A British Yacht Fired upon at Madeira.

Thames Star, Volume XVI, Issue 5012, 4 February 1885, Page 2

A British Yacht Fired upon at Madeira.

The Times correspondent, writing from Madeira on December 4, sends the following :—" The recent insults by the Portuguese authorities, and particularly those in Madeira, to the English nation, of which the present Government hare taken no notice, although the facts hate been con stantly brought before them, culminated last night in an act so flagrant that we cannot understand any nation daring to commit it, unless seeking a quarrel to be decided at the point of th"! sword. The' Pleasure Sailing Yacht Company chartered a ship named the Tyburnia, for a trip to different parts of the world, at the rate of a guinea a head per diem; The yacht on arriving at Madeira a fortnight ago .was anchored 200 yards west of the Loo Bock battery in the quarantine ground, and was ballasted with goods, such as cement, &c, which might yield a profit at the different ports touched at. When the yacht arrived at Madeira,, the Custom House authorities neglected to send the papers respecting declaration of cargo, &c, on board, and therefore Captain Eennaley did not declare cargo, as he was not aware of the vexations regulations and the system of extortion and usury to which he would be subjected in the passing. of goods through the Custom House. Having secured a sale for some of his goods, Captain Kennaley went the day previous to his departure to the chief of the Custom House, and having informed him of the part of the cargo which he had sold, requested information as to the time it should be sent to the Custom House to be passed, whereupon he was accused of smuggling, because he had not declared cargo on arrival, and was informed that his ship shonld be seized and confiscated with everything in it.

The captain then said that as ho had not landed anything, he would simply take his goods away with him, as' he was ■ailing in the morning. Then the Custom House authorities said they would detain

lii.i ship, a:id \>w (tli rr* on board, bat they wow quickly informed that if they attempted to bjard his ship, he would hare erery one of them flung into, the sea. The. military governor was then in* formed of the matter,«nd he issued orders '.hat if the yacht attempted to leave her moorings, she was to be fired at.' Captain Ken naley 'did not fear his threat, having smelt powder daring the American war, having successfully ran the blockade thirteen times. This time, how* erer, he called all his passengers and told them ho<v things were, and asked them what they would do. They all answered, " We will go where you do." At twenty minutes to one in the morning he weighed anchor and the Government steam launch ran alongside and warned him that the Loo Bock woald fire -, if the yacht left her moorings. The cap- • tain continued his orders about making sail, but some of the ladies called oat " Tell them to fire away as soon as they like."

The Bock then fired a blank charge. The yacht ran up her foresail and got her heed round. The Bock fired a second blank charge. The yacht then made Mil . and began slowly moving with the tide, whereupon the Bock opened with ball. The third shot carried away some of the ropes ef the bowsprit, and the firing was kept up for an hour till the yacht had got out of range. Some of the shot fell close to the yacht, dashing the spray over those on deck, others fell very wide of the mark, but no loss of life ensued. Captain Kennaley ran up the British ensign on the fint , gun being fired, and as each shot went singing by the colours were dipped. Both ladies and gentlemen declined to go below, but stayed on the poop till the firing ceased* The Portuguese in charge of the store on „ Loo Bock refused to give out more cm* munition when that issued had been expended, and now he has been dismissed from his post by the authorities. Barbadoes is the port of destination of the yacht, and it will be pleasing to^retd an account of the voyage, which began under such trying circumstances."