The record-union., 1898-04-24
The Schooner MathiIde of Havana
Has Been Seized.
Was Taken by the Torpedo Boat Porter
After a Lively Chase.
The Capture of the Spanish Mer-
chairman Buenaventura in Ad-
vance OF a Formal Declaration
of War Raises an Interesting
Point of Debate in Diplomatic
Circles.

KEY WEST, April 24.-The fleet cap
tured another prize Saturday after
noon, the schooner Mathilde Of Ha
vana, laden with rum The schooner
was taken by the torpedo boat Porter
after a lively chase, after a number Of
solid shots were fired A prize crew
from the flagship was put on board the
schooner, but no ship could be spared
to tow. She was brought into Key
West in tow of the Associated Press
dispatch boat Dauntless, which arrived
about midnight.
The Dauntless reports that the fleet
has divided. The Nashville and Ma
chias or Castine sailed for the west at
III o'clock yesterday morning, while
the Amphitrite, the Puritan, the Gin
cinnati and Castine or Machias sailed
east later. The rest of the fleet at $3.50
o'clock in the afternoon We're blockad-
ing Havana, which is distant ten miles
to the southwark.
THE TRAMP STEAMER PEDRO.
KEY WEST, April 23.-The Spanish
tramp steamer Pedro, Captain Bonet,
from Antwerp on March 25th for Santa
Cruz and Pensacola, which was cap
tured by the United States flagship
New York, was brought in here to-day
under her own steam, but in charge Of
prize crew in command of Lieuten-
ant Capehart. She is owned by the
Navigation Company of Bilboa, is of L.
62S tons net register, is about $50 feet
long and has crew of thirty-six men.
After the Spaniard came to in re-
sponse to the shots fired by the New
York, a small boat was lowered from
no rhI Wi y,
the crew, put off. The widest excite
ment prevailed on the boat and her
decks were crowded with men scurry-
ing about like frightened rats as the
New Yorks men clambered up the side
of the ship.
Meantime the torpedo boat Foote had
sighted a German coasting vessel, and
signaled to the flagship. A shot was
put across her bows. No resistance
was offered, and the New York's men
boarded her and found her papers 10
be correct, and her German register
was established. She was turned back.
The action of the fleet in refusing to
allow the German vessel to enter Ha-
vana shows that the blockade is prac-
tically established.
AFTER ANOTHER VESSEL.
MOBILE (Ala.), April 23-The Span
ish steamer La Cumnia from South
America arrived at Ship Island, Miss,
to-day for a cargo, and the Ship Col
lector, J. w. Burke Of Mobile, dis
patched the revenue cutter Winona to
the island to capture the vessel. The
cutter left at 3 o'clock. and ought to
be at the island by midnight and effect
capture by daybreak. La Cumnia is a
fine freight steamer, and came into port
without knowledge of war. The Wi
mona is armed with a Hotchkiss gun,
and has crew of forty-two men, under
command of Captain Gooding.
THE SEIZURE OF THE BUENAVEN-
TURA.
WASHINGTON, April 23.-The firing
on the Spanish merchantmen Buena
ventura in advance of formal declara-
tion of war has raised very interesting
point, which is being debated in the dip
lomatic corps. The owners of the vessel
in New York have announced their in
tention to appeal, and it is not at all i'm
probable that a vigorous demand for
redress from this Government may be
prosecuted. They have notified the
French Embassy here, through the
French Consul at New York, of a pro-
test against the firing upon and seizure
of their vessel and the French Embassy
in this city expects to receive a formal
protest from them for submission to the
State Department
Some members of the diplomatic corps
say they believe the vessel will be
promptly released by this Government,
in view of the priority of the act TO
actual notification, which they hold
should, on general principles, have been
given, and Of the fact that it preceded
the actual expiration of the time limit
imposed in the ultimatum of the United
States