The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1898-05-07
FRENCH MAIL STEAMER
ATTEMPTS TO ENTER HAVANA
HARBoE
COMPLICATIONS TO FOLLOW
A. France Is Ready to Question the
Legality of the Vessels
Seizure
suoeiated Press Special Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
BOAT KATE SPENCER, via KEY WEST,
Fla, May 6.-The Lafayette, of the
French General Transatlantic Company's
line. a vessel Of 1894 tons gross register.
bound from Corunna, Spain. on April q.
for Havana, was captured yesterday even
ing OF the latter port by the United States
runboat Annapolis, Commander ]. j.
Hunker, while trying to run the blockade
after having previously been warned Off.
She has on board large number OF pas
senRers and valuable general cargo, pos
sibly containing contraband of war.
The Lafayette, which halls from St.
Nazaire, France, is fine vessel of the
old type. She is 344 feet long. has "A feet
beam, and is 2S feet deep. She was built
In 1864 at Greenock Of iron.
Her capture was effected shortly before
rundown last night in the following man.
ner: The Lafayette was heading for
Havana and was boarded by an officer of
the Annapolis and warned not to enter
port. She afterwards made an attempt
to do so and was captured after an excit-
ing chase The Wilmington. Newport and
Morrill, took part in the capture Of the
Frenchman.
After examination Of the Lafayette's pa
pers had been made prize crew from the
Annapolis was placed on board and she
was sent to Key West escorted by the
Wilmington.
Previous to this step being taken, Com
mander Hunker of the Annapolis, the tenn
porary flag officer, and Commander c. c.
Todd of the Wilmington, exchanged sig
nails for over an hour. delicate interna-
t1onal question is thought to be involved
In the capture Of the French steamer, but
1t was seemingly finally decided to send
her to Key West. The fact that she left
q Spanish port, Corunna. on April %, af-
ter the declaration of war; which occurred
on April q, seems to warrant holding the
Lafayette.
On the question of contraband Of war,
the officers Of the Wilmington seem reti-
cent, but 1t hardly seems possible that
the steamer could leave Spain with many
male passengers on board and not have
contraband Of war in her cargo.
1t is reported that the Lafayette, in addi-
ton to being a French mail steamer, Is a
French naval reserve vessel, mounting
guns and carrying crew sufficient to
make her ready for active service at short
notice. This, 1t is said, adds considerably
to the gravity of the international aspect
of the case.
The Kate Spencer, dispatch boat of the
Associated Press, Just before the chase be-
gan, had spoken the Annapolis little
east Of the Cojar battery and five miles OF
shore. The Annapolis. with canvas venti-
lators spread, had come up lazily from the
east, and after having spoken the Spencer
shad gone about to follow her down the
coast. The Cuban shore line, graz with
the hot atmosphere Of the afternoon, never
aooked more peaceful.
The big Krupp guns on the battery were
silent and pretty effect was caused by
the white smoke wreaths curling up from
the little settlement of Cojar, swinging up
daintily against the green slopes of the
Cuban hills. Four miles down the coast
the grim old tower of Moro Castle stood
browning. silent guardian of the Cuban
capital, where already reflected the red
glow Of the declining sun. 1t was a fine
picture of Cuba in siesta
Suddenly the feeling Of calm was broken
echoed to the Spencer. The Annapolis had
put her helm hard q starboard and was
putting on full steam and cleaving the
waters in northwest direction. Her dark
tunnels belched out clouds of black smoke
as the stokers piled coal in the furnaces
and every effort was made to drive the
gunboat at a high speed. On the horizon
could be seen the faintest trace of smoke
.tc f1,n 49,
ship, and circling swiftly she was off at
full cry after her prey.
The stranger came rapidly up even with
the stay-line and the marine glasses soor
made her out to be big liner with rec
tunnels, headed straight for Havana. Or
she came under full steam, carrying 9
bone in her teeth" as the sailors say when
steamer or other vessel is throwing up a
roll of white water forward as she drives
through the water, with good speed There
seemed to be no doubt that the strange,
was bent on running through the blockad-
ing squadron and getting under the guns
Of MORO Castle II possible before being
overhauled. But within five minutes, from
as many different direction, three of Uncle
Sans warships, which had been drilling
idly on the tropical sea, had been galvan
lied into life. attracted by the chase, ant
speedily Joined in the attempt to block the
strangers entrance to Havana
While the Annapolis was rushing dow
upon the chase, in the distance, the vii
mingt6h and the Newport were also bear
ing down upon her. and the Morrill, which
had been nosing up towards the Associate,
Press dispatch boat, also saw game afoo
and swung around the path of the liner.
sort Of David challenging a Goliath, TO
the Morrill, is a smart little revenue Gu.
ter. now acting as a dispatch boat, and
member of the so-called mosquito fleet.
The Annapolis, however, had been dom
such fine work with her engines that sh
overhauled the stranger two miles ahea
Of the Morrill,. There was flash, pu
of white smoke to the lee, followed by tn
boom of a gun fired down the wind, whic
announced that Uncle Sam had ordere
the stranger to heave to.
The liner obeyed and the Morrill, and tn
Associated Press dispatch boat started O
neck and neck race for the big prize
the meantime, a boat from the Annapo
had boarded the Frenchman, as til
stranger proved to be. On board the line
crowd of excited passengers presse
anxiously about the vessels side. Up frol
the south, the wicked, gray hulk Of til
Wilmington. with her men at quarters, an