampanoag, or Florida. The
relations etween the Spaniards and our
selves were getting rather awkward. The
yard was rapidly fitted up with war sup
plies and stores. and among them large
quantities of coal. a hasty purchase of
the latter article was made late one after
noon and the barges came TO the yard about
dark.
Owing to an accident or blunder, one of
the coal barges was anchored directly in
front OF the gate of the drydock where the
Spanish ironc!ad lay, and in some unac-
countabie way the barge sank at her moor
ings that night, making the Arapiles a
helpless prisoner. The weather was aw-
full. causing rough sea In the navy-yard
waters, and that was one of the reasons
assigned for the barge's i'll luck. The next
DAY, when 1t was attempted to raise her bv
means OF the yard derrick, an important
part of that machine broke, ard the lob
had to be temporarily abandoned. The
Spanlards raved and said large and
naughty words in their own dulcet Ian
gnage. but the Colorado and the Kansas
flew de coop" in the meantime, and be-
fpre the Araplles arrived at Sandy Hook
were down on the Cuban coast.
Even when the Spanish ship left the
yard the pilot managed to land her on a
rock off the foot OF Bridge street. and after
many apologies suggested to the captain
TO 60 back TO the yard to see how far she
was damaged, but the Spaniard turned
green at the suggestion and went right off
to see, stopping long enough at the Battery
to send down diver, who reported the
damages as slight. Some of the boys say
that If the Arapies had gone back to the
yard she would have been there yet and
her commander had a wise head in
going right on his way. Happily
there was no war. The Secretary of
the Navy ordered an investigation as
to the accident to the coal barge, and
it resulted in the reprimanding of an
unfortunate masters mate, who ought to
have known better than to anchor the
barge in the spot where he did. The
spaniards were very angry about 1t, so nv
naval friend says, but time soothed their
wounded feelings