The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1898-11-19

and take possession of her They
started for her and learned on their
arrival on her deck that the captain
and other officers had quietly slipped
away in a boat on the opposite side
and were no doubt safely on shore.
Daylight began TO creep over the
waters and we had the proud salts
faction of seeing that we had captured
n large iron steamer, apparently new.
and in frst-class condition. The flag
ship IIousatonic now signalled US to
bring her alongslde-she laying about
- miles south of us, distance giving
us n fine chance to test the PRICES
speed, which proved greater than that
OF any Of our fleet.
A DAYLIGHT BATTLE.
We had orders to follow, and had
proceeded but little way, when we
heard firing off Charleston, and soon
discovered that q rebel ram had come
out Of the harbor, and was engaged
in a duel with the flagship. II was
bright, clear morning, and as we heard
the shots, and saw the smoke puff up
from the guns, the shells as they
riCcochetted, spouting the water in
their course, made q sight never to be
forgotten. This duel kept up for an
hour or more, neither vessel having
bccn injured, when the ram steamed
slowly back into the harbor. We
learned, however, upon reaching the
flagship, that two rams had previous
ly attacked the side-wheeler, Merci-
ditto, killing three men by a shot in her
boilers, and that n shot i'm the steam
drum of the Keystone State had killed
21 men besides wounding Is more. Af-
ter firing these shots the ram had left
them and moved up the channel where
one had stopped TO engage the Hou-
satonic.
TOWING PRIZE TO PORT.
The two vessels were then towed to
Port Royal. They were formerly coast
steamers in the merchant service and
had nothing but signal guns aboard.
We afterwards learned that the ram
had come out to recapture the "Prin-
cess Royal'-hcr captain having re-
ported in Charleston that she had en-
gines and steel plating for rams
which, Of course, would be Of great
value TO the rebels.
Martin L. Vandicc, and Third Assis-
tan, Engineer r. II. Thurston tnow of
take charge Of the prize. and proceed
at once to Philadelphia, where she
would he condemned and sold at auc-
ton. she was found to be q new first
class iron screw steamer loaded with
machinery, iron plates. powder, cof-
fee, LIQUORS, dry goods, drugs, etc,
all of which were greatly needed by
the rebels An interesting feature,
was the fact that Lindsay & company,
of London, owned her, and Mr.. Lind
say, Of that firm, a member Of parlia-
ment. had moved while in his seat, in
the previous year, that the British
government should no longer acknowl-
edge the blockade because Of it's alleg
ed incfiiciencY. The vessel and cargo
brought S3S5,000, one-half of the net
proceeds going to the government, the
other half to all officers and men who
were within signal distance at time
of capture, their share being proper
toned according to their wages. 1t
was rather singular thing that all
vessels caught running the blockade
during our civil war We're Of English
ownership. Notwithstanding the Wig
ilance of Uncle Sam, many valuable
cargCes Slipped into the confederacy,
while many valuable cargOcs of cotter
eludcd the blockading fleet, and were
taken to the English factories where
the demand was so great.-W. r.
Tripp, pavmaster's clerk, for George b.
. Tripp, paymaster, both of Scranton,
Pa.