The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-09-18
THE PRIvATEERs.

The Florida In the Port or Brsst-An
English Visit to Captain M.ms-Hts
His Cruise-skctch OF the II obel Conn
mander-His BrOads1de 1T and Chase
and Two Hundred and Foriy-nve Days
ON Salt Junk.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE LONDON TIMES.
Arriving Breet the day before yesterday by way OF
Qumper and Chateaun the first thing heard on getting
on board the which navgaes the picturesque little
river 0rn the latter place Brest the arrival
OF the Confederate States cruiser Florida and crossing
the glorious Rade do Brest for the mouth Of the harbor
had no difficulty in making out this now celebrated YES
sell she at anchor among Of the giants OF the
French navy-a long, low black rakish looking craft.
smart in appearance, yet useful every inch Of
her-a pigmy among these monsters, and yet formida
BILE pgmy even the unpracsed eye the palmetto flag
flying proudly from her mizen. We happened TO have
French Vice Admiral, a Russian Vice Admiral, and
senator Of the Empire on board, and you may imagine
there innity OF gossip, but no reliable informa
ton.
which usually assemblies welcome poster corners
was full Of "La Fioride and her doings "Eiieo" cried
an enthus iastic to me- "ee Monsieur,
lie ro parole dhonner, pour deu1 millions
de es sterling Jord. tout en- or, je ron assure" "Fh
he Tnrene could not help agreeing with the mousse
that the sum named was certainly great deal.
That evening (aded by fellow traveller, Mr. Henry
rppcr Vice Of France Guernsey and OF the
juras OF sland) found OF the officers Of the
Florida at the Hotel de Nantes (rue dAigulion) Lien
no, mint er more than three twenty years.
couteeusy and gave - his card 70 assure US adms
officer Ca, tain Mafht, was generally TO be found on
board his vessel would BIO glad to The frank
ness courtesy total absence OF Boosting manifested
bv this yo, ng officer impressed us most iavoraby.
All next day IL blew gale Of wind in the Rade. and We
the weather was NEST propitious and early morning
found alongside Of the Florida We sent cards 70
Captain Mait, and were Immediately admitted on board
receive Directly Captain Mait understood that we
British subjects he invited Us below into his little
cabin and when told him that there many people
in England who regarded with great interest he
entered very freely INTO recital Of his adventures.
Maf subsequently handed 70 me relative 10 the career
Of the Florida promising, at The same time. continua
ton which has not yet arrived aney are as ,o,o.
rh' ws M p hs asm Court csss on h
@ Of Aag when her s her Ss charm
received guns &c On the 18th o August the yellow fever
on sn s Can
s"S third snsnee She The
ard ont and on the .,h q sep,.mssr appeared Oh Msns
was Trough. ~ from bed sickness yellow syeri
nss her 10 pr S s @ n so sns s
only remained deck for she had but eleven
4sons beds q sights; IN l.e' she va. snS', hslps..
anidshps and passed through killing and wound
ing sven her standing rseine was so, away and some
thouss nd Ave hundred shranne shot Der hull
mssts.
time to send or the captain himself may say that
he ia slight, middle sized well knit OF about forty
two; merry looking man, with ready, determined air,
full N lite and business apparently the OF whp
Is equally ready Tor fight or loncation and whose
preference for the latter would by interfere
with his cfedilable conduct Of the former His
plainly furnished little stateroom looked business
like AZ q merchants office. The round table
10 the centre was strewn with books and innu
merable manuscripts, and the shelves for.
mtdable looking rows account books, charts, &c 4
may observe Of the cabin ~ every part the Florida
that OF appears been built for
all for use. Sou see said the captain pointing b. the
heaps Of papers, letters on nes. account books &C.
- altu fln takl liza
cure Of H. Since my p3ymascr died I've hsd 20 be my
paymaster. There's young man, named Davis
mo relation TO President) who does paymaster's
duty; but hes not yet quite M TO the work.
Captain Msfft forthwith began an animated recital OF
IA Is the Oldest officer on board All The ofcers we're
born the Confederate States and OF them were
officers in the United states Navy before the outbreak Of
the war The Oldest of the officers IL not more than
twenty three. The men more mixed There are one
hundred able seamen board the Florida and about
thirteen officers -Four tine fellows from the neigh
borhood Of Brest Capt Nam, says that he has hardly
ever taken prize but what o. the Of the prize
have come forward 90 say, oShoud like TO serve with
vou sir' Generally speaking he has 10 refuse; but II
he very likely fellow he takes him on.
Captain Msfit was lieutenant Of the United states
Navy before the outbreak, and in that capacity dis
tingushed himself greatly In 1855 he commanded the
brig Dolphin when he captured the SLAYER Echo with 400
board and took her into Charleston For this
feat his health drurx public dinner nj liverpool
and Il N curious fact Cor those who maintain that the
civil In America Ia founded upon the slave question:
that the commander Of this important
should be the VERY who has distinguished himself
actively against the slave trade In 1859 Captain Mat
commanded the United States steamer Crusader, aud
captured four savers
ihecaptan had great deal TO say about sucocssfal
feat at Mobile In MA opinion has been the greatest
val fea, OF modern times. lie dwell long and warmly
upon incidents o. the aYr. and poistcd proudly TO
the marks Of ahrapncl which enough upon
the mzss and smokestaeks The Florida with
three heavy shots that occasion, and easily
perceive In the side Of the ship where mischief caused
by eleven ioch shell has bean repaired The Florida
made 90 endeavor reply 70 the rc which she received
the ses rnuing too hgb 10 admit Of steady aim and hor
small being TOO much occupied Va the management
Of the ship The captain showed us water color sketch
tsery cell drawn by ~ The mdshpmen) ~ tbs For
ia running the blockade. u would not have dsgrsced
professional artist.
The only broadside vh Oh The Florida has trei IN anger
Wa against the Ericsson, an armed merchantmen which
ale encountered some forty miiss from New York 1hs
lricsson very large vessel dtl no, reply, but made tie
best of her way %, aud succeeded N escaping when
they yenturcd within forty miles of New YORK they lld
no, know that the arrival of the lac ny Gone = their
stutnts) had put the New Workers their gard and
they soon found that there spput seventy armed
vesscl searching Tor thefn sDd glsd
treat 1--WE never fight sld Captain Mantt.
.ssnf We don't AVOID Nol we've only tso
vessels agsins, 500 a. should stsuc
poor chance. Our object merely 10 destroy their com
rcrce. 70 20 bring about peace. We have taken
altogether seventy two prizes and estimate the value
about SIS 900 900 The Jacob Eel alone vas worth
a. 100 0OO.' The cNrtar eNhoitcd book 4 which 81
tns prires regularly entered snd All particulars 70
Iat M thereto he exp aB.d that thsr mode nrace
iufa " burn sni i-iroy The properly the North.