The Portland daily press., 1884-04-15

close of the last century, seem to have fur
nished favorite names for Yankee PriVateers.
Ny last sketch was Of "Hyder Ally" and the
name chosen for the Porters' new vessel was
the "Tippoo Ssib." the sou Of Hyder Ally"
These two jointly defended Mysore against In
vasion BY Lord Wellesley, who was after
ward the Duke of Wellington. But Tippoo
vas finally slain at the battle of SeFingspstsm
in 1899 A few years before his death Capt.
Cammett repeated to the writer what he had
said OF the new vessel forty years ago-namely,
\ minute description Of her rig, armament, and
the length OF her spars, which was written
down for use. Tho Dash, belonging to the
same owners, being q favofite aud fast vessel,
it was decided to rig the new one the same 81
though her tonnage vas double that OF the
Dash. She was rugged as an hermsphrodite
brig She wss provided with all the sails pos
sible to be carried in light breeze by vessel
Of her rig, some Of which would nov be ruled
out by yacht club in q race, as irregular; but
these cruisers were amenable to no rules, but
"the devil take the hindmost." In the build
ing and rigging of this class Of vessels, the
Yankees succeeded in running away from
John Bull, and he has not 0vertaken them
yet.
The main boom of the Tippoo Saib was sev-
eDty-three feet long, and in her mainsail were
nineteen and a half bolts Of Russia duck, which
ia several inches wider than American duck.
TIE gan topsail was bent TO a spar sixty-fvo
feet long. reaching fifteen feet above the main-
topmAst-head, when the sail was set. Il had
all the halyards to hoist and set 1t from the
deck, and for the hauling 1t Cut to the gaF-
peak without a man to 60 sloft.
Although the Tippoo Saib had no opportuni-
ty In tho war to show what she could do, she
was the largest aud most perfect vessel for the
ssrsice for which she was built ever fitted out
at the port, and description Of her battery
and the placing Of IL will interest some readers.
She had battery of sixteen broadside guns,
IS pound csrronades, with q long 80 pound
pivot gun between the mssts, and long a
or AFT a. occasion rgdRRptSd TO be used forward
the time carried about the same battery and
in the same position. There is an amusing
tradition connected with the "long tom" Of
the Tippoo Saib, which is worth repeating.
John Lindsey Lewis, who had been 9 mer-
chant captain in the Liverpool trade, left that
business and ran packet between here and
Boston, purchasing such goods a. he had or.
ders for. BILLY Mcclellan" kept and sold on
Temple street everything that no one else
kept, and had tort piannos," as the instru-
ments we're then called, to let. Knowing that
Capt. Lewis was in Boston with his vessel, Nc
Lellan wrote to him that he was In want Of q
secondhand fort pianno," and wanted him to
purchase one and bring it on his return pas
sage; but he was careless writer, and the or
der was not rightly understood BY the captain.
When the packet arrived here Capt. Lewis
went up to McLellan's store, and 10 reply TO
McLellans question il he got his instrument,
the captain said, 81 could not find forty
FOUNDER, but 1 got a long thirty-two, and
want TO land it,, as it lays right across my
hatch" Capt. Lewis reasoned that Mcclellan
had taken q share in privateer, which was to
be armed the same as were Jsfersons gun
boats, then lying in Clay Cove-with only ons
gun. The long thirty-two had long rest on
the wharf before vessel was built large enough
10 carry it mounted, but it finally had a place
Oh the Tippoo Saib.
The new privateer had been to sea and her
battery had been adjusted to perfect her trim,
and she was swinging at her anchor in the
stream when the news Of peace came, and re-
iuced her selling value one-half. 1 have heard
in later years, Capt. Seward Porter lament that
peace came 50 soon before Cammstt had an
opportunity to knock the sticks.out OF some Of
Johnny's sloops-oi-war with the TiDpoo Saib."
He would emDhasiza his lnai.as~.s--- - -
enemy with Col. John Waits silver-headed
cane. which came TO him by gift.
After taking out all but the 2S-pound pivot
gun, Capt. Cammett made o veyaEo 70 Havsna
in the Tippoo Saib, carrying fifty-six men be-
fore the mast. This seems large number fos
a vessel OF her tonnage, but her rig required
. large crew with such sails to handle. 1t will
bs recollectsd that then there were none but
the old-fashioned blocks and hemp running
rigging in use. Now with the roller-push
sheaves and manila cordage, two men will
hoist sail that would have required Ave to
moist then. Neither was the improved wind
ASS purchase in use, bat simply holes for each
mans hanaspike. No chain cables, but those
made of tarred hemp, which were about as IN.
yielding as an oak saping OF the same size.
1t was the intention to sell the brig at Hava-
as, but vessels OF her description were plenty,
and Capt. Cammett took cargo of molssses
10 Boston, where the vessel was sold to Buf.
ington & Thorndike, and finally she ioun.
tered at her anchors in q "Norther" at Vera
Cruz.