The Sun.
London, England, 1869-02-18 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 18, 1E69.

THE GULP STBFAM.

The present warm weather has evoked a discussion
on the Gulf Stream, which institution is called upon
to prove that it exists. Lieutenant Maury is for the
time disregarded, and Mr. Findlay has publicly
declared at the Geographical Society, that that
eminent " observer" has stuffed the world with a lot
of bosh. The Lieutenant, however, is not without
defenders, and Mr. Findlay will have to answer a lot
of objections before his new theory will be generally
received. It is an ascertained fact—or supposed to
be—that across the Pacific a stream of water—a
kind of river in the sea—is continually running ;
that the thermometer shews this current to be of a
higher heat than the surrounding waters, and that
below it the water is of the usual temperature. The
question is whether this water washing our shores
increases the temperature of the land. It is at pre-
sent a mere question of Maury versus Findlay, and
while it remains so most non-professional people will
defer judgment.

rorte sent a commission to isagaaa to inquire into tne
disputed points and definitely settle the boundary ques-
tion. This commission did its work well for some time,
but it is now announced that it has broken down alto-
gether, and hence the quarrel. On what special point the
difference has arisen is not yet clear. Equally difficult is
it to decide which party is in the right ; but it is to be
hoped that the Conference will have a reflective influence,
and prevent any serious issue. As the Shah of Persia
is now little more than a Russian satrap, a war of this
kind might probably affect English interests in the East,

disappear. I see the New York Times notices the
pleasure Grant expressed from his reception at Bal-
timore, particularly with the manner in which many
of those heretofore regarded as sympathisers with the
rebellion put their political differences out of sight
and mingled in the best spirit with their most Radi-
cal opponents. The occasion is believed to have
done much toward removing the intense asperity of
feeling that has existed in that city.
The French Transatlantic Cable Company allege
that the resolution referred to the Committee on
Foreign relations requiring the consent of Congress
to the landing of a foreign sub-marine cable is in
the interest of the Newfoundland and Valentia
line, and ask to be heard in the Senate by counsel.
Dr. Mudd and Mr. Sprangler are likely to be par-
doned by the President. An amusing instance was
furnished to the Joint Committee on Ordnance to-
day of the jealousy with which inventors regard
each other's creations in their own line. How does
your Whitworth and Armstrong pull together, as
I propose to show what sort of a team our Dahlgren
and Rodman make. Rodman has just been exa-
mined by this Committee, and freely stated that
the Dahlgren gun was worthless. Admiral Dahlgren
was examined to-day, and mournfully testified to
the utter failure of the Rodman gun ! Both are
scientific officers, but I think the Committee might
look elsewhere for information on artillery. General
Ingalls considers that the Ordnance and Artillery
should be merged, and the Engineer Corps
perform the duties of Coast Survey. This offi-
cer was chief quartermaster of the Army of
the Potomae, and gave his opinions to the Mili-
tary Committee of the Home. He thinks the
quartermaster, paymaster, and commissary depart-
ments should make one bureau, with a third of the
present employes. General Rollins is to be examined,
and it is supposed he will speak Grant's views ;
General Thomas's opinion also will be taken.
Robert J. Walker came voluntarily before the
Committee on Public expenditure to state his con-
tempt for the paragraph circulating about him and
his Alaska fee. He cared nothing, but others urged
him to this action. Martin had called on him in
a vain attempt to levy black mail, and a self-styled
newspaper correspondent bad communicated to his
associate counsel that be was able to control the
press and many members of Congress. Walker in-
dignantly sent him word that he had no such money,
and if he had he would not thus use it, on which
the correspondent became riled and threatened to
kill the bill and call on Walker, but this honourable
Robert said if he came to his office he would kick
him out. Why, while giving all the voluntary
testimony, did he not say something about the
Alaska fee ?

AMERICAN LITERATURE.

(From the Anglo-American Times.)
(THIRD NOTICE.)

A 1 y Adventures Afloat in the Sumter and Alabama.

By Admiral Raphael Semmes.

