Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1904-01-29

The British WaVcrCI Il moment as their
officer fell. and Jones discharged his
pistols full among them. Then De
Chamillnrd and those of his marines
left alive upon the deck, by well d.
rected point blank volley, drove back
the boarding party of the English.
The two ships We're grinding against
each other, and the wind on the after
sail of the Scraps slowly forced her
around until she swung parallel to the
Richard. The jib boom snapped off
short under the strain and her star
board anchor caught in the tangled rig
ging Of the American frigate, and Sta
cey, the sailing master, sprang to lash
the ships together. Stacey snatched n
rope from the rattle on the deck and
strove to overhaul 1t. 1t was tangled
and he found great difficulty In clear
ing 1t. An impatient man Mt best. and
now greatly excited, he swore roundly
as he tugged at the vexatiOus rope.
"Don't swear, Mr.. Stacey" said
Jones calmly, coming to his assistance.
'In another moment we may all be in
eternity. but let us do our duty"
With his own hands Jones passed the
lashing
On the gun deck below, the batteries
were being fought fiercely. The two
ships were lying side by side, one head
ing In, the other out. the bow Of one
by the stern Of the other, the starboard
side Of the Scraps closely touching the
starboard side of the Richard. In the
hope that the Richard would drift clear,
Captain Pearson now dropped his port
anchor. In vain! No bulldogs ever
chung to foes with more tenacity Of
grip than did those two ships In deadly
grapple joined together. The Richard
and the Scraps were fast locked for
good, and the two ships swung to the
tidal current, the wind being again
almost entirely killed. In that position
they lay for the next two hours, or IN
til the battle was over.
As the Englishman had not hitherto
engaged on the starboard side, the port
shutters had not been opened. and the
close contact Of the two ships rendered
it impossible to open them then. The
oCIdpiS 1hCh WIZ thCACAOAS NOAAPCASo
to fire through them, blowing of the
port lids. 1t was necessary for the
men on both ships to extend the long
handles Of the hammers and spOnges Of
the guns through the ports into the
other ship in order to properly load
their own cannon. Badinage Of a char
acter easily to be imagined passed back
and forth between the two crews,
though nothing interrupted the steady
and persistent discharge Of the bat
teries. The battle below was literally
hand to hand conflict with great
guns, all the advantages in number and
size being with the English.
At this juncture q new note was add
ed to the conflict. Jones, whose eyes
were everywhere in the battle. OBJ
served a black shadow come darling
athwart the two fighting ships, shut
ting of the moonlight. It was the Al
lance.
"Ah," he said to himself, "Landais
has seen the folly Of his disobedience
and has come to our assistance"
As the American ship, with her
French captain and half English crew,
doomed up between him and the bright
moon he thought of course that she
would range down upon the unengaged
side Of the Scraps and with a few
broadsides compel her to strike at
once. But no. the Alliance under full
sail stood on. Her men were at quar-
tiers, ports triced up, lanterns lighted.
She was passing the bow Of the Sera-
pis now. Why did she not fre7 The
insane and treacherous Landais held
steadily ON until he was standing
sQuarely across the stern Of the Rich
ard. Now she was drawing past al
well. A command rang out. Good
God! What was that?
Jones was well nigh petrifled with
establishment when Mt short range the
Alliance poured in a raking broad
side, Of which the Richard received the
brunt though it was apparently dis
charged impartially at the two ships.
As Landais drew past the stern the
helm Of the Alliance was shifted. She
swung parallel to the Richard, poured
in another broadside, circled the Rich
ard forward and raked her again! The
last discharge was a frightful one. The
shot at close range swept the crowded
decks Of the American ship, which
seemed actually to CULVER and finch
at this treacherous blow. This broad.
side did much damage. killing and
wounding many ON the forecastle
among them Midshipman Caswell, NOR
tally. Shrieks, groans and cries Of
startled surprise and dismay rose with
increasing volume from the ship.
1.-THE Alliance, the Alliance
I'VE are betrayed! We are betray-
| cdr
1.-THE English have got the shipr'
came from every side In wild confl-
don.
This Is the Richardv' shouted Jones
at the top Of his voice at the first fire.
Hold your frel Show the private sig
nails there!" he cried hastily to the
faithful Brooks; but the Alliance paid
no attention to these and other warn
ing cries. As the three broadsides
were delivered by the American frig-
ate the men in their perfectly excusa-
bic terror at this treacherous blow in
the back actually began to break from
their quarters and leave the guns.
That was never to be thought Of un-
der any circumstances.
"Backy' shouted Jones promptly.
Back to your quarters, every moth
er's son Of you! Shoot the first man
that finches from the gunsv' Dale
and De Weibert and the midshipman
CALAMITY seconded his orders, and the
Alliance, sailing away toward the Pal
las and delivering no more shot upon
them. the conflict was resumed. That
the men could be got to the guns again
after this frightfully unsettling at
tack was a supreme testimony to the
quality Of their officers and to their
own as well.
Indeed, upon the part Of the Scraps
the battle had never been intermitted.
The IS Founders Of her main battery
had simply silenced and dismounted.
Knocked to pieces and put out Of action
nearly all the IL Founders on the main
deck Of the Richard. The starboard
Side OF the American had been beaten
I