Connecticut western news., 1895-12-12


 will be daring spirits seeking to put the way by fair means or foul In former times such exploits took the nature of cutting out expeditions. " It may come to that again if torpedo lenders keep pace with the improvements in destruc- tive missiles. One of the last and the greatest of historic affairs of the kind occurred in the summer of 1901. of Brest. The combined French and Span ish neets lay in the harbor with the outside, watching them. There were no active hostilities, because Napoleon was following up his Italian victories by treaties with all the European powers One with Spain in March. 1901. had brought about an active alliance; that with Eng land was to follow.
 In the bay of Canaret. outside of the harbor, the French cruising oorvet Che vrette lay under some shore batteries The berth seemed safe against attack, and, moreover, a capital one to slip out from through the English blockade. Perhaps the sons of old England took he latter view. At any rate. the former didn't impress them strongly, for they set about her capture in the most daring manner. A band of volunteers in boats from the frigates lying nearest proceed d to board her and carry her of cap tive. The attempt was made on the night of July 20 and failed niserably. The boats didn | keep together. some of the crews being overzealous and excited Order was wanting. and the officer in command seemed to exert no power over the men. The faster boats outstrip- ped the othera Some of those left in the lurch got lost and returned to their hips. Those in the van slowed up at the entrance to the bay mad waited un-
 il daylight for the force to unite. The French on board the cruiser and along shore saw the array and of course took alarm. Upder the circumstances the British could but abandon the project for the time, which they did and put lack to the blockading feet. Next day he Chevrette weighed anchor and moved to safer quarters farther up the bay un- Ter heavier bctteries. A complement of soldiers was placed on board to bring her fighting force up to nearly $50 men
 md every means taken to strengthen her power of resistance. Furthermore, a gunboat took moorings at the entrance o the bay to do service as vedette. However, there was a Cushing on the English fleet, or many perhaps with his spirit The trial and failure had aroused the sailor blood. On the very night when the cruiser first rested in her new berth l5 boats put of from the fleet and rowed silently to the mouth of the bay. The chief of the expedition took his own boat and five others and went in search ]. of the guardboat Meanwhile the second in command and apparently the master mind of the expedition proceeded with nine boats, containing 180 men, toward the Chevrette. The leader of this detach- ment was Lieutenant Keith Maxwell His orders were to await the return of the chief Il his six boats from the pre- liminary expedition. After waiting a long time Maxwell concluded that. since it was six miles to the cruiser, not an other moment should be lost. He gave Gders for the attack and proceeded to carry out the programme short handed rather than lose his chance. Just so the gallant Gushing acted Everything he had counted upon to favor his forlorn hope in the destruction of the Alber- mario went awry. But '.impossibilities to tho timid, '' said he and drove ahead. About an hour after midnight Max. wells nine boats approached the French man, and, as expected, received show CT of canister and bullets from the yes sells decks, soon increased by volleys from on shore. The little flotilla rowed | steadily on, in spite of the fusillade. and