The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-07-10

(Mr. seitz is the foremost American su- shority on piracy. pirates and their his tory)
 New York, July g. That great war and improvement in wireless and navigation could breed a modern pirate is not impossible. Realizat tien mind by recent mysterious disappear snce from the high seas of score of ships, reports of the sighting of mysterious vessel off the Delaware coast and apprehension over the long delay in establishing communication with the Munson liner Callao, sup posed to be carrying large ship ment of gold from Brazil.
 It would naturally be expected that modern pirate would be short lived with the navies of the world In pursuit, but the ocean is large wet place, and it is surprising how long, even under steam, bandit could evade pursuit. An example can be found in marking back to the Con federate cruisers, which worked their free will in the Atlantic and Pacific for many months.
 Though hunted from port to port and shore to shore by capable ves- sells under experienced officers, not one was caught on the open sea.
 Piracy Century Dead
 Steam was supposed to have van ished piracy little less than a cen- tury ago. when Commodore Porters s fleet cleaned out the Cuban pirates in the middle twenties. The last piracy to occur in American waters was the capture near Cuba of the bring Mexican of Salem, September 20. 1892.
 It is rather an odd fact that piracy although one of the oldest occupa tions, has reappeared only at vice intervals. For example, after the fading out of the buccaneers about 1890, a new breed sprang up which operated in the Indian ocean, with Madagascar as headquarters. It was to prey upon these gentlemen that Capt William Kidd set out from New York under the auspices of the gov ernor, Richard Coots, Earl of Bell mont, with King William of Eng land and members of English nobil- ity as underwriters of the expedi- tion The underwriters also included Robert Livingston of New York. whose descendants were to furnish Robert Fulton the funds to develop the steamboat and presumably make piracy impossible.
 The Madagascar fleet ran out early in the eighteenth century. There followed something like 20 years Of active business in piracy along the American coast and along the gulf coast of Africa. This activity was determined by international action about 1721s
 100 Years Passes
 Nearly a hundred years passed be- fore organized piracy again showed it's head. this time in Cuban and Gulf of Mexico waters. Lurking there among the keys off the Cuban coast and among the coral islands of the Bahamas, there sprang up nu- merous bands of murderers, eIIi- cient as ocean highwaymen. Nearly all of their work was done in open boats or small schooners. They op- erated along the windWard passage and off Cape Antonio
 It was estimated that something like 5000 ships suffered during the period of their activity
 The American government dis matched q Considerable fleet includ- ing a steam galley, under command of David Porter, the hero of the Els sex. who found the task very diff cult and was finally removed Tor oyerxeal in landing party on Porto Rico to punish thieves who had robbed an American store on the Island of St. Thon,"~ N"vieas u-,- warue -awarued by six months sus- nension, which caused his resignation from the service.
 Hanged Many Robbers
 After Porter's removal from com mand. the American fleet did but lit- tie The British, however. continued to work with great energy ana hanred many of the robbers at Ja- naica. There seems to bo no rec ard of any one being taken or hanged by the Americans, although there was considerable fighting ano many men were killed.
 Later. in 1880, Charles Gibbs, wno had been an active leader in the San Antonio group of freebooters $ .hinped from New Orleans on sloop carrying $5o,ooo or $6o.ooo in silver to Stephen Girard Inducing some members of the crew to join him, ne killed the captain and mate. scuttled the sloop and, making landing on Long Island, reached Canarsie. Gibbs and a negro named Thomas Wamsley were betrayed by their talk, arrestec, tried and finally hanged on Eliis Island.
 The pirates who attacked the brig Mexican, mentioned above, were members of the crew of a Cuban slaver called the Panda.
 Most of them were ultimately cap tured in Africa, brought to Salem, tried and with one or two exceptions, hanged. This put the finishing touches to the industry.