New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-02-12
DrrRhDArIoNs OF TINE SUMTER.

A letter from Gibraltar, dated January 90 says:
You viii have already heard by telegraph OF the
arrival of the Sumter Ia this bay On tfloay night
"a message WAS received letc saving that Size had
Ne wind w.s favorable for the pass ee of vessels
through the ) ml,s g. the west ward Il was thought
not unlikely thlt she would steam for dibr4itsr,
Wi.l ne object ~ inercel ling the many Union ueE-
cheutmeu h,meward bound.
Oa Saturday morning signal was umde from the
lookout the summit 81 The Rock that tho Sumter
wa SIX miles 20 the east yard capturing TWO large
niou SHIPS. Tie news, as MAY be Imagined,
caused the greatest excitement, and ever Ybody
rushed out to catch glimpse Of tho pyiyaeer ana
her prey.
Tie seizure was accomplished simply enough; no
defence could be made \ boats crew was sent on
board, the Federal lax hauled down and The thing
WIS done. The cruiser was evidently NED 90 her
work. No time WAS lost in searching tie prizes, the
few valuable elect" were removed, the match wa.
lighted and IN another moment the bluz'ug ship was
last drifting away with the current. Nhn evening
closed the flames were still visible, darng upW ard
ia iiiul flashes 0u the eastern horizon. The iirs'
chip taken was laden " th sulphur, cousg ued rs
he matter epdo0yOrod 30 make out, TO Barring
brothers, but as Capt. Semmes attorvald re-
marked lliur being the principal ingeoi,nt Of
tuupowder, anu IL expectation from England being
well 10 t-troy II, especially as tho master hed no
papers o. show.
The other vessel taken, large bark, proved to he
laden wi'h al English cargo, 20 sio was released
and came IN here Yesterday.
In the evening OF SATURDAY, the sumter anchored
IN tina bay. On Sunday | went on board most
anxious 60 sre the eel brtcd craft That has let the
Federal navy dduce over 10 many nil Of ocean.
When going alongside l could search, believe that
80 poor vessel could nave escaped so many dangers
She Is a screw steamer, with thro nGs's, .nuei
strangely ont Of prop riion TO her size, AMI tall,
black hlll, 80 hrh Cu' OF water taa' she gives yon
tle idca Of icing m.riiicienily lalasfei. F0nr g,
ponder pceped from her ideg and q large S-luch
PIVOT gun was on her main deck forward. Before
-'e MS fitted Cor her present work she was a
pa niger shlr running between heN-crleins anu
and the Havana. ller uusi9hty appearance arl.cs
from thc alterations that have beea made IN herdecks
In order 90 afford mere accommodation. and To give
more cover for he engines and CUBS, light, tenPor
nry flush deck has been built over What WAS O.gi-
naly the only deck Of the ship. THIS raises hor IN
additional ten feet out OF water, and a. tho same
time dwarfs hcr masts and funnel She Is crank ard
leaky. Her engncs are partially above the lower
deck aud, with the object of preserving them from
the effects OF gunsho they surrounded by cyln-
dIical casing OF Elk inch wood covered with half
inch iron hars-a very poor protection against an
eight-iu,h shot Her officers and number 30 In
all The Latter are "A hardy, devil-mgy care SET Of
fellows, ready for any work-men who would stick
at nothing They are OF all naiions-,ven the Irish
brogre was among them. The cOmnimdeT, CspI.