The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-08-14
SCRAP BOOK FOR TO-DAY

While the cities along the Great Lakes are celebrating the coming cen- tenary of Perry's great victorv on Lake Erie, it is well to recall that thd war which ushered in a century of Anglo-Saxon peace and victories fof both sides and glory enough for ali. British Vabor and seamanship. which had swept the seas of the French and Spanish beets at Trafalgar. vverq pitted against men of the same met tie and blood and neveF-say-dfe de- termination in the war of 1872 and each side soon learned to respect fre prowess of the other The god of battle favored now one side, now Una other, and in the naval engagement which occurred in St. Georges Chan nel just a century ago today Rrffieh arms were triumphant
 It was on the fourteenth of August. 1913, that the British brig Pelican. In command of Captain D. F. Map1es came up with the American brig Ar gus, Capt. w. s. Allen commandine The Argus had beer. dispatched to carry William IF. Crawford to France as United States minister 70 that ooun- try After completing that mission she cruised about in British wafer and her destructive energy and rap idity of movement spread consterual ton throughout commerp al England Roaming the lhanneI, and then san- ing around Lands End, the Argue preyed on British merchant veaselr- and in a period of a month captured twenty English vessels, with acargoes valued at upwards of g. 100000 CDer- adng as a free lance, with no friendly port at hand, Allen burned his prfzes first permitting non-combatants to re- move their property. All of the bus mess men of England were aroused. and joined in demanding that the gov ernment put a stop to the actfvftfeg if a Frre1T 1ea1
 Several vessels were dispatch against the Argus, but the Pelican was alone when the American ship hope In sight. Although the invader had an advantage in armament, CapE- Naples did not hesitate nor wait for assistance. but immediately opened hostilities by firing a broadsfde, which the Argus returned almost sfmultaue- ous1y. The battle had scarcely begun wk en Capt Allen, who had served u1l- der Decator and was one of the brav- est men in the American navy, was struck with round shot which car ried away one of his legs. With tha blood pouring from the stump he re- fused to go below, but remained iu charge until he fell unconscious from loss of blood. Lieut.. W. Howard AL len was left in command, and fought his ship bravely, but the men were dispirfted by the loss of their com mander, and, what was worse, had not recovered from the effects Of a Loo free indulgence in wine which they had captured the day before. While Capt Allen lay dying in the cockpit Lieut. Allen sought to fire his befud- dled men to greater energy, but their spirit, number by liquor, did not re- spond. The Argus, with ali her braces shot away and unmana geabie, alec seemed drunk, and reeled now this way now that, while the Pelican raked hen with a steady fire At the end of twenty-five minutes of fighting the Argus was beyond hope, but for tvven- ty minutes more Lieut.. Allen refused to surrender. Then another British ves- sel hove in sight and the Argus ran uu the white flag. Twenty-three oftl- cers and sailors of the Argus were klii- ed or wounded, while the Pelican's lcsa was only seven Capt Allen dleu on the day following the engagement
 When the news of the capture or the Argus reached London a great sigh of relief went up from the bushes men. vet the jubilation was tempered somewhat by the death of the gallant Allen. who had won the respect OF T,neIishrnen by his chivalrous treat~ rnent of non-combatants.