The herald., 1897-01-03
DYNAMITE CRUISER
AND DISPATCH BOAT
Ordered to Proceed to
Florida Waters
THE F|uBUSTERS NEED WATCHING
And the Vessels Provided Can
Do II Well
NO MERCHANTMEN AFLOAT
Can Show Her Stern to the Dynamite
Cruiser Vesuvius
AID Her Light Draft Makes Hiding 10 Greeks
ImpracticabIe
Cuba bound Vessels May Clear but Craft
VIII Not BE Allowed to Sneak Out
With Goods Contraband
of War
NO MERCHANTMEN AFLOAT
Can Show Her Stern to the Dynamite
Cruiser Vesuvius
AID Her Light Draft Makes Hiding 10 Greeks
lmpracticabie
Associated Press Special wir.

w AStt lNNlON, JAN. -.---DyHdHlIte
cruiser Vesuvius and the armed dis
patch boat Dolphin have been ordered
to Florida waters to reinforce the al
ready numerous fleet of government ves-
sells now engaged In an effort to suppress
illibustering expeditions bound to Cuba.
The Dolphin is at the Washington
navy yard and probably will sail as soon
as she can get aboard the necessary
stores and ammunition. Her captain.
Commander Glover, gas at the navy de-
partment today, consulting the officials
respecting the program for the move
ments of his ship. Though dispatch
vessel technically, the Dolphin would be
a formidable craft to a filibuster. not SO
much on account of her speed, which is
about fifteen knots, as from her machine
guns, her main battery and active crew.
She carries forty-seven milimetre Hotch-
kiss guns, several six-pounder guns of
the same type and two four-inch rapid
fire rifles. From his experience as chief
Of the photographic Office, Commander
Glover Is well fitted to navigate his ship
safely in the narrow channels and passes
OF the Florida coast
useful In patrol duty on account Of her
speed. Twenty-ore7 knots Is her rec
ord on the trial. and there is nothing
afioat on the Atlantic coast in the shape
OF a merchantman or private vessel thai
could escape her in a fair run, with the
possible exception of the yacht Vam-
oose, and it is said it would be toss
up between them with the odds in
favor Of the dynamite gun, owing to her
superior ability to endure a long run.
Besides the dynamite guns, the Vesu-
vius has a small but effective battery
made up of three three-pounder Hotch-
kiss guns, enough to stop anything short
of an armored boat. within a distance of
three miles. She draws only seven feet
OF water and therefore will be able 70
follow the small tilibusterlng craft into
shallow water. The Vesuvius Is now at
the League Island navy yard fitting
out rapidly for service, after lying out
of commission for nearly two years. 1t
Is expected she can go into commission
on the 18th inst, under command of
Lieutenant-Commar Pillsbury, who
has been detached from the navy war
college.
The question was asked Of the treasury
officials what more in the way Of re-
straining the departure of vessels with
arms for Cuba could be expected of a
dozen warships than Of one as long as
the Cuba-bound boats are permitted TO
clear regularly and according to law. No
satisfactory answer could be returned,
but it appeared that the officials acting
under the belief that the clearance
scheme is really intended as blind, and
the purpose Of the Cubans is to have
one or more relief boats slip away while
the authorities are looking after the de-
parture of vessels for which clearance
papers are sought
THE COMMODORE CLEARS
JACKSONVILLE Fla, Jan. 2.-The
steamer Commodore. which cleared from
this port from Cienfuegos, Cuba, on
Thursday. with cargo of arms and am
mutton, foundered off New Smyrna at
an early hour this morning. Twenty
eight men were on board of the steamer,
and 30 far as known only twelve were
saved. One boat was washed ashore
empty and another one landed with the
twelve men. The Commodore carried
two other boats, but they have not been
heard from. The steamer Is reported to
have sunk about twenty miles out to
sea. The Commodore struck twice while
crossing the bar at the mouth of the river
the steamer was leaking. The pumps
start. Major Ricardo Delgado. one of the
crew. arrived here this evening on the
train from New Smyrna. accompanied
by eleven other survivors. all of the lat
ter being Cubans.
Major Delgado was met at the train
by /. A. Huay. Florida representative
Of tie Cuban junta, to whom he told
the story Of the wreck. Delgado report
ed that he was awakened about mid
night Friday night by the report thai
and lad been leaking almost from the
would not work and the men set tc
work p ball the steamer out This
proved\ d\ineffectual, and soon the en-
gineer reported that it was impossible
to go ATTY further as the water had pu,
out the Rres in the engines.
The Cpk,modorc was then twenty miles
out to SET and was running toward Mos.
quito inlt light. The boats were low.
cred and Pelgado and eleven others go1
into one bat and pulled away. The sea
Was rouehl 1t was 8; 80 q. m. !. and every.
thing d'skA Ds'ssdo Va q ths amDF..'