After some stay at the Cape the Alabama stretched
away into the Indian Seas, carrying dismay among
.the islands of the Chinese archipelago and on the
coasts of India. Singapore became blockaded with
American vessels, and the bay of Bengal illuminated
with their bnrning hulks, and having effected as much
mischief as possible, she commenced her homeward
voyage. On the 2d of May the cruiser recrossed the
Equator, but not what she had been ; " she was
like the wearied fox-hound limping back after a
long chase, foot sore, and longing for quiet and
repose. Her commander, like herself, was well-nigh
worn down. Vigils by night and by day, the
storm and the drenching rain, the frequent and
rapid change of climate, now freezing, now melt-
ing, or broiling, and the constant excitement of the
chase and capture, had laid in the three years of
war be had been afloat a load of a dozen years on
his shoulders. The shadows of a sorrowful future,
too, began to rest upon his spirit. The last batch
of newspapers captured were full of disasters.
Might it not be that, after all our trials and sacri-
fices, the cause for which we were struggling would
be lost? Might not our Federal system of govern-
ment be destroyed, and State independence become
a phrase ; the glorious fabric of our American
liberty sinking, as so many others had done before
it, under a new invasion of Brennuses and Attilas ?
The thought was hard to bear." On the 10th June
the Lizard was made, and next day the Alabama
let go her anchor in Cherbourg, the last port she
was destined to enter. The Kearsarge arrived from
Flushing on the 14th June, and after making an
unsuccessful application for the prisoners landed
from the Alabama took her station off the port.
Admiral Semmes sent to inform Captain Winslow
that he would engage him if he waited till he had
coaled. The crew of the Alabama were not only
willing, but anxious for the combat. "The stories,"
says Semmes, " that ran the round of the Federal
papers at the time, that my crew was composed
mainly of trained gunners from the British prac•
tice ship Excellent were certainly without foun-
dation. I had on board some half-dozen British
seamen, who had served in ships of war in for-
mer years, but they were in no respect supe-
rior to the rest of the crew. As for the two
ships, though the enemy was superior to me both
in size, stanchness of construction, and arma-
ment, they were of force so nearly equal, that
I cannot be charged with rashness in having of-
fered battle." The Kearsarge mounted seven guns :
two 11-inch Dahlgrens, four 32-pounders, and a
rifled 28-pounder. The superiority of the United
States man-of-war lay in her two Dahlgrens, which
enabled her, though mounting one gun less than the
Alabama, to throw a heavier broadside. The for-
mer had a crew of 162 all told, the latter 149. The
French frigate Uouronne accompanied the Alabama
out of port to prevent French waters from being vio-
lated. It was a fine Sunday, the heights were crowded
with anxious spectators--many from Paris, and seve-
ral boats came out, among them an English steam-
yacht, the Deerhound. The Kearsarge lay about six
or seven miles off. When under-weigh and ready for
action, Semmes called his crew aft and addressed them
in a few animated words, which were received with a
stern silence. On nearing to within a mile and a
half the Kearsarge suddenly
wheeled, presenting the
starboard battery, and heading in shore. The Ala-
bama then opened with solid shot, the distance being
about a mile. Both ships came on under a press cf
steam, and to prevent their passing each other too
rapidly they moved round in a circle, the distance
across ranging from one-half to three-quarters of a
mile: When within shell range the Alabama used
that projectile, but observing that they had little
effect on the Kearsarge Semmes returned to solid
shot, alternating, however, with shell. In ten mi-
nutes, the spanker-gaff being shot away the Confe-
derate flag came down by the run, but it was re-
placed at the mizzen-mast head. The shells of the
Kearsarge began soon to tell fatally, killing men and
smashing in the sides of the Alabanza as they ex-
ploded. After an hour and ten minutes she was in
a sinking state, and Semmes made a desperate
effort to drive his vessel upon the French coast with
both steam and sail, but she filled so rapidly that
the fires were extinguished, when he hauled down
his colours, and sent a boat to inform the Kearsarge
of his condition. During the twenty minutes which
remained every exertion was made in the Alabama
to save the wounded and such boys as were unable
to swim in the only boats not destroyed by the
enemy's shot, the quarter boats. Then the crew,
as directed, jumped overboard, and the Alabama
went do vn stern foremost. At first no movement was
made in the Kearsarge, but when the Alabama sunk
one boat was sent out, then another, but the Dee--
hound steamed into the midst of the drowning men
and saved the captain and forty of his crew. Nine
of them were killed in the action, twenty-one were
wounded, and ten were drowned. The Confederate
Admiral brings two charges against the Near cage.
That she violated all the rules of chivalry, as she
accepted and fought a single combat, deceiving her
enemy into the belief that both were woolen ships
and fought on equal terms, while beneath the dis-
guise of a thin planking the Aearsarge was in reality
iron-clad. Iler cables had been fixed perpendicu-
larly from the rail to the water's edge, thus coat-
ing the outside amidship on both sides. The other
charge is that she not only fired five shots after the
Alabama had struck, but she left the men to drown,
although she could easily have saved them, being but
some 400 yards off when the vessel sank ; and Sm.,'