Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-05-07

atie, I:ut II Shot Cnuse. Her
I" Lay'ro Prompt .h
Copyright 1888, by Associated pyass,
ON BOARD THE ASSOCIATi-D
FKEsS DISPATCH BOAT I[A-rI,
s, VIA HEY WEST, May G.
ine i-at aSebie, OF La Francals Generate
~ ms -Ni!antlpue Line. "a vessel OF
";"sl tons gross register. bound fran.
sorunEa. spain. on April IS, for Ia
Vaha. was captured Yesterday even;n.
OIL the latter port by the Uaited States
sunb"a Annapolis Commandel. j. J.
ituhker' Whiit trying 70 run The block
ade at!er having been warned Oft. She
mss on board a large number of pas
senSefs and a valuable cargo, posi-
oiy containing contIaband of war.
Ihe Lafayette. which halls from st
Hazalre France. is a fine#v 5ssel of The
o,o type she is over IA [feet hnss. has
A feet beam and Is fszi5$ q raught
She was bui!N in 1Sc; at Greenocl1. OF
ron. Her capture was effected shortly
before sundown last night in the fol-
lowing manner:
The Lafayette was heading for Ha-
Eana and wa boarded iby3a officer of
the Annapolis and warned not to enter
the port She afterwards made an at
tempt to do 50 ard Vas captured, after
an exciting, chase. ~, t7l. j.
The Wilmng ton. Newport and Merrill
took part IN the capture pf the French
man. After an examination Of the Ia
!ayette.s papers had heenSnn ade. &, prize
crew of the Anna polls wa placed u:l
board and She was sent att, Key Wtst.
escorted by the Wilmington.
I. Previous to this step hsing taken
Commander Bunker ". -. Is r. ir,.t ,,s.. :;
the temporary flag officer aud Com
mander c. c.. Todd, OF the Wilmington,
exchanged signals for over an hour.
1t is reported that the Lafayette in
addition to beng a large French mail
steamer, is a French naval reserve
vessel. mounting guns and carrying u
crew sufficient to make her ready for
active service at short notice. This. il
is said, adds considerably 10 I!le gr;ivi-
ty of the International aspect Of The
case.
Tine Kate Spencer. Dispatch boat Of
the Associated Pres, just before The
polls a little east Of the C.jmar battery
and five miles off shore The A-napn-
lis. With canvas venti!ato:s spread.
nad came up laziiy from the east and
after having spoken the Spencer had
gone a bout 10 follow her down the
coast.
The Cuban shore line gray With tn.
hot at-nos sphere of the afternoon. never
looked more peaceful. -Four miles
down the coast the grim old tower Of
MORO StHud fiowning a silent guardian
Of the Cuban capital. whose roofs al
ready reflected the red glow Of the de.
Ginning sun. / was /. fine picture uf
Cuba ins:sta. Suddenly the calm was
broken by the electric call Of ~ chase"
which echoed from III. stern of the
Spencer. The Annapolis had put her
helm hard a-stul'bGpra and VAS cicav-
ns the W.tens in a northeast direction:
Her dark tunnels bel:-hed out clouds nf
black smoke as the st,'oker piled coal
on the furnaces and every effort was
made 10 drive the gunboaI al u high
speed. On The horizon could be seen
The faintest trace of smoke. This was
ME quarry of the American warship and,
etrclins sWin;hy as size was, at full cry
after her prey. The stranger came up
rapidly and the marine glasses soon
made her cut 10 b a big liner. With
red fui.nels, heading straight for dn-
v.rna. On she came, under ful steam,
"turrying bone in ner it-e',h aus the
sailors say when vessel is throwing
up roll of white water forward as she
drives Through the rough water at a
good speed There seemed 10 De no
doubt that the stranger was bent on
running through the bcckading squad
ron and getting under the guns OF Nor
10 Castle il possible before being over
aiffsrf.r1 l1irsc;ions 1hyse Of Uncle
s..m;s warshins which mad been drift
i1'.. i5,y my, M. t,.,nti.al So, mad been
galvanized into life attracted by the
chase and speedily Joined in the at
vempt 10 block the strangers entrance
70 Hayana.
While the Annapolis was rushing
down upon the clpa,:e e in The distance tine
Wilminsrtor and me Newnolt we're also
hea,in. down uron her. and tal,. Nor
rim which mad been nosing up toward
me Associated Press boar. also game
aeocst and swung around across In.
na,h Of 1lle liner. a SORT OF David chaI-
.suy,ne, u t,o!i.,a, for the NORTH is
only a smart little revenue curter now