Evening journal., 1912-05-06
NEW NEWS OF YESTERDAY
The Mystery Of a Sunken
Coal Barge
By Holland

told on Saturday the story of the
narrow escape the United States had
from a war with Spain early in the
second year after General Grant be-
came President. A Spanish man-of-
war had seized the United States trad
ing vessel, the Colonel. Lloyd Aspin-
wall. made the captain and crew pris-
oners and held the vessel as a prize,
claiming that the owners of the YES
sci we're engaged in Illicit business
with the Cuban reyolutionists.
General Grant informed his cabinet
that unless Spain instantly released
the vessel and its captain and crew
he would make reprisals upon two
Spanish frigates which had been dock
ed at the Brooklyn Navy Yard for the
purpose of making repairs; as an act
Of international courtesy the United
States had permitted this to be done.
The President told his cabinet that II
an act of reprisal of that kind involved
war he was ready to take the respon-
sibility and would take 1t. Peremp-
tory demand was made upon Spain,
which resulted in the release of the
vessel and of the captain and crew
Spain also agreed to abide the de-
cision of a court of arbitration, re-
garding indemnity.
There was another incident of this
important affair that is well worth
reporting--a curious and to this day
mysterious and hitherto unpublished
incident which virtually imprisoned
the Spanish frigates in the Brooklyn
Navy Yard.
AT the very time President Grant
was demanding of Spain that she ac-
cept one of two alternates-either the
release of the Lloyd Aspinwall and
her crew, or else war--a very large
scow or barge laden with coal start
ed from q railway terminal upon the
coast of New Jersey for one of the
New England ports.
The barge was towed by powerful
tugs Tt seemed to be in good condi-
tion when II started on the trip. There
was no storm upon the bay when it
entered the East river, which the
Brooklyn Navy Yard fronts Yet sud
denly. when just in front of the Brook
lyn Navy Yard, this coal barge began
10 sink. There had been no collision;
there was no explosion or anything
which to the eye or ear made it clear
that an accident had taken place. But
just at that spot the coal barge sank
and as perfectly biockaded the Brook
lyn Navy Yard as though a wall of
stone had been built up in front of the
entrance to the yard.
The Federal Government, of course.
was at once informed that a sunken
coal barge was blockading the en-
trance to one of the navy yards II
professed utter ignorance as to the
cause of the accident. So did the of
ticers of the navy yard. The harbor
authorities of New York made an in
vestigation All that they could learn
was that the barge sank when il was
precisely in front of the entrance 10
the Brooklyn Navy Yard. AS for the
| Spanish captains, they we're frantic
because they could not get their fri
gate out.
In the spot where il had sunk the
barge remained until after the news
came that Spain had ordered the re-
lease of the Lloyd Aspinwall and OF
her captain and crew Then divers and
wreckers brought the coal from the
barge 70 another boat and raised the
sunken craft. II was reported that the
most careful scrutiny did not discover
the cause of the accident It was Of
lcially stated that the barge had
'sprung a leak. Yet II is the strangest
of condolences that the two Spanish
frigates we're imprisoned by the sink
ing of this barge in the Brooklyn Navy
Yard pending the determination OF
Spain whether to accept war or to re.
lease the American vessel and set free
her captain and crew
Copyright, 1912, by f. j. Edwards
All rights reserved.)
Tomorrow Mr. Edwards will tell o.
"One Time When Spain Did Not Pro
crastinate"