THE CITY or Mmxroo. 35
missioned agent of the insurgent de facto government, and who was
actively engaged here in expediting the purchase and the forwarding
of these military supplies as quickly as possible. Endeavors were
first made to send them by the Atlas Steam—ship Company, a line run-
ning between New York and the West Indies, which sometimes sends
vessels directly to Savanilla, and sometimes forwarded goods thither
by transhipment from Jamaica. Mr. Williams, the superintendent
of that line, on being applied to, Ending that he would have no
vessel available that would not involve a delay of some two or three
weeks in the shipment, introduced Mr. Triana to Messrs. Lord &
Austin, the managers of the Provincial Steam-ship Company, a line
ordinarily running between New York and Halifax, but which then
had a spare steamer. They were informed by Mr. Triana that he de-
sired to ship these military supplies to Perez & Co., Baranquilla, at
once. Thereupon, on the fifth of March, a charter of alfreightment
of the City of Mexico was executed by Lord & Austin to Mr. Triana,
for a voyage to Savanilla and back for the sum of $5,000, prepaid.
The charter provided for four lay days at Savanilla, and $200 per
day demurrage for any detention beyond that; that if homeward
freight could be obtained from any port in South America, or the
[West Indies, to the United States or Canada, the charte1·ers were to
have one·half of the net freight; that the steamer was to carry to
Savanilla two passengers for account of the charterers free of charge,
who were to obtain the permission of the customs authorities at
Savanilla to land the cargo; that on failure to obtain such a permit
within the lay days named, the master was to proceed to Kingston
and land the cargo, or bring it back to New York; and that in the
event of any detention of the vessel by the authorities at New York
that should prevent her sailing, the charter was to be canceled, and
$2,500 was to be returned to the charterers.
Before the vessel sailed an arrangement was effected to procure for
the return voyage a fruit cargo for a house in New York from Bocas
del Toro. That port is about 500 miles to the westward of Savanilla.
The specie, scantling, and boards, part of the cargo shipped at New
York, as above stated, were for the purchase and binning of the fruit
to be obtained at Bocas del Toro.
The steamer sailed in the afternoon of the twelfth of March, ar-
rived without incident off Savanilla on the 21st, commenced discharg-
ing that night upon lighters, and finished without any impediment
at half-past 2 P. M. of the following day. The master on the same
day went to Baranquilla and deposited the ship’s papers with the
American consul there. The next day Capt. O’Brien was introduced .
by Perez & Co., his consignees, to some agent or officer of the insur-
gent government, and on the twenty-fifth of March he made a con-
tract with him by which he agreed "to take on board the steamer
about 250 passengers, to be conveyed and landed at Bio Hacha, for
the sum of $400, and 100 tons of ballast to be put on board the