Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1882-10-14
FORT AND FLEET.
The Blockade Runners of the War
The Perils. Profits and Adven-
lures.

The great majority of Northern peo.
PIE treated the blockade-runl log lusi.
ness during the war as a matter affect.
ing only private individuals, and had
no idea Of its pelilous risks and i'm
mense Losses and gains. As a matter OF
fact the Southern Confederacy could
not have existed two wears but for Its
blockRde-runners. While private en-.
terprise kept these ships th0at, the
Confederate Government was the backer,
nssmuch as they stood ready to pur.
chase whatever it could use, and that
at prices which could hardly be credited
we're they not matters Of historical
record.
The headquarters of the blockade
running business was at Charleston.
During the war ten vessels ran in and
put of Charleston to one entering any
other port. a score of rich firms III that
city entered into the business simulta.
neously, attracted by the large profits
and encouraged by the government, and
i was at Charleston that Major E..
Willis was stationed as purchasing
agent of the Confederate Government
The war began i'll April. By Septem-
Der every Southern merchant had sold
out his stock and must henceforth de-
pend on Europe. 1t was then that
prices leaped to such figures as aston
ished every body, and was quoted at the
North as evidence that the Confederacy
was staggering. Aud vet Lee was in
his glory as a successful General when
those prices had advanced from $50 to
1 L
u paper of pins in the fall of 1864. re.
members that they cost from 500 to
S125 in Confederate money.
The South had very few vessels fit for
blockade-running. but she had money
70 buy with, and agents were kept in
Europe TO pick up the sort of crafts
wanted. Some OF the most successful
vessels were sailing craft, but after 1862
the great majority were side-wheel
steamers and propellers. Where the LAT
Ter approached the speed of the former
she was taken in preference. After the
first year the business was reduced to
something like a science. In the first
| place all the steamers were provided
with smOkeless coal, and this was always
a great point IN their favor. Ia the next
place the Ilor of the craft was found to
to be very important matter. After
many experiments it was found that a
white tinged with blue was the best that
could be adopted. Runner Thus paint.
ed have approached vii hin 500 feet of a
blockader at night without b, log seen,
and have rested half a day within five
miles Of an entire fleet Everything was
painted this one color, so that there was
nothing for the eye of the lookout To
catch. II he saw the steamer at ali she
WAS simply haze or blur in his eyes.
After it was found that the water
| churned up by the wheels someti mes
betrayed the craft 10y lis phosphort scent
| CLEAN arrangements were made to pre-
vent. generally by foaii lg sail behind
the wheel. Men even came to count the
chances of capture and escape as coolly
as they figured the cost Of cloth.
The profits were enormous. A suit
able craft could be purchased in Europe
for from $50, 600 to Sl20, 600, and as 9
rule, one successful trip would clear
her cost. To show what the profits
were, Maj. Willis once sent ont a bale
of cotton wcrth Si00 IN Confederate
money. At Nassau Ii was exchanged
| for barrel of borax. winch he sold III
Charleston for 81 600 in the same cur
rency. Again he sent ont ba'e Of Sea
Island worth 5000, and received bale
of women's wells which brought him
$780, Merchants who bought En-
gish cloth at Fifty cents per yard had nc
trouble in disposing of 1t at home for
81 and So A pair OF boots costing g
brought $40 and S12 in Charleston. Tea
which could Toe had IN Nassau for forty
cents per ponnd brought from Sl4 tC
800 IN the South.
If the owners made well tie men who
assumed the perils were by 10 mean.
neglected. The wages Of common
sailors were doubled and more and pajC
in gold. Many captains bafgained 10y
the trip. If successful in making The
round trip they received from So 500 /,
$1,000 IN good English gold. Outside
of tins sum each captain was permitted
to carry one bale of cotton each trip ol
his own account. As nothing was sale
about weight, they had two or thre,
ordinary bales compressed into one, ant
often made S15. 900 out of their specu
latiCn.
Whatever the Confederate Govern
ment needed had to oome this wey, ant
it paid the same prices as individuals
The runners brought In cannon, mus
| k0ts Ammunition hoofa and ahfaa