The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1913-04-08

have engaged u II he thouxht uronar
az he neared N fast but contsnteo
himself with frirg = broadxide, ana
Immediately returned TO his ompan
ions.
"Of the vessel with whom W. v.rs
engaged. nothing positive can be SAID
with regard to her name or force
While hailins him previous t. his
being fired into. it was blowing fresh
lthen going ten knots) and the name
was not distinctly understood. OF hen
force. the four shot which struck >,
are all thirty-two pounds in weigh.
being a pound and three-ouarters
heavier than n belonging to this
vessel. From this circumstance tho
lumber Of men in her tops, her gem
erai appearance and great length. shs
Is believed to be one OF the largest
briggs in the British navy"
Afterwards the enemy was as,.r-
tanned to be the British brig-sloop
Avon. IS. Captain the -Hono-ahls
James Arbuthnot.
Biakeley's spirits rose with his sue
cesses. Roosevelt declares OF the
wasp thai ii might be doubted If
there was at hat time any foreign
sloop OF Wal Of her size and strength
tnat coul have stood against her in
fair light But Blakeley would have
regarded this as faint praise. II the
British papers are to be believed: for
one OF them declared that. after his
victory over the Avon. he ]arrogantiv
SEM q cartel into Plymouth, with q
cnalienge to engage any two brigs in
his majesty's service"
The action with the Avon occurred
September /, 1914. on the 18th III.
wasp took the brig Three Brothers,.
ana two days later the brig Bacrhus.
Doth OF which she scuttled. On the
21st, near the Azores. she captured
the Atlanta. q valuable prize which
captain B!akeley sent into Savannah.
sixteen days later the Wasp over
hauled the Swedish brig AdOnis. The
SWedc had on board two American
otncers who had lately been exchanged
and had boarded her at Rio a. Ia
nero. They now seized the oppor-
tunlty to place themselves under the
protection Of the American fiae and
the two vessels parted.
From that day no intelligenc. has
ever been received Of the Fate Of the
Wasp and her gallant crew. Various
explanations OF her probable fate have
Deen given, but none that can be called
authentic. It was rulnored that an
Ensllsh frlgate, crippled and battered
with a severe loss In men sought
refuge in the port of Cadiz. with q
report that her injuries were received
IN an engagement with an American
vessel which disappeared so suddenly
IN the night that It was believed she
had sunk. This story can be traced
to no authentic Foundation. Another
story has it that the Wasp was wreck
60 on the coas Of Africa and for some
Time It was believed that her crew
were prisoners among the Arabs.
mere are other speculations equally
as groundlesS The probability is
says Cooper, that the Wasp founder.
60 either In a gale, or in 3 squan,
tnougn n may have been lost by
any OK the other accidents OF thu
ocean. A man-of-war. in particular,
always runs a certain risk from her
magazines. and as ships are known
- nave Deen blown up in port. il is
p!ooaDIe that some which suddenly
are blown up at sea-" But
Hoose'eit. with that downright direct.
ness which distinguishes him. dis
.nlsSeS al guess-work with the state
mem, or the fact: How she perisped
~. tser Knew; all that is certain IS
mat she was never seen again"
Frederick Stonhope Hill rive IN
aaoelieht summary OF Blake!ey's
career. Says he: During the forty
gays the saucy little Wash was cruie-
aHs N n English Channel from I,,na
20 july 6, 4 from August 30 to
asptemoer |. h captured and de-
80 Seu one ship, one bark, one galliot.
sA oflss, n one schooner. besides
burning and sinking two British nan
war nrlgs; and from September
she destroyed two briss and
zen. n home as a prize. Ana thi.
Iish nork was done while the Eng
.isH Snannel was patrolled nv ! Rr;f-
,sh meet numbering thirty-nve Sims %
sand guns" oA' 'hoo~
ne people Of the United States fol
~ hIaheiey's triumphant career
80 ne utmost pride and satisfaction.
fn~a 1ieoiate after hearing Of the de
~ VI the Reindeer, Congress called
~ ~ secretary Of the Navy for All
N !. information in possession Of the
800 department relating to that yic-
Tory IN order tina Congress ma-
~ me agreeable duty OF bestow-
80 suitable honor and rewards on