The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-03-13
Mail Steamship Alliance, Carrying
the American Flag, Fired on Re-
peatedIy with Solid Shot.
CAPT. CROSSMAN INDIGNANT
HIS VESSEL CHASED FOR TWENTY
FIVE MILES BY THE sPANIARD.
Secretary of State Gresham Notified,
but Little Likely to Be Done
The Law i'm the Case.


NEW YORK. March 12-The American
mail steamship Alliance, while proceeding
from Colon to New York on the morning of
the Sth inst, sighted a barkentine rugged
steamer under the land. off Cape Maysi,
the eastern edge of Cuba. which headed di-
rectly toward her. Att O'clock when
about two and half miles distant, she
hoisted the Spanish flag, which was saluted
by hoiSting the American ensign and dip
ping it, which act of courtesy was answered
by the Spaniard. AT 7:15 she fired a blank
cartridge to leeward, which was soon fol-
lowed by another. The American ensign
was again hoisted and dipped. but the
course and speed of the ship was not
changed as no hostile demonstration was
anticipated, as the Alliance was more than
six miles off the land at the time. The
Spanish man-of-war was not satisfied, how
ever, with even the double salute to her
flag, but proceeded to, chase the American
at her full speed, judging from the smoke
that came from her funnel, and, seeing
that the Alliance was drawing away from
her, she hove to to bring her guns to bear
and fired a solid shot, whcih struck the
water less than an eighth of a mile away
from the ship and directly in line. This was
followed by two more solid shots, which,
fortunately, did not reach their mark,
though they struck the water in plain sight
of the ship. At each shot, however, the
Spaniard waved to to get the range of the
American ship before firing on her, plainly
showing the intention to hit her if she
could Captain Crossman, of the Alliance.
knowing he was more than two leagues
from land and on the high seas, did not
consider it his duty to detain his ship to
find out the reason for such an outrage,
even for so summary demand and so
ordered full steam and gradually drew out
of range The chase was kept up for more
than twenty-five miles before it was aban-
speed or her gunnefs been better marks
men no doubt the incident would not have
ended SO fortunately for the American.
GRESHAM NOTIFIED.
The outrage has been reported to the
Secretary of State by Captain Crossman,
and doubt a prompt demand will be
made on the Spanish government for an ex-
PLANTATION for the insult and reason re-
quired for the attempt made to stop an
American mail steamer the high seas in
time Of peace Captain Crossman has writ
ten a letter to the Secretary of State at
Washington giving full statement of the
Spanish WarshipS conduct. The letter fol-
lows:
''Sir: The American mail steamer AL
ilanca, under my command, while on her
New York was, on the morning of March 8,
off the coast of Cuba. At $50 o'clock a
barkentine-rigged steamer was sighted
under the land, steaming directly for us.
At 7:15 she set her colors, proving to be a
Spanish gunboat. Immediately ordered the
american ensign hoisted on the Allianca
duly returned by her. then saluted once
more, and supposed the matter was at an
end. But, about five minutes later, the
Spaniard fired blank cartridge and few
moments later another one followed shortly
afterwards by three solid shots. all of which
fal1 Of "a hr1f chn iDcr
at us being fully six miles off shore
ton to to the the spaniard but Kept my course
The Spaniard kept up the chase, although
gradually dropping astern, for fully twenty
81 desire to know if the Spaniard has any
right to fire on my ship, with the possible
chance of endangering the lives of the pas
sengers and crew under my charge or to
compel me to heave to, as he probably in
tended | respectfully ask for information
propose to heave to, thereby losing time on
my voyage to oblige the Spanish gunboats,
j. x. CRoSsMAN, Commander.
Captain Crossman was unable to get the
name of the Spanish gunboat I'VE We're six
said, land I do not think we were response
BILE to the Cubans or anybody else for be-
ing in their waters. The shots were fired,
doubtless, by some conceited Spaniard who
has an idea that he can stop anything that
floats. However he was disappointed, as it
to- 1t is customary for us to within
half mile of the Cuban coast, and this
time we were further away from it than
ever, and I really cannot tell why the shots
were fred
In answer to question as to whether
not the shots might have been fired by
the gunboat with the idea that his boat be-
longed to the reyolutionists in Cuba the
practicing on u.s. was the reply.
The Alliance. has been running between
this port and Colon for a number of years,
~
this port on the 9Th Of each month tea and
starts on her return trip the 9Th of
tions for $50 passengers Including the Of
ficers she carries crew of sixty men.
What the State Department. Saws.
WASHINGTON, March 12-No report has
reached the State Department of the pursuit
of and firing at the American ship Alliance
off the Cuban coast, by a Spanish war yes-
sci, and in the absence of definite and
properly substantiated statement of the
facts, the officials positively DECLINE to pass
judgment in the matter. The questions in
volved are those touching the right of search
of merchant vessels upon the high seas, and
this subject there is and always has been
a great difference of opinion and practice
among nations The records of the State
Department however, show that several
rules limiting the search right have been
clearly laid down by own courts and
have been accepted for the guidance of our
government in dealing with these cues
tions. In the first place, the right of search
is strictly beiligerent right, which means
that it cannot usually be used in times of
peace. In the present case there has been
no declaration of war by SPAIN no recogni-
ton of the belligerency of the insurgents
and no notice to our government of the ex-
istence of a blockade of the Cuban ports by
the Spanish naval vessels. Consequently
our merchant ships are bound to assume
that there is no state of war; and that there
are no belligerents. Spain has always siren
uously resisted any recognition of the
belligerency of the Cubans, whenever there
has been an uprising, yet it is said that she
has persisted in asserting rights that could
only be recognized after such an admis-
sion, and this right of search is one of them
The impression here is that the Spania rtis
had heard of the fitting out of filibustering
expeditions in Central America, with arms
supplied from the United States, and that
in this case they had reason to suspect that
the fiibusters and supplies would be landed
by the American steamship at some point
on the Cuban coast. 1t is admitted here
that the Spanish cruiser had the right to
satisfy herself to the nationality of the
steamship and, according to the principles
of international law, she might have sig
nailed and even have safely gone so far as
to fire shot across the bows of the steam
ship, but. further than this, the cruiser it
&c said ted in