Omaha daily bee., 1898-06-17
FOREIGNERS GO ON A STRIKE
Refuse to Serve on the Harvard Since
Guns Were Placed on
the Ship.

NEW YORK, June ia special to the
Tribune from Newport News, Va, says:
Those of the American line employees aboard
the United States scout ships Yale and
Harvard who have not deserted will be
forced to serve out their full time according
to the terms of the mercantile enlistment.
The 600 foreigners aboard the two ships,
however, maintain that the American line
and the government are breaking the agree
ment with them and persistently refuse to
go to sea, or, if carried by force, to dis
charge the duties which will be expected of
them. The British and German vice con-
suls have refused to interfere in the mat
ter, and the only course left open for the
men to desert, and if they do that they
can be apprehended by officers of the law.
According to trustworthy statements the
American line and the Navy department
have not violated their agreements with the
men. The crews are laboring under the
impression that they will have to go into
action and fight the enemy simply because
both vessels are receiving heavy armament.
Such is not the case; both vessels will con-
tinue as scout SHIPS, and the precaution
now being taken Is only to insure against
their being captured or being destroyed by
the enemy without some means of resistance.
The captains explained the necessity of this
step to the Navy department, and it was
concluded to consider and follow their sug-
g~estions. The men will continue in the
employ of the American line under the mer-
camille agreement and will not have their
salaries cut down to the standard of the
navy. On the other hand, they will have
a better chance for their lives by having
their ships armed, and perhaps succeed in
earning prize money, but they cannot see 1t
| that vpau and y datarpinn1 IN cot nf -
they can.
The delegations from the British and Ger
man elements returned to the city this
morning without success in their appeals
to the British and German consuls. After
investigating the circumstances they came
to the conclusion that interference was not
justifiable. About cseventy-fve men from
the Harvard, who succeeded in getting away
from the ship while away on leave, have
not returned, and their places were filled
this morning by Captain Cotton, 1t is
known, however. thai the entire crew of
the Harvard quit work, and that their places
were Immediately filled by 300 men who had
been gathered in1uby the officers to meet
any emergency, The German members of
the crew say they will not work on any
ship that fires a gun. The Harvard's guns
are all ON board and it will drop out into
the river today. Ms
The Minneapolisis still here replenishlng
her bunkers. TheiNewark, Captain Barker,
has proceeded TO Old Point Comfort, where
1t cast anchor a,,Bhort distance from the
United States hospital ship jamestown. The
destination OF the cruiser is said to be Key
West first, and then it will join the block
aiding squadron nf the north and south
coasts of Cuba. The Newark has been
out of commission at the navy yard for
more than a year. In that time 1t has
been practically rebuilt, the work on IL
costing in the neighborhood OF $3.50. 900. Its
batteries now are much more powerful than
those Of the cruiser San Francisco, its sister
ship. 1t is also expected that when 1t Is
put to the test 1t can develop a speed greater
than the twenty knots with which 1t Is now
credited. Report has it that the Newark
will be the flagship of the blockading
squadron, but Captain Barker knows nothing
Of this.