Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-03-12
The Rebel Pirates.
MoVEMENTsOF THE ALABAMA


&AcT Otcfulonb IN tMc East hnuleSs
From files of papers published in the Ea (
Indies we compile the following interestin.
notice of the operations of the
| ALABAMA:
from the Calcutta Hurkaru, Jan. l2l
r. We have been favored by yacorresponder
with the following particulars regarding til /
! Alabama:
| 5. S. CHEDUBA, 11th January, 1864.
On the 23d December, at 10 p. M, we ar
rived in Singapore. On the 24th, at 9P. M .
the Alabama steamed out of the New Han .
Dor for the Straits of Malacca. The sam I
| day she fell in with the Martaban, f0rmerl !,
called the Texan Star, from Moulmein Ii
Singapore, fully laden with rice; the shi I
had placed herself under the British flag /
but Semmes found some flaw in the Cal t.
tain's papers, said they were false docu
ments, and burnt her, landing the crew a
| Malacca.
On the 28th December, at z Al. M, sh 1
boarded the American ships Sonora an
Highlander, both lying at anchor and abollt
to get under weigh, 10 miles east of the Mort I,
Sands light vessel. He ordered both Cap I.
tains on board the Alabama, examined their
papers, allowed them to take small quan !
tity Of clothing, burnt their ships and sen (
them adrift in their boats, without any wa
ter or provisions. 4d ltig 7s
On the 18th of December, she, the Ala
bama, was seen off the North Sands light
ship, dodging about The sailors appeared
like lot of thieves, taking everything they
could stow about their persons, and not ap-
pearing to take any notice of their officer.
The officer himself not seeming to know
much about a ship, except as regards the
burning of her, and in that he was perfectly
an adept. He commenced by collecting all
the sailors beds in the forecastle, all the
cushions and beds in the cabin, and then,
pouring tar ON them. They then emptied
n cask of slush on the deck, and set fire to
theNwhole. SO little discipline was there,
that the Alabama's men were smoking
cigars in the boat that took the Captain on
board the Alabama's decks. The men were
lying about aft, as well as forward, smoking
pipes and cigars. He was told by the men
in the boat that they would like to get rid
of her, 1.-THE Alabama. But they had their
ten months pay due, which Semmes has
promised to give them by and by,as well as
prize money. The ship was very dirty, and
everything was in disorder. They said the
Sonora and Highlander would make seventy
two vessels they had burned. When the
Captain left the Sonora in his own boat, he
went alongside the Alabama, when Semmes
money or papers. a.e .T.84lJ
. Semmes gave the Captain the option to
stay in the Alabama for three weeks, and at
the expiration of that time to be landed
wherever he might be, but he preferred go-
ing with his men. Semmes then asked If
he had any water In the boat. There was
none and Semmes offered to tow him up to
the Sonora, to get some, but when the Cap
tain looked around for his ship she was in
flames, fore and aft, so he declined Semmes'
very generous offer. and after getting per-
mission, cast of, aud the Alabama went on
her way seeking for whom she might de-
YOUR. fasif . ae.
THE ALABAMA AT SINGAPORE.
The following extract from letter, dated
Singapore, Dec. 25, and referring to the re-
cent visit-of the Alabama to that port, will
be read with interest: ''The Alabama is not
large, barely 1000 tons, but she has the air
of daredevil craft, that would hesitate
but little to test her strength against much
stronger enemy. She Is very low in the
water, and extremely long, but the most
remarkable feature of her build is her ex-
treme narrowness; her beam amidships we
should set down at very little, if anything,
over "a feet. She has tremendous spars,
and her greatest spread Of canvas is in her
fore and aft sails, which are of gigantic
proportions. Under canvas alone she has
gone as much as 1315 knots. Her armament
consists of six 32-pounders, smo0th-bore
broaside guns, and two large pivot guns,
one fore and the other aft, the former being
rided for 100-pound shot, and the latter
smooth-bore for 68-pound shot. Everything
on deck Is in splendid order,s and of the
very best material. The engine-room is
picture of neatness, and the engines are
doubie7cylinders, of 300 horse power (nom-
10 f,f hats, rxs-nt bal 10
considerably over that power. Under steam
alone she has gone IA to 10 knots. The im-
preston which thorough inspection of the
vessel left OH our minds was that she Is es-
sentially handy craft, capable of the most
rapid movements, and effective to the ex-
tent of her strength. We had been accus-
toned to think that she was slightly built,
but this Is mistake, for, though wooden
built, she presents side equal in strength
to that Of any modern yessel-of-war of her
size. When talked to here about the hard
push the Southerners were having for it,
Capt. Semmes, pointing to the Confederate
flag over his head, said: 1t is no matter,
that flag never comes down'-a bold and
confident boast, which only time can test
the truth Off
To this statement the Emopean Times
adds:
"The Alabama left Singapore on the oath
of December after embarking supplies ca
pable of lasting three months, and was next
heard from in the Straits OF Malacca, where,
as is now well known, she tsotured tie
American ships Sonora, Highlander, and
Texan Star. Telegrams received In advance
of the incoming East India mail give con-
siderable later intelligence of the move
ments of the Alabama, and the destruction
Of another American ship. When last heard
of she was, 1t will be remembered, cruising
some fifty miles south of Rangoon; now she
Is on the west coast of India, somewhere In
the vicinity of Bombay. Thevessel shehas
captured is reported as the Emma, Of New
York; but this is doubtful, as according to
the American register of shipping, no such
vessel exists, nor have we been able to dis
cover any such vessel as the Emma in east
ern waters. She may, IL is true, be one of
the recently 'whitewashed' fleet yet we will
be without further information till tho ar
rival of the mail"
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