The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1898-05-07
TROUBLE AvERTED.
Permission Granted For the Lafayette to
Pass the Havana Blockade.

NNo NhHAhitu Oll loNttA9 NNthiAl6 Oll
Havana by the gunboat Annapolis,
and the vessel was escorted to Key
West yesterday by the Wilmington.
The Lafayette had previously been
warned not to enter Havana harbor,
and making the second attempt was
captured after a lively chase. The Of
ficers of the Lafayette were very in
dignant, and declared that the deten-
tion would become an international
episode. The ground on which the
vessel was captured was the suspicion
that she carried contraband of war.
The authorities at Washington were
promptly communicate with, and Com
modore Watson received orders in
stantly to release the steamer and to
send her to Havana under escort OF
the Wilmington. The capture of the
Frenchman turns out to have been an
unfortunate incident, resulting from
mistake; but no protest has been made
by the representative of the French
government in the United States The
officials here declare that this will
close the affair. The facts in the case
are given in a statement issued from
the White House last night, as fol-
lows:
why the Lafayette was Released.
"The Lafayette was released in pur-
suance of orders which were isued by
the navy department previously to her
seizure, but which had not been re-
ceived by the commanding officers of
the vessels that made the capture. On
April 20 the French embassy made an
informal inquiry as to whether the
Lafayette, which left Saint Nazaire
France, for Vera Cruz by way of Ha-
vana, before war was declared or in
formation of the blockade received,
would be allowed to land at Havana
certain passengers, her mail bags and
the dispatch bag of the consulate
general of France and to take some
French passengers on board. An as
surance was given, if this privilege
HHouiu DS SldHLtu' JHdJ Jue steamer
would be forbidden by the French con-
sui to land goods.
"The matter was duly considered
and it was decided that without regard
to the strict law of blockade and as an
act of courtesy, the request of the
French government should be acceded
| to- Orders were accordingly sent on
the second day of May. When infor-
nation was received of the capture of
the steamer and of her having been
brought to Key West, these orders
were communicated to the captors,
with instructions to release the steam
er and to see that the orders were
duly delivered, so that they might be
carried into effect. No demand was
made either by or on behalf of the
French government, directly or indi-
rectly, for the steamers release"
The Lafnyette's Passengers.
OF the 16S passengers on board the
Lafayette rs are for Havana, nearly
all being young Spaniards, who say
they are going to Cuba to engage lin
mercantile pursuits. When surprise
was displayed that such was their mis-
sion at this time they merely shrugged
their shoulders and vouchsafed no
further explanation. One Cuban was
aboard, who was returning to join the
insurgent army. He was banished
from the island seven months ago, but
came within the terms of General
Blanco's armistice just before the war
begun. He was oyerjoyed when told
that he would be taken with the regu-
lar United States troops when they
moved The local junta took him in
charge and he left for Tampa last
night.
The United States authorities who
examined the Lafayette say that so
far as the ships manifest shows, she
carries no contraband of war, but with
such an immense cargo it was impos-
sible to make a thorough inspection.
They saw nothing in the nature of
arms or ammunition on board Her
release constitutes the first official act
of Commodore Watson in his new COM
mand of this division of Admiral
SIMPSONS fleet. He arrived on the
Olivette yesterday and Immediately
went on board the cruiser Cincinnati,
w apa 10 bnfctnI big