New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-02-01
REBEL PIUACIEs.

As the news reaches US that the Rebel pirates
have captured and destroyed another ship, sur.
prise il expressed that the Navy cannot sweep
infcst Il. Men speak Of the impunity which
these pirates enjoy, ~ If tho like bad never pre-
viously occurred. They censure the Navy De-
partmcnt for Indifference, and its best officers
for inefhciency. They say that England, If the
case were hers, would permit no such pratical
practices. But in thus arguing they overlook
the strong facts of the present, and the still
stronger ones Of the past. Steam has effected
as great revolution for commerce aS for manu-
features. The pirates Of the present day can
command steam as readily rs those Of the last
century could command canvas. How far En-
gland was able to suppress pnyateering may be
gathered from her own authorities. In March,
1913. The London Times thus testified to the
hslplessness OF her vast navy under the destruc-
tive activity Of marine 10 which steam was
entirely unknown:
"Thc public learn with sentiments which shall not pre-
sumo 10 anticipate, tia, trd British saie has struck to
American. Thi occurrence ,hs, calls for .ehou, rehsc
tonh aud the fact stated In paper. Of yesterday that
lloyd, Li contains notices OF upward Of 6vo hundred Brit
.h yose captured IN months by the AmeriesnsSe
hundred merchantmen three ate and three sloopi ofw.
"Csn tho statements be true and the English people
hear them uuoved One who had predicted such result, Of
an American TIL. tins last year. would have been treated
a. mailman or traitor lie would have been told, II his op
ponen had condesoended to with him. that long ere
seven months had elapsed tho American hss would be swept
from the seas the contemplate Navy Of the United States an
initiated and their maritime arsenas rendered heaps Of ruins
Ye, down TO this moment 10. single American sie has
struck her fsy They Insult and laugh at our want Of en-
,erp.s and vor They leave their ports when they please
and return TO them when suit, their convenience. They
traverse The Atlantis ,hsy bs.s iAa Yes. India Islands they
advance tie Very chops Of tie Channel they parade sOus
tho of South AmeesnOthns ehs.e, nothing inter
cep,', nothing engages them but to Yield them triumph"
A moro remarkable confession Of failure could
not be made. Here was the whole British navy
unable TO suppress tho very evil which SO many
persons expect to see instantly abated now.
Then twas mere sailing vessels that were to be
captured, now ii Is vessels made almost ubiqui.
tous by being propelled by steam. At that
period England was confessedly supreme upon
the ocean. She had destroyed the navies Of
France and Spain, and had thousand armed
ships against tho six or seven frigates with
which we opened the war. Yet her great organ
admitted that these preponderatng advantages
were of no avail. Our own histories Of tho
times inform US, without these admissions, that
the suppressing of our privateers was vain
undertaking. Their audacity was unequaled,
and they were never skulkerS. They stood up
in fair fight thousand times, bravely giving
large odds. The Rebel prvateers have done
no such thing. They have Systematically
avoided battle except with unarmed merchant
men, keeping away from ATTITUDES in which our
Navy was known to be cruising. Neutral ports
have been their constant refuge when pursued.
There they have remained in safety until tho
pursuar had disappeared, or on bis continuing