The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-12-02
HELD UP BY THE SPlNIlRDS
THE ONLY AMERICAN VESSEL
BOARDED DURING THE WAR.
But She Was Sailing Under the Brit
ish Flag, and the Enemy Did Not
Dare MoIest Her.

Vancouver, B. c., Dec. 1.-Aeeording
to advices from New Zealand, received
here today on the steamer Miowera.
the Spanish boarded one American yes
sci during the late war. The bark Nell
lie Brett, from New York, which
reached Auckland a few days before
the MioWera sailed, reports that she
was boarded June Is in latitude 2l.55
north, longitude 41.41 west, by crew
from the Spanish steamer Alphonso
XIII, which was afterwards sunk on
the Cuban coast by the Americans.
The Brett was twenty-six days out
from New York. Before leaving New
Ork the Brett was placed under the
British flag and her crew was shipped
under British articles. Captain B. f.
Lowry was the only American on
board. Captain Lowry thus describes
the incident:
I'VE were lying becalmed when the
smoke OF a steamer was discovered in
the distance. There were two large
English and one French vessel IN view,
with their ensigns flying, a matter that
l did not understand al the time. The
steamer, which was bound away to
eastward, suddenly altered her course
and made in our direction. Coming up
close, she hoisted a signal which [ could
not make out. 1 afterwards found out
the signal was show your origin. The
steamer then .sheered closer and fired
a gun across our bows, at the same
time running UP the Spanish flag.
THAT decided me as to the course
had to pursue, and 1 at once ordered
a signal TO be hoisted.
"a boat was then lowered from the
steamer. 1t came alongside. An officer
was in charge of the crew, composed
of twelve men, accompanied by an in
terpreter, one Of the engineers, a
Scotchman, and a sergeant of marines.
All were heavily armed and there were
d lot Of arms and ammunition in the
boat besides.
"On boarding the vessel. the officer
in charge, interpreter and sergeant
proceeded to the cabin and demanded
the ships pap<rs, which were handed
over at once for inspection. Nothing,
evidently, could be made Of the register
| or manifest of cargo, but when the ar
ticles We're produced the Interpreter
| seemed to clearly understand them and
explained to the officer in charge that
everything appeared to be satisfactory
! However, in going down the list of the
| crew, it was found that l was an Am
erican. Upon being questioned. I ac-
| knoWIedged such to be a fact. The
! eyes of the sergeant of marines gilt
/ tered. The officer, finding everything
| in order, demanded to see the flag
| lOChEIy Jul uDCAA SCCAAAe5 lAAC 4pA4I4Hi4A
| Jack" was quite satisfied that the
J Nellie Brett was really what she
| seemed The officer was very gentle
manly in his demeanor and explained
| shat he was only carrying out his duty.
Before leaving the bark a Spanish
! officer informed me that ne would have
| to proceed on board the steamer and
! report to the commander; when the
boat was hoisted on board [ might
| fairly consider that my vessel would
not be further moIested.
'It took them a long time to con-
slider, though" said Captain Lowry,
for the boat was alongside nearly half
an hour before she was hoisted up. and
L was nightly glad to see her take q
course in another direction than the
one in which 1 was going