Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-05-25

debarred from extending to then. Tn
customary civillties OF a social and pun
lie character during the continuance O
the war. And when Gansevoort anchore,
at Nassau, the commander OF her Ma
Jestys ship Greyhound, stationed Il
the harbor, took occasion to send hin
letter addressed, with pointed disre
spect' 20 the officer commanding III
Federal vessel" On Gansevoort's promp
reminder that he had 1.-The honor to com
mand vessel of war of the Unite,
States" the Engishman apparently re
pented, for he came on board, apologized
ana made pertinacious attempts to with
] draw the letter and to substitute another
| properly addressed. Both incidents are
unmportant, except as indicative of the
prevalence of partisan feeling In the neu.
| tral islands. and OF the certainty with
which the blockade-runners could count
| on the advantage of receiving there. from
all classes, every possible comfort and
/, support.
OF the type of craft evolved by the ne
cessities and for the uses of the short
voyage contraband trade. the On fur
nishes q good illustration. Under Gap
tain Roberts nom-de-guerre Of Augustus
Charles Hobart. this little vessel ran
from Nassau into Wilmington many
times during the war; always greatly to
the profit Of owners and officers, and al
ways escaping scot free from the block
aiding squadron. The D--n, English
built, like her mates in the service, was
one of the finest and fastest double
screwed steamers afioat She was $50
feet long and % feet in beam, with en-
gines of 250-horse power. and with capa-
city for 400 tons burden. To make her
as nearly as possible invisible, her hull,
which rose but feet above water, was
painted pale, dull. blue gray, about the
color of the sky at early dawn. Her
spars were reduced TO a light pair OF
lower masts without yards, the only
break In their sharp outline being
small crow s-nest on the foremost. Her
short. raking, telescope tunnels could be
lowered at need, close to the deck, and
her boats hung square with her gun
wales. Smokeless anthracite coal fed her
fires; her steam, in case OF sudden
stop, was blown over off under water,
and the minuteneSs OF her precaution
reached even TO the cook, who was for
hidden TO admit cocks to his chicken
coop, lest they should some time, in the |
innocence of their hearts, give indiscreet |
notice of the whereabouts OF the vessel.
the dark side of the moon. when the tide |
served for a run up Wilmingtons inlets |
and from the first moment a iynx-like |
watch was kept for the vlgilant Ameri-
can cruisers scattered I'm numbers along /
the course. During daylight hours the
veered and wheeled incessantly,
now forward, now back, making always
what northing he could. but first and
foremost sinking from the eyes OF the |
cruisers. But when night came TO hide
his movements he darted ahead, all lights
)ut, pinnacle and fre-room hatch care
ully covered, as silent and as invisible
Is mouse. Nearing the close lines oil
he blockade, ne picked his moment and
his spot for the dash through, and IL
" chance a man-of-war did discover
lin, he never hove 10 at her signal
moving the extreme improbability that
ny gunner could hit, much less disabled
i'm, in such darkness, at such speed,
nd considering the vague outlines or the
arget.
The excitement Of fighting did not ex-
st for the blockade-runner zone was
ways either running away" says Ho-
art 'or being deliberately pitched into
y the broadsides of the American
the slightest resistance TO whom
'ould constitute piracy; whereas capture
'ithout resistance merely entailed con-
scation of cargo and vessel" The SER
Ice demanded, nevertheless. great skill, Z
oolness, and daring-seamanship equal
any emergency, spirit 10 snatch vic
,ry from the very clutches OF defeat.
he history of the On furnishes ami
e proofs OF this text, recording as II Q
pes advtitures OF almost every descrip-l 7
on that can befall vessel SO engaged.
IT was quite dark" writes Hobart. I
ma we were going full speed, with !
cry light out, even TO the mems pipes.
Ith masts lowered to the decks, and !
Ith just enough noise OF wind and sea
prevent the little sound made by the
e passed several outlying cruisers, some
pleasantly near, but still we passed
EN-. All seemed going favorably when |
ddenly / saw through my glasses the
lg, low line OF steamer right ahead. !
ng, as II were, across our bows. so close +
az II would hardly be possible 10 pass v
the right or left OF her without being
en-. A prompt order to the engine Il
pm (where the chief engineer stood 10 a
. engineO TO reverse one engine, was
omptly obeyed. and the little craft spun
)und like a tee-totum. IL L had NOT | Il
IN II. / would never have believed Il | '
ssible that a vessel could have turned
rapidly. On tbis occa sion
p,oo0 worth of property was saved TO a
owner BY the virtue OF the twin screws.
lon't believe the cruiser saw us az all: ,s
d very important TO US was the fact =
It We had turned In so short a space. =
carcely think We lost five yards OF our '
'ition." -
IN her last cruise. the D--n escaped
till more imminent danger:
On the third afternoon after leaving ..
ssau she was in a good position for ~
emptlng the last run when the night :,
'uld come on. She was moving stealth ~
about waiting for evening. when sud- y
lily the weather. which had been haxy. d
AIRED UP, and she saw q cruiser un-
asantiy near her, who bore down under Is
am and sail: IL soon became probabse An
I the poor little D--ns twin-screws :.
uid not save her this time. we'll and
EN- as they had done so.
The cruiser, a large fuil-rigged corr q
te came up hand-over-hand. Carrying
strong breeze. and the days OF the
IN seemed numbered, when her cap Il
tried ruse worthy of any OF the co
oes Of naval history. The wind. as has Oh
] OF sea running. On came the cruiser. q.