The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-02-13
TpbiisAelphia TimssJ

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oiled ~ tue time. her intended name not
having Leea made ia bile. / mus premise
INV relation by asking you to eXcti-e the az.
.aysc.. Of dates, a. ing journal OF that pei 100
IA Al home add caanot trust my memofy
10 give then accurately. IL was III 'he
month O! MAY that, ~nile occupying I'VE
nosi,ioe OF chief officer Of one OF the Cnnaro
l,onDaDy7s steamers, tbosl laying IN tANei
pooi. was cent for By piepo' VINO s','u
that he Wished 90 see ne on business 81
snecial nature. On going 10 bis once ne to'u
me that steamer which klight be adapteu
,o war purooses was beiog built Tor q
foreicn Government, and that the agents oil
ina, f;oyernment were desirious oi obialR-
ing The sc4yices OF an English ofbeer' VINO
might be relied U2oD FOR prudence anu
good faith, 10 take eommand; ana mNl1g
fitted her out according 20 Instructions.
which would he given 10y The aecred'ed
agents of the Government for ~bom she
xc.s intended. TO procure q crew and pro-
cod TO Whatever place he might be orGeieo
10: that a very liberal remuneration wou'd
ne Given and commission in their navy
also n desired | at once felt quite sure
that the Goyernuen alluded to was iDe
Confederate, and said that l would gladly
take charge of the vessel. but TIA, shouid
not think Of serving under Il foreign nag
After some further conversation my Ileho
said that IL would call on the following
morning he would introduce me 10 those
who had full authority in the matter ana
then a final decision could be arrived at.
accordingly went the next day ana was
introduced 10 the Confederate agent VINO
had contracted for tie building OF the
shIp, and after some balf-h0urs converse
tion with him We went TO the builders
Al -. "a a.
had lust been launched, and was intIo-
duced to The builder as The commander. l
at once took charge. and FASTENED the outfit
aS much a. possible: for even at that time
we were AWAKE that danger might arise from
delay, and - careful watch was Kept on the
course OF events. Ii WIS some six weeks after
first ticking charge that | had just reached
home, on q Saturday sfternOOn, that note
was brought 10 me from the builder re-
auestng my immediate attendance at The
Office. lost no time in getting there, rs |
felt sure that some intimat:on must have
been received from London Of intended ac-
ton on the part OF the Governments, and
on arriving found the Confederate commis-
sioner, and the experimenting engineer OF
the builders. and the builder.
THE DEPARTURE FASTENED.
Mir. l. then told us that he had Just
received telegram from London warning
us that no time should be lost in getting
the vessel away from Liverpool, as the
American Minister, Mr.. Adams, bad laid
such evidence OF the ships being Intended
for war purposes before the officials OF our
GoveTnu ent as had decided them upon
taking imme diate steps to prevent her de-
parture. A consultation then took place,
1nl al "A unrl nj bf end
day, by which means everything essential
could be finished 10 forly-eigbt hours. Ac-
cordingly. OH the Monday evening follow
ing we steamed out of the Brkenhead dock
and anchored in the liver, no one having
vet molested us. On Tuesday morning We
were to 20 outside the river for 4 trial Of the
engines and return during the afternoon TO
complete our outfit. After receiving Il
small party Of ladies and gentlemen on
board, and with a steam-tug In attendance,
we left the MeiSey about 10 A. NJ. and spent
Il very pleasant day in The bay, the trials OF
the engines being very satisfactory and the
speed Of the vessel also. It was during his
time and when some OF the party were sug-
costing that il was getting time TO turn
homewards that IL occurred to me that a.
the machinery was in good working order,
and the work still remaining 10 be done
was not absolutely essential, and as there
was increasing danger in every hour
OF delay, that IL would be the wsest TO
keep her out OF the port aud remain at one
OF the numerous apchorages along the Welsh
coast between the river Dee aud Holy head,
and a. | had now be- come as anxious as any
one FOR the success OF the enterprise made
this suggestion TO the Confederate commits
sioner, who was on boar d-viz., that under
the advice OF the pilot We should fix upon
an anchorage as unfrtqueuled as possible,
and tina, having done SO, we should induce
the ladies and gentlemen on board TO pro-
ceed home by the tug, by telling them that
we wished further trials OF the engines,
which would delay our return until 8 or
L. NJ; that | would give him list Of all |
required 10 complete the outfit OF stores,
and also the address Of man whom | had
employed 10 pick up crew, and that he
could engage the tug steamer TO bring
them, not telling the master OF the tug
where he was goiug until he was on, OF the
liver and 1t quite cut OF his power 10 COM
municate with any one. Tue commissioner
fell "a with the idea at once, though il
would be decidedly the best thing II il
could be done, sud il the pilot were ielia-
bic. 1 assured 6im he ueed not fear Oh that
account, suA tsen esiisag the pilot we set
tied that Moekra bay, about thirty miles
from the entrance 10 the Nersey. would be
the best place IL was lhen intimated TO
the visitors that the snip would not returS
until hate aud that they had better take ~.
vantage OF the tug, Wdich Uas going back
al once, whhk they all did, and at once
steamed away with the "9ss" for Moelfra,
where we came 10 an anehes at about & =.
A.
TIE gsTI01.s AAERT.
Now having placed the "190" in safety,
must relate to you what happened 10 the
tug, and how the commissi sner pros pered
On arriving IN the river tbey found man
Of-wal's boat awaiting the return OF The
290,' with warrant for bee seizure, and
US the ship did not retura the tug was
closely watched. aud when the ext morn.
lug. 80 obedience 10 Instructions received
from The Confederate commissioner, she
came to The landing stage and proc eeded To
take la small cargo Of baDkls, cases, bags,
ETC.. and also number OF saiio,s, the
omcer IN charge Of toe man OF wars
BOAT went on board and asked the master
OF The Tug what IL sll meaat and where he
was going TO. He replied that be neither
knew nor cared where be was going 20,
ebat he was engaged by the hour aud he
Knew be Should be paid, aud that was all
he concerned himself about. Finding thar
no information could be got from the peo-
pie conpeeied With The tug, te made his
boat fast 10 the stern Of The tug, resolving
20 20 whefeger she went. Shortly after.
ward the commissioner came on board, aud
seeing that all the things ordered were on
board. gave orders 10 proceed out OF the |
river. Wbeo the tug-maser told the com.
missioner OF the inquiries made by The OIL |