“The matter was duly considered and it was decided that, without regard to the strict law of blockade and as an act of courtesy, the request of the French Government should be acceded to.  Orders were accordingly sent on the 2d of May.  When information was received of the capture of the steamer and of her having been brought to Key West, these orders were communicated to the captors, with instructions to release the steamer and see that the orders were duly delivered, so that they might be carried into effect.  No demand was made, either by or on behalf of the French Government, directly or indirectly, for the steamer’s release.  The Wilmington will escort the LaFayette to Havana to-night.”

On May 8th the British tramp steamer Strathdee, Captain Currie, attempted to run the blockade, but was overhauled by the gunboat Machias.  The Captain of the Strathdee claimed that the vessel was loaded with sugar and that he had on board a number of Spanish refugees from Sagua la Grande.  He also said that the steamer was bound for Matanzas, where it was desired to disembark some of the refugees.  The commander of the Machias was skeptical of the story, however, and warned the Captain of the Strathdee that if he attempted to take the vessel into Matanzas she would be fired on, whereupon the Strathdee put about and steamed away in the direction of New York.

Three small prizes towed into key west.

Three prizes were brought in May 9th.  They were the brigantine Lorenzo, taken by the Montgomery near Havana, on Friday, while bound for Rio de la Plata with a cargo of dried beef.

The Espana, a little fishing sloop, was taken by the Morrill about three miles off Mariel just after a sharp engagement.  The Newport was close at hand at the time, and a prize crew made up from both ships brought the capture in.

The third vessel taken was the schooner Padre de Dios, Master Mateo Herrera, laden with fish.  It was taken by the Newport off Mariel, and was brought in by a petty officer and a prize crew.  All three accepted one blank shot apiece as sufficient

Making her prize work as towboat.

One captive was seen taking another to port on the morning of May 9th.  Both are prizes of the gunboat Newport, and were captured between Mariel and Havana.

It was about sunrise, just after an inexplicable shot had been fired from a Havana battery, that a dispatch boat off Morro Castle sighted the Newport with a big Norwegian tramp steamer, the Bratsberg, following obediently.  Suddenly the Newport’s stack blew clouds of black smoke, and, looking for the cause, a pretty two-masted schooner was seen, her sails wing and wing, flying from the northwest for Havana.

A blank shot sounded over the waters.  The schooner stood no chance, but she kept her course until a solid six-pounder from the Newport skimmed across to her, and dropped ahead of the bowsprit.  Then she dropped her jib and came about quickly, sailing toward the warship, as one has seen a dog run to his master at the snap of a lash.  She was the Fernandito, avaricious of the bounty Captain-General Blanco offered for fish delivered to hungry Havana.  A line was put aboard her, and the Bratsberg was compelled to take the other end and go to Key West.