The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1894-03-03
4 FAMOUS NAVAL DUEL
Recalled by the Recent disaster to
the Kearsar1e.
Tho Memorable Encounter That Freed
Northern MorchantmeD from
Foe That Wrought Havoc
Among Them.

Among Inem.
The Alabama put into the harbor Of
Cherbourg, France, in June, 1864, to ef-
feet some necessary repairs. The Kear-
sarge, then in command of Capt. John
A. Winslow, appeared off the harbor
on June IA. The Kearsarge. says the
New York Times, cruised off the en-
trance to the harbor, but did not make
the mistake of. anchoring in the port,
as that act would have given the con-
federate vessel q start of twenty-four
hours whenever she might choose to
leave, it being an international law
that beligerent vessels anchoring In q
neutral port must not leave within
twenty-four hours of each other The
Tuscarora had made that error short
time before, and when she started in
pursuit of the Sumpter from Southamp-
ton harbor she was promptly ordered
back to her berth by the British au-
thorities, and a naval force sufficient
to enforce the mandate was in readi-
ness.
Capt. Winslow made demonstrations
which were equivalent to challenge,
and, knowing the character of Semmes,
he had little doubt that it would be ae-
cepted, and set about preparing his
ship for action. The heavy anchor
chains were gotten up out OF the chain
locker and suspended along the sides
of the vessel so as to protect the vital
parts of the ship. This chain armor
was concealed by deal boards, which
were nailed over it.
The word was passed through the
ship on Sunday morning, June 10, that
the Alabama was coming out. The
decks of the Kearsarge, were cleared
for action and the drum beat to quar-
tiers. The two ships were almost even
ly matched as to size, the Kearsarge
measuring 1,O31 tons and the Ala
bama 1,O18. In weight of metal
thrown in a hroadside, the Kearsarge,
though mounting one gun less than
the confederate vessel, had distinct
advantage, the Kearsarge throwing
430 pounds to the Alabama's $50. The
battery of the latter vessel consisted
of six thirtytwo Founders, 10o-pounder
Blakely rifle, and one eight-inch shell
gun.
The Alabama was the first to open
fire. The Kearsarge reserved hers un-
til the enemy was 1000 yards distant,
then gave broadside from her star
board battery. The big eleven-inch guns
of the Kearsarge did terrible execu-
ton on the decks of the Alabama, and
finally one of them planted a she'll in
the Alabama which reduced that yes
sci to sinking condition and made
surrender necessary
Capt Winslow then gave his atten-
ton to the rescue of the Alabama's
crew The confederate admiral was
picked up by the English yacht Deer
hound, which conveyed him to Eng
land.
Semmes claimed that the powder of
the Allah anna had become ''caky" and
had lost it's strength, and that the
fuses Of his shells were defective. One
of the Alabama's shells buried itself in
the sternpost of the kearsarge, but
failed to explode. Had the fuse acted,
it is said that the Kearsarge would GER
tainly have been disabled by the loss
of her rudder. The shell is now in the
navy museum in Washington.
Since that memorable encounter the
Kearsarge had been almost constantly
in service She had had few occasions
to visit navy yards. and had displayed
her pennant in nearly every important
harbor of the world She had the rep
utation of being always ready for duty,
and lately had been busily employed
in protecting American interests in the
West Indies and searching for dere-
llcts on the North Atlantic.
AS a fighter she had outlived her use
fulness. Her two eleven-inch guns
had been replaced by eight-inch rifles
of the Misunderstanding type. Her speed
in later years was much less than it
was when the vessel fought the Ala
bama. Then she was credited with
fourteen knots an hour. Her original
boilers were taken out several years
ago, and set which was intended for
the Nantasket, much smaller vessel,
was substituted. They were not near
" so good as the old ones. Capt.
Elmer says that in the period he com
lnanQeu inc AeaISdTSe lie Was uudUIt
to get much more than eight knots out
Of her.
The vessel measured two hundred
and ten feet four inches in length and
had beam of thirty-three feet ten
inches. She was bark rugged, having
been converted from ship, which was
her rig when she fought the Alabama.
She was built in the navy yard at
Portsmouth, N. H., at cost of $273,-
b14.99.
The nIoujik Gear.
Alexander III. seems determined to
live up to his sobriquet of ''the moujik
czar.' He has just aafixed his sigma
ture to a project of law now being
elaborated by the council Of the en-
pire, which is destined to render in
alienable the landed alotments Of the
peasants. The object of this measure
is, of course, to prevent the seizure of
the land for debt by the money lenders, 1
whom he regards as the principal cause
of the present distress and agricultural
depression in his dominions. For the
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