A BELGIAN FILIBUSTER.

Stratford Evening Post, Volume XXXII, Issue 73, 22 March 1912, Page 2

A BELGIAN FILIBUSTER.

1 TALE 1 OF AEVEXH t RE. /'• . > f ,f\ | '•. . ' /VP. \C ■' • The Brussels Gazette prints a remarkable account of the adventures of a filibustering expedition which set sail from Antwerp last October.-' A steamer flying the Belgian flag, with a mixed cargo, left Antwerp for Port Stanley (Falkland Islands). It was rumoured that the vessel was carrying arms for the Portuguese Royalists, but inquiry revealed nothing irregular. / The crew of the steamer have now returned to Antwerp, and give the following account of their extraordinary voyage:— At Lille (Belgium, on the Scheldt) 250; tons of powder, five Spanish and two English passengers were taken on board. When the vessel was again at sea the command was taken by one of the Spaniards. A call was made at DacOon (P) to take in coal and stores, and then the vessel was headed for South America.

The Belgians then learned that the vessel had been chartered by the Paraguayan revolutionaries, that Arricos was a brother-in-law of the President of Paraguay, that three of the passengers were Argentine pilots, and that the cargo consist'd of four big quick-firing guns, GOOO rifles, uniforms and other war material. The aim of the, expedition was to seize the Paraguayan towns on the Rio de la Plata. When till-' £jouth American coast was sighted the four quick-firing guns were mounted. At the mouth of |he Rio de la Plata the Brazilian flag was hoisted and the vessel repainted and rechristencd. The vessel’s name was again •,changed, and she was once more painted another colour. At the point where the Rio de la Plata forms the frontier between Argentina and Paraguay the crew were paid off. Owing to a dispute on the subject of their pay, the Belgians who have now returned are going to take proceedings against the Belgian owners.