The record-union., 1898-05-07
Was the Atlantic Liner La
fayette, From COrunna.
The Steamer Taken to Key West, but Was
Later Ordered Released by
the Government at
Washington.

| ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATED
PRESS DISPATCH BOAT KATE
| SPENCER, via KEY WEST. Mav g.
| Copyrighted, 1898, by the Associated
Press)-The Lafayette of the French
General Transatlantic Company's line, a
vessel of 1884 tons, gross registered,
| bound from Corunna. Spain, on April
23d, for Havana, was captured yester-
| day evening off the latter port by the
I United States gunboat Annapolis, Conn
mander j. ]. Hunker while trying td
run the blockade, after having previ-
ously been warned off. She has OH
board large number of passengers ard
valuable general cargo, possibly con-
| tanning contraband of war
The Lafayette. which halls from ST.
! Nazaire, France. is a fine vessel of the
old type. She is 344 feet long, has AZ
feet beam and is 2S feet deep. She was
built in 1864 at Greenock of iron. Her
capture was effected shortly before SUM-
down last night in the following man.
ner:
The Lafayette was heading for Ha-
vana and was boarded by an officer of
the Annapolis and warned not to enter
port. She afterwards made an attempt
! to do so, and was captured after an ex-
citing chase. The Wilmington. New
port and Morrill, took part in the cap
ture Of the Frenchman
| After an examination of the Lafay-
cites papers had been made a prize
crew from the Annapolis was 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 Commander c. c. Todd
| Of the Wilmington exchanged signals
| for over an hour
A deliacte international question is
thought to be involved in the capture
OF the French steamer, but it was SEEM
ingly finally decided to send her to Key
West. The fact that she left a Spanish
port, Corunna, on April 23d, after the
declaration of war, which occurred on
April Dist, seems to warrant holding of
|
| traband of war, the officers of the Will
mington seem reticent. but it hardly
| seems possible that the steamer could
| leave Spain with so many male passen-
! gers on board and not have contraband
| of war in her cargo.
1t is reported that the Lafayette, in
| addition to being a French mail steam
| er, is a French naval reserve vessel.
With mounted guns and carrying q
crew sufficient to make her readg for
active service at short notice This, it
is said, adds considerably to the gray
ity of the international aspect of the
case.
The Kate Spencer, dispatch boat Of TIE
Associated Press, just before the chase
began had spoken the Annapolis little
east of the Cojar battery and five miles
off shore. The Annapolis, with canvas
ventilators spread, had come up 1azily
from the east. and after having spoken
| the Spencer had gone about to follow
| her down the coast. The Cuban shore
| line, gray with the hot atmosphere of
| the afternoon. never looked more peace
| full.
The big Krupp guns on the battery
We're silent, and a pretty effect was
/ caused by the white smoke wreaths
curling up from the little settlement
! of Cojar, swinging up daintily against
the green slopes of the Cuban hills.
| -Four miles down the coast the grim
old tower of MORO frowning, a silent
guardian of the Cuban Capital, where
already reflected the red glow of the
declining sun. 1t was a fine picture of
| Cuba in siesta.
Suddenly the feeling of calm was
broken by the electric call of "A
chase" which was echoed to the Spen-
GER. The Annapolis had put her helm
hard a-starboard, and was putting on
full steam and cleaving the waters in
/ a northeast direction. Her dark fun
tnels belched out clouds of black smoke
as the stokers piled coal in the fur
naces, and every effort was made to-
drive the gunboat at a high speed. On
the horizon could be seen the faintesr
trace of smoke This was the quarry
of the American warship and circling
swiftly she was off at full cry after
her prey.
1 fContipued on Sixth Pace1