Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-07-09
05lo Statesman.
PRINTED AND PUBLISHED BY
The Ohio Statesman Company,
SATURDAY MORNING, JULY o.
DESTRUCTION OF THE ALA
BANIA.
Editorial Remarks of The London
Times.


full Sunday mornings work was preparing
within sight of the British Isles if among
the isles we may include the barren rock
upon which million has been spent to
make it a sentryboX to watch the port of
Cherbourg. From the latterport, just about
0 O'Clock, there issued the Alabama, the
ship that for two years has struck terror
into the heart of the most confident and al
most the strongest naval Power in the
world. More than hundred times over,
the very name of the Alabama, thundered
through speaking trumpet, has brought
down the rival flag as if by magic, and COM
PEELED the luckless crew to submit to the
inglorious process of examination, surren-
der, spoliation, and Imprisonment, to see
their ship plundered and sent to the bottom.
In the shape of chronometers and other
valuables the Alabama carried the SpOLid
Opin,d of whole mercantile fleet. This
time, however, it was not to order a mer-
chairman to lie to while his papers were
examined that this scourge of the Federal
navy came out of Cherbourg. 1t is not in
our power to say why Capt. Semmes, who
has gained so much glory and so unques-
tionable q reputation for courage that he
could afford to be prudent came out
with shin just returned from a
long voyage and much in want of
repair, to encounter a foe larger, better
manned, better armed, provided, rs it turn
ed out, with some special contrvances for
protection, and quite as likely to be as well
handled rs his own ship. For many months
we have heard of the Kearsage as a foe
worthy of the Alabama should she have
the good luck to catch her; indeed, the Cap
tain of the Kearsage had assumed that If
they met there could be only one possible
result. Why, then, did not Captain Semmes
see that this was an occasion for the eXer-
else of that discretion and ingenuity which
the greatest Generals have thought rather
an addition to their fame? Did his pru-
dence give way, as they say brave mans
courage will sometimes? Vas he acedried
acith a lCarfdre upon the detenceleSS? Did con-
science or SeL-respect suggest that the destroyer
Of a hundred undTpled merchantmen had need
TO prOUe his courage and redeem his name from
pirdcy2 1t is simply said that he had been
challenged, and that he accepted the chal-
lenge, not without some forecasts of the re-
suit. AS an ordinary duellist hands his
watch and his pocket-book to friend. Cap
tain Semmes sent on shore his sixty chro-
nOmeters-the mementOes of so many ca
ser conflicts-his money, and the bills Of
ransomed vessels. He then steamed nine
miles out to sea, and entered into mortal
combat with the enemy, first exchanging
mile--out of all distance our fathers would
have called it; not so now.
As it happened, and as it frequently hap
pens on such occasions, an English yacht
was in the harbor, and its owner, Mr.. Lam
caster, thought the view of one of the most
important naval engagements likely to Oc-
cur in his time was worth the risk of stray
shot. His wife, niece, and family were on
board; but, no doubt, they shared his in
terest in the spectacle. The firing began
just as we Londoners had got to the first
lesson in the morning service. As the guns
of the Alabama had been pointed for 1000
yards, and the second shot went right
through the Kearsage, that was probably
the distance at first, and we are told the
ships were never nearer than quarter of a
mile. The Alabama fired quicker, in all
about $50 rounds; the Kearsage fired about
100, chiefly 1l-inch shells. One of these
shells broke the Alabama's rudder, and
compelled her to hoist sail. BY this time,
however, after an hours work, the Alabama
was sinking, and could only make the best
of her way in the direction of Cherbourg.
Pursuing our comparative chronology, this
brings us to the beginning of the sermon;
and it was at the very time that our con-
gregations were listening, as well as they
could, to the arguments or the eloquence of
our preachers, that the very moving incl
dents of death and of rescue took place off
Cherbourg-the gradual sinking of the AL
ALBANIA, the picking up of the drowning
seamen, and the final departure of the Deer
hound, with Captain Semmes, his surviving
officers, and some of the crew. The men
were all true to the last; they only ceased
firing when the water came into the muzZles
of their guns; and as they swan for life all
they cared for was that their commander
should not fall into Federal hands. He re-
ports that he owes his best men to the train
ing they received on board the Excellent
To all appearance the superiority of the
Kearsage lay partly in her guns, and OF
course somewhat in her more numerous
crew, but not less in her more powerful
machinery, which enabled her to move
quicker and vancouver more easily.
We are becoming accustomed to scenes
that only four years ago would have been
thought APPALLING, horrible and portentous.
Think of quiet gentleman, with wife,
niece and family, perhaps governess and
maid-servants having witnessed at their |
ease, on Sunday morning, fight, not be- |
tween two cocks or two dogs, but two mem
of-war, few hours sail from Southamp-
ton. In fact they and the survivors of the |
ship destroyed were walking about South
ampton, and shopping on Monday morning.
lneTe appears 10 nave Deell very respect.
able allowance of killed, wounded and
missing, and among the latter is an English
surgeon, who is supposed to have gone to
the bottom in the midst of his bleeding pa
tents. We shall know very shortly whether
the chains hung outside the Kearsage saved
her men. To all appearances they did not;
and but for the melancholy fact that some
of the Alabama's wounded must have gone
down with her, the loss will probably have
been nearly the same on both sides. Is
there not something ominous in such an
within our own seas? Such
contest so brief, so hard fought, and so de-
cisive, is even more terrible than the hand
to-hand tussle and the mere. game of fisti-
cuffs that our old fleets used to indulge in
with thousand popguns on either side. True
there was damage done at last, but some-
times very little damage to speak of, and
big ship might receive many hundred shots
only to have the glory. of showing shot
holes to the populace Of Portsmouth. 1t is
not so now. Al the distance Of mile never
less than quarter Of a mile, formidable ship,
NE terror Of american commerce, sceU armed,
oeH manned, 'oell handled, is sent to the bottom
N an hour. Exactly an hour elapsed from
The first shot to the moment when it became
obvious that the vessel was sinking, when,
indeed, the rudder was broken and the fires
we're put out W
That is the pace at which our naval en-