The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1907-05-17
Alfonso XIII Will be Put In
to Floating Dock at
Navy Yard.
TO REACH HERE
SUNDAY MORNING
From Havana, Where the
Propeller Was Broken
Last Week.
VESSEL is ENGAGED IN MAIL AND
PASSENGER SERVICE. PLYING
BETWEEN BARCELONA. HAVANA
AND VERA CRUZ-IS IN TOW OF
A NORWEGIAN FRUIT STEAMER

The first Spanish vessel since bc-
fore the Spanish-Americau war 10 ne
taken into the steel floating dock for
merry the property of the Spanish
navy and stationed al Havana. bur now
owned by the United States and
m0ored of the Pensacola navy ward
will be the Spanish mail and passen.
ger steamer Alfonso Mi. which j.
now on the voyage TO this p1rf in
tow of Norwegian fruit vessel The
steamer is due here SUNDAY morn,
ing. and as preparations are helm.
made at the ward for receiving the
vessel il is probable that she will ha
taken in the dock Monday.
The Alfonso XIII plies between
barcelona. Havana and Vera Cruz in
the mail and passenger trade. and is
owned by the COmpania Trans
alantica, of Barcelona which operates
a large number of steamers Of this
character hetw een Spanish. Cuban
ana Mexican ports. The vessel has
a net tonnage of $500 is ia feet I'm
length and * feet in breadth.
Propeller Broken in Havana.
The steamer arrived during the
first portion of last week in Havana
harbor from Barcelona. and after re-
naming there a day started on the
voyage to Vera Cruz. Mexico. II
was then discovered that the propeI-
LEI had been injured or broken. aud
divers when sent down were unabE,
TO make such repairs that the steamer
could proceed. There is no dock at
Havana of sufficient size to take the
steamer in for repairs and none alons
the gulf coast. excepting the naval
docks at New Orleans and at Pcnsa-
cola navy yard. The dock at Mobile
Is not of sufficient size 10 accommu.
date the vessel. neither is the depth
of water in that harbor such that "A
vessel of her drauCht could enter
Permission From Navy.
Under these conditions. the owners
cabled the navy department To be al
lowed TO use the Spanish steel floating
dock AT the Pensacola navy yard. and
after delay of five DAYS. this per
mission was granted and Nice-ConsuI
BOrTaS at this port notified. Orders
were then issued to the master Of the
Alfonso Mi 10 proceed To Pensacola
and finding Norwegian fruit steamer
leaving for Mobile he secured that
vessel TO tow the steamer 10 The
mouth of Pensacola harbOr. where
she will be taken in tow by tugboats
and brought into port
A Large Vessel
The Alfonso XIII. which bears the
name Of the present king of Spain. is
a large vessel. built especially for
The trade in which she is plying. and
is known as one of the grey hounds
Of the fleet of the Compania Trans
alantica. She is the newest Of the
Aeet, and as she will be the first
Spanish mail and passenger steamer
to enter a gulf port, much interest
attaches to her arrival for repairs
II is estimated that with moderate
weather The steamer should be off
Pensacola light Sunday morning The
fruit steamer has on cargo. and with
such a large vessel in tow. the
'ruiter's progress will naturally be
slow. The repairs 10 the vessel after
she is locked will be made by one
)f the local machine works, but the
extent of the repairs will not ne
known until the steamer is locked
and an examination made.