The Record Union

ORDERED TO HEAVE TO

The Tug George W. Childs Fired Upon by a Revenue Cutter.

BELIEVED TO HAVE A FILIBUSTERING PARTY ON BOARD.

JACKSONVILLE (Fla.), July 21.—A cablegram from Key West to the Times-Union says: The city was greatly excited this afternoon by hearing reports of cannon, and it was soon learned that the revenue cutter McLane was firing at the tug George W. Childs, which left this morning. Soon after leaving the Collector of Customs, upon information of the Spanish Consul, ordered the McLane to overtake the Childs and bring her back to port.

It is rumored that a deckhand by the name of William Lynch, who shipped at Jamaica, had furnished the Consul with information to the effect that she was bound on a filibustering expedition.

Lieutenant Hay of the McLane says that signals were set for the Childs to heave to, but no attention was paid to them, and seeing no chance of overtaking her, two solid shots and one shell were fired before she came about. She was boarded by a crew from the cutter with Lieutenant Hay in command, and brought into port about 3 o'clock.

Captain Swain of the Childs is indignant at being fired upon, and says that he knows no reason why such action should be taken. He says that he was properly entered for his trip at Jamaica, and while some slight irregularities did exist in his crew list, it was owing to the fault of his brokers at Philadelphia, and had been settled at the Custom-house here. He sailed from Jamaica on June 12th, and after touching at Point Salina and Barahona for repairs, he sailed for Key West, where he arrived on the 3d. He was ordered to Tortugas to be fumigated, and after remaining there several days, he came back to Key West. He said yesterday about noon that he cleared his tug for New York, having first surrendered his register and taken out enrollment and coasting licenses, and that shortly before leaving the assistant engineer reported to him that he saw a party offer Lynch some money, and he was informed by Lynch that it was $200 to corroborate what the fireman had reported, and that his answer was that he knew nothing and could say nothing. The Captain sent a deckhand, shipped at this port, to find out the person who was talking to Lynch. He returned saying that Lynch was then talking to the Spanish Consul.

The entire Cuban population turned out to visit the Childs this afternoon.