Memoirs of Service Afloat, During the War Between the States Part 28

"_In re_ LAFAYETTE.

"The s.h.i.+p being under the enemy's flag and register, is condemned.

With reference to the cargo, there are certificates, prepared in due form, and sworn to before the British Consul, that it was purchased, and s.h.i.+pped, on neutral account. These _ex parte_ statements are precisely such as every unscrupulous merchant would prepare, to deceive his enemy, and save his property from capture. There are two s.h.i.+pping-houses in the case; that of Craig & Nicoll, and that of Montgomery Bros. Messrs. Craig & Nicoll say, that the grain s.h.i.+pped by them, belongs to Messrs. Shaw & Finlay, and to Messrs. Hamilton, Megault & Thompson, all of Belfast, in Ireland, to which port the s.h.i.+p is bound, but the grain is not consigned to them, and they could not demand possession of it, under the bill of lading. It is, on the contrary, consigned _to the order_ of the s.h.i.+ppers; thus leaving the possession, and control of the property, in the hands of the s.h.i.+ppers. Farther: The s.h.i.+ppers, instead of sending this grain to the pretended owners, in a _general_ s.h.i.+p, on freight, consigned to them, they paying freight, as usual, have chartered the whole s.h.i.+p, and stipulated, themselves, for the payment of all the freights. If this property had been, _bona fide_, the property of the parties in Belfast, named in the depositions, it would undoubtedly have gone consigned to them, in a bill of lading, authorizing them to demand possession of it, and the agreement with the s.h.i.+p would have been, that the consignees and owners of the property should pay the freight, upon delivery. But even if this property were purchased, as pretended, by Messrs. Craig & Nicoll, for the parties named, still, their not consigning it to them, and delivering them the proper bill of lading, pa.s.sing the possession, left the property in the possession, and under the dominion of Craig & Nicoll, and as such liable to capture. See 3 _Phillimore on International Law_, 610, 612, to the effect, that if the goods are going on account of the s.h.i.+pper, _or subject to his order or control_, they are good prize. They cannot even be sold, and transferred to a neutral, _in transitu_.

They must abide by their condition, _at the time of the sailing of the s.h.i.+p_.

"The property attempted to be covered by the Messrs. Montgomery Bros., is s.h.i.+pped by Montgomery Bros., of New York, and consigned to Montgomery Bros., in Belfast. Here the consignment is all right. The possession of the property has legally pa.s.sed to the Belfast house.

But when there are two houses of trade doing business as partners, and one of them resides in the enemy's country, the other house, though resident in a neutral country, becomes also enemy, _quoad_ the trade of the house in the enemy's country, and its share in any property belonging to the joint concern is subject to capture, equally with the share of the house in the enemy's country. To this point, see 3 _Phillimore_, 605. Cargo condemned."

This is the whole case of the _Lafayette_. As this case was coupled, in the criticisms in the Yankee papers to which I have alluded, and which the reader will see presently, with the case of the _Lauretta_, not yet captured, I will antic.i.p.ate the capture of this s.h.i.+p by a few days, that the reader may have the facts also in her case.

"_In re_ LAURETTA.

"The s.h.i.+p being under the enemy's colors and register, is condemned.

There are two s.h.i.+ppers of the cargo, the house of Chamberlain, Phelps & Co., and Mr. H. J. Burden--all the s.h.i.+ppers resident, and doing business in the city of New York. Chamberlain, Phelps & Co., s.h.i.+p 1424 barrels of flour, and a lot of pipe staves, to be delivered at Gibraltar, _or_ Messina, _to their own order_, and 225 kegs of nails to be delivered at Messina, to Mariano Costarelli. The bill of lading for the flour and staves has the following indors.e.m.e.nt, sworn to before a notary: 'State, City, and County of New York: Louis Contencin, being duly sworn, says, that he is clerk with Chamberlain, Phelps & Co., and that part of the merchandise in the within bill of lading is the property of the subjects of the King of Italy.' This certificate is void for uncertainty. It does not separate the property in the bill of lading, and say which of it belongs to the 'subjects of the King of Italy,' and which to the enemy. For aught that appears, 'the subjects' alluded to may own no more than a single pipe-staff apiece. Indeed, they can own nothing, as it does not appear _what_ they own. Further: If the property was identified in the certificate, the 'subjects of the King of Italy' are not. No man--for there is none named--could claim the property under this certificate. It is, therefore, void, for this reason. See 3 _Phillimore_, 596.

