A GREAT NAVAL INCIDENT.

Samoa Times and South Sea Gazette, Volume 2, Issue 53, 5 October 1878, Page 2

A GREAT NAVAL INCIDENT.

The flnnl.of the Shannon and tho Chesapeake is vividly retold by a leader-writer of the Daily Telegraph, apropos of tho departure for another world of one of England’s old salts. Wo venture to condense this animated bit of historical description:— ■

“ There died ,1 few days since an old Greenwich pensioner, Isaac Cooper by name, and among the small effects which the voterin left behind him ‘ to bo given to his next of kin,’ was a modal, won by him for bravery in the service of his country, and a dirk which, when he was one of the Shannon’s crew, he had taken in a fair tight from an officer of the Chesapeake. This happened just sixty-five years ago, and Cooper was the last survivor of that famous fig-lit .... The first of June (1813) dawned clear and bright. The fogs rolled up from off’ the sparkling sea, and every feature of the landscape stood revealed. A hundred pleasure boats flitted to and fro upon tho inner harbour waters, and in President Hoads, her royal yards across and just ready for sea, lay the gallant Chesapeake. As her commander looked upon her deck, he saw that at the harbour month there stood on guard hut one British ship where Boston had thought there had been two ; and, while they were wondering at it, there came towards thorn a boat, bearing a challenge from Captain Broke, of' Her Britauie Majesty’s frigate Shannon,’ to come out and light him fairly in the sight of all the city.

“ ' As the Chesapeake appears now ready for sea,’ wrote Captain Broke, ‘ I request you will do mi; the favour to meet the Shannon with her, ship to ship, to try the fortune of our respective Hags. To nu officer of your character it requires some apology for proceeding to further particulars. The Shannon mounts twentyfour guns upon her broadside and one light boat gun—eighteen pounders upon iter main deck and thirty-two pound carrouadea on her quarter-deck and forecastle—and is manned with a complement of :W0 men and boys—a largo proportion of the latter. I have sent the Tencdos away beyond tile power of interfering with us, and will meet you whenever it is most agreeable to you. I will warn you should any of my friends bo too nigh or anywhere in sight until I ean detach them out of the way ; or I would sail with you, under a Hag of truce, to any place you think safest from our cruisers, hauling it down when fair to begin hostilities. You w'll fuel it a compliment when I say dial the result of our meeting may be the most grateful service I can lender to my country. Favour mo with a speedy reply. Wo are short of provisions and water, and cannot stay tong. Choose your terms hut lot us meet.'

i " This chivalrous nmicnl met with instant response from the gallant enemy, and, firing a gun in deflnnuc, tho Chesapeake shook out her sails and moved out from her shelter to where the Shannon awaited her coming. Those watching

from the shore ooold too even detail o the action thai ensued. TtoChoiapuat , ber aaugoiall gaily flying, bore down ujiou the Shannon's quarter, aud witlii u half-pistol hli-it lutfiw up, conceding i i tho British frigate the privilege af Bring liist. Two shots wore discharged from tiio Shannon in succession before tho Chesapeake deigned to reply; but tbo r- - spouse, when it came, was a shattering broadside. For seven minutes the fearfiii combat of cannon continued, and t!i. >< i the two ships fell alongside each oiai r. the anchor nukes of the Chesapeake grap pling the bulwarks of the Shannon. Three minutes more elapsed, and then the Shannon's guns had swept the Chesapeake's quaiter-dock eloar. '"Board!" cried Captain Broke, and. leaping from his .ship, ho led the part; • Twenty men followed him cine, win, driving tho enemy fighting before them to th" main hatch, maintained there a dc3porat.- until in the next mimitdkM they w«'iv ivinforced by forty more .)f Shannon's cr.-w. Another dash forward 'JI was ma.l,-, ami then the men of the (.'lksapcakc threw down their arms, and thw * British ensign, fifteen minutes after tho first shot was tired, was run up above tho American colours."