The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-06-17
"Then why do you let them do it9,

what they pleased with it before it was
| landed on deck, but it was then under
the American flag and the reg quest would
not be complied with. The officer threat
ened to take the mail by force, and, with
his men crowded into the office of the
ordered them out and they laughed at
him. He produced two big shooters
and they blocked the doorway in their
haste to get on deck. The purser sig
nailed the captain that the mail was all
| right. The captain signaled the engineer
and the latter put on so much steam that
| only portion of the Spa niards had time
to get into their boat, the remainder leav-
ing with the pilot outside. On the ar
rival of the Eagle in New 70 rk the mat
ter was widely heralded, Immediately
became q theme for discussion in Con-
gross and the junta was jubilant.
CRITICAL SITUATION PRESENTED.
1t was under such conditions that the
Eagle sailed for Havana Oh Oct. rs.
There were not many passengers-only
those whose business required their pres
enoe on the island, and some Of them felt
little shaky. 1t went without saying
that should the Banks bill GO through
Congress Spain would accept 1t as a de-
clnration Of war. Her naughty spirit
| and pride. already OF a high pitch, would
be overstrained and she would declare to
sword in hand. The great mass of her
people, however, did not believe she
would go down. They believed that
| Spain was the most powerful nation on
earth and they believe SO STILL In the
event of suchaa climax every American
on the island would be considered pub
| lie enemy and the dungeons Of the castle
| t,<.k IS h svxls IN,
which they would be subjected.
| 1t was well along in the afternoon of
Nov. 2. when the Eagle sighted the Pan
de Mantanzas and skirted along west
| ward toward Havana. There is law
| that Cuban ports must not be entered
after shutdown and it was evident that
| darkness was approaching more rapidly
than the steamer was going. 1t was the
season for hurricanes and ominous clouds
were rolling up from the gulf. A night
| out was delay of half day in unload
| ing, which, with the keeping up of
steam. would be no inconsiderable loss
IN HASTE TO MAKE PORT.
One of the oonsignees of the ship, with
his family, was on board, the lady hav-
ing been confined during the trip. Heav-
ing to and being banged about all night
by the ugly chop seas was bad enough
for well man, but 1t might be serious
for the lady. The captain and the con-
signee called council Of war with sew
| eral passengers who were mechanical en-
gineers on the sugar plantations, known
as ''yngenieos." Some of them had been
| in that service long time and were con-
versant with the laws and methods.
They called attention to the fact that
should the Eagle attempt to run in dur
| ing the night without pilot, the au-
thorities would have the right to open
fire upon her, and the difficulty On the
| last trip would leave a desire to improve
theopportun1ty. To Offset this the gov
eminent knew the steamer was due and
any attempt to set up a claim that they
thought it was a flibuster would be un-
tenable and that the people of the United
| States were not in mood to permit the
| firing on mail steamer on any grounds,
/ technical or otherwise.
1t was only four years after the civil
war and million veterans north and
south could be raised in forty eight
hours. The navy yards were filled with
| gunboats and war crafts of all kind, a
situation fully understood by the Span
ish authorities. Hence they argued that
it was safe for the Eagle to "call the
bluff" and run in. In the morning the
officials would board on a high horse, but
they could be satisfied q good deal cheap
or than would be the cost of beating
about all night. The further fact of the
sick lady could be used by the naval
| officers to make their case good without
| the loss of dignity before the public.
To run in was therefore the order.
EAGLE CHALLENGED By MAN -OF.
WAR.
| 1t was quite dark when Havana was
reached. Its beautiful bay is large. but
the entrance is narrow, guarded on one
side by Moro castle and on the other By
Fort Cabanas, mounting hundreds Of
guns Suddenly big man of-wal
doomed up in the darkness, at anchor,
guarding the channel. From her decks
came challenge. No vessel can ente,
the harbor without being challenged; ii
| is custom as old as the city. Ordinar-
lily 1t is from lookout with q trumpet
on the heights of Moro. 1t is, however,
mere matter Of form which captains
fully understand and their reply does not
call for q response. To this challenge
the captain replied, Steamer Eagle
from New York with United States
mail.
| A response came back ordering her to
lay under the guns of the guardghip up-
til morning Not understanding Spanish
the captain ignored what was said. Some
one replied:
IAN right; go ahead to your anchor
age"
The Eagle was therefore kept on her
way under slow steam, while the
"yngenierosI" grouped on the forward
deck watched proceedings with consider
able interest, half-doubtfui of results.
Suddenly from the black hull of the
man-of-war there was a binding flash
and g stunning report. so close that the
ooncussion took the captain almost of
his feet.
"What was that for" queried the cap
| tain.
1.-THE O'Clock gum was a reply.
| The group, of whom the writer was
one, talked in undertones, one remark
| being:
''If they fire again. it will not be blank,
and some of US will get killed, but the
United States will make it lively fol
| them.n
WAR IN THE BALANCE.
The swing Of the pendulum counted of
the seconds, while the probabilities O.
war hung in the balance. We were 81
IL