The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-12-10

the commander 10 his FIRST lieutenant.
1T would hc just as we'll to let them
practice. while w. walt. at Il target"
The drum beat TO quarters I'M
incdiatcly the dock was crowded with
the eNpcctant crew. Guns were cast
loose and run out. with the muzzlcs
pointing toward the town. Th> ii.st
shell burst exactly over the council
chamber wherein the Ncnexuclcans and
the lieutenant ware arguing. Instant
~ the windows were lillcd with bare
heads. which jus; as quickly disap-
pcarcd when the second shell was seen
hurting toward the building. a third
clap Of thunder closed the conference
In short time tho lieutenant was
aboard hts face wrsathcd in smiles
The Governor has changed his
mind" he said. I'VE can enter"
The Sumter" ranged along the coast
of Era2n. and then back TO cuba. where
she met with an exciting experience IN
which she was blockadcd In a Cuban
port by Federal cruiser. Scnmcs, by
clcvc" rnsc, cludcd the larger, ship
and took mp course across the At
lantic for tho distant waters OF Eu-
rope, where he found many rich prizes.
This Was the Day Of Sca-Rovcrs.
half year after her exciting dash
for liberty at New orleans the Confed-
crate cruiser dropped anchor at Glib
rata, thu gateway to the Meditcr-
ranean. where she was destined 10 RI
main In blockade. and where She could
not rcplenish her coal supply Many
weeks passed before Capt. Semmcs de-
cided to abandon the gallant little
sumter" She was sold to an Eng
iishmnn. and by him converted into a
blockade runner. The Sumter" sma II
as she was had thrown scare into
the merchant marine during her six
| months of cruising. she had captured
! seventeen prizes with cargoes of trc-
! mendous valuation. The cost OF opcr-
atinS the ship had been but 5000
sum much hess than the least valu-
able of any OF her prizes and only
| about the cost Of a single broadside
! from II modern battlcship.
| oid-Time Crusicr Cost hut $50 900.
| The growth of the American navy
can be wall understood by comparing
J the modern cruiser with such ship
as the old 'Alabama" of just nifty years
| ago. This famous cruiser was built 10y
tho I.airds. o? Liverpool ANA cost
when completed, $4,000. She was y
! harkcntinc rugged vessel with lnotivs
| power of both steam and sail, and Lay
! upon tho water like Il courSing hound
F., She was 2So feet I'm length thlrty-iwo
| feet In breadth. and drew fifteen fee,
! when loaded for cruise. Each Of
her two engines were OF horse
power, and had a trial speed of eleven
| and a half knots, though ordinarily
| ten knots was her pace.
| SIX @2-pound guns peerGd III broad
| side from her decks. Two pivot guns
stood in tho centre of the deck, on,
In the fore of the vessel and the oth
| er browning ont over the stern. Jus,
abaft the mainmast. One hundred an,
! twenty men were required to properly
| man this swift commerce destroyer
! while twanty-four officers were ncccs-
sary to direct the crew and ship.
I The Alabama" was for many months
| the bone OF contention between thC
United States and England. and the
| Conaederacy: the former 70 force Eng.
land to hold the ship and the latter
to launch it. While the cruiser lay ir
stocks It was known as eco" and TIL.
! gave rise to story tina. 900" meant
that 900 Engllshnien had contribute,
to the cost of the building. The tru
explanation was that 1t was the 1901
ship that the Lairds had built
Semt-Ccntenninl to he Celebrated Mex
| August.
| -F1fty years ago next August thi:
ship slid down the ways into the wa
ter. accompanied by burst OF cheer:
from the thousands OF spectators. !,
/ trial speed test was proposed. and
party of men and women went or
board. When thh vessel had reachec
, the channel tug came alongside ant
tho pleasure party" was transferred [,
ITS deck. The "29o" steamed M ane
passed to sea. while thu, Union repre-
sentatives ragged in vain. Thus by :
simple ruse. the future "Alabama" wa.