The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1913-03-03

Close on to 81 years ago a steam
sloop quietly slipped out of Liverpool
harbor and sailed for an unknown des-
tination. A score OF American men
of-war scurried after her in vain at
tempt to intercept her when she passed
beyond the marine league International
law calls neutral water. Her builders
called her an Italian man of wharf.-the
Oreto. Later she was known as the
Manassas; but the name under which
she Justly gained international fame
was the Confederate States ship Flor
ida
Realizing the hopelessness of rails
ing the effective blockade of its ports
Ivy its own meager naval forces, and
not being able to obtain European as
sistance. the Confederate government
determined m 1862 to secure a number
of fast cruisers in Europe to be sent
out TO prey on northern commerce. 1t
was argued that the bloekading squad
rons would be drawn on so heavily for
ships to chase these commerce de-
stroyers that blockade runners would
have little or no difficulty bringing in
the much needed sinews of war, there
by allowing the war to be prolonged
indefinitely. One able officer writing
az the time gave another potent rea-
son for striking at commerce rather
than attempting to attack the block
aiding squadron. He said: when q
man of-war is sacrificed, tbs a ma
tional calamity, not individually felt;
but, when merchant ships are de-
stroyed on the high seas, individuality
suffers, and the shoe then pinehes IN
the right direction. All the merchants
of New York and Boston, who have by
their splendid traders become princes
OF wealth and puffy with patriotic zeal
for the subjugation of the South, will
soon cry with a loud voice, Peace,
peace; we are being ruined AID the
country damned!"
Career Became Famous.
The first vessel to be built for this
purpose was the Oreto. and her career
has been justly termed one of the most
famous examples on record anywhere
in history OF single ship action. The
order for her construction was placed |
through Mr.. Bullock Confederate agent
in Liverpool, with an English firm, and
score of Confederate naval officers
all formerly in the Union service--su-
pervised her construction. That these
officers did their work we'll is ably at
7ested by the performances Of the ship
after she disclosed her true character
rs a man of-war.
The greatest difficulty was expert
enced il fitting out the Gseto as the
American legation in Loadon repeat
IDLY urged the British s.rrsrnment to
seize the vessel on the g..oss.sd that she
was being built for the s-press pur-
pose of preying on the cszs nerce of
nation then at peace With Great
Britain Union agents flied the sship-
yard and. besides attempting to bride
worImen TO blow up the vessel on the
ways, kept the legation informed of
every movement OF the ship and her
crew. So well posted were the Union
agents that. though they failed to eff
feet the vessels seizure by the crown,
they prevented any munitions of war
being placed on board before she
sailed SO that she would be at the
mercy of she smallest man. war that
laight pick ter up on the high seas.
On the 23rd of March, 1862. the
Oreto, with an English captain and
crew, cleared from Liverpool as an
italian man-of-war bound for Palermo.
simultaneously. in response to cabled
instructions from the senior naval Of
ficer in London, Union war vessels put
to sea from Liverpool, the mouth Of
the Thames, Brest, Cadiz. Palermo and
Gibraltar and, crowding on all sail,
headed for the Straits of Gibraltar In
tho hope of intercepting the Oreto as
she passed through. The Oreto-now1
called the Manassas-had no Intention
Of proceeding to Palermo. and. instead,
headed for Nassau, In the Bahamas,
where she arrived without incident on
the 2Sth of April.
Resort to Diplomacy.
Having failed to capture the Manas-
sas at sea. the Union authorities now
resorted to diplomacy and acting on
the representations of the American
consul, the captain of III. b. NJ. s. Bull
Dog seized her. Released next day by
that officer, the Manassas was again
seized by the Greyhound and again re-
leased. A third time the Manassas
was seized by the crown authorities
acting on information of the ships
hoatswain who, bribed by the Union
consul, stated she was q Confederate
gunboat. After a lapse of two months,
the admiralty court freed the ship, and