The new South. [volume] (Port Royal, S.C.) 1862-1867, 1863-01-31
Tie Alsbarna.s

The 9 Alabama. s IS y "a /
The exploits Of the .aiabaasa are very annoying,
bnt the accusation Of imbecility against the Geg-
ernmsnt fornot eaptsFiag and destroying her off
hand IS childish. "A priyateef OF q single ship.
Z aisays has the adysntage Of squadron. She
capture, as solitary incendiary may Cor months
battle the police of great city. The fssts of the
dldbama are like the cavalry rsids of the rebels.
Nothing is easier for afeW daring h0rsemen than
t. skirt the fanks Of an invading army. With q
perfect knowledge Of the country they can pierce
the open points OF a line which can not be effect
lively maintained from the Chesapeake to the Ms
s.ssippi, taking tho risk of 3 safe escape. Such
raids upon the land and siuey privateering upon
the sea are most annoying; but VIC need not sup
pose that the nation is gone because Stuart dashes
i ITO Maryland or Morgan upon q lonely railroad
station, or because Raphael Semmes captures the
,3Tiet and eludes pursuit for months.
The performances Of the alabama are ROthing
compared With those of the Esser, under David
Potter, in the war OF 1872. 4 few days after the
declaration efw war Porter sailed from New York
al the Esser, frigate O. 90 guns In rery short
cruise he took alarge number of British merchant
men, lie took one Of 4 fee: Of transports con-
voyed by fIgate and boreb vessel SO if We hea
that our California treasure chips have fallen
yre; to SeMmes, spite of armed guardians, it will
not be EN- act without precedent Presently Porter
captured in action uf eight minutes the English
ship ofwsr .uert By -and-ky RrisiSh Govern
ment packet, with ffr; Thousand dollars in specie,
fell into his hands. Then heSliee into the Pacific
ocean to prer upon the British whale-fshery.-
Here, having learned that Peru lad sent out ships
against eur commerce, he Captured Peruvian
prvsteer which kad taken two American whale.
ships For ten months the Es,er crused in the
Pacific protecting eursoemmerce, capturing twelve
British ships taking four hundred prisoners, and
nor the time destroying the British fishery.
During all thistime PortxafiEed upon the enemy.
In February, 1874, he arI Valparaiso, and
week latcr the British frigste Phebe, of SO guns,
and the sloep fherub, of20, entered the port and
anchored near the Esar. They were part oft the
force which TIE British Government had sent to
- eur everysea in secrcsl of the Esser. They had
-ships;n:the China seas, off New Zealand, Timor,
and New dIella.d ard frigate was off the river
la Plaza After getting supplies the Ph4de cruised
off Valpaiso for six weeks, and the Esser tried to
engage her aloae. But the Phoebe was too wary.
'On the 2Sa March the Essen attempted to get to
sea, tlrt.in doubling headland she was struck BY
=, squat %kieG carried away her main topmaSt and
destroyed several men. Thus crippled, she an
chorei three mikes from the town aud piStol-shot
from the shore, and was here attacked BY the Phebe
AMI CherHb. The Ess junior, which was tender
fhar nauiesHke, could be of no service with her
:ls-pVund onades, and aftpr fierce fight Of two
alourS and half the Esser surrendered, with
loss of So killed, GG wounded, and al missing
The Fttish loss was triaing-=l killed and 10
Wv ,unded..
THERE'S no reason f,r surprise IL the Anglo
r.bel pirate alabama continues for some time
/ niger her predatory career Happily, as yet,
) ,nnres has not added murder to- robbery. Indeed
the fascinated passengers Of the .7risl report the
marvellous .spOteness which is traditional in
I The manner Of pirates Who as every boarding
school knows are the most <geRtleman!y" OF
men. The fact of bis crime remains unchanged,
that without the warrant Of any recognized power
tin the world, he is waging war upon American
. commerce.-Harpef's ITeekiy