The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-05-19
Something ahont the Alabama.
The Philadelphia Press publishes the
following:

The Philadelphia Press publishes the
following:
''Sir Knowing how acceptable to
your readers is any intelligence OF the
whereabouts and movements OF the re-
bel pirate Alabama, | send you for pub
LEGATION some extracts in reference to
that vessel taken from the letter of a
correspondent who is on board a mer-
chant-ship, of which her husband is
captain, sailing from New York. She
writes thus
1t is now nearly eight months since
we arrived at Hong Kong almost long
enough to enjoy the privileges of a cit
izenship), and for the present it would
seem the greatest rashness to attempt
TO leave here, since the Alabama is
cruising around these waters, commit
ing great depredations on the poor
helpless American shipping. The Wy
oming, federal man-of-war, is in this
port, and Captain McDougal says ii is
impossible for him to accomplish any,
thing towards her capture. for tbs like
looking for a needle in hay-stack, or
a drop of water in a bucket and that
lac never expects to be as near her a.
gain as he was when on Singapore. She
was taking in coal off the island of Gro
katoa when the Wyoming passed round
the other side of the island in chase of
her, and but twenty miles distant.
Was it not aggravating?
GA letter received by my husband
from friend in Singapore, tells the
following The Alabama came steam
ing up here last Tuesday night (Feb-
ruary 9, with her flag flying saucily
enough, and just in time to prevent
some Of our American ships from going
on to Calcutta. She came into New
Harbor and coaled at the wharf |
went down alongside but would not 90
on board She is small, pretty yes
sell of about six hundred tons, very
long lower masts, and yards on fore and
main, with battery much too heavy
for her to fight in a sea-way. Small
and very low smoke-stacks, she looks
altogether very like one of the British
despatch boats. / do assure you that
the Wyoming could destroy her in
twenty minutes if she could but get her
under the range of her pivot, to say
nothing of her broadside guns About
twenty of the Alabama crew deserted,
and no doubt nearly all would 90 if
they could but get away. Armed off
GERS guarded her-forward, aft and
amidships-to prevent desertion, whilst
twenty-five of the crew were kept in
irons She had one hundred and elev-
en- men, all told, when she came here
so one of the crew told me-and they
have not exercised small arms for more
than a month, fearing to place them in
the hands Of the crew. She can steam
eleven knots only now, but with her
screw triced up can sail much faster,
say more than thirteen knots. This in
formation is carefully obtained from
petty officers and crew Yes, this pi-
rate is the great bug-bear that keeps
US all here. She has recently burned
several large vessels. i only wish the
Wyoming could sink her what bless
ingit would be to the world at large
1t must be confessed, however, that
Captain Semmes is a smart fellow if he
is a great rascal There are a large
number Of American vessels laid up
here, at Singapore and at Calcutta, with
good freights offering, but they dare
not move. The Confederates have their
spies here, who let them know every
thing that is going on