New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1863-06-15
STATEMENTS BY THE CAPTAINS.
Operations Of the Clarence Near Our Coast.
CAPTURE OF SIX MERCHANT VESSELS.
ONE OF THEM MADE A CRUISER.
ENERGETIC ACTION At TIE NAVY.YARD.

The B rish ship Bucephalus Of Liverpool, Capt.
Bake, from Bahia Brazil arrived at this port yester
Gay, bringing homo Capt. Weaver and family, and
Mr. X. Binninger late Of the bark Union JACK;
Capt. Melcher and lady of tho ship Dorcas Prince.
and Capt Peck Of the ship Sea Lark, the former Of
which vessels was captured and destroyed by the
Confederate steamer Florida and the two latter by the
Alabama; also, Capt. Phillips of the ship Dictator,
captured by the Confederate steamer Georgia
Japan. The following is Capt. Phillips state.
ment:
Sailed from LIVERPOOL April 6, with full cargo Of
Goals for Hong Kong on 2jth, being then in at %
NJ, Ion. II 40 w. was chased captured aud burned
by the Confederate steamer Georgia, Capt. Maury.
After burning my chip, they s,eered TO the south
ward. and on the 3Oth. at daylight made the island
Of st. Vncents, Cape de Verbs aud steered in for
the harbor, when about three miles from tie anchor.
bye saw 3 man oi-wsr lying there with the Ameri-
can flag flying at tho peak. They then steered out
n. T.. at full speed. When about 20 miles from the
island they again sleered TO the southwark, cha,iug
aud spo sking every vessel they saw until the night
Of he l2th May, when they anchored at Bahia.
On the l3th, myself, officers, and ten Of my crew
were landed; tie rect Of the joined the steamer
We were allowed " have all the clothing We
brought from the ship. CAPT. Maury gave lne back
my Instruments, for which thanked bun. They all
treated he kindly while on board. The Georgia is
common iron yesse, brig iigged, with full poop,
a very large smoke stack about 80 fee, long, and
sbont - tee, beam. They say che can steam four.
teen miles an hour; but doub, it very much She
carries two riiiej Ruus AFT, two 2ipounders amid
ships, and one 32-iorwafd. Her crew consists o.
abou, 10 officers and about 10 men. Moe, Of the
crew arc quito bOys. GRO. n. PHILLIPS.
Capt. Peck, OF ship Sea Lark makes the follow
ing statement;
The Sea Lark called from Boston. March 2s
bound 10 San Francisco, aud when IN lat - minutes
south Ion. - wee, SAW large weasel On fire, stool
west 10 the burning chip, and when about two miles
from her a steamer, light. II being night. put
nv ship on the other lack and stood 10 tie var
for eight hourt aud 40 c-csred. ia tie "a Of May
when In lat. 9S SOUTH lon. 81 % wet usde sail
the weather bow Steering wet Wac coon aware che
WAS u steamer aud trying TO inierept the ship.
kept her oil two points but the wind beug light,
the steamer oame up with me, showing THE Amer
lean oolors, fired gun aud ordered mo TO
heave TO. Brought the ship by the wiad 81 tonoe.
Was soon boarded by boat from the steamer,
who informed my ship was IriEe 10 tho
Confederate ship Alabama. After allowing ms 10
take small portion OF ny clothing they zen, me on
board the steamer where they pot my othoorr and
crow 10 irons, and was forbidden 10 speak 10 them.
They took our obcsre trunks AMI 30 much of the
cargo they wanted, eud then re: the ship on fire.
The tamo day they took tie Bark Union Jack and
burned Der. found on board, Capt Melcher o. the
ship Dorcas Prince, bis ship having been captured
the previous week. We were kept on board until
10Th May, when we were landed at Bahia, where
we were joined by The Captain and crew Of the ship
Dictator burned By the steamer Georgia, wnen We
all took passage in tho Bntish ship bacephaus for
New.York. W. r. PICK.
Capt. Meleher Of the ship Dorcas Prince makes
the following statement:
Sailed from New-York March l3 for Shanghai;
had long passage 10 the equator; was becalnied on
the equator twelve days; crossed In about ~ deg
50 min. west; Lad the wind prevailing from >. h.
4 q nrA I'm
Sunday, April 70, was chased aud captured by the
Alabama a: 5 p. m, ia lat. deg 30 min. eouth,
Ion. 81 deg. IS uiin. west was allowed time To
pack my trunk. and was then removed to the Ala
bama They put gu, all the ships oosts ana siIer
removing n quantity OF provisions the ship was set
ON fire at 10 y. M, and ut IL was burned to the
wafer s-edgc Ny officers and crew were copiined
m irons beng released for short time each day aud
no Communication allowed between myself apc
them. lDunng the first week OF my stay ON board.
New oyerhauled and boarded every SAL that wa,
seen and IN one day chased and boarded five vesser
ali foreign. They always chased uuder the Amer
can coors and on boarding always gave the name of
,om, United Slater gunboat IN search OF the Ala
bams, isDd asking information Of her ~hereaoout.
When ves.el did not ,iop they would bring her 10
with gun, and apologize TO The captain when The
bost boarded her. They obtain papers from I'LL out
ward-bound vessels, aud thus are well lhiormed OF
all that takes place at home After capturing tho
bark Union Jack and ship Sea Lark, sne continued
~ in number, beng tho crews and officers Of tour
vessels at Bahia on the 18th OF May. On The i3th,
the Confederate steamer Georgia came III, the FLOR
ida b,lu.. then at Pernambuco was on board The
Alabama l6 days. and was treated with consldorn.
tion and Kindness. i obtained passage on board
the British ship Bucephalas, for New.fork; u,
Cant. Weaver, Of the bark Union Jack, would
not give any statement until ho communicates with
his owners.
The Confederate steamer that leit England under
the name Of tho Japan, on arriving on The equator
changed her name 10 the Georgia, and the Dic'A1or
WAS the first prize she had made.
About eighty sesmen Of the above vessels were AZ
Bahia the 18th Of Nay. waiting means to reAcA tho
United States.
The Captures made blythe Pirate Clarence
Statement By emo Of the Captured
Omcers.
WILMINGTON, Saturday. June j., 1883.
The following dispatch has been received from
Delaware;
A tender " the privatesr Florida has made six
csptures Of merchant vessels, Of which ahe burned
three and bonded two. go,
Thu CAPTURES were made between the 7!h and 18th
instant.
The following are the names Of the vessels cap
tured: >,
Bark whistling Wind. Of New York, loaded with
coal, for Key West. =.
Rr;o M.rv Alyips, Of Boston, loaded with Gov