New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1864-07-06
Tho Naval Acticn Between the Alabama
and she keorsnrge.
Correspondence ofTbe London Times.

Correspondence ofThe London Times.
SOUTHAMPTON, Monday.
The English steam Yacht Deerhound, belong
ing 10 Mr. John Lancaster Of Hindley Hall, Wigan
Lancashire arrived here last night and landed Capt
Semmes commander Of the late Confederate steamer
Alabama 10 officers, and &c men. whom she rescued
from drowning after the action of Cherbourg yesterday
which resulted in the destruction Of the wordrenowned
Alabama. From interviews held this morning with MI
Lancaster with Capt Jones master Of the Deerhound
and with some Of the Aabanas officers and from IN
formation CLEANED in other quarters am enabled 70
furnish you with some interesting particulars connected
with the fight between the Alabama and the kearsarge
The Deerhonnd is yacht Of 100 iuns and 'V-borse
mower and her owner is member OF the Royal acht
squadron at COwes and OF the Royal Mersey haeht
Climb BY a somewhat singular coincidence. she was
built by Nessrs. Laird SON OF Brkenhesd and proof
of her eeness furnished by the fact that she steamed
home from the OF action yesterday at inc rate OF
ID knots an hour On arriving al CherbOnrR' az ~
O'Clock on Saturday night, b. railway from Caen Nj
Lancaster was informed by the captain OF his yacht,
which lying in hsrbor awaiting bis arrival that u
as reportea that the Alabama and the Kearsargo were
going out 10 fight each other In The morning Mr.. Ian
caster whose wife, niece and family were also on board
his Yacht at determined 10 90 ont In the morning
The Alabama left Cherbourg harbour about 10 o'clock
on Sunday morning. and the kearsarge was then
several miles out 20 seward with her steam ~ ready
for action The French plated ship-ofwar Coaronne
followed the Alabama out OF harbor and stopped when
tho vessels were league off tho coast her object being
TINT there no Violation OF tnf OF
by any fight taking place within the legal distance from
land The combat took place about nine miles from
Cherbourg, and there are some slight differences
(as might naturally be expected under the oreum-
stances In relation TO the period which IL lasted,
and other matters u may bc well here 70 reproduce
from MI LaDcasters letter in The 7ime OF this morn
ing the suboned extract from the log kept on board the
Deerhound:
sunday June 10 a moot up steam and proceeded
eamng out Of the hsrbor toward the fedeiL steamer hesr
sarge I:lO-The Aiabrms commenced firing with her star
battery the distance between the coniendns vessels be
ng about one mile The Kesr,sTre immediately replied with
sarboae guns ven sharp spirited hfins w,i urn hst
both vessels made complete circles distance Of nom
quarter half mile At II slight Information was OBJ
and napnT her course toward the land distant about nine
miles. At observed the Aabass 10 be disabled snd IN
the Kear,arre requested ssss, In saving the
hlsbams, A. 1880 when within distance OF 30
and with the assistance Of the AlAbsmss whaeboat and
dnry succeeded in saving about ~ men. including Capt
SsInnes and IS ofcer AT m we ''eeTed Tor sou'hap
one Of the officers of the Alabama names the same
hOur--yiz, III 10 as the commencement OF the action
and 1890 the period OF us cessation making It's
duration IN hour and half while the time observed on
be ard the Deerhound which Ia most likely 10 be ac
CITRATE that vessel being free from the excitement and
confusion necessarily existing Oh board the Alabama
limited the action TO an hour the last shot being bred
nj 1910. The distance between the two contending
vessels when the Alabama opened lire was estimated
Oh board the Deerhound at about mile, while the
Alabamas officer tells me that she was mile and half
away from the kearsarge whom she fred the hrst Shot
Be this it may IL is certain that the Alabama com
menced the firing and il is known that her guns were
pointed for range Of 900 yards, and that the second
shot she fired in about half minute after the first
went right into the Kearsarge. that may be taken
the real distance between the two ships The firing be-
came general from both vessels ct the distance OF little
under mile and well sustained on both sidos-Slr
ancastes preston being that at no time during the
action were they less than quarter Of a mile from
each other. Seven complete circles were made IN the
period over which the fight lasted. IL was es
| Gard he Dsepb nd at he A la.
bama fred in all about $50 rounds-some single
guns and in broadsides Of three fourand the
Keersarge about 100 the majority of which were H.
inch shells The Alabama's were principally Blake
lcys pivot guns In the early part Of the action the
relative firing about three from the Alabama to
from the Kearsarge but as II progressed the latter
gained the advantage ha ing apparently much greater
power Of steam. She appeared 70 have all ady antage
the Alabama of about three knots an hour. and
steam rushing out Of her bl0wpipe all through
the action while the Alabama seemed 70 have very
little steam on.
AT length the Alabamas rudder was disabled by one
Of her opponents heavy shells and they hoisted sails
but il reported TO Capt Semmes by one Of bis
officers that his ship was sinking. With great bravery
the guns kept ported till the muzzles actually
under water and the last shot from the doomed ship
was fired as she was settling down When her stern
was completely under water, Capt Semmes gave orders
for the men themselves best they could and
every one jumped into the and swan to the boats
which had put of 20 their Tescue. Those OF them who
were wounded were ordered by Capt. Senmes 70 be
placed in the Alabsmas boats and taken board the
heerbaise, winch was as far az possible Obcycd.
Capt SeInmes and those above mentioned were saved
in the DeeIhounds boats and when ii ascerained
that the water was clear Of every that had life left
and thai no more help could be rendered the yacht
steamed away FOR Coges and thence to this port.
The kearsarge II Ia known. has for some time past
been in hot pursuit OF the Alabama which vessel pt
Winslow was determined 10 follow everywhere till he
overlook his enemy Very recently she chased and
up with OF the vessels of the Chinese exped
tionary force returning TO England and rap alongside
with her guns pointed and at quarters before she
could DO convinced of her mistake for the expedonay
vessel very like the celebrated Confederate cruiser
The Kearsarge was then described as likely 10 prove
afoImidable oyermach FOR the Alabama. having higher
steam power and rate OF speed, nearly double'
that under Capt Semmes, aud unlike her sister ship
llnch shell guns-the called couulbads OF the
American Navy. The Alabama, the contrary, is
stated 10 have had only heavy Tifed guns and six
broedsidc 5poundeIs. The Confederate, too, after
her long cruise, sOrely IN need OF ret. Part Of
her copper, u is said. of, and her bottom was
covered with long weeds
The crew Of the Alabama comprised in all about 80
when che LETT Cherb0urg or these ten or twelve weTo
killed during the action, and number were known 10
be drowned the difference between these and the nun.
Dol Drought home by the Deerhound being it Is hoped
saved by the boats OF the Ke1rsarge or some French
pilot boats which were in the vicinity The French
war vessel ConroDne did not come ont beyond three
miles The surgeon of the Alabama was an English.
man. and, as nothing has been heard Of him since be
went below 10 dress The wounds Of some OF the sufferers
Il is feared that he went down with the ship
| The wounded men board the Deerhound were
carefully attended 10 until her arrival here when thew
were taken 10 the Sailors Home in the Canute road
Several Of the men are more or less SCARED but they
all ont about the town today, and the only notice
! able case is that Of a man who was wounded In the
groin and that but slightly.
Capt hemmes and his first lieutenant Mr. j. NJ
Kill arc STAYING Of Kelvays Hotel in Queens terrace