the
first of November, and a court-martial was convened the next morning to
try the prisoners.

Within a week fifty-three men had received the semblance of a trial and
had been shot.

Meanwhile England, who even her worst enemies cannot deny, is always on
the side of humanity, intervened.

Reports of the barbarous proceedings had reached Jamaica, and H. M. S.
Niobe, under the command of Sir Lambton Lorraine, was dispatched to
Santiago with instructions to stop the massacre.

The Niobe arrived at Santiago on the eighth, and Lorraine threatened to
bombard the town unless the executions were immediately stopped.

This threat evidently frightened the bloodthirsty governor, for no more
shooting took place.

It was a noble act on the part of Sir Lambton Lorraine, and the American
public appreciated it. On his way home to England, he stopped in New
York. It was proposed to tender him a public reception, but this Sir
Lambton declined. But by way of telling what a "brick" he was
considered, a silver brick from Nevada was presented to him, upon the
face of which was inscribed: "Blood is thicker than water. Santiago de
Cuba, November, 1873. To Sir Lambton Lorraine, from the Comstock Mines,
Virginia City, Nevada, U. S. A."

President Grant, through General Daniel E. Sickles, who then represented
the United States at Madrid, directed that a demand should be made upon
Spain for the restoration of the Virginius, for the return of the
survivors to the protection of the United States, for a salute to the
flag, and for the punishment of the offending parties.

When the news of the massacre reached Washington, the Secretary of State
telegraphed Minister Sickles:

"Accounts have been received from Havana of the execution of the captain
and thirty-six of the crew and eighteen others. If true, General Sickles
will protest against the act as brutal and barbarous, and ample
reparation will be demanded."

Minister Sickles replied:

"President Castelar received these observations with his usual kindness,
and told me confidentially that at seven o'clock in the morning, as soon
as he read the telegram from Cuba, and without reference to any
international question, for that indeed had not occurred to him, he at
once sent a message to the captain-general, admonishing him that the
death penalty must not be imposed upon any non-combatant, without the
previous approval of the Cortes, nor upon any person taken in arms
against the governm