But the flour and staves are consigned _to the order of the s.h.i.+ppers_, and this, alone, would be sufficient to condemn them, even if the articles had been identified, and the proper owners pointed out in the certificate. The _possession of the property at the time of the sailing of the s.h.i.+p, must be divested out of the enemy-s.h.i.+pper_. See 3 _Phillimore_, 610, 612, cited in the case of the _Lafayette_.

The contingent destination of this property, is another pregnant circ.u.mstance. It shows that it was intended _for a market_, and not for any particular neutral owner. It was to be delivered at Gibraltar _or_ Messina, as the s.h.i.+ppers might determine, after the sailing of the s.h.i.+p--probably upon advices received by steamer. So much for the claim of Chamberlain, Phelps & Co.

"The property s.h.i.+pped by H. J. Burden, consists of 998 barrels of flour, and 290 boxes of herring, and is consigned to Charles R.

Blandy, Esq., at Funchal, Madeira. The s.h.i.+pper makes the following affidavit before the British Consul, in New York: 'That all and singular, the goods specified in the annexed bill of lading, were s.h.i.+pped by H. J. Burden, in the bark _Lauretta_, for, and on account of, H. J. Burden, subject of her Britannic Majesty.' Mr. Burden may be a very good subject of her Britannic Majesty, but he describes himself as of 42 Beaver Street, New York City, and seems to lose sight of the fact, that his domicile in an enemy's country, for the purposes of trade, makes him, _quoad_ that trade, an enemy. Cargo condemned."

The reader is now in a condition to understand the following criticism, from that very elegant sheet, the New York "Commercial Advertiser," and to appreciate the justice and courtesy with which I was treated by the press of New York, generally.

"THE ALABAMA.

"BRITISH AND ITALIAN PROPERTY DESTROYED--PORTUGAL ALSO INVOLVED.

"_The English Authorities Acting.--Important Facts._--Some important facts have just been developed in relation to the operations of the rebel privateer _Alabama_, and the present and prospective action of the British and other foreign Governments, whose citizens have lost property by the piracies of her commander.

The depredations of the vessel involve the rights of no less than three European governments--England, Italy, and Portugal--and are likely to become a subject of special interest to all maritime nations.

"Already the capture and burning of the s.h.i.+p _Lafayette_, which contained an English cargo, has been the occasion of a correspondence between the British Consul at this port, Mr. Archibald, and Rear-Admiral Milne, commanding the British squadron on the American coast; and it is stated (but we cannot vouch for the truth of the statement) that the Admiral has dispatched three war-vessels in pursuit of the pirate. The Consul has also, we understand, communicated the facts of the case to the British Government and Her Majesty's Minister at Was.h.i.+ngton. What action will be taken by the British Government, remains to be seen.

"The _Lafayette_ sailed from this port with a cargo of grain for Belfast, Ireland. The grain was owned _by two English firms of this city_, and the facts were properly certified on the bills of lading under the British national seal. The _Lafayette_ was, however, a Boston vessel, and was commanded by Captain Saunders. The facts of the burning have been published.

"But another case (that of the bark _Lauretta_) is about to be submitted for the consideration of the British authorities, as well as those of Italy and Portugal. The facts establish a clear case of piracy. The _Lauretta_, which had on board a cargo consisting princ.i.p.ally of flour and staves, was burned by Semmes on the 28th of October. She was bound from this port for the island of Madeira and the port of Messina, in Italy. Nearly a thousand barrels of flour and also a large number of staves were s.h.i.+pped by Mr. H. J. Burden, a British subject residing in this city, to a relative in Funchal, Madeira. The bill of lading bore the British seal affixed by the Consul, to whom the s.h.i.+pper was personally known. The other part of the cargo was s.h.i.+pped by Chamberlain, Phelps & Co., to the order of parties in Messina, and this property was also covered by the Italian Consular certificates.

