END OF THE ALABAMA.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume 4, Issue 1067, 6 May 1882, Page 1 (Supplement)

END OF THE ALABAMA.

terribly with kicking-tkerc, just above where ho was fired,"

"Here, you'd better hook it," said the fellow, wrathfully, "If y on g i ve me any more of your cheek I'll punch your head, that b what I'll do, I don't believo you could raise a fi'puu note to save your life,"' "Open the door, my good fellow," I said, quietly "and don'tnso threats, and don't be abusive. There are police in the next street, and horse-copers do sometimes, get a few months' imprisonment for cheating." _ The man looked white in his wrath, and just then a big, red-faced, burly fellow made his appearance; and for the life of me I could not help saying, "Is that the captain?" The aspect of both was ominous enough to make me beat a retreat, and I went homo and disappointed .my wife by telling her this last trick of the horse swindlers, It is being carried out in a similar manner day by day, and they generally find someone to victimize with ponyand harness, brougham horse, pair, carriage, or gentle mare, warranted quiet to ride or drive. The gang got the fag end of the lease of some well-situated stables, and go on with their tricks till tho neighborhood gets too hot to hold them, and then they try a fresh place, where they bait for more gudgeons, and they catch them too, Their widtts operandi is invariably some version of the above, while the showy scrows they sell they dress up, file their teeth, dyo, groom to the highest perfection, and oven shoe in a way that shall conceal lameness, At times they have, as in this case, handsome, well-bred horses that have had their day, and are irretrievably broken down j at other times, somo brute that is a perfect savage in its vicious propensities; and, again, at other times, a poor brokenwinded "roarer" that is only fit to be converted into a variety of useful objects, including cats'-meat, leather, and glue. Our old reading. lesson, I think, in-Mayor's Spelling, used to begin, "How noble a beast IS tho horse!" True, aud yet what a heap of rascality is somehow piled upon his back, Horse dealing is terribly mixed up with roguery, but there is a very good touchstone to be applied in the purchase of a pony or horse, If a horse is good it is worth the money asked-as a rule-but if it is to be bought of a stranger, have it first upon trial. A respectable vendor will willingly consent, If the trial is refused, however attractive the animal may bo, don't lityl—Tke Weekly Times (London), :

love your enemy, Betfd his hoy a toy pistol, 187

The vessels wore as neat evenly, matched is possible, the tonnage of both being about equal,' The Alabama drew more water than tlio Kearsarge, owing Jo tho fact that her coal-bunkers contained a much larger supply of' black diamonds. The Captain of tho Kear. sargo had, however, takeu the precaution to protect the weakest spot—his empty bunkers —and'traced cable chain up and down tho entire waist, the starboard side being the onty side visible during the action, Tho official reports credit the Kearsarge with two 11-inch rillo guns, which did terrible execution; ono 2l)-poumler rifle, and four light 32-pounders, smooth, making seven guns in all. Tho Alabama had the advantago in armament, Her. battery consisted of one 100-rilled pivot; one G3-pounder and six 32pounders, making eight guns, whose united caliber exceeded hor opponent's, Tho Kear-

sargc, in the official report of Captain Winslow, numbered 165 men. The number that was claimed by Captain Sommes is conflicting, one report making less than 130, all told, and another statement a littlo above that number. Actually, there was little if any difference in the number of tho crew. The Alabama, being somewhat the faster vessel, compensated for her apparent disadvantage in being heavier laden, Both commanders were on their mettle, The officers of each vessel were alert and active, The respective crews were eager to meet foemeu worthy of their steel; but the eagerness that obtained in the different crews sprung from entirely different motives, Whilo on tho one side the fire of patriotism and a desire to annihilate their country's foe nerved their hearts and arms and prompted to heroic deeds, on the other, disgust with the service, desperation, recklessness and the merp auimal feeling of combativencss under excitement were tho only incentives, This was plainly illustrated in the subsequent engagement, The rapid, almost aimless, serving of tho guns, on the one side was in striking contrast with the steady, terrible effectiveness of the other, inasmuch that whilo littlo. more than onehalf the number of shots were fired by tho crow of tho Kearsarge, tho earnest purpose with which they were directed indicated the feelings which animated, the men,

