The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1914-12-03
ALABAMA OF PRESENT WAR.
German Vessel Operating in Orient
Recalls Wandering Civil War Boat.

IS the pest description vi IHC Nei
man cruiser Emden, which until de-
stroyed recently by an Australian
battleship, had been operating in the
waters of the Orient for many weeks,
declares the New York Times. Dis
appearing from sight after the decla-
ration of war, she was not heard
from for six weeks. Then, starting
from the China waters, she steamed
in the Bay of Bengal. and between
the 10th and 14th of September she
captured and sank six British mer-
chantmen. Several of these vessels
were of considerable tonnage and
some of them were bound for the
United States.
Not confning herself to actions
against the merchant vessels of the
enemy, the Emden shelled Madras
on September %. and sank two
British oil steamers. At Pondicher-
~, on September "a, she sank four
other vessels and captured a collier,
transferring its cargo to her own
coal bunkers.
Those who have followed the his
tory of the sea and the doings of
privateers thereon were wondering
if the Emden could equal the feat
performed by the Alabama in our
own civil war. The Alabama, hav-
ing no port of her own, but securing
aid from British vessels, managed
to wreck considerable damage on
the shipping of the United States for
% months Of her career as priva-
teer. Like the Alabama the Emden
took provisions and coal from her
prizes and whatever supplies she
needed. She was swift vessel, be-
ing able to make "a knots. She was
a ship of $500 tons, her engines de-
veloped 15,000-horse power, had
armored sides and wireless tele-
graph. either to summon help or to
discover facts of advantages in her
operations.
In comparison with the size of the
Emden the Alabama was a pygmy.
She was a boat of 1,040 tons, 2lO
feet long, 300-horse power and stor-
age for only $50 tons of coal. She
had a speed under steam alone of
II knots, but had sails to help this
when the wind was favorable. Her
beam was 32 feet and she required
II feet Of water.
Built for Confederate Government.
The Alabama was an English
ship, having been built by the Lairds
of Birkenhead, England, for the
Confederate States government.
The Alabama was put into commits
sion Sunday, August 21, 1862. The
crew as first shipped numbered 80
men, but this was increased later by
selection from the crews of the
prizes. For % months the vessel,
built for speed rather than for bat
tie, swept from the seas the mer-
chant vessels of the United States.
One of the best accounts Of the
cruise cf the Alabama is that of John
Mcintosh Kell, her executive olhcer.
Capt. Kell served in the United States
navy for 20 years before the civil
war, and served with distinction IN
the Mexican war. He was one OF
Commodore Perrys officers in the
Paraguay expedition. Capt. Semmes
was also an officer Of the United
States navy. He served in the MeXi-
can war, and commanded the brig
Sommers in the blockade of Vera
Cruz, and lost that vessel i'll chose
during a porther and narrowly es-
caped drowning after the Mexican
war he studied law, paying particu-
lar attention to the international
branch, and was admitted to the bar
of Alabama, his native State.
"The eleventh day after gong IN
to commission We captured our first
prize, not 100 miles from where we
hoisted our fag." writes Capt. kell,
describing his experience on the Ala
bama. After working around the
Azores for some weeks we shaped
our course for Sandy Hook. But we
encountered frequent gales off the
Newfoundland banks, and on the
1lth of October lost our mainyard
in a cyclone Being considerably
shaken up We decided to seek mild
er latitude. Running down to the
Winward Islands, we entered the
Caribbean Sea.
"Our prizes gave us regularly the
mails from the United States, from
which we gathered the fitting out OF
the army under Gen. Banks for the
attack on Galveston and the INVASION
of Texas, and the day on which the
fleet would SAIL
with this knowledge to help him