The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1864-07-15


O' great as regards number, for ships of
'nal size can be Just as well handled in an
- open sea fight with $50 as with lso mon
but the kearsarge had a yreat ADVANTAGE in
The kind of men. She had Yankee sa;lors
, and some Of the old gunners of the United
1 States Navy-the first sailors and the first
sunners in the world. The officers of the
Alabama, | am told, are all superior men in
ieir profession, but their crew volunteered
Tor prirateering purposes. and were probably
'ot The kind of men TO fight such foe as
they found in the kearsarse. For il is not
'ie most adventurous or the most clustering
man Who makes the best fight in a case of
Life or death
NoNNENIS of TIL LONDON PRESS.
Inc LINES notes the day IS1nday) of the
action, and says that the Alabama opened
hre on the keArsarse Just as W. Lonaoners
had got 10 The First Lesson in the Morning
Service. Continuing this comparative chro-
nology, the Times fixes the disablement of
the once terrible vessel al about the begin
ning of The Sermon. But in spite of this
.eEliy, the Times Is seriously concerned at
Capt semmes' walt of prudence, saving.
Ii is moi IN our power to say why Capt.
Semmes, who has gained SO much glory and
so unquesEonable a reputation for courage
that he could afford to be prudent, came out
with ship just returned from a long voyage
and much IN want Of repair, TO encounter
foe larger, better manned, better armed, pro-
vided, as it turned out, with some special
contrivance for protection, and quite as ike
ly TO be as well handled as his own ship.
Did his prudence give way, as
they say brave Iaan's courage will some
times? Was he wearied with a warfare up-
on the defenseless Did conscience or self
respect suggest that the destroyer of hun
dred unarmed merchantmen had need 10
prove his courage and to redeem his name
from piracy =
The Times praises The " coolness of Capt.
Lancaster Of the Dterhound, and draws The
following practical conclusion:
AT TIE distance of a mile, never less than
quarter OF mile, formidable ship, the
terror Of American commerce, well armed,
well manned,well handled, is sent to the bot
tom in an hour. Exactly an hour elapsed from
the first shot 10 the. moment when il became
obvious that the vessel was sinking, when,
indeed, the rudder was broken, and the fires
were put out That is the pace at which
our naval engagements viii be fought for the
future The next duel in the Brit
lsh Channel vii probably be between two
vessels O! the Warrior class; and he must
be bold man who can be sure that il will
last as long as Sunday morning Service, or
be less decisive tlan the last sundays
Inc StGr, which has always been friendly
TO the Union cause, comments as follows:
The Alabama has II last met her well-de-
served fate. Her career OF lawless destruc-
lion has ended in a short fight and an utter
wreck She has gone down under the guns
Of The war-ship she has rentered 10 encoun-
ter. After preying for nearly two years up
on unarmed me7ch satmen, and having per
formed nothing n-ore worthy Of her boastsd
prCWrss than she destruction Of gunboat
lured BY the display Of false colors within
range Of her fle, she has fought her frs,
and last battle. Her commander vii, no
coub;, be lauaea fOr The spirit which imp,lled
hin 10 issue. forth from the po-. OF Caerbourg
anl accept battle with = vessel OF somewhat
superior eqai~rlrn l. Is even sad thar ar
rangeIneIis are already On foot among The
versatile politicians OF southampton 10 en-
te-t4in the yanqQish-d nero At public din
neT- Certainly the event demands commem-
oration. Captain S-mmes deserves 10 be
congratulated on the access Of courage SO
remarkably in contrast with his a,iec-danis
in command Of The Alabama. Ever since he
eft Liverpool he has ben very much in re-
quest. Federal War ships have been eagerly
seeking fo- him on many seas. Hitherto he
had contrived 10 elgde them. He has made
the Alabama famous for the sxifiness and
success ef her eyolutions. But for the mis-
chief she perpetra,ed and the plander she
collected she might have been a phantom
ship. She has been heard of everywhere
but in the neighbOrhood of an armed North
erner. She has been seen in the Light Of
the flames she has kindlel on the ocean, bat
never in the red glare of battle. Only In
June, 1854, and when directly challenged by
the presence Of an antagonist that would not
move off without answer, has the valorous
Alabama found any stomach for tighting.-
The tardy display Of SO much spirit should
not pass unnoticed. 1t is especially worthy
of recognition in the town where Garibaldi
was 60 lately welcomed to England. The
restless, ceaseless, selfsacrifcing daring of
the great Italian Will Set OF by comparison
the careful courage of the Southern captain
destroyer of a hundred helpless merchant
: ships, fortunate fugitive from the path Of
avenSlns war-steamers, but punished in an
hour FOR the temerity that finally tempted
him to his doom.
Items about the Alabama.