The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-05-07
Copyright 1898 by Associated Press

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On Board the Associated Press dis
patch boat Kate Spencer, via Key West,
Fla, May 6.-The la Fayette, of the
French General Transatlantic Com
pany's Line, a vessel of 3,304 tons gross
register. bound from Corunna, Spain, on
April %, for Havana, was captured
yesterday evening off the latter port by
the United States gunboat Annapolis.
Commander j. J. Hunker, while trying
to run the blockade after having pre-
viously been warned off. She had on
board large number of passengers and
Il valuable general cargo, possibly CON
tanning contraband of war.
The La Fayette, which hailed from
ST Nazaire, France, is a fine vessel of
the old type. She is over 344 feet long,
has Al feet beam and is over % feet
deep. She was built in 1864 at Green
ock. of iron. Her capture was effected
shortly before sundown last night in
the following manner:
The la Fayettc 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 chase. The Wilmington.
Newport and Morrill, took part i'll the
capture of the Frenchman.
After an examination of the La
Fayette's papers had been made n prize
crew from the Annapolis were
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 G. G. Todd, of the Wilmington,
exchanged signals for over an hour.
1t is reported that the La Fayette III
addition to being large French mail
steamer, is Il French naval reserve YES
sci. mounting guns and carrying crew
sufficient to make her ready for active
service at short notice. This, it is said
adds considerably to the gravity of the
international aspect of the case.
The Kate Spencer, dispatch boat of the
Associated Press, just before the chase
began, had spoken the Annapolis lit
tie east of the Cojmar battery and five
miles off shore. The Annapolis with
canvass ventilators spread, had come
up lazily from the east and after having
spoken the Spencer had gone about 10
follow her down the coast. The Cuban
shore line gray with the hot atmosphere
Of the afternoon, never looked more
peaceful.
Four miles down the coast the grim
old tower of MORO stood frowning a s-
lent guardian of the Cuban capital.
whose roofs already reflected the red
glow of the declining sun. 1t was line
picture of Cuba in siesta.
Suddenly the calm was broken by the
electric call of "a chase, which re-
echoed from the stern of the Spencer
The Annapolis had put her helm hard
a-starboard and was cleaving the waters
i'm q northeast direction Her dark fun
ncls belched out clouds of black smoke
as the stokers piled coal on the furnaces
and every effort was made to drive the
gunboat at high speed. On the hori-
zon could be seen the faintest trace of
smoke. This was the quarry of the
American warship and, circling swiftly
she was off at full cry after her prey.
The stranger came up rapidly, and the
marine glasses soon made her out TO be
big liner, with red funpels. heading
straight for Havana. On she came
under fuii steam, carrying bone III her
teeth, as the sailors say. when a yes
sci IS throwing M a roll of white water
forward as she drives through the
waters at good speed There seemed to
pe no doubt that the stranger was bent
on running through the blockading
squadron and getting under the guns of
MORO Castle. if possible before being
oyerhauled. But within five Minutes
from as many different directions three
of Uncle Sans warships. which had
been drifting idly ON the tropic sen had
been galvanized into life. attracted Inv
the chase, and speedily joined in tba AZ
fempt to block the strangers entrance
TO Havana. While the Annapolis was
rushing down mon the chase i'm the dis
taDce the Wilmington and the New
port were also bearing down upon her
and the Morrill,. which had been nosinp
up toward the Associated Press boat
also saw game afoot and swung around
across the path of the liner. sort Of
Dav challenging Goliath. for the
Morrill, is only a smart little revenue
cutter now acting as a dispatch boat
and a member of the so-calIed Mosquito
Fleet.
The Annapolis. however had been do
ing such fine work with her engines that
sAe7pverhauled the stranger two miles