The Dalles times-mountaineer. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1882-1904, 1895-09-28
FOR CUBA's NEW NAVY.
The First Vessel Has Been Purchased by
an English Syndicate.

an English Syndicate.
NEW YORK, Sept. 25.-Secretary
| Gonzales Quesada, who has been in
Mexico City fortnight in conference
with President Diaz in relation to the
establishing of open ports and coaling
stations for the Cuban navy, writes
| that all his plans have been successful
SO far. He says the first vessel to take
| advantage of MeXico's concessions to
| the Cuban patriots will be British
| craft fitted out with an armament to
enable it to cope in Cuban waters with
any Spanish warship now cruising
| there.
She was built in the United States
not long ago, it is said, at a cost of
$3.50, 900, for the West Indies trade and
for transatlantic business, and has
been running between New York and
Cuba. She lies in the river Thames,
| at London, and has been out of COM
mission about six months. Her arma-
ment is now in a warehouse in Tam
pico harbor, and consists of two heavy
guns, two rapid-fring guns, one Cat
ling gun, one Maxim, six torpedo tubes
and 1000 stands of small arms and cut
lasses. Above the water line she has
been supplied with 10-inch armor
plates.
The vessel was bought about a month
ago by an English syndicate, which
has spent about 500, 900 in fitting her
up as cruiser and commerce-de-
stroyer. The crew will consist of 500
men under the captain who COM
manded her while in the Cuban trade.
In letters received at Cuban head
quarters in this city, he writes that he
will not need pilots. She will have
five officers who have served in various
navies in Europe. An exceptionally
large quantity of provisions will be
carried.
1t is said she will carry to Cuba on
her first trip an immense quantity of
arms, bought through the Mexican
government in France, Germany and
England.
The plans for the expedition were
taken to Cuba by DR.. Donald A. Dodge,
a young New York physician. DR.
Dodge was arrested as spy in San
tiago. One of the jailers, a Cuban at
heart, conveyed secret message to him
from friends outside and delivered to
them messages from the doctor. The
papers describing the plan which he
had succeeded in secreting from the
prison officials, were conveyed through
this guard to represent of the Cuban
cause in Santiago, and by them sent to
General Antonio Maceo, who was asked
to forward Immediately to Secretary
Quesada $4,000 in gold. About two
weeks ago a special courier arrived
from Cuba with letters from Maceo.
An hour after receiving the letters
Quesada boarded q train for the City
of Mexico. Before leaving, Quesada
exhibited letter from President Diaz
guaranteeing protection to Cuban YES
sells and agreeing to supply them with
coal and provisions. The ship in ques-
ing on her armament.
One stipulation in the agreement is
that the vessel shall not sail from Lon
don until commissioned as q cruiser by
the Cuban government. The COM
mand is TO have commission as ad.
miral. 1t was feared in case the Off
GERS were not thus commissioned both
captain and crew would be hung as
pirates in case of capture.
Immediately upon recognition of the
Cuban republic by the United States
government, or, in fact, by any gov
ernment, Secretary Quesada has been
notified that the Cubans can secure
loan OF almost any amount OF gold
from a English syndicate, or from the
sugar trust, or both. The English
syndicate expects extensive cences-
sions. An agent of the English syndi-
cate was in this city two weeks ago
and held extensive conferences with
the members of the Cuban junta.
A number of new explosives have
been experimental with by Horatio
Rubens, the legal representative of the
Cuban insurgent cause.