The Shasta courier., 1863-02-28
The :. Essexv and the :. Alabama

The exploits of tie Alabama are very an
ncying, but the accusation of imbecility
against the Government for not capturing
and destroying her off hand is childish. A
priv teer. OF any single ship, always has the
tie Of ssss.as. eparis The
.-~sIndless oce9n at her will. and de6es car
NJ, as a solit.Ey incendiary may for months
kaIe the police of a great city. The facts
of ike Alabama are like the cavalry raids Of
he rebels. Nothing is easier for few a
caring horsemen than to skirt the ianks of an
iivadiig army. With perfect knowledge
OF the country they can pierce the open points
of line which can not be effectively maintain
ed from the Chesapeake to the Mississippi,
taking the risk of a safe escape. Such raids
upon the land and saucy priyateering upon
the sea are most annoying; but we need not
suppose that the nation is gone because
Stuart dashes into Maryland or Morgan up
On lonely railroad station or because Ra-
pheal Simmes captures the Ariel aud eludes
pursuit for months.
The performances of the Alabama are
nothing compared with those of the Essex,
under David Porter, in the war Of 1872. A
few days after the declaration of war Por-
ter sailed from New York in the Essex, a
frigate Of 80 guns. In very short cruise he
took large number of British merchantmen.
He took one of feet of transpsts conveyed
by frigate and bomb vessel so if we hear
that our California treasure ships have fall
len prey to Semmes, spite of armed guar
dians, it will not be an act without precedent.
Presently Porter captured in an action of
eight minutes the English 'shipof war Alert,
By-and by British Government packet.
with fifty thousand dollars in specie, fell in
to his hands. Then he sailed into the Pacific
ocean to prey upon the British whale fishery.
Here, having learned that Peru sent out
ships against our commerce, he captured n
Peruvian privateer which had taken two
American whale-ships. For ten months the
Essex cruized in the Pacific protecting our
commerce, capturing twelve British ships,
taking four hundred prisoners, and for the
time destroyed the British fishery.
During all this time Porter lived upon the
enemy. In February, 1914, he arrived at
Valparaiso, and a week later the frigate
Phoebe, of sc guns, and the sloop Cherub,
of 20 entered the port and anchored near the
Essex. They were part Of the force which
the British Government had sent to scour
every sea in search of the Essex. They had
ships in the China seas, off New Zealand,
Timor, and New Holland and a frigate was
off the river La Plata. After getting supplies
the Phoebe cruised off Valparaiso for six
weeks, and the Essex tried to engage her
alone. But the Phoebe was too wary. On
the 2Sth March the Essex attempted to get
to sea, but in doubling hcadand she was
struck by squall which carried away her
main topmast and destroyed several men.
Thus crippled, she anchored three miles
from the town and pistol shot from the shore
and was here attacked by the Phoebe and
Cherub The Essex junior, which was ten
der of her namesake could be of no service
with her 1S- pound carronades, and after
fierce fight of two hours and half the Es-
sex surrendered, with loss of 58 killed, &c
wounded, and 81 missing. The British loss
was trifing-5 killed and 10 wounded.
There is no reason for surprise if the An
glo-rebel pirate Alabama continues for
time longer her predatory career. Happily,
as yet, Scenes has not added murder to rob-
berry. Indeed the fascinated passengers of
the Ariel report the marvellous politeness"
which is traditional in the manner of pirates
who, as every boarding school miss knows,
are the most : gentlemanly" of men. The
fact of his crime remains unchanged, that,
without the warrant of any recognized pow
er in the world. he is waging war upon
American commerce.-Harper's Weekly.