Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-05-19
DID NOT DELAY OUR NEWS
An Emphatic Denial by the Man
ager of the French Cable
Co. at Fort De France.
PROOF OFFERED IN SUPPORT
Consul Dart and Captain
Cotton of the Harvard
Sustain the Statement
of the Agent.

Fort De France, Island of Martinique.
May lG. The manager here of the
French Cable Co. explicitly denies the
statement that disputeh fled by Capt,
Cotton, OF the United States auxiliary
cruieer Harvard, was Delayed a hours
al st. Pierre. this island.
The manager explains the matter as
follows;
Capt. Cotton presented himself at
the otiGs of the company at ST. Pierre
and asked by what line cable messages
wore transmitted TO Washington. When
he was informed that such messages
went by way of Fort do France anu
Haiti. he refused to give US his dis
patch, because Spanish torpedoboat
was at that moment at Fort De France.
Not taking into account professional
secrecy he told the American consul in
the presence of NJ. Lalung, that under
these conditions he preferred TO give
his dispatches to the English company,
in spite of the delay of "a hours which
they would have to submit to on ac-
count of accumulation Of business on
the linea of that company.
Il protest all the more against the
statements made, as we leave our ollice
open to midnight or l o'clnck in ths
morning when necessary, while tue
West India Co. closes at q o'clock in
| the evening, local time; ami also be-
cause we do everything possible to be
agreeable to the American government.
forwarding it's messages very rapidly
when Wa have any.
= have obtained the following state
ment on the subiecR signed by the
| United States consul al st. Pierre and
by Capt. Cotton of the Harvard:
g 10 whom il may concern: | certify
| that the agent of the French company
at st, Pierre, Martinique, has never
stated to me that dispatches from st.
Pierre, Martinique, to New York,
United States of America, would have
to suffer delay of "a hours.
George L. Dart,
United States Consul
Cotton, captain Harvard. >"
Key West, Fla, May II. The United
| Statss gunboat Wilmington, Com
miles east of Havana, yesterday, fred
shape of derelict, sinking il and thu
doing awey With anothsk piece of Span
ish trickBry.
The commander of the Wilmington
| had been warned by iispatchboats that
some dangerous wreckuge was drifting
| about the spot mentioned and the
gunboat steamed in that direction to
| investigate the reports. An old Spunish
schooner. with her deck loaded to the
rails with rusty iron and car wheels,
closely packed together, was found
fluating in the track Of torpedobnRts
and diapatchboats The iron-laden
schooner had evidently been sent cut of
| Havana harbor in the hope that a
torpedoboat or some small craft OF the
blockading force would crash into it,
and be so damaged as to cause her to
sink AZ wires were noticed about the
iron rails on the schooner, Commander
Todd believed the Spanish trap might
also contain explosives, and, therefore
! lying of some distance from her his
guns promptly sent her to the bottom.
COMMISSION FROM GOMEZ.
Another commission from Gen.
Maxine GUmez, the insurgent COM
mander in-chief, arrived at key West
to- day.
Mr.. John Il. Jova, the formor United
States vice consul at Sagua la Grande,
who was landed by IN American gun.
|
ago, was picked up yesterday afternoon,
after Hn exciting experience with a
Spanish gunboat which the American
gunbnat chased into her harbor. Mr..
Jova auceeehsd in reaching the camp
of Gen. Gomez and bss brought back
dispatches from the latter to Commo-
dnre Watson. He reports that Glen.
Gomez and the several thousand troops
with him are in the hest of spirits and
hopeful of speedy ending of the
present situation.
Mr.. Jova also reports that Spanish
troops are moving westward, keeping in
the cities. He made part of the journey
along the coast in small boat and was
being chased by Spanish gunhoat
when the American gunboat hove in
sight.
The Spaniard, though several miles
of, fred number of shots at the
American vessel. Tho latter proceeded
to pick up Mr.. Jova and two companions
of the fnrmer consul, and then they
chased the Spanish guuboat, which
promptly scurred for safety into port.
| WIN natd 4 urra STaanaarr barl,