The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-10
hrilling Episodes Aboard Ship With the Old Sea
Rovcrs Just Fifty Years Ago-Destroy;ng the Amer
lean Merchant Marine in Time Of Wai-Episodes
Of Daring Men and Brave Ships in the Days Of the
Civil War-T tremendous Growth Of American
Navy To-Day.
BY FRANCIS TREVELYAN MILLER

IL
gle flag rode into the hnrbor Of
Americas greatest metropolis few
days aEo--salutcd the rrcsidcnt-and
then disappeared in the four winds OF
the seas.
What is tho meaning OF this demon
strntion at this time:
Is 1t moral warning TO the nations
that arc looking toward China rs a
rich dominion for exploitation?
Is 1t warning To the powers that
would Hike 10 be drawn into the ltal-
ian-Turk!sh embroglio in the Medltcr-
ranean?
Or is 1t to warn the whole world
that under the American flag there
sails to-day navy that IL ready to
match Its proves with tho most pow
eTfui lighting forces that ever sailed
tho high scaa:
Whatever the Gathering,of this great
American armada mnH actually mean,
1t demonstrated on this semi centennial
Of the American Civil War the tremend-
Gus progress and the almost incom-
prehensible fortunes that are being
spent in preparing for wars that may
never come-tor that great word war
that has been the .'bogy" OF nations
since the world began
Modern Cruisers Tint Coast Six Million
DoIIara.
Modern warfare has become bust
ness OF colossal proportions The navy
Is huge hghting- machine Six mil
lion dollar cruisers now replace the old
wooden vessels that were cruising
along. the American coasts as destroy
crs of commerce just nfy years ago
to-day. And in this transition OF cx-
actly half century sea ighting has
lost the gianor of romance that snr-
rounded II in the days OF the Civil
War-thc last OF tic great wars OF
chivalry.
There are men living Oh this ami
versary who passed through the an
Client regime OF sea fighting when Wit
and hardihood and dare -dcviltry won
moro battles than scientific calculation
or naval discipline. The adventures OF
these old sea-fightcrs arc thrilling cpl
sodps in American lirc-and there is Il
mystery about them like that when the
priVateersmcn Tovcd the seas in search
OF their prey.
E'ifticth Anniversary Of First Confcd-
crate Cruiser.
This last summer was the ffticth an
niversary OF the hrst of the old Con-
tederato cruisers that became famous
in their exploits In the civil War. 1t
was a fine June day when this strange
vessel, the sumter lay in the delta
Of the Mississippi River. awaiting an
opportunity to slip to sea past the Fed
cral blockade. She was u small, low
lying propeller steamer. rugged with
rakish spars, and carried five cannon
as battery. y few months previous
she had been the crack liner. "IIabana,"
sailing between New Orleans and Cuba.
Now she was converted into II ship
cf-war. the first sea going cruiser Of
the Confei cracy
On the bridge stood his master, Com
mandcr Raphael Scmmes, n veteran Of
The old Navy" as he termed It. On
end below decks were his crew OF
nearly 4 hundred trim and sturdy sail
ors.
For several weeks the ship had been
patiently waiting for AN opening
through which to slip into the gulf
and thence TO the high seas. SUNDAY
morning dawncd bright and clear. The
lookout passed down his CALL which
mad become monotonous ana exasporat-
ing to the old seadog Scmmcs. The
crew set about their usual Sunday
cleaning up, pausing TO return the hail
of a blockade runner that was slipping
past toward the gulf 4 few hours
later, the steamer was seen returning,
and, when within a few hundred yards
dropped boat which rapidly bounded
across the water 10 the stern OF the
Sumter"
Message Tint. Sent IA Ship 10 Sea.
The officer. IN. the .Small boat raised
his hands TO his mouth and called
mis- words were distinct: 1.-The Brook
lya' Conc CT the blockaders) is chas-
ing sail. The passage is now clear"
The import of the message was sunl-
cient. This was their opportunity, The
lazy Scene on hoard the cruiser inst ant-
~ changed. The booms swung along
side and the small boats were run nm.
Stokers and engineers were laooring
like Titans as the steam was mount
ing higher and higher every moment.
Within ten minutes all was ready
The men at the capstan bar hauled at
the anchor and the graceful nose of
the sumter swung around and point
ed down stream.
But the, battleship "Erooklyn," of
the Federal blockade. had not been
caught off guard. She had only shift
ed her position seven or eight miles
behind spur of the delta, and had
watched the dense column of smuk q
arising from the "Sumtcrs" stack
Simultaneously, with the dash Of
Semmes, the blockader closed in. and
there resulted one Of the most thrill.
ing races at the mouth of the Missis-
sippi.
Captain Semmcs stood on the quart
er-deck anyiously watching tho race.
By his side stood a lieutenant who had
sailed oil the Brooklyn" only a few
months since when he was u member
Of the "Old Navy
What do you think of on. pro-
spect?' asked Captain Scmn7es
Prospect, sir. not the least in the
rorid-there is no possible chance Of
our escaping that ship"
But SeHmes, veteran OF many cx-
citing races WAS not dauntcl. lie
called for more steam. Passing the
sar OF the gulf, the Sumter slackencd