The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-02-17
THE BRIG ARMSTRONG.

THEBRIG ARMSTRONG.
Congress Asked to Pay for her Destruction
Which Occurred in the War of 1S12-A Brief
History Of the Affair.
The present Congress has before it
a matter that has for the past sixty
years been the subject Of more deplo.
matte litigation than any other in
which this country has been called on
to take part, and has been considered
by nearly all the governments of
Europe. Its history recalls one OF
the most brilliantnaval engagements,
in which American seamen displayed
almost unparalleled prowess against
overwhelming numbers. The brig
General Armstrong was an American
prlvateer, commanded by Capt. Sam
@. Reid. She was small vessel, car.
rying but seven guns and. ninty men,
and was actively employed in the war
of l9l2-'l4 between the United States
and Great Britain. The brig put
into the harbor of Fayal, belonging to
the neutral Power Of Portugal, Sept.
26, 1916, in search Of fresh water. A
British squadron came to anchor in
that harbor. This squadron consisted
OF the ship-of-the- line Plantagenet, of
seventy-four guns; the frigate of
Rota, OF forty -four guns, and the brig
Carnation, of eighteen guns,--a total
force Of 236 guns and 1000 men, com
manded by Admiral Lloyd, who decid.
ed to capture the Armstrong. The
first attack was made by four armed
boats, carrying in all lGO men. Reid
warned them to keep away, but they
pushed on, and had begun to board
the privateer before any resistance
was made. Then Reid opened fire,
and killed and wounded many Of the
attacking party. This bloody and
unfortunate contest lasted about forty
minutes.
After this remarkable encounter,
the British did not again modest the
privateer until morning. Then the
-Carnation hauled in alongside, and
opened a heavy fire with all her guns.
But the American seemed invincible.
In a short time the Carnation was so
badly cut up that she was obliged to
haul off for repairs. Thinking it use
less to contend longer against so supe-
rior a force, Reid scuttled the Arm
strong and went ashore with his men.
The British then burned the privateel.
The most remarkable feature Of the
battle was the almost miraculous
escape of the crew of the Armstrong.
The number Of British killed exceeded
one hundred and twenty, and ninety
wounded. The enemy, to the surprise
of mankind, lost but two killed and
seven wounded. When the Portuguese
Governor of Fayal Informed his home
Government Of this gross breach OF
neutrality, the Prince Regent Of Por-
tugal instructed his Minister in Lon
don to demand from the English Gov
eminent an apology and indemniica-
ton for the destruction Of the Arm
strong and the losses Of the people of
Fayal. In correspondence with the
American Minister to Portugal, the
Portuguese Minister of Foreign AZ
fairs, in behalf Of his Government
said that this demand had been made,
and plainly admitted the liability Of
Portugal to the United States. In re-
ply to the demand, the British Gov
eminent apologized to Portugal for
violating the neutrality Of her port,
and made good the damage done in
Fayal by the guns of the Carnation.
But Great Britain positively refused
to pay for the destruction Of the pri-
vateer. President Madison, before he
knew that Portugal had admitted her
liability, instructed Mr.. Monroe, Sec
rotary of State, to demand immediate
indemnifcation from that Govern
ment.
]. The civil wars of Portugal then in
terrupted the progress Of the case, and
for sixteen years there was no further
diplomatic correspondence on the sub
ject. II was not until Jackson's sec.
ond term in 1885, that it was heard OF
again. Then our Secretary Of State
urged our Charge at Lisbon to prosecute
the claim. The Charge called for the
correspondence in which the Por-
tuguese Government had at the time
admitted its liability, but Secretary
Forsyth was profoundly ignorant OF
this correspondence although it was
on file in the Department. Without
this essential evidence nothing could
be done, and it is not surprising, that
Portugal, in 1913, denied its liability,
and even declared that neutrality
had been violated by the Americans,
and not by the British. But in 1916
the correspondence, of 1914 was found,
and its discovery caused vigorous
prosecution of the case. President
Taylor determined to procure settle
ment. Portugal offered to pay sew
eral other claims, without regard to
their justice or injustice, if the United
States would allow the Armstrong
claim tie be submitted to arbitration.
This offer was peremptorily rejected.
An imperative demand was then made
upon Portugal for Naturalization.
Portugal refused, and our Minister at
Lisbon, James B. Clay, demanded his
passports and left the country on an
American frigate which had been sent