New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-16
PRIZES BROUGHT TO KEY WEST
FOUR VESSELS CAPTURED ALONG THE CT
BAN COAST WHILE TRYING TO
ENTER HARBORS

Key West. Fla. July 15.-Three prizes Of war
we're brought here to-day. The captures were
effected with only ordinary incident. The Eng
lish- built steamer Grenew Castle. which for sew
eral years piled on the Cuban coast under the
Spanish flag but June last. returned to
her British registry. was taken by the Dixie
off Cape Cruz last Thursday She was bound
from Kingston, jamaica for Manzanillo. with
a large cargo of food supplies
Her captains name Is Rust. and AS super
cargo she had one. Wilson. an expert meohani-
cal engineer. Lieutenant Layton r Smith. with
two marines and two sailors from the Dixie.
was put In charge. The prize crew left Cape
Cruz the same day. taking the western route.
bot as the steamers chronometer and COM
pass were out Of order. they lost their bearings
and narrowly escaped being wrecked off Cape
Antonio on Friday night
Next the steamer blew n hole In her boiler.
and was compelled to tie up at little key near
Jardinilos. Then her coal gave out. snd. when
the damage had been temporarily repaired they
were forced to make for the Dry Tortugas.
where she obtained coal after which she put
into Key West
The crew Of the Grenew Castle consisted OF
six Spaniards and four Jamaica negroes.
The day before this capture the Dixie also
took two schooners the Three Bells and the
Pilgrim. both Aging British flags. and both
bound from Montego Bay 10 Manzanillo. with
cargoes OF food supplies The Three Bells was
originally Nova Scotlan boat. She Ia Of about
I25 tons. and the Pilgrim of about - tons
Lieutenant 8. NJ Blunt, with two sailors and
two marines was put in charge 10 bring her to
Key West but she has not yet arrived.
The British schooner Z. r. Nickerson was
also among to-day's arrivals She was be-
Gained off Cape Cruz June 30. when the
Hornet steamed alongside and Informed her
commander that the vessel was a prisoner
There was no attempt at resistance. The tug
Wampatuck and the gunboat Hist were within
signalling distance at the time. and Ensign r.
C. McDougal. OF the Hist. the boatswain's mate
and a sailor from the Wampatuck were put on
board prize crew.
The Nickerson has a negro captain three sea
men and cook. The so-called passengers. who
turned out n he agents for the cargo. were on
board They are 4. Won Gouthard and Frank
Berger and they vigorously protested against
the capture declaring that. British subjects,
they could and would claim large indemnity
from the United States
The vessels cargo was food. including deck
load of pigs goats chickens. -four. pork. pota
toes and the like. She was bound from Jamaica
for Manzanillo
The auxiliary gunboat Uncas towed in to-day
little Spanish soop. the Belle Ynez. taken on
Cardenas. The sloop had no cargo. and when
caught was close In shore. Four OF her crew or
six Jumped overheard and got to land. The
I-ncas brought also Ysidro Deoto Cuban mes
eenger from the camp Of Colonel Carlos Rojas,
hearing private dispatches for tho United States
Government.
The gunboat Cas,ine brought in to-day three
Spaniards who had deserted from Spanish
gunboat in Havana Harbor. and put off to the
hlockadlng feet in a small boat. The launch
~ the monitor Terror picked them up and trans
forrcd them TO the Castlne