The enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 188?-1899, 1898-05-11
HELD FOR A DAY.
Blockaders Capture French
Steamer Near Havana.
The Prize Was Taken to Key West, but
Was Released Few Hours After Her
Arrival There, by Order of the State
and Navy Departments - The
Seizure Is Said to Have
Been Mistake.

line, a vessel of 1894 tons register,
bound from Corunna, Spain, on April
%, for Havana, was captured Thursday
evening off Havana by the United
States gunboat Annapolis, while try
ing to run the blockade after having
previously been warned off. She has
on board large number of passengers
and valuable general cargo.
The Lafayette, which halls from ST.
Nazaire, France, is fine vessel. Her
capture was effected shortly before
sundown in the following manner:
The Lafayette was heading for Ha-
vana, and was boarded by an officer of
the Annapolis, and warned not to enter
the port. She afterwards made an at
tempt to do so, and was captured, after
an exciting race of three miles. The
Wilmington, Newport and Morrill, took
part in the capture of the Frenchman.
After an examination of the Lafay-
ette's papers 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,
Commander Hunker, of the Annapolis,
the temporary flag officer, and Com
mander Todd, of the Wilmington, ex-
changed signals for over an hour. A
delicate international question is
thought to be involved in the capture
of the French steamer, but it was final
ly decided to send her to Key West.
The fact that she left Spanish port,
Corunna, on April %, after the declara-
tion of war, which occurred on April
81, seemed to warrant holding the La
fayette.
Commodore Watson yesterday after
noon received orders from Washington
to instantly release the Lafayette and
| to send her to Havana under escort.
The capture of the Frenchman turns
out to have been an unfortunate incl
dent resulting from mistakes, but no
protest has been made to the repre-
sentatives of the French government
in the United States. The officials
here declare that this will close the
affair.
1t appears that before the Lafayette
saiIed for Havana, the French legation
in Washington was instructed to COM
municate with the state department.
This was done and permission granted
| to the steamer to enter and discharge
her passengers and cargo, with the un-
derstanding that she would take on
nothing there. Instructions for the
| fulfllment of this agreement were
sent from Washington to Admiral
SIMPSONS squadron, and it was only
learned yesterday, after the capture
was made, that they were never de-
| livered.
OF the 1853 passengers on board the
Lafayette, rs are for Havana, nearly
all being young Spaniards, who say
they are going to Cuba to engage in
mercantile pursuits. When surprise
vas displayed that such was their
mission at this time, they merely
shrugged their shoulders and vouch-
safed no further explanation.
| One Cuban was aboard who was re-
turning to join the insurgent army.
He was banished from the island
seven months ago, but came within
the terms of Gen. Blanco's armistice
| just before the war begun. He was
overioyed when told that he would be
taken with the regular United States
troops when they moved. The local
junta took him charge. The United
States authorities who examined the
Lafayette say that so far as the ships
manifest shows, she carries no contra
band of war; but with such an immense
cargo it was impossible to make q
thorough inspection. They saw moth
ing in the nature of arms or ammu
milton on board.
The release of the Lafayette consti
tutes the first official act of Commodore
Watson in his new command of this di
vision of Admiral SIMPSONS fleet. He
arrived on the Olivette yesterday and
Immediately went on board the cruiser
Cincinnati, where he hoisted his flag.
The ships in the har0or doomed {
commodore's salute of II guns Friday
afternoon. This customary act o
courtesy to a new commanding officer
had distressing effect on the Lafay
ette's passengers. The federal official
were dining with Capt. Chapleta at tn
time and suddenly found themselves il
the midst of panic. The Spaniard
yelled that the enemy had opened fir
and scampered about the decks t.
find places of shelter. Some of then
burst into the captains cabin, wher
he was at dinner with his visitors, an
begged the Americans to save thei
lives.