flag-ship
Wabash,
Port Royal Harbob, November 18, 1861.
sir: I have the honor to report that
Commander E. M. Yard, of the
United States steamer
Dale, captured the British schooner
Mabel, on the evening of the 15th instant, in lat. 31 deg. 10 min., and lon. 80 deg. 52 min. 30 sec. west, and brought her into this harbor.
She purported to be from
Havana and bound for New York, but at the time of her capture was heading for
St. Catherine's Sound.
Her cargo consists of seven bales blankets, four cases cloth, two cases saddles and bridles, three boxes starch, twenty-five boxes tin, one hundred and twenty boxes coffee, twenty barrels potatoes, three hundred and fifty pigs of lead, thirty bags of shot, one box shoes, six bags
arrow root, one case pistols, (revolvers,) and two cases of cavalry swords.
The
Mabel was formerly named the
John W. Anderson, of
Baltimore, as appears by the certificate of registry given at
Nassau, N. P., found among his papers.
She had no clearance from the port of
Havana.
The character of her cargo — part of it contraband — and her position as above given, seem to be strong presumptive evidence of her intention to run the blockade.
I have therefore sent her to
Philadelphia in charge of
Master's
Mate Levi Lane, of the
United States steamer
Dale, and seven men of that ship, for adjudication.
I have the honor to be, sir, respectfully your obedient servant,
