The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1899-10-29


condition. and required more labor TO
clean her than 10 get the stores on board
and lowed Afterwards The weather was
very had and wet, too, and prevented W
from living alongside. II was therefore
| hard 10 work satisfactorily. However. on
the 18th January, early, the barometer
rising and the weather promising Well
| tho Sionewall and this vessel eft the On,
| and soon ran out Of sight Of land, gohB
nine and ten knots. for San Miguel. IL
| blew a ga.a al times, with as heavy a sea
as have ever seen. The Stonewall would
! often ship, immense seas, they seeming
at all times 20 cover her from knight
heads % taffrail. but yet she never seemed
10 be iniuriously affected by them put
would keep her course very steadily' On
! the morning Of the 9Oth January, atter
a most uneasy night, vs. became sepa-
rated about five miles, this ship baWns
/ forged ahead, and being afraid to run
off in such a heavy sea. About noon.
| however. It moderated for awhile, and
the barometer rising steadily. we kept
| away and ran down to her, signalling
How do you do?" Answer, "All right
| This was so satisfactory that l signalled,
shall I go on?" Answer, Am very
short Of coal, and / must make a port,
\ Ferrol.' Signalled, Shall I follow you2'
| Answer, suit your convenience about
following"
HEY PART COMPANY.
Davidson r1len added that the detention
OF his ship had already caused the loes
Of one moon for running the blocade and
| considering the necessity there was OF his
| getting TO Bermuda quickly in order 70
save the next moon. and considering also
| that II did not appear necessary 10 the
safety OF the enterprise that he should
remain any longer In company with Tie
| Stonewall, ne determined TO part COM
pany, and signalled "Adieu." which wa
| answered with MANY thanks" aud Then
! he says:''At 1870 we parted company end
at $3.50 LOST sight Of her, she still he 8
| the sea 10 the nOrthward and wcrtW
| facing the gale under easy steam. p
| doubt waiting for the weather 20 m0uc-
rate before running down on the coast
! Of Spain.
Captain Page also wrote from Isle OF
| d HoCat, near QulberCl, giving full
account Of his tedious delays and the
| disappointment he felt az not getting
! full supply Of coal. but he Old not Ike 10
wait for the return Of the coal-tcnder
! from 81. Nazaire. He advised me that he
| had taken charge Of the ram on behalf
! Of tho Confederate government, and that
| VI. Arman's agent, WHO was WIN him
| had compiled with all engagements sat.
| isfactorily and was therefore entitled TO
| receive the stipulated commission for his
services. The Danish crew We're dis
| charged and sent to ST. Nazaire, and the
ram was chartered and commissioned IN
| due form as the Confederate ship stone
WALL
In the heavy weather after leaving
Olriberon BAY the Stonewall made
! good deal Of water and n was thought
| that she must have sprung a leak some
where. but owing % the crowded state q
| the ship. satisfactory examination could
| not be made This apparent defect wa
an additional reason for making han
| Dor. and when the gale moderated, Page
| bore I'd and ran into COrunna, and
dav after arrival there he took the stone
wall across the bay to Farrol, "whena
an facilities were politely rendered by the
officers Of the Natal arsenal
TIE STONEWALL AT FERROL.
The nrst advice of the Stonewall from
Ferrol was without date. but she arrived
there about February 2d. and Page soon
| BEGAN TO tighten the ship by dischargng
some OF her heavy weight into ID good
dry hulk. which the naval authorities
had kindly put al her disposal. with the
purpose OF finding the leak.
10 appears. however. from his CORE
spOudence that the facilities granted him
upon his first application We're quickly
Withdrawn. Writing to me, under date
Of February TN. he says. To-day there
came or an oihcer 10 inform me that IN
consequence Of the protest OF the Ameri-
can minister The permission 20 repair dam
ages had been suspended. ana added,
however that The commander told him
that his case was under consideration az
Madrid. and that be thought that al
would be right 10 q few days. In the end
permission vas given 20 make al neces-
saIy repairs. but many difficulties We're
met with the authorities appt airing 10 De
very DESTROYS 70 hurry the ship OF, yet
not willing 10 turn her out OF port in an
incomplete state
On TIE 10th Of February Page wrote
that the United states frigate Niagara
Captain Thomas Craven, had arrived ard
a few days after the United States ship
Sacramento joined the Niagara and both
vessels anchored az COrunua about nine
miles distance. from whence they could
watch Lhe St0newall. Their presence.
PAGE said gave the Spanish authorities
much uneaslness. II was now manifest that
TIE Stonewairs movements were known
The two United states ships az Corunna
would either attack her when she at
tempted to leave Ferrol, or they would
follow her across the Atlantic
Besides this advice OF her being At sea
would be- sent 20 New York and prepare
tious would be made by United states
naval authorities 90 give her a warm re-
cepti0n. The leak was discovered 20 Poe In
consequence ~ detective construction o.
the rudd.r casing. and this. together with
other iuturie. caused by the rough hand
linz the ship bad encountered during The
tcmpcstuous voyage from Copenhagen,
satisfied PAGE that the repairs would de-
tain her several weeks at Ferr0l TIC took
also into consideration the latest news
from America. which appeared 20 indie
cate that the south could not resist much
longer. Finlaly Doe determined 90 50 10
Paris for consultation. and be directed
Carter meanwhile. 20 push on with the re-
pairs
PREPARED TO FIGHT.
While Page was absent. the Niagara
and tire Sacramento ran across the bay
from Corunua and anchored at Ferr0l In
a letter reporting the Incident Garter
said. I'VE. OF course got ready for acct
dents and in Lighting fire sparks flew from
the funnel
In O. few minutes q barge from the navy
yard. with an officer OF rank came along
side. asking If we meant 90 attack the
Niagau? I replied that we had no such
intentions. bat proposed 10 defend our
solves from an attempt 20 repeat the af-
fair AT Bahia. Tie said. This is not
Brazil Tho Admiral requests that YOU
viii let your fires 60 ont and warns you
against an attempt 10 break the peace"
Two guard boats were also stationed near