THE STORY OF THE ALABAMA'S ESCAPE.

Mount Ida Chronicle, Volume III, Issue 176, 19 July 1872, Page 3

THE STORY OF THE ALABAMA'S ESCAPE.

The following- epitome of facts, connected, with the sailing of the Alabama from our shores may serve to refresh the reader's memory : —lt was on the 14th June. 1562, that our Government first received iniormation from Mr. Adams that the Alabama was being built for warlike purposes, and that she was probably designed for the Confederate service. The Custom House Officers at Liverpool were at once ordered to watch her closely, and the American consul at that port was requested! to produce any evidence he could to tlie destination of the vessel. It was hot until the 2 Lot .that the consul obtained any evidence siifli-* ciently reliable to ground an information upon. He embodied this evidence in some affidavits which he placed i* the hands of the collector at Liverpool These affidavits were transmitted on the 22nd July to the Board of Customs in London, with a request that immediate instructions should be sent by telegraph to Liverpool, as the ship might .leave at any moment. The Board, of. Customs, an the same day took the opinion of tcie official advisers, who decided . there was no sufficient evidence to warrant a seizure of the Alabama. The Board, however, were not satisfied with this opinion, and suggested that it might be desirable to consult the law officers of the Crown. The papers were placed in their hands on the* 23rd July, and a period of five days- elapsed before their opinion was given. Early on the 29th Lord Russell, acting upon this opinion, telegraphed to Liverpool to stop the ship, but it was too late; that morning the Alabama left the Mersey on her pretended trial trip. The" Alabama went to Porto Pray a, in Terceira, where she was aimed and equipped for service. Any vessel of war could have captured her on her way thither ;, yet the Tuscarora lay idle at Southampton all the time that Messrs- Adams and Dudley were making their enquiries.