New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-07-03
THE HORNET CAPTURES PRIZES
C;r-SBoAT TAKES A SPANISH STEAMER AND
sroOP IN MANZANILLo BAY

SrOOP IN MANZANILLo BAY
Kew West. Fla. July 1.-THE Spanish steamer
Benito Estenge. Of about hve huhdre" ''":'
and small sioop. the Emmanuel anu re-"
captured by the Hornet on June - aHa . oI
Nanzanilo. were brought in here THIS mornns
nv a prize crew under Ensign Mark ST. C'saF
Ellis.
Tho Hornet experienced chapter OF thr'lhns
incde nts leading up to the capture Oh INC ~
little Standards on June 70 WINE p"'s'S
SANTIAGO one Of the batteries there venture"
shot at her but IT fell short ana the sunoon
proceeded without replying she reac"eu
tares the next day. and Informed the Spa'i'a'"'
Of her presence there by topping over ~
five blockhouses overlooking the haroo'. ~.
doing 40 tho Dolphin appeared and Get hre 10
the town. and s.nt the Hornet OF 10 "uA"'
namo with dispatches for Admiral sampson
rhsrce she was ordered to Manzanillo WITH
instructions from the Admiral TO look out TOT
,ho steauar Renito Estenge suspected ~ .
blockade runner. The Hornet reached MAMIE
milo Iote the same day and went close IN tne
harbor. incidentally turning her guns on coup'o
n, tho blockhouses thanking the channel ana &C.
stroying them.
She had scarcely finished this work when the
sloop Emmanuel and Raorl came sailing alons'
with the evident intention OF entering the hsr
Dor The Hornet sent shot across her oo"~
but the sloop took refuge In shoal water. "ners
the gunboat could not follow her. Inc "os'
or,,o' warship was not TO be denied her prey
however. and Ensign Ellis with six men. puueo
of in a small boat and continued the chase For
six miles they pulled against the nead "'hos
and the strong tide without mishap. and. draw
ing No near 10 the slooo. sent a couple OK snoo
at her Then the sloop surrendered
I'VE expected an old fashioned sea hsht' ss'o
Ensign Ellis to-day. but they gave up WITHOUT
a struggle. The sloop was nying DON 'ns
Haytian and British nags. but there IL little
doubt that this blind. and that 2he was
trying 70 emulate the trick Of the brig Annapolis
in her effort to land provisions for the Span
iards
She turned out to be prize worth taxing. ~
her cargo consisted Of -four. coal oil. potatoes
plantains and other articles Of food. She had
crew OF about one dozen men, There were two
rilots aboard, but one. who was Spaniaro,
when he saw that capture was inevitable.
dropped over the side OF the soop and swan
ashore The other pilot was a Hayuan. and he
gave valuable information concerning the de-
fences Of Manzanillo and the position and oper.
atoms Of the enemy. He was put aboard the
Hornet"
The Bento Estenge was taken the next day
while she was trying TO get out OF Manzanillo
She was flying the British flag and was empty.
having evidently discharged her cargo. She
carried a crew Of twenty -four men. which was
more than she needed, and two passengers.
One shot across her bows sufiiced to bring the
vessel to terms. although she is q twelve-knoe
steamer and the fastest yet captured.
The Benito Estenge's hailing port lie Kingston.
Jamaica and the sloop came from Port.au.
Prince.
The Ben!to Estenge is the Spanish vessel that
recently obtained British register for blockade
running purposes She was formerly freight
and passenger steamer. and is handsomely fitted
I'D inside. has a speed OF twelve knots and 70
admirably equipped for blockade running
The Benito Estenger belongs to the Autmo.
gener Mendez Line. Of Havana. and her Brttish
register is the merest subterfuge She is a sister
ship OF the Argonauta, captured early last May.
and when she was brought in this morning her
crew saw the Arsonauta lying In the harbor
ahead Of them. Two ships Of the same dimen.
sions are yet to be caught
The Beuito Estenger used TO ply hetweeu
Ratsbapo and SantiaRo