Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1858-04-01
The Eecape of the Adriatic.

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The public has been interested and puz-
aled by the escape from the French author
tiles Of the barque Adriatic, q vessel made
famous BY her collision with the French
steamer Lyonnais, in November, 1856,
and the fatal results of that disaster. The
Adriatic being in the port of Marselles, was
confscated by the French Court of Admi-
rality, at the suit of persons who sustain
ed losses in the collision. The captain,
thinking himself blameless in the affair of
the Lyonnais, and having no hope of JUS
tice in the French Court, determined to
escape, and place himself under the pro-
lection ofhis own country. He did escape,
and arrived safely at Savannah on the 18th
inst. The editor of the Savannah Repub.
liran had an interview with the captain,
and received from him full narrative Of
the escade, which he published at once
We make room for some of the points:
Learning that the Adriatic would not be
taken possession of until the full extent of
the loss by the Lyonnais could be ascer-
tanned, he improved the interval in devils
ing the means of escape. He engaged a
caulker, and had her caulked all round fer
about FIVE feet above the waters edge, un-
der the pretext that she was so open, when
the mistrals should set in, she would sink
right there in the harbor. Captain D.
thinks there was no suspicious from this
movement, for in the ''noise and confus-
ion" of the oaulker's operations, he and an
assistant were quietly weaving the running
rigging on board, and getting ready for sea.
They worked at this business about three
hours every night, say from nine O'Clock
to twelve, when there was much noise, and
it was SO dark no one could either hear o,
see what they were doing. What provis-
ions they got were put on board another
vessel, and from thence transferred to the
Adriatic during the night. The crew was
also shipped for another vessel, and subse-
quently taken on board the Adriatic, when
they were so much intoxicated as not to be
conscious of what was going on.
Capt. Durham commenced getting out
about O'Clock on the evening of the sth
January, his force consisting, besides HIM
SELF of Capt. ~, the two mates, and
boy. The vessel lay in the middle tier,
about half way up the harbor, with both
anchors ahead, and moored with hawser
astern. They bsrt the two top-sails and
main top-mast stay-sail where she lay
The vessel ahead of the Adriatic was made
fast to the chain, and when the Adriatic
slipt, they let go the fast of the other ves-
sci, and hove her right into the middle of
the barbor, ahead of her. When the Cap
tain awoke and found out his situation,
and that his vessel was adr;ft, there was
no end to his imprecetions against the
"d-d Yankees" Capt. D. had no time
to spare to his ''sacres," but got clear of
him as he could, and hauled down the har-
Dor, nearly to the guard ship, when be
stopped to take on his crew and to make
sail. The crew were got on board by A
o'clock on the morning of the 9th; then
set the top-sails, and putting four oars in
the boat, put her ahead until the vessel
got steerage way.
When the Adriatic got abreast of the
guard ship, her boat came off and demand
ed the portpass of the former. Capt. D.,
when asked for his pass, replied ''prenez
garde la" and threw the officer a small
bit of paper with two sous wrapped up in
it. The paper and money, however
whether by accident or design the Cap
tain does not say-went over the boat and
into the water, sinking to the bottom
The officer of the guard ship then inquir-
ed for the name of the vessel, when Capt.
D. sung out that she was the American
ship Luna, that had cleared the day be-
fore. Nothing more was heard from the
official, and the Adriatic proceeded on her
way.