Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1863-08-07
TIE CRUISE OF TIE FLORIDA,

We have had the pleasure Of an interview
with VIM. Russell, one OF the crew Of the
var steamer Flor.ua, who has kindly furnished
US with the subjolncd complete list Of the
przss TAKEN by that vessel during her present
cruise. This list has never bciUic been pub
llsheu entire, although notices Of the several
captures have appeared from time to time in
the Northern ami Southern press The story
81 her achievements reads ike Il Romance,
ami will some day engage the pen vi another
Cooper or Capt. Marryait.
Inc FLORIDA or U.ctu sailel from Mobile
Oh the 10Th day OF january last, at which
port she shrpc'! tie larger portion OF her
rev, who are lnaimiy English and lri-h.-
She has since, added number from the
crews OF captured vessels. Basscll himself ls
Il Prussian, and 4 man Of mere than ordinary
INTEL gcncc. He represents Tie Florida =
crew rs picked men, the discipline on board
perfect, and indeed severe; but no more 50
ihun is necessary Tor Il man-ul-war; the Off
GERS universally esteemed. The service is ar
luoEs i'll many respects, and rendered doubly
50 by the disadvantages which they suffer
from the anomalous position of the Crntcde-
rate nary, and the privilege, from which
they are debarrcd. When coaling from
l priz" tie labor i, continuous until
the bunkcrs are flied and sometimes occu-
pies several days and nights without inter
mission. Applications for berths by the
crews Of prizes are numerous, but By no means
always successful. Selections from among
them are carefully made. Such I berth Is no
,inccurc but e;s.:tl j. Il lure that would tempt
the least ayaricious. There is Il splendid tor
tune iOr every orc, and it comes i'll q few
,hurt months. 1t is estimated that each ordi-
nary scaman- share OF prlz" money amounts
20 upwards of $4,000 in hard casn-all this
in six months The officers must have amasscd
pr!ncelyy fortunes. ilai they had tlrc pri"i-
iege of taking their prizes into port for
ale, each man would now be almost mil
Iionairc
Here is the FIorida's record. The estima-
ted total value of prizes is :j,G0O,nOO. This
IS exclusive Of specie obtained aboard, which
IN one case, the Ben lIUxie, amounted 10 i've
aund7cd thousand dollars. Many of the
prizes are rich China, East India and CaliiUr-
ala ships: ...
January 70, brig Estellc, Boston, sl3S, 900.
january 222I, brig Winiward, Portland,
$4,000.
January %, brig Covic Ana, Philadelphia,
100000.
February -, chip Jacob Bell, New York,
g 000 600.
March 9TH, ship Star of Peace, Boston,
SGtuUW0.
March l., schooner Adebauon, New York,
10000
March IS, bark Lapwing, Boston, $So,0uQ.
March 80, bark VI. J. Coliord, New York,
$1,000
April 18th, ship Kate Dyer, Hamburg,
$4,000.
April 18th, Commonwealth, New York,
S4WUOO.
April Sd, bark Henrietta, Baltimore,
$4,000.
Aprl 9th, ship Oneida, New York,
S7jOu00.
May 9TH, brig Clarence, Baltimore, so, 00O.
May 18th, ship Crown Point, New York,
100000.
June 9Th, ship Red Gauntlet, Boston,
Sl00,000.
June 18th. ship Southern. Cross, New York,
$50 ,mD
June 10Th, ship B. F. IIoxie, California,
5000, 900.
June 9th, schr. V. II, Hill, Provincctown,
$4,000.
July :, ship Sunrise, New York 500,
July $, brig ". b. Nash, New York.
July s. sclr. Ricnz. hovincct0wu.
These vessels are exclusive of the twenty
seven prizes made by Lieut., Reed. of the
Taconv. who was detached from the Florida,
and which, of course, must be placed to her
account The two last named, the Nash and
Rienzi, were destroyed under the very nose = 4
L. s. warvcsse, which was sent out to capture
the Florida. This vessel was the Ericsson,
carrying 10 guns and jiO men. The Florida
has m equal armament, but Il crew OF only
lbs men, The Florida was sitiling under the
British ha- when the Ericsson made chase. Be-
ing short Of coal she could not make steam
enough to RUNAWAY. and thcreupon hauled down
the red cross OF ST. George, holsted the stars
and bars" and gave the Yankee Il broadside.
This was more than the Ericsson could stand,
and she Immediately showed her stern and 4
straight wake. while the Forida at once bore
away for the two , vessels aforesaid, and
CAPTURE! them while the Ericsson was yet in
sight.
Mr. Bassell states that Capt. Scmmcs. late
of the Alabama, has taken command If the
"Mississipp," new and formidable craft,
carrying twcnty-!our guns-not the Georgia,
a. has been stated. Will! this four-in-hand-
the Florida. Aahama. Georgia and Missis-
sippi-,he Confederate Neptune will drive a
fast team among the merchant craft Of tn"
Yankees.-l Augusta Chronicle.
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