The Hawaiian gazette. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1865-1918, 1915-10-22
LAST or RAIDER
ALABAM A'SCREW
TELLS or CRUISE

AGE BENDS ROVER
A faint, far echo Of history came to
Honolulu in the Nippon Maru yester-
day morning. 1t was the voice of a.
seventy 1.-TWO year old man, and the great
events Of which he spoke hrug about
the Alabama. For John Prussia says
he is the only survivor of the crew Of
that ship, 1.-The converted steam brig
AIabama,' which was the most fam.
Gus commerce raider of history until
the German cruiser Emden arose last
year; and the names of the Alabama
and the Linden will go to the future,
S,de by side.
Prussia is Old his hair is struggling
and grayish- white; he does not recall
we'll many things of which he spoke,
yet of the Alabama he spoke with as
Suranre and clearness.
He had heen in Japan eleven years
MALL and the cap he wears now bears
the flag of the old company. The sus-
pension of sailings of the overseas feet
left him without employment, and he
decided to 20 home at last, to Ms
brotherin law in Carry, Pennsylvania.
That is why he is a passenger in the
Nippon Maru and why many on the
waterfront yesterday listened to the
tales thai dropped from his lips.
Was Here Years Ago
Besides being the only man left Of
all that Alabama crew, Prussia holds
recollections of Honolulu that few men
hold: he was here some sixty odd years
ago, for the first and last time until
yesterday, and he remembered how
there were bamboo houses here then,
how the waterfront was low tideland
and how the men from the New Bed
ford whalers went into Honolulu with
yards of cloth for barter-for their
masters would not give them money.
Letters addressed to him in Yoke
hama bore the words: Last survivor
of the converted steam brig Alabama, "
he said:
1t was after long wanderings over
the world, especially among the islands
of the far South Seas, that Prussia
became member of the crew of the
old Confederate ship. She was build
ing at Brken Head, near Liverpool,
and the board at the dock head bore
only the numerals "290.' Students of
history are invited to ascertain wheth-
err that was the number of the Ala
bama at the yards.
He did not know what the Alabama
was to be when she signed her crew
at Liverpool in July, 1862. There were
forty nine sailors in ALL he said, and
they signed for the Azores cor some
intermediate port.
Stars and Bars Hoisted
On the sidewheeler was Captain
Slams. 1.-The crew acted so bad that
we had to 90 outside; they wouIdn t
let US stay But the guns and stores
we're put aboard, and, on a day that
Prussia cannot recall, except that it
was Sunday, "and the Alabama was
lost on "A Sunday" the Stars and Bars
were run up; Captain Smms named
III" ship Alabama, the band, 1--WE had
Il hnnI,' played "Dixie," and the
.ardcr put out to sea. Probably it was
III august 1862. Gums were two rifles
aad six - Founders, though she was
Ht'"d for twelve in all. One of the
rifles was on the Britannia in the Or m
can war. The other was the 100
ruHuIcI.
" Did. You know what the Alabama
vas to hr when you signedi" Prussia
Eyes, | did. won t lie about it.
| knew.
AMI the Alabama started on her
WurId wide crossings.
Pluasia was ashore only once. 1t
was at Singapore, whittier the raider
had g"n" around the Cape of Good
Hope, rnchoring in Malacea Strait.
"A man came down to the ship and
got to talking with one of the sailors.
llr founI he knew the sailors father,
lie was sort of j supercargo in Singa-
IOr". lie asked the sailor to come
ashore with him Sunday and to bring
some Of the men, and | was one of
them.
~ was sorry ! went ashore. The
m2n took us to church. There were
eleven Of us nine besides me, and tho
""N~WnIn remember it just like yes
t"r'IaY. Thee were five ON one seat
and -iN on another We were all bare
footed, for We didn't wear shoes
aboard ship. The preacher took for his
text What ign f"s a man if he gain
the whole world and lose his own soul
"nI what would man give in ex
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