The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-03-13
YNHE Remarkable Cruises of the Confederate
Sea Rover Who Dealt Blow to the
American Merchant Marine from Which 1t
Never Has Recovered-The Fight Off Cher
b0urg with the Kearsarge - x ~ @

as any officer In any of the navies OF
the world. He was a bit of a scien.
fist. too, and natural phenomena were
Fascinating study for him The sea,
the tides. the winds unfolded wonders
to him that iother mariners never
{dreamt of. He could spend hours abb
sorbed in contemplating the chemical
change in drop of sea water. and he
delighted in writing reports OF his me-
neurological observations. From the
calm philosophy of nature he could
turn without batting an eyelash to TIL
pursuit Of a gallant clipper ship, and
after taking off the crew of the
doomed vessel and making a bonfire
4 of the ship and cargo he could return
to observe he drop of sea water or to
Il watch the work of the queer little
creatures that build the coral beds
j, that line SO much Of the ocean floor.
And how he hated a Yankee! THE
!. Yankee" he is on record as declaring,
. us a remarkable specimen of the ge-
4 nus homo. lie is at once a duck and
a chicken, and takes to the water or
i the land with equal facility. Provi-
i dence has certainly designed him for
some useful purpose. He is ambitious,
j restless. scheming. energetic, and has
-
strain him from the pursuit OF his in
.terests. BIO the path to those never SO
crooked. In tho development OF ma
terial wealth lie Is unsurpassed. and
perhaps this is his mission on this
continent or ours.
But he is like the beaver, lie works
from instinct, and is SO avid OF gain
that he has no time to enjoy the wealth
he produces. Some malicious demon
seems to be goading him on in spite
of himself to continuous and exhaust
ing exertion, which consigns him to the
tomb before his time, leaving "pile Of
untouched wealth behind him."
Not so bad a picture OF one type OF
the New Englander. but Scmmes, In
his contempt for the whole tribe, could
sec no virtue in any Puritan" as he
called the Down casters, but his sea-
manship. He did pay tribute to him
as a. great man with a boat, and he
did pay tribute to the beauty and the
speed Of Puritan built vessels.
Some Northern Patriots.
No wonder he had a contempt for
the business morals Of New Workers
and New Englanders. He resigned as
on February 49, 1861. and at once
proceeded to Mont gomcry, Ala. and Of
fered his services to the Confed eracy.
a little later he was sent North by
Jefferson Davis, and in New York,
Connecticut and Massachusetts he pur-
chased large quantities of powder, can
non and other munitions Of war for the
Confcderacy. Manufacturers not only
We're willing. but anxious TO deal with
him. No qualms OF patriotism troubled
them when i came to trading. They
had full knowledge OF his mission.
They had him as a guest In their
homes and they fixed up secret ciphers
by which he could communicate with
them BY telegraph In addition to the
large amount of war supplies that lie
purchased outright he contracted for
machinery for riflins cannon, aud the
contractors agreed TO send to the South
the skilled workmen necessary to put
the machinery in operation
The manufacturers. eager for the big
profits. rushed work on the orders
SO that the material could be delivered
before the outbreak of war. Semmcs
was commissioned also to purchase In
New York or elsewhere seagoinS5
steamers designed for the defense OF
the Confederate sea board, The only
reason he did not buy several was
that he could not find vessels that
came UP to requirements. ship owners
We're willing to sell to him. Just as
were the makers of war supplies.
II seems strange that nothing was
done to check SeMmes In these trans
actions, bur he was not molested, and
Ireturned to Alabama. ITo was not the
only naval officer to resign from the
United states service and enter the
confederacy. end the Confederate
chieftains were embarrassed somewhat
when war began to have plenty Of
naval officers ready for commissions.
but no vessels to send them to-. Not
one vessel OF the United States Navy
was taken over to the Confedcracy
and the rebellion opened with the
1 North able TO blockade all the ports
OF the South and leave enough war.
ships to patrol the sea. The mer-
Grants Of the North were in, little
!, danger Of having their vessels In
l!s ' With. and the great fleets OF 4
"