The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-11-26
Schooner Nearly 100 Years
Old Escaped Disaster.
WAS A FAMOUS pRlvATEER.
During tho War Of 1872 She Captured
Many Craft and Was Herself Captured
hya Big Man-ot-War.

Boston, Mass. Nov. 2s.--Throughout the
American merchant marine no vessel IL
better known or has a warmer spot In
the hearts OF American skippers than the
schooner Polly, built nearly a hundred
years ago and privsteer during the war
OF 1872.
1t was with no small degree OF sadness,
therefore, that the news was received
few days ago that the Polly had been
wrecked in a heavy storm which dashed
the New England coast.
Happily the report was untrue. Having
weathered the storms OF ten decades, the
Polly Is today as staunch as ever fleet
as a bird a monument 10 the art or the
ancient Massachusetts ship builders.
A PRrvATEER AT SEVEN,
Buflt I'm Amesbury. Mass. in 1906. the
Polly, but sixty-fve tons burden, had
probably the most interesting history OF
any schooner sailing I'm any waters.
Regarded as one OF the fastest schoon-
ers that ever scudded before gale or
tried her speed I'm friendly rivalry. the
Polly at seven years OF age became
privateer in the war OF 1872.
She was then commanded and owned by
Captain Jeduthun Upton, a noted seafar-
American skipper as ever trod the quar-
ter deck or sighted a sextant.
He sailed from Salem, and his ancestors
were American revolutionists. IL was MT
ting that a skipper of Captain uptons an
cestry should start the Polly on her slori-
GUS career. He fitted her out with long
Toms" which frowned over her blum
stern and graceful bow, and every man of
the twenty aboard was equipped with pis'
tol and cutlass.
HER FIRST PRIZE OF WAR.
When the Polly, now bold American
privateer, sailed out of Salem harbor on
her piratical mission, December Z. lsl2,sh
was cheered by crowd on the shore, ana
every craft in the harbor dipped coiors as
she passed out TO sea.
Two days later the Polly captured her
first prize-a British full-rigged ship
bound from Cuba 20 Liverpool. The Eng
lishman sought to run away, but stern
chase" for the Polly was never Tong
chase for her. and when within range
"A solid shot from her bow gun brought
the Englishman's colors down with run.
Captain Upton put prize crew aboard
the Englishman, which sailed into Salem
harbor a few days later, the Stars and
Stripes flying at her fore peak.
The Polly continued 10 capture English
ships until December %, 1872, when she
was captured by the British frigate
Phoebe. with forty guns. Captain Upton
and his crew were made prisoners and
did not again set foot on American soil
until the following July.
OF his sufferings and trials. of the
harsh treatment accorded him and his
brave crew by the British prison ship Of
fcials. of the imprisonment of his Amer
lean sailors into British trading vessels,
CAPTAIN Upton always spoke resentfully
until his death In Havana, In 1871.
AN INTERNATIONAL FIGURE.
when the case OF the Polly was tried
before the British High Court OF Admir-
atty IL was the second time the American
schooner had figured before that tribunal.
She had already become an international
figure In 1906 she was captured while
trading directly between Spain and
Spanish colonies
Her owner, the redoubtable Captain Up
ton, prc cd that the Polly brought the
cargo from Havana, but that the goods
had been entered az the Custom House
at Marblehead and a new voyage begun.
The court held this to be an honest inn
partatiou and restored the ship and cargo
to the neutral claimants.
After the war the Polly, which escaped
the ignominy OF becoming n British SUBJ
feet because her English prize crew join
ed the fortunes OF Uncle Sam, re-engaged
In the service of the merchant marine.
She sailed nearly all of the navigable
waters Of the globe, and after nearly
century's buffeting of the seas the his
toric little coaster could still show her
heels to many OF the more modern craft.