The first crew of the Alabama was composed chiefly of Western Ocean packet rats, culled from tho purlieus of Dennison street, Liverpool, and shipped at a high rate of wages. These men, provided by crimps of tho stripe of John Da Costa (a noted American shipping agent in Liverpool), were numerically, increased by Welsh coasters from Liverpool, 'longshore-inen, or" dock-wallop-ers," as they arc called, and a few good, capable South Spainei'3, ormen used to deepwater sailing and long voyages, Some of thcsoliad an inkliug of tho .character and ultimate purpose of tho vcsssl, Others, induced by the high rate of pay offered, were careless where they shipped to or for what, while others, having straggled with £2lO a., per month for years, saw nothing but a sudden accession of wealth in the offer of £3los, £4, and in some instances more money for capable, steady seamen, The complement of men was shipped to different points, whence they were again forwarded' to their vessel, and in course of a short time a full complement of 175 men was enrolled during her career obapino and often bloodshed. Many of the original crew became disgusted with the service and deserted at differentjports,

and their places were supplied with, others who were willing to, accept big money and ask no questions,.so that toward tho termiua-. ■tionof lior career a move heterogeneous set of men it would be difficult to, get together, and scarcely over havo, I imagine,been ship- : mates, Nearly every nationality was', represented, . Englishmen from every shire had thoir representatives,; Tho broad- dialect of tho Lancashire men'and the burr of the •Somersetshire alternated with the.cookriey patois arid the' Northern dialects'," Welsh' men, North and South, canny Scots,' and natives of the Emerald Isle were messed together, and Russians.and.Germans, Frenchmen and Italians, Norwegians'and' Swedes formed no small portion of the ci'ew.AvliUe a sprinkling of Chileans, Portuguese and Span-' iards served as a flavor, Tho officers, headed, by Captain Sommes, and his. executive, J. M, Kell, or Kill-or-curo, as the boys call him (a very able nianj, were composed ofAmericans arid Englishmen', The' warrant, ■officers and pettyoffioers wore almost entirely. Europeans, The engine and firo department were relegated to Scotch machinists and' stokers of mixed nationality, Euriior, which novcr can bo choked, had spread abroad tho fact that it was the intention of Semmes to fight his ship, The prospect of a fair fight.was something to look forward to, On the' : evening of Jmw 18th, the packing-cases,' containing chronometers and other valuables, and the: private appropriations of those'in authority, were transferred, a portion on board of tho'yacht Deer-, hound and tho rest sent on shoro, The important day at length dawned,- bright and glorious, The sun beamed in the harbor,' A slight haze to seaward of the breakwater and a gentlo westerly wind dissipated any excess of heat. At early, daybreak boats-from.tho shore, the yacht Deerhonnd and the French war vessel Couronne were alongside, and the after-cabin teemed with visitors. Hammocks were stowed into the nettings, the men were 'piped to breakfast, and at 8,30 the crew in-, speoted at quarters,. The gnus were pjvoted to starboard, the magazines opened, and everything cleared for action, This looked, like business, and exhilaration spread among the men, Captain Sommes seemed confident, and expressed his ability to "blow the : Yankee out of tho water at loug range before she could get a chance." : Lieutenant Kell was busily inspecting and overlooking everything. All tho gunners, trained onboard Her Majesty's ship Excellont, were eager to try their prowess and display their skill, Tho , visitors departed, and at 9,30 the Alabama

