The Florence tribune., 1898-05-14

who had stood watch on the Virginius during the night, went over the side and remained in dingy awaiting orders. At nine precisely by the bells the American flag again few to the flag staff of the Virginius, and at the same moment . boat containing Captain Whiting and Lieut.. Mark put away from the Dispatch. As they sscended the accommodation ladder of the Virgin jus the single man on deck, who proved to be Senor de la Camera, advanced and made 8 courteous salute. The officers then read their respective in structions, and Captain de Ia Camera remarked that in obedience to the re- l quirements of the Government and in execution of the provisions of the 1 protocol, he had the honor to turn over the steamer Virginins to the American authorities. Captain Whiting accepted. and learning that receipt was re- quired, gave one in due form. A word or two more was spoken and the Spauiard stepped over the side, signaled to his oarsmen, and in ten minutes was again upon the deck of his own vessel. Beside the surrender ing and receipting officers, was the only witness of the ceremony.
 "While the Spanish officer was courtesy itself, we were all impressed with the fact that the ceremony was lacking in dignity and that the Span- iards had purposely made that lack as conspicuous as they dared. It ap- peared that the Virginius was lowed from Havana by the frst-class man-of- war Isabella Ia Catholica, the com mander of which retired immediate ly and left the surrender to be made by the commander of the Favorita, which had been in the vicinity of Bahia Honda for several months en- gagged in surveying duty. The sur render should have taken place either at Sontingo de Cuba or at Havana. and Spanish officer of like rank with Captain Whiting should have dis charged the duty.
 "A quick survey by our officers showed the Virginius to be in B most filthy condition. She was stripped of almost everything movable save a few vermin, which haunted the mattresses and cushions in cabin and staterooms, and half dozen casks oi water. The decks were caked with dirt, and nuisances recently committed
 combined with mold and deeomposi
 tion, caused foul steneh in the fore
 castle and below the hatelses~ In tht cabin however, the odor of carbolie
 acid gave evidence that an attempt haC
 been made to make that part of th'
 vessel habitable for the temporar,
 custodians of the ship. Our officer
 were reluctant to put the men into tn,
 dirty forecastle, and slowed then
 away into hardly more agreeabl,
 quarters afforded by the staterooml of Ryan and his murdered companions
 Some attempt seemed to have beer
 made, as shown by the engineerin,
 survey, to repair the machinery, but few hours work put the engines il
 working order. The ship was leak ) ing considerably and the pumps had
 to be kept going constantly to kesl , the water down. After few hours o
 hard work we got under way, but ha, . only gone 200 yards when the engine , suddenly refused to do duty, and i became necessary for the Dispatch t, take us in tow.
 "As we passed the fort at the en , trance to the harbor the Spanish fla,
 was rather defiantly displayed by tha antiquated apology for fortificatio 3 and there was no salute for the Ameri 8 can flag, either from the fort or tn , surrendering sfoop-of-war.
 g "We had q hard time that night s those of us who were aboard the Vii ginius. It seemed hardly possible ths e we could keep adoat until morning t During the night the navy tug Fo t tune, from Key West, met us and r I mained with the convoy. At noe F next day. when we were aboat thirt e miles southeast of Dry Tortuga h the vessels separated, the vwginir a and Dispatch going to Tortugas ar
 the Fortuna returning, with me as 2 solitary passenger, te Key Wes | whence had the honor oi reportin e the nsws to the Admiral and of sem :, ing an exclusive report of the surrend'
 to the Tribune.
 le it was the general opinion amor ,l the naval officers that the Spanish ha .a endeavored to belittle the whole pr 7. ceeding by smuggling the Virgini' is out of Havana, by selecting an o 2. scure harbor, not port of entry, { IT the place of surrender over to su ,s veying sloop, while the Tornad
 which made the capture, lay in u ie harbor of Havana, and the Isabel e. la Casholica, which had been select ,h as convoy, steamed back to Haval n. under cover of the night. The Amel 2 can officers and the American rel = dents in Cuba and Key West agre lo that our Government ought to ha or required that the Virginius should
 ! oil &ho ralaq .