The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1898-04-30

crate States on the high seas against the
United States OF America, their ships. yes
sells goods and effects and those n Sc Of her @ ctI
existing between the said Confederate
States and the said United States.
I'll revoked by the President OF the Confed-
crate States for the time being. Schedule
OF description Of vessei-name. schooner
Savannah: tonnage. So 45Al00 tons arma-
ment one large pivot gun and small arms;
q Given under my hand and seal this 18th
JEFFERSON DAVIS.
RoBr. ToooMBs, sec'y OF state.
Tie Savannah put to sea after giving
an indemnity bond OF 81, 900 to the Con-
federate States for obedience to the
rules established for privateers. BY
thos. rules the captures made were to
bs taken in.o q Confederate port, the
rights OF neutrals TO be respected and
all proceedings against the enemy's
vessels and crews to be carried on with
all justice and humanity. All privateers
sent out by the Confederacy were bound
10 the same rules. but the penalty for
ships carrying crews OF 150 and over
was $4,000.
On the day after she set sail from
Charleston the Savannah captured a
brig carrying sugar from Cuba to New
York and took her into port. Starting
again in a jubilant and bellicose mood,
the privateer ran right into the United
States man-of-war Perry, which she
mistook for a merchartman until il was
too late to back out, when. finding dis
cretion the better part Of valor. she sur
rendered.
Captain Barker and his crew were
taken to New York In irons and held for
trial for piracy, according to the terms
OF a proclamation by President Lincoln.
In test case one OF the sailors was
condemned to death, whereupon the
Confederates placed In hostage for the
lives of the officers and crew OF the Sa-
vannah several Federal officers taken
prisoner at Bull Run. The gallant Colo
ncl Corcoran, leader OF the Irish Sixty
ninth, was chosen to share the fate OF
Sailor Smith should the extreme pen
atty be exacted In his case. This threat
Of retaliation settled the question of
piracy. The Savannah prisoners and
their hostages were exchanged. and pri-
watering went on swimmingly until. at
the end OF 1861. the north having set up
a fair blockade, the Confederacy aban-
doned the practice, sending o.. instead
the commerce destroyers Florida, Shen-
andoah sailed in the arctic seas for
months after the war ended. destroying
Yankee whalers, and her captain was
threatened with trial for piracy. Moth
ing came OF IL. SO the close OF the civil
war left the subject of privateering
where II found IL and where IL stands
today, legal for all who choose to en-
gage In IL, except the powers bound by
the treaty OF Paris
However, the United States twice dur
ing the war placed itself on record first
against and then for privateering, al
though no decided action was taken
either way beyond what has been indi-
Gated. Soon after President Davis is
sued his proclamation about letters OF
marque. In April, 1861, Secretary OF
State Seward asked the United States
minister at the court OF st. James TO
secure a reopening OF the congress Of
nations which formed the treaty OF
Paris In order that the United States
might join the circle. as IL had orig-
nally been invited to do. Great Britain
declined to negotiate, and the matter
was dropped. subsequently the United
States congress authorized President
Lincoln 20 issue letters Of msroue at
discretion. but he never used his pow
ers
In the present crisis " is all a aues-
ton OF expediercy. Existing treaties
between the two countries traverse in
part the precepts Of the treaty of Paris