The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-05-31
CAPTURED A BRITISH COLLIER.
THE VESSEL TRYING TO run To
SANTIAGO WITH COAL.

Has Hundreds of Tons of the Bese
Anthracite From Wales, UnqueS-
tionabIy Intended for Admiral
Cervera's squndron-The Crew OfFer
No Resistance 10 Capture-A Prize
Crew Takes the Vessel to Key
West In "a LeaISy Condition.
Key West. May S0.-The British steamer
Restormel was brought in here this morn
ing under her own steam by prize crew.
She was captured by the auxiliary cruis-
er ST. Paul, Capt Sigsbee. while trying to
put into Santiago de Cuba with a cargo OF
coal.
The steamer was bound from Cardiff to
Porto Rico,
AS the Restormei came IN the Britis1
aag was flying halfway down her main
mast. She was leaking badly.
| Newspaper men We're not permitted to
! approach within 100 yards of her.
The Restorme was captured under the
very guns of MORO castle at Santiago de
! Cuba al 6 a. m on May 25 She carried
| 200 tons Of the best Welsh coal from
Cardiff presumably for Admiral Cerveras
! fleet
The ST. Paul has been lying off Santiago
| harbor for six days. and early last We'd
| nesday morning the big collier was sight-
ed making al fun speed for Santiago har-
| Dor.
The St Paul fred a blank shot, and the
! Restormel came TO four miles from ths
Santiago forts. The forts did not fire on
! the cruiser.
| prize crew under command of Lieut..
j. A. Patterson, was put on board and dis
possessed the British officers who made
no protest
! Not a line was found among the ships
papers relative to the destination or the
| consignee of the cargo.
The Restormel was headed at once for
| Key West. She was leaking badly when
| captured, and Is still In a serious condi-
| ton The Reslormel now lies in the har-
! Dor near a wharf. The British flag is fly
| ing her stern Marines patrol the prlze
| and will allow no one aboard the steamer,
The members of the crew are not eveis
| allowed TO take newspapers offered them
| from launches that come alongside
When the Restorme left Santiago do
| Cuba Ii was believed by those on the ST.
| Paul and the other United States vessels
that the Spanish fleet was inside.
| In addition TO the ST. Paul there wera
| five other fast naval scouts outside San
| tiago de Cuba, establishing a definite
| blockade in the sense that no merchant
| vessels are allowed 10 enter. The depart-
Gre OF Admiral Cerveras fleet would havs
| been instantly reported.
According 10 Lieut.. ]. NJ Pattson. who
| Is In command of the prize crew that
| brought the Restorme In her capture, was
| a very COMMONPLACE affair. Lieut.. Pattson
| says: "About O'Clock last Wednesday
! morning the ST. Paul, scouting off Santi-
| ago harbor. sighted the Restormel twelve
| miles away, apparently heading for the
| port. She was going in openly and hon
| estly, and not skullSing along the shore.
The st. pael took a course to cut her Off,
| and when within halling distance fired q
! blank shot. The pursued steamer paid no
! attention, but she hove to Immediately
| when a sold shot was fired across her
| bow.
| about o'clock I went out with a prize
crew and took possession without protest.
| The captain talked frankly, saying that he
| was bound for Santiago, though he had
| sailed from Cardiff on April q for Sam
| Juan. This was before the declaration of
| war was received At San Juan he was
| ordered TO proceed TO Curacao. and from
| the latter place 10 Santiago de Cuba.
There never was any possibility of her
escaping from the st. Paul, as her best
| speed was only eight knots. She was
leaking badly and her boilers were out OF
| order. In fact, according to her captain 8
| account she had been leaking for twenty
| days because of a sprung plate and the
| leakage was increasing.
"The capture was made less than four
| miles from MORO Castle but the forts
| San Juan fortihcations when Admiral
| Sampson began his attack.
'tThe only exciting part of the adventure
came after we left Santiago for Key
! West. The leak grew worse constantly
| ana all hands manned the three pumps
! night and day-crew marines and officers
II have not taken off my shoes or been
| in bed since we started, five days ago.
! At times we were about to give up hope
| Of Keeping the Restormel afoat and
| thought of saving ourselves II she went
down. We were all very glad when Key
| West was sighted.
1.-THE story that there were Spanish Off
| GERS aboard the ship is false; but there is
/ no resisting the conclusion that the Res
| tormel's coal was intended for the Spanish
feet. for the captain told a perfectly
straightforward story about his voyage"
When the Restorfnel arrived here 1t was
| believed It would be necessary TO beach
her TO take out her coal on lighters, then
| repair the leak and raise her; but later 1t
was practically decided 10 tow her to the
| government dock and unload her there.
Interesting light was thrown on Cerve-
| ras plans by the log of the Restormel.
| She sailed for San Juan de Porto Rico.
! where the Spaniards expected TO coal. San
| Juan being deemed unsafe, Curacao was
selected but the collier failed to. connect
with the feet there. and was oTlered to
SANTIAGO Owing to her leak she did not
reach Santiago; the Spaniards remained
In port short of coal, and so were caught.
Key West May 3d. S:15-The prize cNm-
mlssioners have been busy all day taxi
ing testimony in the Restormel case ard
as a result Of the hearing the ship and
cargo have been lbeled ana viii go before
the court in the same form as the o. her
prize cases.
ESCAPED HER PURsUERs.