New-York tribune., 1899-05-29
LIVELY TINES FOR THE MACHIAS.
THE GUNBoAT IN AFTER THREE INVEST
eating TRIPS
9hO Broadway. cor. Leonard.
500 Broadway. cor. Prince.
THIRTY aAcond and BroadWey.

THE GUNBOAT IN, AFTER THREE INVbSIl-
eating TRIPS.
The gunboat Machas reached this port yester-
dav morning from Nuevitas. Cuba, after an une-
yentful voyage She has not been In Northern
waters since January last and her ofhcers were
unanimous in expressing their pleasure at oei's
somewhere near home again. The Machlas came
pretty close to having an interesting time on sew
eral occasions in her last voyage. and her oncers
think that she just missed some things that "ou'u
have been exciting for times Of peace
She sailed from here for Havana on January To-
and had been there week when she WAS OF
dered TO Honduras TO investigate the killing OF an
American named Pears. Pittsburg man, VINO hau
heen halted and summarily shot dead by soldiers
one night after he had been in Honduras LOT aoou'
two weeks. The investigation was made ana ps
result reported 10 Admiral Sampson. He repor'eu
n 70 the State Department which Immediately ue-
manded an explanation from Honduras Inc ia'ter
suggested that the matter be declueu oy aipi'i"
ton. with Guatemala as arbitrator. Inc o"l'eu
States then suggested that Honduras pay NoVw
and saw nothing more. The money has been paid
The Machias then proceeded TO Cienfuegos' ana
later TO Guantanamo where she fell In with Ad-
miral SIMPSONS squadron. She was then suddenly
ordered to Port Livingston. Guatemala, to make
another Investigation. Several papers had alleged
that six Americans were In prison there anu ih
danger of their lives and the State Department
the Navy Department which directed Admiral
Sampson 10 hunt up the ter. The Machlas
reached Port Livingston on April l. but dld not
discover any six Americans in prison and in dan
ger of their lives She then sailed to Key West
where she ooaled and after proceeded to Porto
Rico. Another investigation was then found nee
essary which took the Machias to NueVitas ms
third affair which needed looking into was pc" negun N
on Nav H. 1885, when the Montgomery sgnalled 10
the flagship of Admiral SIMPSONS squadron, Whlch
was then out hunting for Cervera, that the enc
my's vesses were in shore" The hagshp slgnaneu
10 the Montgomery TO give chase and the latter
vessel chased the ships. which proved 10 be thTee
small Spanish gunboats. namely, the 1umuIi, nlly
tons: the Giovanni. fifty tons. and the flzaIro'
three hundred tons up small river near NueVltas.
The gunboats were sunk in the river. Aiter tne
peace protocol had been signed a spanish con con-
tractor obtained permission from Madrld 10 ralhe
the gunboats. he succeeded in floating the 9umuTi
and the Giovanni but could not raise the PiSarro.
The legality of the permission obtained ,py tle
contractor was questioned, and the Machas was
sent TO Nuevitas to investigate the anair Inc re-
mort has been sent to Washington. " -
The officers Of the Machas are Commander l.. =.
Logan Lieutenant John II. Hutchins, VINO was oul
the Montgomery when she gave chase 10 the tnree
Spanish gunboats; Lieutenant A. w. Grant, Leu
tenan Willard. who hoisted the first American nag
on Cuban soil at Piedras Cay, Cardenas Harpor'
lieutenant Sawyer, Ensign Macarthur, f,hslsh
Curtin who is known the man TO whom f0hSe.
Porto Rico was surrendered by telephone Caue.
Briggs Chief Engineer Dyson, Paymaster lZzaru
and Surgeon Richards.