"The Portuguese Consul at this port also sent a package under seal, to the authorities at Madeira, besides giving a right to enter the port and sending an open bill of lading.

"Captain Wells' account of the manner in which Semmes disposed of these doc.u.ments, and which he has verified under oath, is not only interesting, but gives an excellent idea of the piratical intentions of the commander of the _Alabama_.

"The papers of the bark were, at the command of Semmes, taken by Captain Wells on board the _Alabama_. There was no American cargo, and therefore no American papers, except those of the vessel. These, of course, were not inquired into. Semmes took first the packet which bore the Portuguese seal, and with an air which showed that he did not regard it as of the slightest consequence, ripped it open, and threw it upon the floor, with the remark that 'he did not care a d----n for the Portuguese.' The Italian bill of lading was treated in a similar manner, except that he considered it unworthy even of a remark.

"Taking up the British bill of lading and looking at the seal, Semmes called upon Captain Wells, with an oath, to explain. It was evidently the only one of the three he thought it worth his while to respect.

"'Who is this Burden?' he inquired sneeringly. 'Have you ever seen him?'

"'I am not acquainted with him; but I have seen him once, when he came on board my vessel,' replied Captain Wells.

"'Is he an Englishman--does he look like an Englishman?'

"'Yes,' rejoined the captain.

"'I'll tell you what,' exclaimed the pirate, 'this is a d----d pretty business--it's a d----d Yankee hash, and I'll settle it,'--whereupon he proceeded to rob the vessel of whatever he wanted, including Captain Wells' property to a considerable amount; put the crew in irons; removed them to the _Alabama_; and concluded by burning the vessel.

"These facts will at once be brought before the British Consul. The preliminary steps have been taken. The facts will also be furnished the Portuguese Consul, who announces his intention of placing them before his Government; and besides whatever action the Italian Consul here may choose to take, the parties in Messina, to whom the property lost on the _Lauretta_ was consigned, will of course do what they can to maintain their own rights. The case is likely to attract more attention than all the previous outrages of the _Alabama_, inasmuch as property rights of the subjects of other nations are involved, and the real character of Semmes and his crew becomes manifest.

"Some interesting facts are given by Captain Wells in regard to the _Alabama_, to which, however, we can only make a brief allusion. The officers of the privateer are princ.i.p.ally Southern men, but the crew are nearly all English and Irish. They claim that they were s.h.i.+pped by stratagem; that they were told the vessel was going to Na.s.sau, and now they are promised shares in captured property--not only the property taken, but that which is burned, of which Semmes says he keeps an accurate account. The bills are to be paid by the 'Confederate Government,' which Semmes, who enforces discipline only by terrorism, declares will soon achieve its independence. The men suppose they are gaining fortunes--though some of them protest against the cheat which has been practised upon them."

The above is a fair specimen of the average intelligence of Yankee newspapers, on any subject outside of the dirty pool of politics, in which they habitually dabble. I was not _quite_ sure when I burned the _Lafayette_, that her cargo belonged to the s.h.i.+ppers, British merchants resident in New York. The s.h.i.+ppers swore that it did not belong to them, but to other parties resident in Ireland, on whose account they had s.h.i.+pped it. I _thought_ they swore falsely, but, as I have said, I was not quite certain. The "Advertiser" sets the matter at rest. It says that I was right. And it claims, with the most charming simplicity, that I was guilty of an act of piracy, in capturing and destroying the property of neutral merchants, _domiciled in the enemy's country, and a.s.sisting him to conduct his trade_! The reader now sees what estimate to put upon all the other balderdash of the article. I presume, the only thing Admiral Milne, and the British Minister at Was.h.i.+ngton did, was to wonder at the stupidity of the New York "Commercial Advertiser." It is scarcely necessary to say, that Captain Wells of the _Lauretta_, took a "custom-house" oath, when he swore to the account which the "Advertiser" gives of his interview with me, when I burned his s.h.i.+p. It was a business operation with these Yankees to abuse me, and they performed it in a _business-like manner_--with oaths and affidavits.

