The times., 1898-04-25
HER FATE STILL IN DOUBT.
The Psris, SteaminG Westward,
Passes the Lizard

PASSES the Lizar rd.
London April 23.-The American Line
steamer Paris passed the Lizard. steam
ing rapidly westward. shortly before mid
night last night. This fact is definitely
known. The best opinion here is tha sh
is now pursuing a somewhat unusua!
course towards New York at the highest
speed her engines can develop. but in
London today each hour has brought
out fresh editions Of the newspapers wi h
new stories of her being pursued or cap
tured by a Spanish warship which was
lying in wait for her course south cf
Queenstown.
Two out Of four circumstantial reporcs
of her capture have been completely dis
proved. Only her arrival at Cadiz as
prize CT war or at New York. ready to
he Te-christened as one of the vessels of
the American Navy. can DE- ermine the
truth OF the other two She -as not
chased in the English channel she did NOT
run back to the Isle of Wight and she has
not been officially reported or sigh ed at
any point except The Lizard.
1t is doubtful If a Spanish man-of-war
would have dared to mo!est the Paris in
the English Channel Its waters have
been regarded by international consent in
recent years as entirely within British
and French jurisdiction. and they are
therefore neutral. the high seas being
technically three miles beyond Lizard
Point. Nevertheless Cart. Watkins the
master of the Paris. was instructed to
hug the coast as much as possible in
~
+ Spanish boats which We're known TO be
cruising in the western waters of the
channel
His signaling the Lizard at midnight
was unexpected. but the night was dark
and mooniess. and it is believed that he
trusted 10 this fact and the alteration of
his course to escaping observation.
4 AS soon as he reached the unprivileged
waters beyond the Lizard there is no
doubt he also resorted TO extinguishing
all the lights usually carried. Daylight
should have found the steamer well be
yond danger of observation or pursuit
by any available Spanish warship. Capt
Watkins was also warned to keep a sharp
lookout for the enemy off Cape Race.
Nothing. of course, is disclosed con-
corning the plans for avoiding possible in
Perception off Nantucket light and from
there on. but nobody who knows Capt.
Watkins has any doubt that he will de-
I liver the Paris safe and sound at the
Brooklyn navy yard a week hence.
! Some uncertainty exists as to the re-
ported capture of the fine American ship
Shenandoah by a Spanish dispatch boat
near the entrance of the Irish Sea. The
Shenandoah has not been reported re-
Gently. but is now due at Liverpool
The Exchange Telegraph Company. a
tation for accuracy. is the principal au-
thority for the Shenandoah story but
the company gives no details. and the
origin of the story is not disclosed. 4
vague confrma ton comes from Antwerp
but this is also OF dubious credulity
New York. April 23.-CIement A Girls
com, jr.. Of the American Line said to
day that he had received nothing con
firmatory OF the rumor from London tina
the steamship Paris had been captured
He said he did not think il probable tina
the Paris would be intercepted.
She is not insured against capture, a.
reported i'm dispatches from London TO
day. She carries only the usual peac
time insurance. 1t is supposed that Lon
don advices about insurance taken ou
, / gainst risk of capture at a premium o
, from s TO 10 guineas. refer TO her cargo
i The Paris carries l36 passengers Their
: are sixteen in the first cabin and the res
n are in the second cabin and steerage.