slipped her cable and steamed out to whore her opponent lay, some miles to seaward, followed by the steam yacht Deerhonnd, owned by Sommes' friend and aid, John W, Lancaster of Lancashire, member of tho Royal Yacht Squadron of Cowes, and also the Royal Mersey Yacht Club; likewise by the French plated man-of-war Couronno, who accompanied her to see that no violation of neutrality was : indulged in, The Kearsarge steamed away to seaward until about nine or ten miles from tho breakwater, when she veered and headed direct for the Alabama. That stopped the chaff the boys had been passing around about her having weakened, and turned tail, and each one seemed to realize at last that this was to be no child's play. By this time about three miles intervened between the belligerents, which was rapidly being decreased. When within about a mile anil a quarter from the Kearsarge tho Alabama veered, presenting her starboard broadside, arid opened the ball by firing her 110-pomulcr rifled pivot at an elevation for 2000 yards' ran°e, followed alI most simultaneously by a whole broadside. 1 The guns were worked and served with the utmost rapidity, and in a few minutes another broadside was poured in, when the Kearsarge, being by this time about eight hundred yards distant, presented her starboard battery and tho firing becamo general, Tho spirit of carnage had begun to animate the crew, and the desire to be the upper dog in the fight stirred each man to emulation. A few broadsides passed, when the Kearsarge, under full head of steam, forged ahead, steering so as to pass the Alabama's stern and rake her fore and aft, and also get between her and the shore. This manouvre was checkmated by a port helm, causing both vessels to move in a circle revolving around a common centre, distant from each other about 500 or GOO yards. The firing, meantime, continued with.unabated vigor, The steady directness of the. fire from the Kearsarge now began to be felt, The eleven-inch shells poured into the ill-fated Alabama .with sickening regularity and precision, dealing death and destruction on every hand, Guns were dismounted and their crews decimated by a single shot, Early in tho action a shell struck the blade of the fan, breaking it short off and injuring tho rudder. • Another landed in tho engine-room and tore things all to pieces, damaging tho machinery, making a hole in tho boiler, and flooding the stokehole with boiling water. On deck the prospect was not more cheer

.ing. dropped dead, put in twain by.shot ; or shell, while tho groans of tho wounded,' struck by the erashiug and'flying 'splinters, mingled with the muttered curses of the seamen arid. tlifl : hoarse' ordora' of : gunuel'3 ; aiid : iofficertf.' At 12.30 Mr. Koll had jib and foretopsails hoisted; and to stahdin '■toward shore, distant by tins timeabout'five jmiles, This was prevented by .her opponent ranging up awl pouring in; a- raking 'fire of shot and shell.' - ■ Word was passed aft almost immediately that i'thV-vessel was linking;: a flag of truoe'was "■■ suspended: from the quarter;' arid, jthe .-new-officer''(Sin-clair) ient in'ai-bbat to-aurrehder-tho-vessel, -During his absenco the whaleboat; dingy and f.tlirce-cutters:-wero'lannohcd/and- preparations i made 'to desert tho doomed ■' vessel; Before they could.be perfected, however,-slic j settled by tlio stern; her head rising high but of the water. The mainmast, whioh had beo'n I already badly;.shattered by the firing, went by tho board, and a few seconds sufficed ti : engulf tlioshattered hulk of tliolato scourge o'fthe seasi 'Struggling in vortex .wero many of tho crew, and'tho efforts of Sinclair,: who had received permission from Captain : Wirislow to return and rescue the survivors, i-were soon ably.soconded by the boats'of the j 'Deerhound, two cutters from the Kears'arge |.and two French'pilot-boats, who too' near , j tho spot, ;i The. whale-boat and dingy of the Alabama, with:the'boats of the Deerhound, .well freighted, made quiokly for .the yacht,which immediately 'steamed -to the north- ■■ ward, ( -bearing safely away .from captivity ■Garlfcaih. Senimes anAa majority of his' "best lowers," while tho cutters'transferred their cargoes to ; tho- Kearsarge,, One pilot-boat ,turned over those she had rescued to the Mm sheltering: care,;while tho other ono' ; stood in for shore and aided in the escape of those who were lucky enough to get on beard ■of her. Tho Kbavsargo picked up and' had : transferred to hcrdecka a total of aveoffieers, j sixty-three, men,-and onp'dead body. .'Sem;mes, on board the Deerhound, reached South- . ainpton. with thirteen of his officers and ! nearly-thirty of his orew and petty officers, i| The pilot-boat landed ■ quite a number, and the killed and drowned were never accounted for, Surgeon Alvord was in the cockpit when the vessel sank ahd was undoubtedly drowned, as wcro: tho many. wounded: who lay thorb waiting his ministration,. Of the mauy who came on board a short'time-pre-vious to the action, no report has been issued that included either thcin or their fate. Tlio action;lasted a little more than one hour.— Philadelphia Times, ,- , , : :,