Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1899-03-04


To lure the wandcscr miles and miles
Within the green cathedral aisles
C 5. kingsland in New York Home Journal
ILLEGAL PRIZES.
One morning i'll May. 1904. a small
brig named the Harrington. command
ed by Mr.. William Campbell, sailed
ont between Sydney heads before stiff
westerly breeze bound 10 the island Of
Masafuera. in the South Pacific. To
procure sealskins Although So small,
the vessel carried crew of about five
and twenty men and. being letter Of
marque. was armed in the usual man
ner of the Australian whalers and south
sea traders of those days-half dozen
8 Founders and plenty of muskcts and
cutlasses. The Harrington had for some
time been employed by her owners
Chace & Co. of Madras-in trading be-
tween Madras. the South American
ports and sydney On the last occasion
of his leaving Madras Campbell had
taken care to provide himself with
letter of marque from the presidency of
Fort st. George against France and
Holland.
The result of the sealing expedition
was fairly successful. but Campbell
himself was not satisfied At least he
found he wa, not satisfied when he one
day fell in with an American whale
ship, the captain of which told him that
war had been declared between Eng
land and Spain How the American
captain had learned the news Campbell
did not inquire. He quickly returned
on board the Harrington. held brief
consultation with his mate and altered
the ships course from west by north
for Sydney to due east for the South
American coast
al don { want to waste much time. "
he said. "but there is no harm in our
running along the coast for week or
two. We are pretty sure to pick up
something
The mate concurred. So did the crew.
and week later Campbell did pick up
something to wit. two Spanish prizes,
merchantmen and man-of-war.
From the sydney Gazette we learn that
the merchantmen was manned st.
Francisco and st Paulo. She was being
conveyed by the cruiser, which was
named the Estremina. commanded by
Don Antonio Jose del Campo. ensign in
the Spanish navy. ont of the ports of
Coquimbo and Caldera on the coast Of
Peru
In spite If his long name and title
and the traditional bravery Of his race
the don does not shine To advantage i'll
this affair for as soon as the plucky lit
tie Harrington bore down upon him
and his convoy he put his helm down
and stcerei for the shore. then but
few miles distant Campbell. burning
t. bring him IT, crowded on all sail in
pursuit. but WAS unable To prevent
both the EStrcmina IA brig of four
guns-and the convoy from running
ashore Then, setting fire To both YES
sels. Don Antonio and his gallant men
ran away inland with great unanimity.
But the Harrington was So close that
Campbell, lowering his boats. soon
boarded both ships. and his men extin-
guished the flames before any material
damage was done. and in few hours
he had succeeded in floating both YES
sells again. After putting prize crews
on board. the Industrious Campbell went
ON shore 10 see if there was anything
else worth picking up and disCov-
cred "A quantity of copper bars very
valuable commodity. These he secured
without firing shot. and then he and
his merry men said goodhy TO the Span
iards. and with the two prizes in com
pany set sail for sydney. highly pleased
at the result of their adventure.
In due course the Harrington sailed
into Port jackson. but the level headed
Scotch captain came in alone the prizes
We're not visible The following day he
was requested by Governor King to
produce his log and appeared greatly
shocked when the irate governor told
him that he had com;nitted Il breach of
neutrality War with S;iain was not
declared until Dec. II. 1864 and il was
not till January. 1905. that the British
government granted a letter of marque
to any ship. and yet here was this dar
ing merchant skipper committing an
act of war on his own account in Oc
toher'
Now. singular to relate Campbell
had only been doing ON "a very minor
scale the same thing rs had been done
by the orders of the British cabinet on
a very large scale i'll the same fashion
in another part of the world. though,
of course, neither he nor the angry gov
ernor knew IT, The incident is nota
BILE one in naval story: Admiral Corn
wallis tthe government having at last
awakened to the yelled hostility of
Spain. and the energetic Pitt having
succeedeu the peaceful Addington) was
directed tu dispatch some frigates o
intercept AMI detain until further or
ders the Spanish treasure squadron on
its way from Munteyideo to CadiZ.
The lnd"fatigahlc, A. the Lively. 81.
Medusa. 40 and Amphion, 40 guns,
We're sent away as quickly aS possible
and CRUSH near Cape ST Vincent,
fell III with the Spanish fleet on Oct. J
anu brutIttl lItul u UiAuE tI vi
course the Spanish admiral tBusta-
mente) would not submit To be de-
tained and cleared for action. The hat
tie lasted barely 20 minutes and result
ed in the blowing mp of one Spanish
ship and the capture of the rest. The
English fleet lost two men killed and
half dozen wounded. The Spaniards
lost nearly the whole of one ships
company. besides about 100 killed and
wounded on the other vessels Then
Spain declared war.
But King. knowing nothing of this
and feeling very wroth with Mr.. Camp
bell. called upon him to furnish salts
factory replies to the following queries
First - Whether he had any knowl
edge Of war with Spain at the time Of
capture?
Second Where were the two prizes
he had taken
Third What letters of marquc did
he possess