The Hornet incident was an 1871 diplomatic incident involving

Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...

Haiti Haiti (; ht, Ayiti ; French: ), officially the Republic of Haiti (); ) and formerly known as Hayti, is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles archipelago of the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and ...

, and the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...

. During the Ten Years War between

and

Cuba Cuba ( , ), officially the Republic of Cuba ( es, República de Cuba, links=no ), is an island country comprising the island of Cuba, as well as Isla de la Juventud and several minor archipelagos. Cuba is located where the northern Caribbea ...

ns in January 1871, the ''Hornet'' (a small

steamship A steamship, often referred to as a steamer, is a type of steam-powered vessel, typically ocean-faring and seaworthy, that is propelled by one or more steam engines that typically move (turn) propellers or paddlewheels. The first steamships ...

flying the flag of the United States) arrived at

Port-au-Prince Port-au-Prince ( , ; ht, Pòtoprens ) is the capital and most populous city of Haiti. The city's population was estimated at 987,311 in 2015 with the metropolitan area estimated at a population of 2,618,894. The metropolitan area is define ...

, followed by two Spanish

men-of-war The man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a Royal Navy expression for a powerful warship or frigate from the 16th to the 19th century. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually reserved for a ship armed wi ...

. At that time, the

American Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage of ...

was yet to achieve the strength that it would later have in 1898. The ''Hornet'' was charged with being a

pirate Piracy is an act of robbery or criminal violence by ship or boat-borne attackers upon another ship or a coastal area, typically with the goal of stealing cargo and other valuable goods. Those who conduct acts of piracy are called pirates, v ...

, having

contraband Contraband (from Medieval French ''contrebande'' "smuggling") refers to any item that, relating to its nature, is illegal to be possessed or sold. It is used for goods that by their nature are considered too dangerous or offensive in the eyes o ...

of war intended for the Cuban

insurgents An insurgency is a violent, armed rebellion against authority waged by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare from primarily rural base areas. The key descriptive feature of insurgency is its asymmetric nature: small irreg ...

on board. The Spanish asked that the ''Hornet'' be given up to them. The

United States Minister Diplomatic rank is a system of professional and social rank used in the world of diplomacy and international relations. A diplomat's rank determines many ceremonial details, such as the order of precedence at official processions, table seating ...

interposed, stating that the ''Hornet'' was a bona fide American steamer. For this reason, Haiti refused to deliver the ship, and remained firm in this decision despite the presence of the Spanish men-of-war in the harbor of Port-Au-Prince and the open threats made by Spain's representatives. On October 5, 1871, the Spanish

Consul Consul (abbrev. ''cos.''; Latin plural ''consules'') was the title of one of the two chief magistrates of the Roman Republic, and subsequently also an important title under the Roman Empire. The title was used in other European city-states throug ...

addressed an ultimatum to the Haitian Secretary of Foreign Affairs, demanding the delivery of the ''Hornet'' within 24 hours. The dispute became threatening for Haiti when the United States decided to relieve the country of all further responsibility in the matter. In consequence,

man-of-war The man-of-war (also man-o'-war, or simply man) was a Royal Navy expression for a powerful warship or frigate from the 16th to the 19th century. Although the term never acquired a specific meaning, it was usually reserved for a ship armed wi ...

''Congress'' was dispatched to Port-au-Prince, with instructions to convoy the ''Hornet'' either to Baltimore or to New York. This steamer eventually left Port-au-Prince in January 1872, which put an end to the controversy between Haiti and Spain.

References

Haiti–United States relations Foreign relations of Haiti Foreign relations of Spain Spain–United States relations Ten Years' War 1870s in Haiti 1870s in the United States 1870s in Spain {{Haiti-hist-stub