The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-11-24

armor, a inches amidships, tspering to 81
iDehes at the eXtremities; guaranteed speed,
not less than IL knots in a smooth sea; coal
capacity, 29o tons; battery, one 300-pounder
Armstrong rife, arranged rs TO be fired
ahead or from either bow. and two 70-pounder
Armstrong rifles. in an after-fxed turret.
Early in the Spring of 1864. however. before
these vessels were completed and delivered,
the United States Minister TO France, Mr. w.
i. Dayton, got wind oft, and made formal
protest to the Emperor, Napoleon H., against
the procedure At this time, the fortunes of
the Confederacy being on the wane, and the
overwhelming power and vast resources of the
United States having manifested themselves
very strongly, the Emperor changed his policy
toward the Confederacy. He not only pro-
hibited the sailing of the ironclads, but issued
peTemptory orders that they, together with
four wooden corvettes which Amman was build
ing for the COnfederates should be sold IND.
mediately. Denmark bought one of the IRON
clads and Prussia the other. These two coun-
tries were at war with each other also, but
their ministers were not as watchful as those of
the United States. and the vessels were deliv
cred as soon as they were finished. Before the
one sold to Denmark got to Copenhagen in
November, 1864, the war with Prussia was
over, and Denmark wished TO anDul the pur-
chase. This being the case, Amman immedi-
ately made arrangements with Commander
Bulloch to deliver this vessel. which was called
the Sphynx, to the Confederates. She left
Copenhagen about Jan. 6. 1865, and was deliv-
cred TO Capt Thomas Jefferson Page, {. S. \.
the having come out in her from Copenhagen,
Jan. "a, of Quberon. France, the appointed
place of rendezvous. where she took on board
from the City of Richmond Ia blockade-runnerl
her officers and crew. These had come from
the c. S. S. Rappahannock at Calais, and were
composed Of the crew of the latter vessel and
the Florida. lately captured at Bahia, Brazil.
She was commissioned the Confederate States
Steam Ram Stonewal. She started on a cruise
Jan. &c, but encountered such severe gale in
the Bay of Biscsy that she sprung a leak and
put into COrunna, Spain, Feb. 9; the next day
che ran across the bay 10 Ferrol, where she was
allowed to make repairs.
While lying in Ferrol, the United States
frigate Niagara, Commodore Thos. [. Craven,
U.S.N-, carrying battery of IL $50 dr rifles,
and capable of making speed of from eight
20 II knots per hour and the U.S.S. Sacramento,
Capt. Henry Walker, U.S.N., carrying battery
Of two ll-inch and two 9-inch Dahlgren
smooth-bore guns and one 60 pdr. rife, and
capable of making speed of from seven to 13
knots, arrived and took position in Corunna,
from whence they could watch the movements
OF the Stonewall. On March 81 the log book
Of the Niagara reads as follows: "At 2:40 pm.
got under way and stood out with the Sacra-
mento 10 meet the ram Stonewal, then stand
4DS Jul 70 6td HUN AT o.0U lD6 ram
was seen TO turn and disappear into Ferrol
Hsrbor. . This ship turned and pro-
ceeded into Corunna Harbor." March % the
Niagara log reads: AT 10 a. 10. the rebel ram
6tonewal came out from Ferrol, got underway
and stood out TO meet her. The men at quar-
teri and the ship cleared for action. At l0:45
the ram returned 70 Ferrol. This ship stood to
she entrance Of that harbor and then returned
60 our anchorage at Corunna" Commodore
Craven, in his official report, assumes a rea-
son (which ls most likely correct) for the Stone
wall not accepting battle on the above two oc-
cssious that the state of the sea was not favor
able to her purpose. On the morning of the
Gath Of March, however, there was dead calm
prevailing with a smooth, CLASSY sea. and the
Stonewall steamed out of Ferrol, followed by
the Spanish frigate Conception. The latter
vessel oeteneibly went with q view of main
tanning the strict neutrality of Spanish waters
bat no doubt was greatly tempted by the keen
anticipation and expectation Of witnessing
fght Upon reaching the three mile limit the
Conception fred q gun, as IL 10 indicate that
the Stonewall was beyond Spanish waters The
btonewall then steamed up and down In front
OF the harbor Of Corunna ell day, Haunting the
Confederate flag In the faces Of the Niagara and
Sacramento; but the latter vessels remained
quietly a. anchor In the hsrbor of Corunna
Commodore Craven gives the following as his
reasons for not accepting this gage of battle:
AT this time the odds In her favor were too
great and too certain, in my humble Judgment
to admit Of the slightest hope Of being able to
infct upon her even the most trifing injury:
where. II VIC had have gone oct, the Niagara
would most undoubtedly have been easily and
promptly destroyed. So thoroughly q one-sided
combat did not consider myself called upon
20 engage In"
The Stonewsll was truly an ugly customer to
tackle, having her battery OF one 300-pcr. and
two 70-pdr. rifles. an iron ram projecting about
1e feet In front of her bow, az inches of srmor,
aspeed Of 10 knots per hour, and the power,
by means Of her twin screws, to turn almost
within her own length she would probably
have made short work of the Niagara and Sac
yamento.
Commodore Craven was brought to trial by
eonrtmartial on the charge Of falling to do
his utmost to oyertake and capture or destroy
vessel which It was bis duty to encounter"
The court found him guilty in part" but the
punishment recommended not being adequate
10 the otense in the opinion of the Secretary
OF The Navy, the sentence was get aside and he
Commodore Craven) was restored to duty.
The stonewall, not being able TO invoke an
encounter. steamed of for Lisbon, where she ar.
yiFed on March &c. The Portuguese authorities
ordered her to leave immediately but, being