Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 67, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 April 1898 — BROUGHT INTO PORT. [ARTICLE]

BROUGHT INTO PORT.

Spanish Steamer Panama Captured Off Havana Coast. PROVES RICHEST PRIZE VET TAKES. P The Big Vtutl Rnrregdari Without ma Effort at Rcil*tanc« to the tilt* ~~~ s tie UghthoßM Trader MnngroTe—Fleet MoTtmestf. Key West, Fla., April 27.—The lighthouse tender Mangrove puffed proudly into Key West harbor Tuesday morning with the richest prize of the war thus far. The captive was the Panama, Capt. Quevedo, a big, trans-Atlantic liner, and an auxiliary cruiser of the Spanish navy, which has been plying of late between New York and Havana. She had 29 passengers, including three women, one Frenchman and one Mexican and a crew of 72. As the Panama carried two 12-pounders she could easily have annihilated the little Mangrove, and as the latter came into harbor with her prize there was not a craft but saluted her with rousing cheers. The Mangrove, under Lieutenant Commander William H. Everett, was cruising along the Cuban coast, navigated by Ensign Palmer, shortly before six o’clock Monday evening, about 20 miles north of Havana. At 5:45 p. m. ahe sighted the Panama. The only other ship of the fleet in sight was the battleship Indiana, three miles to the rear. Lieutenant Commander Everett scented ft prize and scudded toward the stranger. When the latter came within range, a shot from the Mangrove’s 12pounder was sent across her bows, but the Spaniard ignored the challenge and went on. Another shot followed without result, but the Mangrove was drawing nearer the stranger, who calmly proceeded on her course, apparently without any intention of running away. The Surrender. When the third shot was fired the Mangrove was within a hundred yards of the Panama and Lieutenant Commander Everett shouted to the deck officer that if she did not surrender he would sink her. The Mangrove’s officers admit that they expected the enemy’s 12-pounder to open bn them in response to the threat, but the Spaniard promptly came to. Ensign Dayton, the senior officer of the Mangrove, boarded the prize. The battleship Indiana had seen the capture and meanwhile drew up to the Mangrove, giving her a lusty cheer. Lieutenant Commander Everett reported to Capt. Taylor, of the battleship, and the latter put a prize crew on board the captive, consisting of Cadet Falconer and 15 marine*. They then proceeded to the flagship, where a formal report was made, and Rear Admiral Sampson ordered Lieutenant Commander Everett to convey the prize to Key West. Captain Feels Hl* Disgrace. The Panama is about 2,800 tons burden, and her passengers were mainly Spanish refugees fleeing from New York and other points in the United Slates to Havana. Capt. Quevedo was grief-stricken and greatly humiliated because of the capture. The passengers declare they knew nothing of the blockade, and that when they saw the searchlight of the Mangrove they thought it was the light of a Spanish man-of-war. The first shot changed their joy to apprehension, the second and third created a panic. The women ran screaming for shelter from the enemy’s guns and the oaptain locked himself sullenly in his cabin. A Rich Prime. The Panama carries a valuable cargo of general merchandise, including a large quantity of corn. Much of it was meant to provision the Spaniards in Cuba, and the cargo, with the ship itself, undoubtedly makes the richest prize thus far taken. Under the regulations, however, the battleship Indiana will share in the prize moriey, as she was in sight when the capture wae made. ' This makes five steamers thus far ! captured, in addition to a number of schooners and small craft. The entire j fltet have been on the lookout for the Panama for several days. Intense satisfaction is felt among the officers of the New York over the capture, for a vigilant lookout has been kept during the last few days and some feared that the Panama might have slipped into Havana. Her value is great, quite apart from the intrinsic worth of the hull and cargo. It would have been most detrimental to the blockade had the provisions which she carried gotten into Havana. Said to Ilnxf Broken Itlooknrte. Havana, via Key West, April 27.—The Spanish mail steamship Montserrat has reached Cienfuegos, breaking the blockade. She was bound to Havana, and on nearing that port the American ships fired at her. The mail steamer, after firing twice, went nway from the blockade to the southern coast. She brought 1 1,000 soldiers, $8,000,000, and 18 guns of great caliber. Washington, April 27.—The reported breaking of the Cuban blockade by the alleged arrival at Cienfuegos of the Spanish mail steamer Montserrat, is not credited here. TThe war department officials, of course, hare nothing to say when questioned, but the report Is causing no uneasiness in any quarter. However, there is no denial of the report, but the source of the information—Havana —ls considered not the beat or most reliable. Movements of the Fleet. New York, April 27.—1 n spite of pei ■lstent rumors, there has been no important movement of Spanish vessels ainoe the beginning of the war. The first squadron remains at St. Vincent, Cape Verde islands; the second squadson Is believed to be still at Cadiz ,nnd the torpedo boat Temerario has not left the River Platte. The United Btates North Atlantic squadron continues to blockade Cuba,

and will probably be reinforced by the dynamite cruiser Vesuvius, which left Newport Monday. The flying squadron remains at Hampton Roads watching the Spanish fleet at St. Vincent. The cruisers Minneapolis and Columbia, of the flying squadron, reached New England Monday. The Columbia arrived at Newport, and the Minneapolis is off the Massachusetts coast. These fast cruisers are supposed to be waiting to meet the new cruiser Topeka and the auxiliary -cruiser Paris, now en route from England to New York. TUnk the War Will Be Lengthy. Madrid, April 27. —The general tone of the evening papers bears out the opinion that the war will be a long one. As Senor Silvela, leader of the dissident conservatives, has said, Spain has, already lost the material advantages resulting from the possession of Cuba, but will fight to the last on the question of maintaining the flag, preferring to fight America openly rather than America secretly fomenting insurrection. The result of defeat, as Senor Silvela puts it, will only mean a loss of what has already gone, since Europe would not allow any army of occupation In Spain pending the payment of war indemnity. It is argued that the war must be disastrous to the true interests of the United States. Spain intends to prolong it ‘‘until European interests are involved and the powers are compelled to intervene in self-defense, or until the expected general conflagration of Europe against Anglo-Saxon dominion is brought about.” Spain’s determination to set the world ablaze rather than to withdraw from the conflict dishonored is very marked. Blanco’s Latest. Madrid, April 27. —Gen. Blanco eables that the situation is unchanged. His dispatch says: “This (Tuesday) evening a division of five American vessels approached Marianao. The Spanish gunboat Nigera repulsed three destroyers which entered the port of Cardenas and compelled them to retreat. I believe the Americans will not dare to disembark in Cuba.” No Firing: ns Yet. Key West, Fla., April 27.—The torpedo boat Porter has arrived from off the Cuban coast, and reports that the condition of the blockade continues unchanged. There has been no firing on either side.