Connecticut western news., 1900-04-19
ILLEGAL PRIZES.

eu Dy MT w lllldfu SaIupDtu, Sdlleu out between Sydney heads before stiff westerly breeze bound to the island of Masafuera in the South Pacific, to procure sealskins. Although so small, the vessel carried a 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 9 pounders and plenty of muskets and cutlasses. The Harrington had for some time been employed by her owners Chace & Go. 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 was 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 a brief consultation with his mate, and altered the ships course from west by north for Sydney to due east for the South American coast
 "I don't want to waste much time, " he said, 'but there is no harm in our running along the coast for a 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 wit, two Spanish prizes, a merchantmen and a 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, out of the ports of Coquimbo and Caldera on the coast of Peru
 In spite of his long name and title and the traditional bravery of his race the don does not shine to advantage in this affair, for as soon as the plucky lit tie Harrington bore down upon him and his convoy he put his helm down and steered for the shore, then but few miles distant. Campbell burning to bring him to- crowded on all sail in pursuit, but was unable to prevent both the EsSremina-a brig of four guns-and the convoy from running ashore. Then setting fire to both yes sells, 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 a few hours he had succeeded in floating both ves- sells again. After putting prize crews on board, the industrious Campbell went on shore to see if there was anything else worth picking up" and discov- cred quantity of copper bars-a very valuable commodity. These he secured without firing shot, and then he and his merry men said goodby 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 were 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 committed breach of neutrality. War with Spain was not declared until Dec. 12, 1904, and it was not till January, 1905, that the British government granted 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- toberl
 Now, singular to relate, Campbell had only been doing on very minor scale the same thing as had been done by the orders of the British cabinet or a very large scale in 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 ble one in naval story: Admiral Corn wallis (the government having at last awakened to the yelled hostility o1 Spain, and the energetic Pitt having succeeded the peaceful Addington) wal directed to dispatch some frigates tt intercept and detain until further or ders the Spanish treasure squadron or its way from Montevideo to Cadiz The Indefatigable, A, the Lively, 38 Medusa, 40, and Amphion, 40 guns were sent away as quickly as possible and, cruising near Cape St. Vincent fell in with the Spanish fleet on Oct. and ordered them to bring to. O. course the Spanish admiral (Busta mente) would not submit to be de tained and cleared for action. The bat tie lasted barely 20 minutes and result ed in the blowing up of one Spanis ship and the capture of the rest. I'll English fleet lost two men killed an half dozen wounded. The Spaniart lost nearly the whole of one ship compaay, besides about 100 killed an wounded on the other vessels. The Spain declared war
 But King, knowing nothing of tn and feeling very wroth with MT. Caml bell, called upon him to furnish sati factory replies to the following querie.
 First. Whether he had any know edge of war with Spain at the time captureT
 Second. Where were the two priz, he had taken7
 Third What letters of marque al he possess?
 To the questions Campbell replie that he had been informed by an Anne ican whaler that England and Spal were at war; that he had sent h prizes off on their way to India aft, refreshing at Norfolk island, and thu his authority to privateer was his con mission in the East India company as of xo,rirao