The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1864-05-12
famiIles had lived together with their mas
ters; but now they must be separated."--
"Lo, the poor negro!n



"Lo, the poor negro!"
anda 'emeass - Naval 8aterprlse.
The probability OF encounteriug upon the
ocean an enemy whose interest 1t 10 to avoid
ameeting 10 etrikingiy illustiated by facts in
the naval history Of Europe. Not only sin
gle vessels, bat whole neets, have often man
aged to keep ont Of the way Of o hostile
squadron. Take the following remarkable
instances:
Iu l744. apprchending o French invasion,
Sir John Norris was ssnt from Eogland with
large squadron to intercept the French
heet, which consisted Of twenty ships and "a
Land force Of twenty-five thousand men.
The French succeeded In sailing the short
distance to the British coast without meet.
ing any opposition, and was only prevented
from landing the troops by q storm, which
drove them back upon the coast Of France
for shelter.
In 1855 an English feet Of several ships Of
the line and some frigates were sent to in
tercept French feet Of twenty five ships
Of the line and many smaAer vessels, which
had sailed from Brest for America. The
fleets passed each other in thick fog. All
bnt two Of the French vessels reached Que
bee, and nine of them soon afterwards re-
turned to France.
In 1859 British force, under Commander
Boy, blockaded Q French feet In the port
Of Dunkirk. The French commander, seiz =
ing favorable opportunity, not only escaped
from his enemy, but attacked the coast Of
Scotland, and cruised about till the next
year, without meeting single British YES
Sci, although sixty one British ships Of the
line were then stationed upon the coasts Of
England and France.
A still more remarkable case occurred in
1896, when the French attempted to throw
the army OF Hoche into Ireland. The most
extraordinary efforts were made by the Brit.
ish naval authorities to intercept the French
feet In its passage. Three Heets wexe put
on guard: one, the Channel feet, under
Lord Bridport, consisting of thirty sail OF
the line, was stationed close on the British
shores; asecond, under Curtis, in the Downs;
o third, under Colpays, watched the harbor
of Brest. Yet the French fleet of forty-four
vessels, carrying land force of twenty-five
thousand men, actually passed unobserved
these three lines of coast guard, though it
occupied eight days In making the passage
aud three more in landing the troops. And
they not only passed, but returned, only one
of their number being intercepted by the
vast naval force of England!
In 1891 French squadron again passed
British fleet with perfect impunity. The
same thing occurred twice In 1898, when the
immense British fleets failed to prevent the
landing of Gen. HumbeIt's army, and later
In the year, when French squadron of niue
vessels aud three thousand men escaped Sir
J. b. Warrens squad.on and safely reached
the coast Of Ireland.
The escape Of the Toulon feet, in 1898,
from that vigilant and energetic command
er, Lord Nelson, was still more remarkable.
There were in this feet forty ships Of war
and an immense feet of transports, making
10 all three hundred sail, and carrying forty
troops. Its destination was NAL
10, and it slipped out Of port, followed by
Nelson, who tried two courses for Alexan- |
iria, and missed the French In both. The |
yea was narrow; the vessels numerous; the |
ieets actually crossed each other on Ger
Iain night; yet Nelson could see nothing of |
hem himself, and heard nothing Of them
rom merchant vessels.
In 1905 another Toulon fleet escaped from
Nelson. He sought for it in vain in the |
then proceeded to the West |
indies; then back to Europe, along the coast |
IF Portugal, In the Bay Of Biscay, and of |
he English Channel But all in vain. When |
hey did meet at last at Trafalgar it was be- |
.ause both fleets were willing to try the is |
Tue OF battle.
Ii great squadrons can thus elude the |
vigilance Of an enemy, how much, more
EASILY single ships, built for speed, and de-
signed to prey upon the commerce Of its
adversary. We have seen how for years |
lew Confederate vessels have foiled the |
whole naval power OF the United States-l
Whenever they have come in collision with
/ Yankee man.of-war they have whipped
aer, but the cases of collision have been only
.wo in three years. Such facts should stimu- |
ate our people to put privateers afloat on
every sea. There is NO branch of warlike |
enterprise which offers such Inducements
The risks are small; the profits IMMENSE
The ocean Is big pond, and full Of big |
ish. The angling Is almost as safe as on o |
liver bank, and the returns vastly more re-
Let US hope that the Virginia
Volunteer Navy will be soon afoat, and thai
very State Of the Confederacy will follow |
ler example.