Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-01-21
o WEIsIGER, Secretary
SUPPOSED REBEL CRUISER OFF NORTH CARO-
CAROLINA.

UAhOLlNA.
correspondent Ct the Philadelphia Inquirer, wri-
ting from Havana tie lst instant says:
The steamship Morning S;ar LEFT Nev Yo'k on the
26th ut On the followng dgy - nd p NJ +,
when sixty-hve m lee north =, propel-
Ter, square rugged, with long c as; =, aud IN
ike these of English buli nigh smoke stack and
burning g. # coal, was discovered ttser.ng north.
Immediately upon her making oua she changed her
course 10 the eastward 20 as to come down AGO our
bow, and by the immense volume Of smoke which is
ed fron her smoke-stsck ali were convi ced sac vas
usug AT unusual pressure Of steam. The Captain, dis.
k1g the appearances of the stranger her conduc. and
the ereum sance OF her burning soft coal ordered
corrle TO be changed TO the Of what then
steering (sCuh by wesI when she st once hauled 10
the northvard to Intercept us. When 10 thus became
apparent that the suspicious craft resolved
b. aing u.s. our course Vas changed TO the southeGss
bringing her directly In cur wake, aud the chase be
gan.
We we're then carrying twenty pounds of steam,
and the pusuer was coming up With US fast. All sails
we're then set to take advantage OF rong west wind
witch WAS blowing and the pressure oil steam increased
to thirty pounds. Uuder this spread Of canvass aad
head of team we made fourteen knots, and gradually
dstauced the ursuer ia spite OF the earnest endeavoTs
she made. Sotks and fumes were seen to issue from
her smoke stack and at tines her hull was completely
envtloped 10 smoke. Herlghts we're exuDguished at
night, and other measures to aid her pursuit we're
adopted. Ga board our own ship the light round the
engine was deadened By cid sails and the saloon, cabin
aud state-room lamps put ou and in darkness
CROPPED about. ,lpeaking words Of encouragement, or
fear, OF anxious irq1ry about the chase No psssen-
gers were allowed deck, lest Rebel EN- ssaries or
sympihizsrs on board might exhibit signal lights to
guide the dread pursuer. During the night we con-
tinued cur swift Agh and when ng 'dawDed toe
d cad spperioa OF the evening before had vanished;
vet no one elt dis osed to make light OF the matter
all felt thas we had escaped real aod threatening
danger. No officer gu STONED the character and in
tentlons of the vessel but all unanimous in the
opinion that she was Rebel cruiser, especially designed
TO make captures of our merchant steam marine.
IL is only upon these hypothesis that ali the circum
stances can be reconced First she had the appear
anoe aud build of an Eoglsh propelleri second, she
burned soft coal fuelused by none of the Union crui
sers and which, indeed, has been persmptory denied
to iheu by general orders sides, too, gun boats
knew an the vessels the New Orleans line, and II
they did not our immense proportions could not for
moment have invited the suspicion Of our being block
ade runner IL foreign v.ssel her strange conduct
could be explained only By the suppostion that she
in distress which she certainly not 10 make from
ten to twelve KNOBS hour, Il is not only Anglo
Rebel steamer, fitted out ia an English port to prey
upon the commerce. of friendly Power that her con-
duct ard character nauralness aud simplicity
apperd q description Of tina above vissel for o
b,ne6t OF captaDs
Propeller, tEo masts, three yards forward, hui
pain cd black, lorg bow, English masts Low, aud unus-
ually high smoke-stsck.