The record-union., 1898-05-07
A FRENCH
STEAMER
CAPTURED.
,ront,nued from First Page)


with the stay-line. and the marine
glasses soon made her out to be Dig
liner with red tunnels, headed stralght
for Havana On she came, under Iuh
steam, carrying bone in her teeth
as the sailors say when steamer OF
other vessel is throwing up ron OF
white water forward as she drives
through the water with good speed
There seemed to be no doubt that the
stranger was bent on running through
the blockading squadron and getting
under the guns OF Moro Castle, II pos
sible before being overhauled, but
within five minutes from as many oil
ferent directions three of Uncle sam
warships. which had been drilling ldly
on the tropical sea. had been galvanized
into life. attracted by the chase, ana
speedily Joined in the attempt TO olock
the strangers entrance to Havana
While the Annapolis was rushing
down upon the chase in the distance
the Wilmington and the Newport Were
also bearing down upon her, and the
Morrill,. which had been nosing up To-
wards the Associated Press dispatch
boat also saw game afoot, and swung
around across the path of the liner,
sort of David challenging Golath'
for the Morrill, is a smart little revenue
cutter now acting as a dis3atch poaI
and a member of the sO-called mosquito
feet.
The Annapolis, however, had been
doing such fine work with her engines
that she overhauled the stranger TWO
miles ahead of the Morrill,. There was
a flash a puff of white smoke to the
lee. followed by the boom of gun
fired down the wind, which announced
that Uncle Sam had ordered the
stranger to heave to. The liner obeyed,
and the Morrill, and the Associated
Press dispatch boat started on a neck
and-neck race for the big prize.
In the meantime a boat from the An
napolis had boarded the Frenchman,
as the stranger proved to be. on board
the liner a crowd of excited passengers
pressed anxiously about the vessel $
side. Tn from the south the wicked,
gray hulk of the Wilmington, with her
men at quarters. and the delicately lin
ed Newport were coming up rapidly.
A moment or so later the three war
ships lay by until the boat from the
Annapolis started back from the liner
to the gunboat Then suddenly, to the
astonishment of all on board the war
ships. the Frenchman blew long,
querulous whistle, and put on fuli
steam ahead, pointing straight to the
entrance of Havana harbor-
A sharp word of command rang OUT
on board the Annapolis, and in less
time than il takes to pencil these words
her crew were at quarters and the
muzzle of every gun of her starboard
broadside was pointing in deadly earn
est straight at the runaway. Then the
big gun r0ared forth a hOarse order
from over her starboard quarter, While
the crews of the other guns looked up
anxiously, eager to follow suit. But
the warning note had its effect. The
big liner again stopped her engines, and
put them going astern, while columns
of. steam came from her escape pipes,
telling of the high pressure below
pleading for ease The Wilmington
and the Morrill, had already started
across the Lafayette's path, but their
services were not necessary, for the
Frenchman no longer dared to make a
run for it.
There was a long spell of wigwagging
between the Annapolis and Wilmington
in the dusk of the evening, the sun
dropping behind the horizon and the
night falling over the scene like drop
curtain. for there is no twilight in
these latitudes
Later electric signals succeeded the
flag signals, and there was a nervous
period of rigging and blinking wind and
white questions and answers. The sig
mailing continued for almost an hour
while the puzzled dispatch boats gath
cred in the white moonlight.
At Z 40 .. m the Annapolis and the
Wilmington lowered. boats, and the Of
ficers boarded the Frenchman The
examination of thejliner was soon over
and after the boats had returned tC
their respective ships a prize crew from
the Wilmington was put on board the
Lafayette. and at S:15 O'Clock last nigh
the big Frenchman was headed nortf
and was escorted to Key West under
the guns of the, Wilmington. The prize
anchored here this morning, and tn,
prize court will probably determine
what is to be done with her.
Ensign II. h Ziegomeyer of the An
napolis. who was in charge of the prize
crew on board the Lafayette, says th'
1atter's commander denies that he hat
Spanish soldiers on board. The Frencl
commander, however, admits that n
left Corunna on April Odd after th
declaration of war, and that he tool
on board many passengers. He feign
ignorance of the nature of his ship
cargo and says he will be unable t
ascertain what she has on board unit
he examines her manifest.
The Navy Department at Washing
ton has been communicated with ant
instructions as to the disposition of tn
French steamer are eagerly awaited.
The officers of the Lafayette preten
to be in ignorance. and declare tha
the detention of the ship will becom
an international episode.
NEW YORK, May 6.-At the offic
of the French Trans Atlantic Line, Gen
eral Traffic Manager TreyvOux said:
I'VE have received 3no word from tn
Captain of our vessel. In all probabilit
the steamer named in the Key Yves
dispatches is ours. as she left ST. Ma
zaire on April 21st, bound for Yer
Cruz.
ITO the best of my knowledge sh
carried no cargo for Havana If sh
has been taken by the American flee
for trying to enter Havana she prot
ably went there in order to obtain
supply of coal She had been fourtee
DAYS out. and her coal supply mus
have run low We don't receive ad
vices from the home offices regardin
the movements of vessels of the con
pany engaged in the Mexican trad
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