This newspaper published a news item with titled ‘a strange affaire‘. In fact was the item earlier published in the Belgian newspaper Hbl. Van Antwerp. In the night of Monday arrived a ship at Flushing, Netherlands and sailed on the Schelde. The funnel seemed to be damaged and no name was visible. The guns were covered with canvas. She arrived Tuesday 07.30 o’clock off Austruweel according to the rumours with a Dutch pilot on board. Belgian pilots and customs officers were not allowed to come on board. However someone managed to read her name on the ships’ lanterns the Ciudad de Cadiz.(1) An officer supplied more details. She was rigged as a 3-master, had a draught of 65 palmen (2), was armed with 4-12cm guns, 209cm guns and 4 revolting guns. Her speed was 17 miles. Her crew of 165 men was commanded by lieutenant 1st class Ildendo Isbarez. He came the same morning on land probably to consult the consul. She was an auxiliary cruiser coming from La Coruna. Why she came to Antwerp or her destination was unknown.
Another Dutch newspaper Het nieuws van den dag: kleine courant dated 16 July suggested that she probably came to Antwerp for the Tasso which arrived 7 July at Antwerp where she take over war stores and dynamite from the British steamships Centarus and Cheviott. These two ships arrived 8 and 9 July and departed 10 July. According to rumours was the Tasso a British ship or a Spanish ship sailing under British flag. The quick departure of the Ciudad de Cadiz was probably to make up for the Tasso.
The New York Times dated 5 February 1898 reported that the prefect of Barcelona did not allow her to depart and she was to be used as a cruiser for escorting Spanish torpedo boats towards Cuba. She served on the line Barcelona-Havana, Cuba and measured 1,845 register tons.
Notes
1. In 1898 were Spain and the United States in war.
2. A palm was similar to 10cm.
