The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-08-09

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SalaZer and other officers of high rank.
That was not war any more than are
the similar atrocities that are now being
perpetrated in that unhappy country.
The news of the fall of Mexico city
and of the execution of Macmillan
caused a profound stir in Vera Cruz.
Some Of the officers in an impromptu
council, declared that the town should
not be surrendered unless a heavy sum
were paid each man of the garrison.
Gov. Bureau, however, opposed this with
commendable firmness and backed by
one general officer arrested Gen. Cuevas,
the leader of the foreign contingent.
The general disposition was to yield; but
there remained that Foreign Legion to
reckon with: that band OF mercenares
recruited from the scum OF nearly all
nations, were most turbulent and their
presence was a standing menace to law
and order.
On June "a Capt. Roe received letter
from Mr.. Saulnier saying: AT the re-
quest Of Don Domingo Bureau ! beg of
you to come up with your ship imme
diately into the harbor: the difficulty Is
with the foreign troops. hasty post
script said, Come up Immediately"
Fires were Immediately spread in the
boilers and the stream anchor. fire.
quently kept out To hold the ship broad
side to the breeze. was we ghed the
drum sounded to quarters, the battery
was cleared for action and the guns
| loaded While these preparations were
being made Capt. Roe pulled on board
the Jason and had no difficulty in per-
suading the gallant Aynesley to take
| his ship in too. for the fighting power
Of the Tacony was none too great.
So the two ships got under way to-
gether at ! and stood up for the har-
bor, the stately Jason leading. Entering
| by the north passage. there being at
| that time no breakwater closing the
north entrance to the harbor, the Eng
lishman came to in easy r1ngc Of the
northwest bastion of the clstle. The
Tacony, drawing much less water.
rounded the Jason's stern and passed
on southwark into the harbor between
the castle and the city landing. A
hawser was run from the starboard
quarter and secured to a heavy ringbolt
in the castle wall for the purpose of
keeping the ships broadside bearing.
In this position the TaCony's battery
bore on the north bastion, Vera Cruz,
and on the city; and the Jason fianked
the castle. No guns then mounted in
San Juan could command them. But
the infected air from the castle, where
yellow jack was holding high carnival
came direct to the Tacony and pre-
scented a danger we'll appreciated by her
commander, but one that had to be
faced.
The next morning peremptory orders
| were received through the Consuls from
the officer commanding the castle for
both vessels to leave the harbor under
penalty of being sunk at their moor
ings. The order was politely but firmly
rejected.
No special preparations seemed to be
made to carry out the threat. Every
thing seemed placid; and as the evening
came and wore on the officers sat on
deck with their pipes enjoying the light
airs coming in from the eastward, the
last dying efforts Of the sea breeze The
watch were sleeping at their guns.
Suddenly the quiet was broken by a
low creaking sound coming from the
castle, so faint that ii might not have
been heard had the breeze been
stronger, but loud enough to be reCog
nizcd by a seaman's ear as the strain
ing of "A heavy tackle. Night glasses
were quickly brought into play and the
parapets swept, finally leading to the
Of men collected and apparently at work
in the northwest angle, which COM
manded the Tacony. No , port gun
was Immediately transported over IL
the starhOard side and the whole bat
terry thus reinforced trained on those
groups of men. The gig was called
away and "A lacOnic note sent to the
Jason: They are mounting heavy guns
on the inshore parapct. | shall DE al
my lockstrinSs at dayhreak, not day
light" The answer came back grand
in its simplicity: ~ shot fired at one
ship will be answered by both"
1t was a dangerous position, espe-
cially for a side wheel steamer with tn.
machinery above water. The guns were
loaded with grape and canister. The
| chain was hove in until the anchor was
up and down" so that turn of tn,
| engines would drag It off into deep wat,
until opportunity should offer to lift II
| An axe was also laid near the bit where
the hawser was Delayed, ready TO sever
| IL at stroke.
The night wore away. AS the frs
gray streaks of daylight appeared II
the east threatening objects began L
loom out from the uncertain silhouette
of the northwest bastion and soon tw,
guns, lullN lltIil'u, Ntit dlS'tl ht'
pointing at the Tacony and a heav!
rifle at the Jason.
The minute seemed TO lengthen L
hours as the adversarles looked at eacl
other through the sight bars. occasion
ally touching an elevating quoin or civ
ing a slight heave with the hand spik
to keep perfect their aim. But fnall
the commander Of the fort realized tina
those ships We're not To be daunted an
he apparently accepted the situation
As by a common impulse, though prob
ably in obedience to a silent order, tn
| gunners of the castle broke from thei
pieces and dispersed, and the great ten
sion was relieved. But tho guns wer
kept ready.
II was not long before messenger
from the British and American consul
ates brought Off word that Senior Burea
had fled. no one knew how nor whe
nor where. and the city was without
municipal government. The senior mi
itary commander was Gen. Gomez. an
there was much speculation as 10 wha
he would do.
He did not leave the community lon