The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1901-03-06
TRIP OF ATALANTA.
Took Former Yacht Of Jay
Gould to Venezuela.

NEW YORK, March 5.-The ships
company that left this port on January
p in Jay Goulds former yacht Ata-
lanta, transformed into the gunboat
Rostaurador under Venezuelan colors
and equipped with snowy naval uni
forms and in hope Of attaining Venezue-
Ian commissions have returned home
on the liner Philadelphia. They were
gone a little over a month although
they were expected to deliver the boat
to the Venezuelan government in zen
days.
The yacht was sold to the Venezuelan
government early in January and con-
stitutes the entire Venezuelan navy.
Her armament consisted when she sail
ed, of four six-pounder Hotchkss
guns. three FOUNDER. and two two
Founders and she was loaded with am
munition.
Captain jeremiah Merithew was in
command. Under him were forty-six
men.
The first night at sea the ship ran
into a storm which damaged her con-
siderahly aud iaged four days. 1t was
decided 20 run into San Juan. but the
coal had given completely out before
that port was reached. The cabin fur
nishings. which had been in the yacht
since the days of Jay Gould, were
dumped into the furnaces; fancy wood
panelings, portieres, carpets and tables.
and finally the provisions-such OF them
as would burn rapidly-went into the
fires.
In San Juan the Restaurador lay from
January to February g. being repaired
and reftted. After departure from San
Juan, according 20 the story Of one Of
the crew, the vessel was ordered to
lombard the town Of carupano, held
supposedly by the rebels. Fhe guns had
been trained on the town when it was
learned from flag that the l15,wn had
',c:ii Sc:n recaptured by the government
Shortly after this a number Of pris-
oners wero placed on board the little
gunboat, Among the prisoners was the
insurgent general commanding in that
part Of the country. He had been sen
fenced 70 be shot but it had been de-
clded to send him to La Guayra and
thence 10 Caracas where the sentence
was TO be carried out. He was hope
lessly crushed and spoke to nobody !
As long as the boat was visible from
the town his wife and daughters stood
upon 2 high peak of rocks gazing af- ,
ter MIN,
The vessel ran aground on the island |
Of Coche, in the straits Of Margarita |
She staid there until early in the morn
ing of the 18th She was pulled off |
by .ug and a German and Dutch !
steamer that happened along. On the
same day the vessel touched at three |
other small ports, two Of which were
Wanda and Cumana, at which she ,
t.t on more prisoners and soldiers.
The ship got into La Gulyra on Feb
ru1ry 13. The ship was no sooner il |
port and the prisoners and soldiers dis
charged than the government put the
skipper, his officers and most Of the
men ashore. They were paid in Vene-
zuelau silver which was eventually *
changed by the authorities at eighty
cents on the dollar into American gold |
Captain Merithew said that President
Castro inquired Of him about John ia
cob Astors steam yacht Nourmahal,
and that he learned afterward from the
nirister Of finance that negotiations
Wore in progress for the purchase Of
the yacht Mr.. Astor could not be seen
last night about Captain Merithews
story. II has already been announced
that the Venezuelan government re-
Gently purchased James Gordon Ben
nett's yacht Namouna for 100000.