Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-03-24
ESCAPE OF THE ADRIATtC.
Her Voyage Across the AtIautic.-Her Ar
rlSai at Savannah. of Captain
Durham.


The American bark Adriatic, which became
famous from her disastrous collision with the
French steamer Lyonnais, in November, 1856,
and still more an object of interest from her
recent seizures by the French authorities at
MarSeilles, her cOnfiscatiOn by the Court of
Admiralty, and her subsequent escape ar
rived safely at this port at early hour yes
terday. We have had a long interview with
her commander, Capt. Durham, and as the
facts connected with her escape are matters Of
national interest, VIC proceed to state them rs
briefly n the nature of the subject will allow
The circumstances attending the collision
with the LyOnnaise are slready familiar to the
public. Capt. Durham is very positive that it
grew out OF no fault on the part of his own
vessel, but resulted, as he alleges, from pa
bic Encouragement by the officers of the
steamer. The judgment of copfiscation was
rendered by the Imperial Court of AK in De-
cember last, and as soon as a copy was served
on Capt Durham, believing that il was i'm
possible, IN the excited state of the public
mind IN France, to obtain justice, he resolved
to make his escape if possible, and place the
whole matter in ths hands of his Government
Of course he had to resort to stratageu 10 ac-
complish his purpose. Learning that the Adri-
attic would not be taken possession of until the
full extent of the loss by the Lyonnais could
he ascertained, he improved the interval in
devising the means of escape. lie engaged
caulker and had her cau!ked all around for
about i've feet above the waters edge under
the pretext that che WAS so open, when the
mIStrals should set In, she would sink right
there IN the harbor. Capt ID. thinks there
we're no suspicious from this movement, for in
the noise and confusion" Of the caulkcrs'
operations he and an assistant were ouictIy
weaving the running rigging on board, and
gett ng ready for sea. They worked mt this
business about three hours every night say
from nine o'clock till twelve, when there was
much noise, and it was so dark no one could
either hear or see what they were doing What
provisions they got were put on board another
vessel, and from thence transferred to the Adri-
atic during the night. The crew was also
shipped for another vessel, and subsequently,
taken on board the Adriatic when they were
so much intoxicated not to be conscious of
what was going on.
Capt Durham commenced getting ready to
haul out about O'Clock on the evening of the
Sth January, his force consisting, besides him.
self, OF Capt. -, the two mates and a bow
The vessel lay in the middle tier, about half
way up the harbor, with both anchors ahead
and mOored with a hawser astern. They bent
the two topsails and main topmast stay-sail
where she lay. The vessel ahead of the Adriatic
was made fast to the chain, and when the Adri-
attic slpt they let go the fast of the other vessel
and hove her right into the middle of the har-
Dor, ahead Of her. When the captain awoke
and found out his situation, and that his vessel
was adrift, there was no end to his imprecatiops
IL. u.
time TO spare TO his g sacres," but got clear of
him as soon as he could, and hauled down the
harbOr, nearly to the guard ship, when ne
stopped to take on his crew and to make sail.
The crew were got on board by O'Clock on the
morning Of the 9Th; they then set the topsails.
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 of and demanded the fort
pass Of the former. Capt. D., when asked for
his pass, replied "prennez garde Ia 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
captain does not say-went over the boat and
into the water, sinking 10 the bottom The
Othcer OF the guard ship then inquired for the
name of the vessel, when Captain D. sung out
that she was the American ship Luna. that had
cleared the day before. Nothing more was
heard from the official, and the AIriatic pro-
ceeded on her way
As soon rs tho fugitive got clear Of the har-
bOr hne breeze sprung up from the eastward.
and at dayb she abreast ng PIsinier
and three good miles of the French coast
The Adriato then took her course for Spezzia.
in Sardinia, the Captain expecting TO find his
shIpS papers there, and also some American
man-Of war, who might supply him with Mn
anchor and such other articles as he stood in
need OF. She arrived at SpezLia on the morn
ing of the 10th of January and anchored with
left them at the wharf in Marseilles There
was no man-Ot-war In port, and her papers had
not arrived. Having no bill of health the
Sardlnlan authorities would not permit her to
land. Captain ID. then went ashore himself 70
the Practique office. where he met the Ameri
can Consul who informed him that intelligence
of his escape had reached there and that the
French Government had telegraI he'd to all the
ports In the Mediterranean TO stop the vessel
In whatever port she might he found Soon
alter her arrival, orders came from Turin IN
seiEe the vessel, and the officers actually pla.ed
gun-bOat under her stern, with two pun-
mounted, having received orders to fire sb9uId
any any attempt be made by the captain of the
hdrlatlc To move from the spot. The next or
ders were that the vessel should not be mo-
Tested, but that none of her men were In bs
allowed communication with the shore. nor was
any thing TO be sent on board Of her not even
water, nor any other kind of assistance offered
In few days, upon further reflection. all
these orders were Withdrawn, and Canaan
Durham allowed to take whatever he desired
TO Ills vessel or rather, "a he states whatever
he was able to pay for which was very IittIo
Col. Long, the United States storekeener at
Spezzia, kindly furnished the vessel with all
she wanted Just as she got her provisions
and water on board, there came ON fresh bIow
from tho northward, and the vessel was riding
by the kedge and forty five fathoms Of chain
WIN one OF the chain boxes filled with stones
TO back 1t, and hawser bent 10 the other chain
box. She lay then in what is called PenagaIia
Bay with the wind blowing right on shore
ABOUT two o'clock the vessel commenced
dragging; all hands went 10 work and got sail
on as soon as possible, cutting away one chain
box and dragging the other by the point. which
she neared so closely that one might have
Jumped ashore from the deck. The vessel kent
drifting until Capt ID. was compelled to run a
hauser ashore to the lazaretto, where he made
out 10 mold her, until he went to town and vot his
papers Returning to the bark. he putt Ia
The day following the Adriatic boarded the
ship Elizabeth Dennison, from whom she got
more provisions and an anchor She tbcn I1,I
beautiful passage Of eleven days to Madeira,
after first beating about for some time in order
30 put certain parties ashore who had no desire
TO take trip u America. The voyage from
Madeira to the United States was a long and
tedious one, she having encountered alter
onlr - L. l. L