The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-12-28

The United States GunbOat Swnfara Runs
Down French Bark In the Straits Of Glib
rai.ar-Thanksaivins DY i" the Harbor Of
MALAGA, Dec. I, 1868.
The United States gunboat swatara, Commander
Homer @. Blake, is in port, attending to American
interests she arrived on Sunday last from Cadiz,
and while on her way through the Straits OF Gibral
tar met with an unfortunate accident by running
down French bark. From one OF the officers l
learn that the accident occurred after dark, while
the ship was running along very comfortably at the
rate OF nve or six knots an hour with the wind light
from the eastward. This favorable wind had
brought out Of the Mediterranean large number Of
vessels, and the Straits were crowded with sailing
craft, standing fairly and before the wind, with
yards squared The Swatara threaded her way
safely through until beyond Tarifa when two ves-
sells were made out ahead. One was passed safely,
but the other ported helm and went to the sarb0ard
When this movement was made the Swatara put her
helm aport and this would have avoided all collision,
but the Frenchman, who seemed 10 be undecided
and uncertain soon after luffed suddenly and at
tempted to cross the Swatara's bows. The vessels
were so near together that collision could not be
avoided, and although the engines Of the
Swatara We're stopped and backed she struck
the bark forward her starboard cathead and
drove her bow clean up TO the bark's foremost,
smashing the longboat and leaving gap In her
side that soon hIled ner with water The Swatara
was backed out of the unpleasant position and got
clear or the wreck not without having her fOretop
mast carried away by the yards OF the Frenchman.
As soon as the wreck was cleared the ship stopped,
and the first cutter, whaleboats and gig were
manned and sent to the stranger. Before they could
reach the bark they met the captains boat contain
ing the officers and crew, who had deserted their
ship with an alacrity that betokened anything but
GOODNESS and Seli-poisessl0n. The men were taken
on board the Swatara and made comfortable. In
half an hour tile bark mad filed and keeled over,
lyin NAfh 4ttr bar h..1
and the Swatara kept away on her course for Mala-
ga, where the Frenchmen were cared for by French
corvette IN port. The bark was the Justlna, from
Marsellles 10 RIO JanelrO, with oil and wine. She
was built In Quebec aud was about 600 tons register
Fully insured. The damage TO the Swatara was
very slight, her bowsprit and foretop being carried
away and the ioreroot being sprung little. The
ship was designed for ramming purposes and as
against wooden vessel her powers were pretty
well tried on this OCCASION The accident occurred
through the frenchman's 1aut and could not have
been avoided by the Swatara.
IL may not be undressing to the good people ut
home to know that thanksgiving was celebrated
with the customary festivities on American territory
In the harbor OF Malaga IL Was general holiday
on board the Swatara. The wardroom gave spen-
did dinner, to which the officers were kind enough
TO honor your correspondent with invitation and
thereby enabled him TO enjoy his feast under the
nag aud In American style. Captain Blake was also
guest. In my Old cruising days In the Medlterra-
mean the Froc had the reputation of having the best
Wardro0m and wine mess in these waters. The
Swatara Is neck and neck now with that auny craft,
and can testify / never ate q finer dinner anoat
X.
and t0asting In the wardroOm the men forward were
having their amusements Jack never fails TO OBJ
serve festivals, and he il bound to have magnifi-
cent dinner on all national OCCASIONS. Each mess
draws money literally from its fund, saved up dur
ing the cruise and buys turkeys. without which a
feast s failure, chickens and other good things for
the dinner The ships cooks bring TO bear their
prooundest knowledge and SKILL and the success IL
IN every way worthy of the great occasion. The
scene at dinner Is pleasant enough. Jack is in his
clcanest attire, and the mess kit Is spread neatly
out on the deck, laden with savory and toothsone
things. TO tell You half OF the titbits they have
would I'LL letter. They are all nice and
cooked TO turn, and imagine that
the little cherub that sits Abort to watch over
Jack must look down with ineXpressIble delight
upon the festive scene below, In which his edacious
and mirtnful charges are doing such manly duty ut
the trencher The little fellow cannot be nsenslble
SHINING breasts Of the turkeys. whose drumsticks
stand up like the musket OF marine. and whose
whole air and bearing bespeak luxurious and
sHmptu0u5 life ana manly death, rich with deli
cl0us promises not broken to the palate. And the
cherub must be something less than human II II did
not experience an unctuOuS sensation when the
great round plum pudding was rolled out and cut
up into noble pieces and buried iathom deep in the
rich white sauce, for consumption by men who knew
their duty and performed II To the letter.
IL was, indeed, u Thanksgiving feast that would
not have been discreditaDle 70 the most famous New
England housewife or Knickerbocker cook; and,
what Is better, every one enjoyed II, from the
captain to the messenger boy, and that Is
justice to the dinner they brought forth
The prides OF their hearts, their well Drowned
ana ninety p0llSned UNDERSTANDINGS, ana sent up tue
incense oil burning navy plug. Then came singing
ana dancing. company or MalaganOs came
aboard with guitar and violin and cracked voices
and played and sung under the iorecaste, ana
danced IN their peculiar STYLE till Jack overnowed
with Jollity and mirth Before the bugler piped
down hammocks the moon came up, very red In the
race, as II In q hurry to see an American Thanks
giving IN foreign ports, and the Old lady smiled
brightly on the scene for while, until IL over,
and then fastened swiftly In TO the west 10 look
some New England nreside, or To peer into some
western home, or to light up some Southern scene,
where the freedman was enjoying his iroc and lead
Ing of the quaint dance 10 the notes OF the fiddle
and banjo she must In her round That night have
contemplated many pleasant reunions and many de-
lightful festivities, but she did not hnd any more
Joyful ana hearty Than that she gazed upon in the
quiet waters OF the little harbor OF Malaga.
Queen Isabella and Her Privn;e Resources.
The Memorial DiDiom0tiQde OF Paris has the Iol-
lowing:-- -t@ ".s.ug
Queen Isabella appears TO have decided on fixing
her residence at Paris, az she has just purchased
Tor LOO, 00O the magnidcent residence situated IN
the avenue du Roi de Rome, at the corner OF the rue
banquet de NDeiust The amount Of the purchase
money would lead to the suppostion that her Ma
jesty has q considerable sum OF money at her dis
p0sal, and that consequently the Madrid journals
u nor afh uN ltt