Southern shield., 1858-04-03
From the Savannah Republican, March 19. Old Naval Spirit of tER c UmiOn.

He Attdntic-Her arriudI ct SGUannah
 Statement Of Capt. DusIaGn.
 The American bark Adriatic, which became famous from her disastrous collision with the French steamer Ly- onnais, in November, 1856, and still more an object of interest from the recent seizure by the French author ities at Marseilles, her confscation by the Court of Admiralty and her subse- quant escape, arrived safely at this port an early hour yesterday. We have had @ long interview with her commander, Capt. Durham, and as the facts connected with her escape are matters of national interest, we pro- ceed to state them as briefly as the nature of the subject will allow.
 The circumstances attending the collision with the Lyonnais are already familiar 10 the public. Capt. Dur ham Is very positive that it grew out of no fault on the part of his own ves- sel, but resulted, as he alleges, from culpable mismanagement by the off cers of the steamer. The judgment of confscation was rendered by the Imperial Court of Aix in December last, and as soon as copy was served on Capt Durham, believing that it was impossible, 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 the hands of the Government. Of course he had to resort to stratagem to accomplish his purpose. Learning that the Adriatic would not be taken possession of until the full extent of the loss by the Lyonnais could be as certained, he improved the interval in devising the means of escape. He engaged a caulker and had her caulk- ed all around for about five feet above the waters edge, under the pretext that she was so open, when the min strals should set in she would sink right there in the harbor.
 Capt. D. thinks there were no sus- picions from this movement, for in the " noise and confusion ' of the caulk er's operations he and an assistant were quietly weaving the running rig ging on board, and getting ready for sea. They worked at this business about three hours every night, say from 9 o'clock till 12, when there was much noise, and 1t 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 Adriatic during the night, The crew was also shipped for another vessel, and subsequently taken on board the Adriatic, when they were so much in toxicated as not to be conscious of what was going on.
 Capt. Durham commenced getting ready to haul about 9 o'clock on the 8th January, his force consisting, be- side himself, of Capt. -, the two mates and Q boy. The vessel lay in the middle tier, about half way up the harbor, with both anchors ahead and moorcd 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- atic slipped they let go the fast of the other vessel, and hove her right into the middle of the harbor ahead of her. When the captain awoke and found out his situation, and that his vessel was adrift, there was Gvc ,:v end to his impreca- tions against " the d-d Yankees. " Captain Durham had no time to spare to his |" sacres,' but got clear of her as soon as he could and hauled down the harbor, nearly to the guard ship, when he stopped to take on his crew and to make sail. The crew were got on board by 4 o'clock. on the morning of the ninth they then set the topsaisl, 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 de- manded the fort-pass of the former. Capt. D. when asked for his pass, re- piled "prennez garde la," and threw the officer a small bit of paper with two sous wrapped up in it. The pa per and money, however-whether by accident or design the captain does not say-went over the boat and into the water, sinking to the bottom. The officer of the guard ship them inquired for the name of the vessel, when Capt. D. sung out that she was the Ameri- can ship Luna, that had cleared the day before. Nothing more was heard from the official, and the Adriatic pro- ceeded on her way.
 As soon as the fugitive got clear of the harbor, fine breeze sprung up from the eastward, and three good miles off the French coast. The Adri- atic then took her course for Spezzia, in Sardinia, the captain expecting to find his ships papers there, and also A ,lx%