The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1916-12-16

sci of $50 tons, 135 feet long and %
feet beam. She was launched when
the united States as a government
was fourteen years in existence, or in
1890. This ship, visited by royalty.
and by upwards of fifteen millions. of
people, in ports where she has been.
was a convict ship Of England, and ar
rived in Pensacola harbor Friday. after
To-day voyage from San Francisco.
The historic old craft was towed all
the way by the American steamship
wellesley, and came via the Panama
canal The WELLESLEY has ,oeen sold to
parties in New Orleans, it is said. and
comes for delivery to her new owners.
! The Success was towed into Pensa-
cola harbor after an uneventfuI voy-
age, which had it's beginning on Oc-
tober 5, last
Upon being released from ouaran-
tine, probably this afternoon, the Sue
cess will be brought over to the city
and given a berth at Palafox wharf.
Next week the public will be given an
opportunity of boarding and inspecting
an interesting relic Of bygone bar
! barity," ship associated with some
of the most horrible episodes of penal
life" as it has been referred to.
The Success was built in 1890 at
Moulmain, British India, and is by
many years the oldest ship afloat. She
is the only remaining survivor of Eng
lands fleet of felon transports Ocean
Hells'' they were termed, and well did
they deserve the title.
In a history of the ship, an inter-
esting description is given 1t tells
| Of the massively built vessel solid
| Burmese teak being used throughout
in its construction. She was first
launched as an armed East India mer-
chairman, with beautiful brass guns
bristling from her sides and fitted
handsomely for the reception on board
of princes, nabobs and the wealthy
traders of the Orient, whose goods,
aromatic teas, ivories, jewels and other
costly luxuries she carried over the
seven seas to the ends Of the world
Her solid sides are two feet six
inches thick at the bilge. and her keel
son is solid teak baulk of tremen-
dous thickness, with sister keelsons lit
tie less massive Her square cut stern
and quarter galleries stamp her at
once with the hallmark of antiquity,
| ana u6T DiuII DOW SLOWS LldI SnG
could never have gained great speed
Yet pains were evidently taken to
! make her trim and smart, and fit to
hold a leading place among her sister
ships of the Anglo-Indian fleet. Rem
nants of great, gilded scrolls upon
rich blue background have been
brought to light upon scraScnIng away
the super imposed coating. The quar-
ter galleries, too, were originally dec
grated with massive and artistic carv
ings Escutcheons can easily be traced
at regular intervals from stem to
stern, and the forecastle head, raised
high aloft forward. bears at its extrem
ity, a symbol of innocence and beauti-
full womanhood in the original figure
head Of exquisite design strangely
inappropriate emblem in the days
| when crime stained convicts in clank-
ing chains put to flight all thought
of innocence and beauty.
Broken only by an occasional con-
flict with a pirate craft, the Success
had an honored life on the ocean until
1902 when she was first chartered by
the British government to transport
to Australia the overflow of the home
tails. the unfortunate wretches, who
at that time were sentenced to from
seven years to a life term for offenses
that would now be considered trivial
and petty. There are many instances
recorded where women and children
were transported for the theft of
piece of pie or square OF bleached
linen.
1t is said that the human cargoes
I'll Ghopn
| Governmental records tell the story in
detail-a terrible story of terrible
period, appalling in intensity and nor
ror. The Success was engaged IN this
! hideous trade until 1851, in which year
she was permanently stationed as g
receiving prison at Hobson's Bay, AUS
tralia.
Cells, strong and gloomy, constructed
| at that time, are yet aboard the ship.
| These are on the tween and lower
! decks, and in these the most desperate
! criminals of England were accommo-
/ dated. A large force of wardens were
/ used to guard the prisoners, and in Or
| der to isolate the ship a Gordon OF
! buoys was moored around the hulk, for
a distance of 75 yards. To be caught
| unauthorized within this GORDON
meant death by shooting
The lower deck was devoted to the
/ worst type of criminals, and dark dun
geons were used still deeper in her
| holds.
! In 1857 the disclosures that had been
made of the brutal and inhuman treat
ment melted out to prisoners created
| fierce outcry in Australia, amountlnS
to almost revolt against the British
government and resulted in the aoan-
donment of the hulk system For some
I wears later the Success was used as a
womens prison, then she became sue
cessively a 'reformatory and ammunl-
ton ship, and later all the British
hulks were ordered to be sold on the
| express condition that they were TO De
broken up. and their associations lost
BY a clerical error, 1t is claimed, that
condition did not appear upon terms
| of sala of fhe Success and hence she