Peninsula enterprise. [volume] (Accomac, Va.) 1881-1965, 1894-06-09
GOV. o,FERRALL MEANS WAR.
He Intends Attacking Maryland
Poachcrs With Rapid. Fire Guns.

IOHCutIS " ltH NIL lttN'Elit UuAsc'
a special dispatch to the Balti-
more Sun, June 18th, from Wash,
inrton SAWS: "a conference of
war, in which Maryland is di
rectly concerned, inasmuch as she
is the offending party, was held this
morning in the Office of Assistant
Secretary of the Navy McAdoo, at
which. besides Mr.. McAdoo, there
were present Governor O'Ferrall, of
Virginia, his attorney general, Capt.
w. 7. Sampson, chief of ordnance, as
naval expert on the method of cam
paiGn, and Lieutenant Switzerland,
who advised the Governor as to the
best modern ordnance for disastrous
work. The conference was the re-
sulC of Yesterdays attack by Mary
landers of Crisield on Virginia soft
crab catchers, who are said to have
been in forbidden territory.
Governor O'Ferrall is making pre-
parations for Il descent on Maryland
soft-crab poacherS, which, he opines,
will make the best of them quail with
alarm. The Governor says he will
not tolerate any further dickering
and proposes to stop Marylanders
from taking Nirginia's crabs if he has
TO call out his entire oyster navy,
naval reserve and State militia. lie
says the Old Dominion is going to
assert her rights III vigorous and con-
vincing style and that he will shortly
have naval support which will be
able to cope even with the Maryland
oyster navy, if the two States put
forward their full fighting force in
| the interest of the soft-crab industry.
for an hour and derived much valua-
bic advice from the Assistant Sec
rotary of the Navy in the use of the
latest and most approved methods of
naval maneuvers for bringing to
surrender smalltleets.
| The Governor requested the Navy
Department to supply him with
complete outfit of modern rapid fire
guns, with which. he propose to pelt
the crabbers. The conference deve-
loped the fact that Gatling and
rapid fire briggs Schroeder are the
best guns for work of the kind con
templated by the Governor, and an
order has been placed with the
department for TWO guns each of this
character The department was I'M
fortunately not prepared to furnish
the guns right of, but Mr.. McAdoo
assured the Governor that they
would be ready in a few days. Later
in the afternoon kilograms were sent
To the ordnance shops at Hartford,
Conn, requesting that the guns be
forwarded ut once TO Norfolk, where
they are TO be installed ON ship
especially purchased in New York
by the State TO wage war on crab
bers.
Governor O'Ferrall informed Mr..
McAdoo that the State had recently
appropriated $4,000 with which to
defend the soft-crab industry from
offending Marylanders. He had just
purchased for ST 900 Il boat 10 feet
long and drawing only i feet of
water, and the modern battery of
guns will be mounted ON it and the
warship sent cruising for poachers.
Another boat has been ordered of
the same design. and she, too, will be
fitted out with rapid-ir guns.
When told by the naval authori-
ties that his vessel would not be able
to cope with the vessels of the Mary
| land oyster fleet which were mount
ed with one Founders, the Governor
replied that it was not the navy he
would fight. but the individuals who
insisted on coming in Virginia wa
tiers and taking her crabs. The ma
val force OF the State now consists of
two or three old tubs armed with
Whitworth smooth-bore guns, hav-
ing range of perhaps half mile
and capable OF penetrating few
inches of soft wood. The
new guns. however, will be able
TO pelt the Marylanders at the dis
lance OF mile and will discharge
with great rapidity.
There was no doubt of the SINGER
ity of the Governor in his prepare
tions for defending his soft crabs.
He will also have the support OF the
| Navy Department in procuring nee
essary ordnance and powder, as any
State would have, applying for the
same purpose. The Governor is
proud over the recent victory of one
of his ships, which. he says. sailed in
TO u fleet of ten sail and put them 10
fight without any one getting hurt.
With his new modern navy, manned
with prize crews and carrying the
latest improved ordnance, the Gov
ernor is confident he can protect the
soft crabs