[Inclosure in No. 34.]
Mr. Haskins to Mr.
Bayard.
Boston, November 14,
1888.
Sir: The schooner William
Jones, Capt. R. S. Collins, sailed from the port of Boston
October 4, 1888, loaded with a general cargo, such as fish, pork, flour,
etc., for the port of Gonaïves, in the island of Hayti, West Indies. On
the 20th of October, about 5 o’clock p.m., the vessel was spoken by a
Haytian man-of-war, and was told that Gonaïves was blockaded and that
the vessel would have to go to Port au Prince. At about 6.30 o’clock
a.m. October 21, the William Jones was spoken
again by the same man-of-war, asking for the William
Jones’s hawser, but was told by the captain that the William Jones had no hawser to tow by. At 7
o’clock a.m., the same 21st October, the same man-of-war came up again
and ordered the William Jones to heave to and he
would take the William Jones’s hawser, but was
told again that the vessel had no hawser, and Captain Collins then asked
if the man-of-war had one, and was answered no. The man-of-war thereupon
sent eleven armed marines aboard the William
Jones, and she proceeded towards Port au Prince. At 10.30
o’clock a.m. the man-of-war came up again and ordered the William Jones to heave to and he would send his
hawser aboard. This was done and hawser sent aboard and the man-of-war
took the William Jones in tow and at about 9
o’clock p.m. was anchored in Port au Prince Bay, with eleven marines
aboard. On Monday, October 22, at about 4 o’clock p.m., the American
minister came on board to see what the trouble was, and found no fault
on the part of the William Jones.
Tuesday morning, October 23, the chief of the navy of Hayti came on
board. Captain Collins asked him of what he was accused; his reply was,
“For trying to run the blockade and having arms and ammunition on
board.” These accusations were then and there declared false by Captain
Collins to the chief of the Haytian navy, and the captain also informed
him he should hold the Haytian Government responsible for the damage, as
his cargo was perishable, and for demurrage.
The schooner William Jones is an American vessel
and registered at the port of Boston. The captain had no notice of any
blockade at port of Gonaïves. The vessel obeyed all orders of the
man-of-war, and when taken in tow was about 17 miles distant from
land.
The writer is managing owner of the William Jones,
and has no knowledge of any arms or ammunition being aboard, and
believes there were none; nor at the time of the clearance and sailing
of the William Jones of any blockade on the
Haytian coast. His knowledge of the facts above detailed is derived from
letters received from captain of the William
Jones.
The writer will cause full particulars to be furnished as this case may
require, and now requests that his claim may be placed on file and his
interests and those of the schooner William Jones
may be fairly and fully protected, and that the Haytian Government may
be required to answer in just damages for the injury caused by its
unlawful proceedings with said vessel and her cargo.
Trusting this matter may have due attention. I remain, etc.,
