Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1872-06-15
Am ERICAN SEAMEN.
Their Gallant Conduct at the Recent Pire
in Marseilles Harbor.

A London telegram, In giving the par
tIculars Of the activity of the American fleet
In suppreeslng the recent hro among the
shipping In the harbor of Marsellles,
France, says; "The achievement Of the
United States squadron was one Of the
most splendid Victories Of peace, II having
saved from destruction, by the discipline,
skill and lntrepidity of the Officers and men,
n thousand merchant ships and the city Of
Aarseilles. 0n the night Of the Ore the
squadron, consisting OF the Wabash, Con-
gress, Brooklyn, Plymouth, Sh0ndndoah,
Jl4iafd and Wdchusett, under the command
OF Admiral Alden, lay In Napoleon basin,
amidst innumerable merchantmen OF every
description and from every nation. Shortly
after midnight an explosioi startled the
city, followed by are and dense clouds OF
heavy smoke which issued from On italian
ship, just arrived from Philadelphia, with
a cargo Of petroleum. The nature OF the
danger soon became evident, AMI 1t seemed
impossible to prevent the fire spreading
from ship to ship, as they lay 10 such a
mass, and general conhRgration seemed
Imminent, for the houses extend down to
the wharf on every side.
"No city OF France has the meaus 10 ex-
, tlngulsh great iire, and hence the people
gathered and contemplated the scene In
panlc-strlcken, fascinated horror. Pre-
sently a well manned boat came from that
part Of the basin Illuminated by the blaze
and pulled directly towards the burning
ship. This was soon followed by another,
then third, ten, twenty-all bo ats OF the
| American squadron. A moment later the
men were seen on the deck of the burning
1 ship. The silence of the people on shore
was such that they could hear, through
the smothered roar and erackle of the fire,
the word of command and blows Of axes.
Presently the vessel began to settle; she
had been scuttled, and her cargo was now
under water, the deck being level with the
surface. The danger from the escape OF
burning petroleum, was still Imminent,
when line OF boats, lashed together stem
and stern, was seen pulling away, and as
the file Strengthened out the burning ship
moved also, and was slowly towed out 10
the bay by over two hundred well-manned
oars. II was only then that All immense
cheer broke from the thousands of people,
who felt inexpressible gratitude to the
Americans for the salvation Of their city,
Balzae was the first French prose writer,
The longest reign In French history Ii
that Of Louis XIV.
A Roman LADY named Fabiola, in the
foarh century, founded the first public
hospital.
Between the years 1904 and 1906, there
were 5000, 900 muskets made IN Birming
ham, England.
The mode OF praying with the face Il
the Rast, Was instituted by Pope Boni
face ii, A. ID. 5S9.
Whltefeld Is said to have delivered
eighteen thousand sermons during his ca
reer Of thlrty.four years.
Zoroastcr is said TO have written worl
entitled "The Tunultade" which covered
twelve hundred and sixty hides of cattle
! Some Of the Italian cities appointed thI
: day on which the Emperor Augustus frs
= visited them TO be henceforth the beginning
of the year.
Sir Anthony Ashley, of Dorsetshire, wa
the frat TO plant cabbages In England
and a cabbage at bis feet appears on hi
monument.
, A single leaf of Victoria Regina in th
Botanical Garden, at Ghent, noatsd tw,
-, hundred and sixty. four pounds OF brick
! that were piled upon It, ,...,o,
J | rhl a--t---sttflr DOOa nbcu Ny Quee
Elizabeth, with the paper on which sh
tried her pens, is preserved at Oxford, l
a the Bodleian Library.
Both Augustus, the great Roman Run
: | peror, and Napoleon BOnaparte, thoug
= men Of high talents and education, ar
I
r Mount Ararat is more than thousan
a feet higher than Mount Blanc, the highes
OF tue Alps. It's eummit has been reache
twice In the present century first In 1872
and again In 1880.
y The Dutch in their second voyage /
4 China, carried from home, a large quaint
A ty Of dried sage and bartered 1t with th
q Chinese, receiving three or four pound
o of tea for Of sage.
y Among the specimens of the varlou
"a modes and materials o. writing found !
the British Museum Is a nabob's letter o
piece Of bark about two yards long, an
richly ornamented with gold.
% There have been 40 queens of England
Is beginning with the wife of William th
A. Conqueror. Only fye OF these have bee
II queens In their own right namely; tn
% two MarJs, Elizabeth, Annie II Victorii
h Carriages were not very plentiful in Ii
Al reigu OF Henry Nv, Of France. This
ir monarch, In letter TO his mlnllter, say
8, he intended to have called on him, bt
could not, because the queen had gone ol
with the carriage.
Altar of Roses was first discovered
/, Nourjehan Begune. On this occasion tt
Emperor OF Hindostan rewarded the di
m coyerer with string Of valuable pearl
8. II takes u hundred weight OF rose leave
10 to make two drains OF tho precious oil.
rs Gustavus Adolphus, King of swedei
e, the most successful commander on u
10 Protestant side In the thirty years wa
IN Q6iS-194s) was killed at the battle
Lutzen (1632), where his genius obtains
great victory. The Catholics wei
greatly elated At his death, and celebrate
N the event with so many bonhres, that
f. Spain the court lnterfered lest fuel shou
% beeome too scarce during the approachi1
In winter.