The morning times., 1896-11-27
CRUISER FOR THE CUBANS
Fast Vessel Said TO Be Fitting
Out in Scotland.
TO EYADE PIRACY LAWS
ReTort Is That Bolivia VIII Recog-
nize the Insurgents-Craft Is
said to he a Swift, ii eavily Armed
UnarmOred Cruiser-She VIII
Take Crew in south America.

The Cuban patriots, according to reports
here, are planning to add to the forces now
al work for the freedom Of the Pearl of
the antilles - new engine of destruction
which shall carry devastation TO the
property of the Spanish upon the sea.
According to u rumOr believed to be based
upon well authenticated facts, cruiser, Us
swift as any Spa nish war vessel, and armed
with every appliance of modern warfare,
Will, within very short time, quietly slip
out of the Scotch port at which she is being
fitted, speed away to a South American
city, where her contingent OF gunners and
mariners are at this very moment awaiting
her.
There everything has been arranged for
coaling and victualing this new Alabama, ~
and there she Will receive her commission
from the Cuban government
At the present moment the existence of
the Cuban provisional government is not
officially recognized many Acknowledgement
of bcligercnt rights by any government. II
is said, however, that within a few days
the republic OF Bolivia will take cpgnizance
OF the state of war in Cuba and by granting
the rights of beligereuts to the patriots
give an international standing to the pro.
Tisional government not now enjoyed.
Not PIRATES THEN.
This will have the effect of making the
biiittis VI Viz new 'ultdtl
accredited agents and officers of a govern-
nent with some standing, even though
slight, in the court of nations.
Without this, this Cuban bloodhound of
the sea would stand before the world as
common pirate, against whom every
nations hands would be lifted. With
this, she goes forth on her mission of
destruction, with the tacit consent and
81 nctiOn Of all sympathiZers with the
cause of Cuban liberty.
The armament of this first of Cuba's
cruisers is of n sufficiently formidable
charact er to make her more than
match for most Of the Spanish vessels now
in Cuban waters ..-i..
All that vast and VARIABLE commerce
originating in Cuba and Porto Rico, and
now controlled and directed by Spain, for
.Ler own benefit, and for the sake OF
which she is making this tremendous
struggle in Cuba, will be at the mercy Of
tie naval arm of the provisional govern
ment. A better appreciation of what this
means is obtained when one remembers
the enormous destruction of property made
by the Alabama, of Confederate memory,
during her short, but evcntful career TAX
ing contingent damages into considera-
ton, hundreds of millions of property were
destroyed by the Alabama, which was q
wooden vessel, with an armament inferior
to the vericst tub of these days.
A HEAVY ARMAMENT,
Two eight-inch rifles of the CHEST pow er
and efficiency attainable, will constitute
the main battery OF the Cuban cruiser.
These will be mounted en- barbette, and
not in turrets. Besides these, she will
carry an auxiliary battery of four-inch
rapid-firc guns, and two Maxim guns, pro.
iected by shields and placed upon the
forward bridge of the vessel
TWO tubes for launching torpedoes com
plete the means Of offcnse and defense of
the Cuban Alabama. She will carry no
armor other than the protective shields
for the rapid-fire guns.
1t is confidently stated that not many
days will elapse before the Cuban republic
Will make herself as dreaded on the West
indian seas by the mother country as was
Hawkins, or Drake, or Davis, in the days
when those bold buccaneers made the
name of the Spanish Main SYNONYM of
blood and plunder.