, 1864-07-15
is not prepared to dnd shelter and mems Of
subsistence for such sudden emigration,
and immense su1lerings are the result.
Particulars Of the Capture of the
Steamer Electric Spark.
Statement Of her Captain-Pursuit
Of tho Pirate.

--
From the Il. I. Herald, July 1al
The Electric Spark sailed 1rom New York
on Saturday afternoon for New Or1eaus.
Every thiIg went on we'll, and we augured
speedy and prosperous voyage till next day
Sunday about l O'Clock, Latitude 37.55, lon
gitude II u, & vessel hove in sight on our
btarboard bow, which appeared to be bark
ngged vessel standing By the ~ind off shore,
long. low, rakish-looklns steamer, with a
sharp cutwater, standing directly for our
bows to cut US Of. When she Ind got With
in three miles or thereabouts, IS near as I
can remember, she hotsted the British flag,
still approaching rs with great rapldity, and
yards Of US she hauled down the British
dsg and rRu up the rebel colors: at the
same instant she fired a rifle shot
across our stern in the water. Seeing that
there was no response to this, she fired
second shot across our fore-stay. This shot
course. when the third and last shot wa5
fired at ns~ The passengers began to COM
plain and cry out that the ship would be sunk
If ne did not stop her; so. seeing that there
was no chance Of escape from the pirate,
nnch against my will, I ordered the col0rs
down, and had the engines stopped In q
few moments atter we were hailed by boat
Florida, Captain Morris commanding. The
officer in charge Of the boat, Lieut. Stone,
stepped on board our vessel, and, In very po-
lite and gentlemanly manner, told me that he
had orders from Capt. Morris to deliver me
and my ships papers safely on board the
Florida ] complied at once, as had no
other alternative, and went on board the
Florida, where delivered my papers to Cap-
tain Morris, who then ordered me to return
on board OF my ship, aud get Iny boats ready
TO transfer my crew and passengers, with all
their baggage and personal effects, on board
Of the British schooner Lane, which he Ind
just hailed, giving the Captain seven hundred
mud twenty dollars in gold to take the pas
sengers and crew Of my ship, with trunks,
DC. to New York. Alter this we all went
on board of the schooner, which was bound
for New York from Barracoa, ". L, with a
cargo Of fruit, and we safely arrived In New
York about O'Clock this morning Tuesday. }
TIE ARMAMENT OF THE FLORIDA.
The officers Of the Electric Spark describe
the armament Of the Florida as folio IS !:
She carries nine guns Of very heavy cl1iber,
viz: One 1e0-pound r11e pivot gun; one
G8-pound rifle bow chaser; one 6S-pound
stern chaser, rifle, and three G+pound rifles
on each side. Her decks are kept rery neat,
in man- of-War fashion, aud everything looks
clean and trim to the outward eye, as tar Is
our informant, Captain Graham. could see.
HER OFFICERS AND CREW.
The commanding officer Of the Florida,
Captain Morris, Is described as rnther an
eldci1y man, OF fine personal appearance,
with hatr and whiekers nearly white. Lieu:
tenant Stone. and all the officers of the Flori,
do, Captain Graham describes as being the
most gentlemap1y set Of cut.throats he ere.
| met One Of the junior officers told Captain
Grala1a that he was son Of General Emory,
I now commanding at New Orleans undei
General Canby. He sent his respects to hiE
Ether with the remark 4sthat he was as be arty
| as buck, mud as big rebel as ever" which
message Na1 be faithfully delivered, NJ
doubt The officers did not touch any pti
Tate property Of any description during the
capture, nor would they allow the crew tc
sbstract ANYTHING. Lieutenant Stone, of the
rebel Vessel, sa1a to Captain G1aham, eve
will chow you Yankees that We are not such
barbarians as yon try to make us out-''
UNITED STATES OFFICERS ON BOARD TILE CAP
TCRED STEAMER.
There were Oh board OF the Electric Spark
three United States officers, respectively q
Colonel, @ young graduate from West Point,
and naval officer. They surrendered theif
swords to Captain Morris. but be would not
rective them, but told them that they should
keep them: He then paroled them, and pre-
rented each with his carte de riste and but
ton of his coat.
SPEED oF THE PIRATE.
The officers Of the Electric Spark say that
when they were oyerhauled by the Florida,
they were making nine knots an hour, mud
were they In right trim, they we're confident
they could make twelve knots IN hour, bu1
that the Florida Wonld still have the advan
tage, IS she was making fifteen knots, viii
but nine pound. of steam on single boiler
when she caug II the Electric Spark. Her Of
fcers bo+st that she makes fifteen knots at
| hour under canras, without O pound o
| steam; also, that there Is not VESSEL In ths
| United States navy able to sail with her, o.
| THE ELECTRIC SPARK
Is a vessel Of eight hundred and ten tons
present year. She Was Calculated to make
Ten to twelve knots an hour. Her owners
are Mr.. J. 1or d Co., Of Philadelphla
This WIS her second trip to New Orleans
| She Is valued at Que hundred and 6eFensy.ly,
Thousand dollars, and she WAS not insured
Of boots, shoes, wines, tes, coffee, provisions
&c., Ill Of which will bring high price 4
NASSAU, where 1t fs supposed the rebels vii
| tAke her, discharge her cargo, and lit her on
as privateer. The cargo was valued at 81,
| hundred Thousand dollars.
Had the Florida captured Us on our las
| trip, she would have found us very vnluaol
prize, as We had on board $250, 900 In treasure
| but this time the only mon.y We had o.
board was 81 500 ia greenbacks In Adams e
| press Company's safe.
| Capt Graham, who has folio we'd the SCI
for twenty-five years, is fine specimen 0
| the American 6ailor. He kept Lis color5 fly
| ing until the intense excitement Of the lad,
passenge1s, who were great1y terrified By tn
| firing, induced him, as there was no hope O.
escaping ultimate capture, to surrender hi
ship. But 1t went sorelo against his will, a
| be Would hare preferred TO have sunk he
than permit her to fall a prize to the rebels.