New-York daily tribune., 1861-08-11
REDEu PaIyATEERzNG.

so short tine. Another noticeable circ1in' 'a'0o
was the apparent CONSERVATION whicn s''N'" cn
the commercial public when 1t was suPpoSeo' ia
the first place, that England would couhtehance
these nr;yateers. and afterward when 1t was as
contained that one or two of them had actually
got to sea- Then came intelligence that numer-
ous captures had been made, and a new panic
succeeded: whereupon, taking the newspapers as
q or;ds Il would seem as if dozen fleets had
forthwith put to sea in pursuit OF these pirates.
Now, this CONSERVATION was apparent only IN
strictly maritime circles, among parties interested
as owners, shippers, or underwriters; and the
public generally, from absence Of pecuuiary risk,
could not comprehend why so much alarm should
be manifested at only one or two roSers being
abroad. But the alarm was perfectly natural
and those who entertained it were well qualified
to estimate the damage to the whole shipping
interest which single pirate lowering on the
coast might occasion. 1t should be remembered,
also, that pIivateering has ever been pet en-
ploy ment of Americans, aud that when entered
upon with wars with European nations, we have
pushed it to limit beyond that Of any other
sweeping commerce from the ocean, penetrating
harbors, rayaging foreign coasts, impovershiDg
thousands of owners, and absolutely paraly sing
the maritime energies of the nation against which
we were fighting. Our destructive proficiency
has been 50 tremendous that European Govern
ments have been urgent for us to unite with
them in banishiUg pri7ateeriDg from the catalogue
of belligerent rights. In our war with England,
| her newspapers were crowded with complaints
against the mbecility of the Government for not
being able to protect her seas and harbors from
the ravages of American privateers. Though
nearly hundred British ships were cruising on
our coast, yet our privateers swept the West
India seas, carried desOlatCn to the coast of
England and Ireland capturing innumerable
storeshps within sight of British garrisons, and
running up insurance rates at Lloyds to figure
which gave the finishing blow to commerce. As
pryateering was the fayorite pastime of Ameri-
cans whenever opportunity occurred to indulge
! in it, SO have they ever become expert aud daa-
! gerous All these facts are better known to the
maritime interests than to any other, because of
| their enormous stake in the freedom of the
ocean. If Americans were to be pitted against
Americans, they were too well posted in the
history of privateering not to feel great alarm.
Hence the outcry referred to was made with full
knowledge Of the danger to be encountered.
Some "reminiscences Of privateering feats per-
formed during the war with England, will show
how dangerous single vessel, ably commanded
and armed may become. AS all privateerng is
undertaken for personal gain, it would seem as
if the chance of securing the latter rendered both
Captain and crew doubly bold and reckless. In
most cases the odds of battle did not seem to DO
counted the value of the ship to be taken being
alone estimated. Hence the annals of privateer
irg abound in brilliant achievements which sur
pass the greatest ever accomplished by the Navy.
A tw0.penny Baltimore schooner, called the High
| fyer captured numerous vessels in the course Of
! q few days, took a ship out OF a Jamaica fleet
in the face of frigate which was giving con.
vOy, put prZe crew on board and sent her
| bome then attacked two large ships belonging to
the same feet, mounting together - guns and
80 men, aud after an action of twenty minutes
carried them both by boarding. These ships
contained specie, run, and sugar, and were
nearly 200 tuns burden. The odds agoinst the
priyateer were great, but the spoil was tempt
ing, and hence the daring effort to secure it.
The Dolphin, of Salem, in single cruise of
twenty days, captured six valuable prizes. Capt.
Barney, in the schooner Rosse, captured fifteen
vessels in cruise of iorty-iye days, their aggre-
gate value being $l,269,0O0. In ten days from
his return to Newport he was off on another
cruise. The Young Eagle, small vessel carry
ing only one gun, and AZ men, belonging to this
port, attacked the ship Grenade, ii guns 80
men, 7GO tuns burden, and loaded with 700
hOgsheads Of sugar, cotton, and coffee, and at the
same time engaged the schooner Shadocb also with
a valuable cargo. After desperate action of an
hour and half, both vessels surrendered aud
were sent in. The Comet, a small Baltimore
clipper, captured two ships of 200 tuns burden
after saDguinary battle, from which clean
profit Of S250000 was realizcd-all done within
q fortnight. The schooner Atlas, Captain Maflit,
after an action of an hour and twenty minutes
captured two merchantmen of 750 tuns, and %
guns, both having East India cargOes. Captain
Barney's second cruise in the ROssie was even
more fruitful than the first, as he captured three
ships and eleven brigs aud schooGcrs, valued at
over 81 100000. These cruisers became at times
so crowded with prisoners as to be compelled TO
get rd of them by filling prize and letting her
go. The Rolla, of Baltimore, with one guu aud
so men, within three days, captured, oil Madeira
four ships, two brigs, and schooner, part Of
the Cork fleet, carrying together So guns and
$50 men, and worth 81, 100000. Such was the
activity of these prvateers, that at this port
aone 266 merchant vessels captured at sen, ar
rived safely betxeen Aoril x and Auoust 80