The times., 1898-07-21
"a CARGO OF HARDWARE"
This Government Runs Il Successful
FfIfLusterinE Expedition

Eilfbustering Expedition.
New York, July PA story published
here this evening asserts that not all the
flibustering of the past few months has
been done by the Cubans. The United
States has taken a hand in the game, and
despite the neutrality preelamations of
the European nations, nave generally Sc
cured such munitions of war as 1t
has needed The most important of
these smuggling operations on the part
Of this Government is associated with the
announcement of the arrival on June
&c of the steamer Emma X. (Austrian),
from Antwerp. Ostensibly the Emma Is.
was a tramp making the trip from Ant
werp to New York under the Austrian
flag. and having on board. at least her bill
Of lading said so, cargo of hardware
and general merchandise"
Some days before her arrival Off
GERS Of the Government in New York
were told by Washington naval officials
to keep a lookout for her. They We're put
in possession Of a copy of her bill OF Ia
ding and were further told that she
would probably expect TO discharge her
cargo of hardware and general merchan-
disc on certain Government ground, and
that she was to be permitted to do so.
The Emma X. remained in the lower
bay several days and then came up to
the point decided upon and discharged
her cargo there. An interesting cargo it
was.
To appreciate its value one must go
back to the period just previous TO the
declaration OF war. 1t viii be remem-
bered that this Government purchased
The Amazonas in England. She was
armed with the most modern guns. Her
battery consisted of four finch guns and
her secondary battery was made up
Of one and three-pounder MaXim-Nor-
denfeldts Soon after the purchase the
New Orleans, as she was rechristened,
set sail for New York. She had good
deal of ammunition for her guns, but
since that time her participation in sew
eral engagements around Santiago has
decreased her supply 10 such an extent
that lately she had very little, if any, on
board
Ammunition of that peculiar English
caiber could be manufactured in this
country only under great difficulties.
So the Navy Department gave up the
idea of making their own ammunition,
but this discarded idea gave place TO an
other, the working out OF which resulted
in the arrival in this port of the Emma
X with a cargo of 800 tons of hardware
and general merchandise
Whether this general description can
be really construed 10 embrace thous-
ands Of shell for the big guns of the New
Orleans, as well as many thousands Of
Of rounds OF ammunition for that vessels
secondary battery must be left TO sur
mise. Certain II IS however, that early
in June a steamer having on board such
a cargo. which also included some big
rifles and many automatic qutck-fre
guns, left London for Antwerp. The
English custom house officials evidently
regarded ammunition and guns as hard
ware in the literal sense Of the word.
for the vessel got clearance papers
from the English port and arrived safely
at Antwerp. Here the precious sup
plies were transferred to the Emma X,
sailing under the Austrian flag. and
with her cargo of hardware and general
merchandise she. too, got clearance
papers for New York.
She arrived here June 36. and duly dis
charged her cargo at a point in the
lower bay, which was decided upon by
the Government officials, who through
the carelessness OF the English port
officials succeeded in getting a splendid
supply of ammunition for the cruiser
which was bought In England.
Soon after the reception of the cargo
on iGovernment ground in New York
harbor It was transferred In part, at
least TO the navy yard. Whether it IS
still there or not cannot be positively
stated, but in building number seven at
the navy yard there are some big guns
and some small Nordenfeldts which
look suspiciously English.