Daily Kennebec journal., 1898-04-23

FRANK Il. STOCKTON.
In the spring Of certain year, not far
from the c!oseof the Nineteenth century,
when the political relations between tie
United States and Great Britain became
so strained that careful observers on
both sides Of the Atlantic were forced TO
the BELIEF that a serious break in these
relations might be looked for at any
time. the fishing schooner Eliza Drum
sailed fron a port IN Maine for the banks
of Newfoundland.
1t was in this year that row system
OF protection for American fishing vc3-
sells had been adopted in Washington.
Every fleet of these vessels was accom-
panied by one Ct more United States
cruisers, which remained on The fishing
grounds, rot only for the purpose OF
warning rnwary American craft Who
might approach too near the three mile
limit, but also to overlook the action Ct
the British naval vessels on the coast,
and to .uterfcrc. 1t least by protest. Wilh
such seizures Of American fishing ho2t5
a; might appear 70 be unjust, In The
opinion Of ali persons Of sob2r Judgment
there WAS nothing in the condition Of
affairs at this time so dangerous to the
peace Of the two countries rs the pres
ence OF these American cruisers III the
fishing waters.
The Eliza Drum was late in her arr
val on The fishing grounds, and having,
under orders from Washington, reported
to the commander Of the Lenncllaila,
the United States vessel il charge at
that place, her captain and crew Went
vigorously to work to make up for lost
time. They worked So vigorously and
with eyes 60 single to the catching Of
fish, that on the morning Of the Gay
after their arrival they were hauling up
cod at a point which, according to the
nationality OF the calculator, Eigh5 be
two and three-quarters or three and one
quarter miles froIn the Canadian coast.
In consequence OF thi3 inattention to
the apparent extent Of the marine mile
the Eliza Drum, a little before noon,
was overhauled and seized by the Brit
ish cruiser Dog Star y few miles
away the Lennehaha had perceived the
dangerous position Of the Eliza Drum,
and had started toward her TO warn her
to take less doubtful position. But
before she arrived the capture had taken
place When he reached the spot where
the Eliza Drum had been fishing the
commander Of the Lennchaha made an
observation Of the distance from the
shore, and calculated it TO be more than
three miles When he sent an officer
in o boat to the Dog Star to state the re-
suit of his computations tie captain of
the British vessel replied that lie was
satisfied the distance was less than three
miles, and hat he was now about to
take the Eliza Drum into port.
On receiving this information, the
commander of the Lonnehaha steamed
closer to tho Dog Star and informed her
captain BY lGcans OF 4 aspeaking trumpet,
that If he tool, tho Eliza Drum into 4
Canadian pert, he would first nave to
sail over his ship. Tothis the captain OF
the Dog Star replied that he di@ not III
the least object to sail over the Lenne-
haha, and proceeded to put u prize crew
on board the fishing vessel.
At this juncture the captain OF the
Eliza Drum ran up q large American
flag; in five minutes attorward the cap
tain of the prize crew hauled it down; Ii
less than ten minutes after this the Len
nehaha and the Dog Star were blazing at
each other with their bow guns. 1hc
spark had been struck.
The contest W@9 not Q long one. The
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