Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1898-04-28
Desnatch a ceremonious visit.


NOW Lieutenant Commander) a.
Mark was placed in command Of the
Virginius and ordered to take her to
New York. The-vessel was in filthy
condition and leaking. She had water
in all her compartments that gained
so rapidly when off Dry Tortugas that
all hands had to 60 to pumping and
bailing. On the Oath the crown sheet
of the boiler of the middle furnace
gave out, and the forward boiler be-
came blistered and gave out before the
day was over, when under only FIVE
pounds of steam. On Christmas daY
the Virginius gave unmistakable signs
of sinking and she was abandoned, the
officers and crew being taken on board
the Ossipee, which was acting as a
sort of convoy. The vessel sank early
on the morning Of the Goth, near the
coast of South Carolina.
When the Virginius was captured
by the Spanish warship Tornado there
were 155 persons on board. There
wara bu+ 100 survivors surrendered to
the United States warship Juniata on
the 18th of December, 1878 the as
sumption therefore is that So were shot
at the November massacre.
On February 10, 1874, Caleb Cush-
ing was ordered by the United States
to proceed to Madrid and make recla-
nation on the Spanish government for
injuries to the crew and passengers of
the Virginius by reason Of their cap
ture and Imprisonment, and more es-
pecially to call for indemnity to the
families Of such of the crew and pass
engers as were executed at Santiago
de Cuba. He was further instructed
not to open in detail the various ques-
tions involved in the general question.
Mr. Cushing presented the claims of
his government on June 26, and, as
usual, the Spanish authorities fought
for delay and sought to keep the gem
eral question open, but, acting on IN
structions from Washington, Mr.. Cush-
ing pressed for settlement.
1t is interesting and significant to
note at this point that among those
slain by the Spanish authorities We're
a number of British subjects, and that
while the negotiations for an indemnity
were being conducted between the Uni
ted States and Spain for the slaughter
Of American citizens, England made a
curt and peremptory demand on the
at Madrid for a heavy IN
demnity,which was promptly promised
and soon after paid. The correspond
ence between England and Spain came
into possession of the United States,
and more peremptory demand for
early settlement was made, accompa-
MED by an intimation that much
longer delay was calculated to disturb
the friendly relations of the two coun-
tries.
Spain then promised to settle, but
threw difficulties in the way, and it
was not until February l6, 1875, that
the convention was finally concluded,
which was on the following basis:
First-Spain allows $4,000 in full
for indemnity.
Second-Allowance unconditional.
Third-All questions of the hulk
laid aside.
Fourth-Full assertion by Mr. Cush-
ing of illegality Of the acts complained
of.
Fifth-Distribution to be made by
the United States in their discretion.
Sizth-N6 posterior accountability,
as was required of England.
Full payment was made some time
during the following summer.
It is a curious coincidence that the
Spanish minister who was accredited
to the United States during the Vir-
ginius affair was the father ofthe pres
ent Spanish minister, and that the
present Spanish minister was said to
be attached to the embassy at that
time. 1t is still more an interesting
that Lieutenant-COm-
mander Mark, the president of the
Maine court of inquiry, was the officer
who took charge of the Virginius, af-
ter she was surrendered to the United
States, and commanded her when she
sunk in the gale near the coast Of