New-York tribune., 1908-06-28
A LONG SEA CHASE.
Story of the Pursuit of a French Brig bv
q British War Vessel

4 century ago. three months before WELLINGTON
landed IN the Peninsula with British troops and
while Napoleons power was vet unbroken there
took place an encounter which. though OF small
importance internationally, deserves 10 be re-
renhered for the extraordinary Circurnsta tauces
attending il and for the dogged determination
displayed by both the combatants SAYS The
London Globe The actors in this story Of the
sea were the English vessel Wizard brig-sloop
Of sixteen guns. with a crew Of close upon q
hundred men. and commanded by CAPTAIN Abel
Ferris, and the French brig corvette Requin also
sixteen-gun ship. but having a slight advantage
over her opponent in the number of her crew
In point Of tonnage there was practical equality
low. three hundred tons.
An hour after midday on the 10Th Of Nav
1905 the Wizard cruising in the Mediterranean
sighted the Requn in the northeast. steering
was fresh from the west. and through the after
noon and night the chase went Sleep was out Of
the question for the English crew who we're kept
busiy engaged shifting the ships provisions aft
and using every other means 10 increase her
ing light, the Wizard got out her sweeps to aid
the sails the men encouraged by their rearness
70 th9 FrehchInSh, now put TWO miles away. At
) o'clock the Requin fired her stern guns and
English ship replied in kind At Q the Raonjn
brought TO and fired broadside. The Wizard.
an hour and half standing fight went on The
null while the Requin evidently desirous OF pro
nents masts and spars and with no small effect
Then making sail once more thA RenIIir 6Te1-
away, the Wizard. being to leeward lost rhs
guns no longer reached the foe 1t dusk SKI when
twelve leagues west OF the island OF Tore the
sweeps were agtn- piled for two hours. and for a
second time the Wizards crew were uluIcted OF
their rest. The British loss in the encounter was
five wounded and one killed
At o'clock On the morning e the Eth the ships
were again enough for the Wizard 10 ere:
but Z vigorous use OF the sweeps notwithstanding
the distance between the vessels soon increased
10 mile, mile and a half, three miles Not all
the efforts of the captain of The Wizard could de-
cETIss E tGs 4 sITr Tetrng ] space, Al mdnight the
on.y seven from the coast OF Africa. And for The
WIZARDS crew there was again no sleep
on the LsLn haf an hour after midnight. the
ReqUiu followed by the Wizard. tackled. II proved
a day of Intermittent fog. IN which the vessels
constantly lost slgnt or each other. and the Re-
quin drew four miles away. The Wizards crew
was constantly at the sweeps; guns were dred TO
be cruising off Cape Bon, but 20 this summons
there was response, and the fourth night was
spent as wakefully as were the previous ones
Carthage was only four miles or and two miles
and half in front the Requin was steering for
Fort Goleta. the French brig anchored safely and
the long chase was at end All that the cap
the Requin's stern, read her name, and note with
satisfaction the considerable damage done 10 her
hun. Then at 5 o'clock in the morning he made
sail for Malta for repairs and presently the
hammockS were piped down, and the tired crew
made up as best ~ Il!gnt @ Ior I0nr lost nights or
at sea, and two months later the Requin taken
or Corsica, after chase OF nine hours BY the
In this pursuit Of eighty y-eght hours the vessels
a distance of three hundred and seventy miles
average speed Of four knots hour-au that
the almost incessaut lghtness OF the wind would
permit A chPonicier remarks that this perform
ance was highly creditabIe 70 the WIZARDS crew.
and that 1t is To be regretted the briggs dull
sailing deprived of the prize its ValOr and skill
would have gained Captain Ferris's reward for
his perseverance his appointment by Vice
Admiral Lord CollingwOod TO the lOo-gun ship
Royal Sovereign; but the promotion does not seem