Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-01-02
The Cruiser Vesuvius and Dispatch
Boat Dolphin.
WILL LOOK AFTER FILIBUSTERS
Cause of the Sudden Increase of
the Patrol Fleet.
THE CLEA NCE SCHEME

The dynamite cruiser vesuvius and the
armed dispatch vessel Dolphin have been
ordered 10 Florida waters TO reinforce tho
numerous fleet of government Vessels NOW
engaged In the effort to suppress the fili-
clustering expeditions bound for Cuba.
Ihere are already two warships the New
ark and the Raleigh. helping the revenue
cutters IN this service. and IL may be that
the cutter fleet will also be reinforced IL
IL Is practicable to spare any more of the
Few vessels still held on duty for the ,sual
revenue marine service on the Atlantic ana
gulf coasts This is somewhat doubtful.
for 1t is said that nearly al of the cutters
which are not absolutely required at the
present moment to perform boarding duty
are already on the Florida coast or on
watch for filibusters at New York and else
where.
Determination of the Administration.
This strong patrol force gathered in one
vicinity is taken to mean that the admin
istration is determined to leave no sound
ground for complaint by the Spanish gov
ernment that the United States has failed
to meet all the requirements of interna-
tional law in preventing the departure of
hostile expeditions from our shores to aid
the Cubans. Ii can hardly be asserted that
it has failed to show the due vigilance
cGniary responsibility for the damage
wrought by filibCsters.
The Dolphin Now Here.
The Dolphin is now al the Washington
navy yard and she will probably sail as
soon as she can get aboard the necessary
stores and ammunition. Her captain, Com
mander Clover, was at the Navy Depart
ment today consulting with the officials re-
specting the program for the movements OF
his ship Though dispatch vessel tech
n4caiiy, the Dolphin would be formidable
craft 10 a filibuster, not so much on ac-
count of her speed, which is about fifteen
knots. ss from her machine guns. her main
tattery and her active crew. She carries
tEo forty-seven milimeter Hotchkiss guis
several six pounder guns OF the same type
and two four-irch rapid-fire rifles, suiii-
cient battery to stop anything short of a
regularly fitted-out warship. From his eN-
perience as chief of the photographic office,
Comnonder Clover is also well fitted to
navigate his vessel safely in the narrow
channels and byResses of the Florida coast
vssdSfSs VIII BE sefuI.
The Vesuvius will also be particularly
useful III patrol duty on account of her
speed. Twenty-one knots is her record on
trial, and there is nothing afioat on the
Atlantic coast in the shape of a private
owned vessel that could escape her in a
fair run, with the possible exception of the
yacht Namoose, and il would be toss
up between them, with the odds in favor
OF the dynamite boat, owing 10 her superior
ability TO endure long run.
Although her dynamite guns have NOT
been removed, nor will they be- according TO
the present intentions of the naval officials
the Nesuvius will not be expected to use
them In the duty TO which she has be,li as
signed. She has in addition a small but
effective battery, made UP of three three
pcunder Hotchkiss guns, sufficient to sion
al thinS short of an armored craft within
P+4 N fhrn.
seven feet of water she will he ahla 10
fonow the small fiilibustering craft into the
shallow waters in which they have herr
toIore round a sure refuge from the deep
ofaft naval vessels and larger revenue c,.-
tiers looking for them. The Nesuyius il
row at the Leagae Island navy yard. Phila-
ueiphla, httlng out rapidly for service after
lying out of commission for nearly tvro
years She has been ordered To 90 into
oommi: sion en- the 18th instant under com
mand of Lieutenant Comma nder PiIsburv
MO Mio & EaS peen detached from the Naval
war College and assigned to that duty
why the Patrol Fleet is Increased.
The question was asked of treasury Of
hcials today what more in the direction
OF restraining the departure of vessels with
arms Tor Cuba could be expected of a dozea
warships than of one, so long as the
Cuban-bound boats are permitted to cl,.ar
regularly and according to law. No sat-
isIaclory answer could lie returned hut Z,
appeared that the officials arc acting under
tue belief that the clearance" scheme is
really intended blind, and the rurrose
or the Cubans is to have one or more relief
hoat slip away surreptitiously while the
authorities are looking after the departure
OF the vessel for which clearance papers
are sought. Although it is reported that
tie Commodore has cleared from Jackson
Vile with arms and ammunition for San
uago nc information to that effect has vet
reached the department The Increase IN
the patrol fleet is believed to he due to in
formation OF increased activity on the part
of the ilibus,ers.