Having captured the _Lafayette_ at nightfall, it was as late as ten P. M.

before we got through with the business of "robbing" her--robbing her, in spite of all those nicely contrived certificates, and British consular seals--when we set her on fire. In a few hours, she was a mere beacon-light, upon the sea, marking, as so many other fine s.h.i.+ps had marked, the track of the "pirate." Though I have given the reader already a pretty large dose of the meteorology of the Gulf Stream, in which we are still cruising, I cannot forbear to call his attention to other proofs of the rotary character of the winds which prevail along this hot-water river in the sea. From the 2d to the 22d of October, a period of twenty days, the wind had gone _nine_ times entirely around the compa.s.s, with the regularity of clock-work. With the exception of the cyclone of the 16th, we had had no regular gale of wind; though the wind frequently blew very fresh, with the barometer sometimes as low as 29.60. These rotary winds were circles of greater or less diameter, obeying the laws of storms, and travelling along in the direction of the current, or about north-east.

There was an interval of only a few hours between them, the barometer rising regularly as one circle or whirl departed, and falling as the next approached. I was much struck with the exceeding regularity of the recurrence of this phenomenon. The received impression is, that it is only the great gales, which we call cyclones, or hurricanes, that gyrate. From my observations in the Gulf Stream--and I lay in it, continuously, for something like a month, changing place, in all this time, but a few hundred miles--gyration is the normal condition of the winds in this stream--that even the most gentle winds, when undisturbed by local causes--the proximity of the land, for instance--are gyrating winds, winding around, and around their respective vortices, _against the motion of the sun_, as we have seen the tendril of the vine to wind around the pole to which it clings.

On the third day after capturing the _Lafayette_, having chased and overhauled, in the meantime, a number of neutrals, we descried a large schooner, evidently American, bound to the southward, and eastward. We gave chase at once, but as the schooner was to windward of us, a considerable distance, the chase promised to be long, without the aid of steam, and this, for reasons already explained, I was averse to using, though we kept, at all times, banked fires in the furnaces, and warm water in the boilers. The stranger hugged his wind very closely, this being always the best point of sailing with schooners; but this was also the best point of sailing with the _Alabama_. The reader has seen, that she always put on her seven-league boots, when she had a chance of drawing aft the sheets of those immense trysails of hers. We gained perceptibly, but the wind was falling light, and it was to be feared night would overtake us, before we could bring the chase within reach of our guns. She was still good four miles to windward of us, when I resolved to try the effect of a solid shot from my rifled pivot, on the forecastle. Elevating the gun some ten degrees, we let fly the bolt. It threw up the water in a beautiful jet, within less than half a mile of her! It was enough. The schooner came to the wind, with the Federal colors at her mast-head, and awaited our approach. Upon being boarded, she proved to be the _Crenshaw_, three days out from New York, and bound for Glasgow, in Scotland.

The _Crenshaw_ was grain-laden, though rather small for a member of the "junk fleet," and there was the usual number of certificates, and British consular seals on board of her, vouching, upon good Yankee oaths, that her cargo was neutral. It was amusing to see how these merchants clung to the British seal, and appealed to the British power, when their grain sacks were in danger. But it was all to no purpose. I would have respected scrupulously any _bona fide_ neutral owners.h.i.+p of property, but I knew all these certificates to be fraudulent. Fraudulent as the transactions were, however, some of the s.h.i.+ppers might have imposed upon me, if they had only known how to prepare their vouchers. But they were such bunglers, that they committed the most glaring mistakes. The New York merchant is a pretty sharp fellow, in the matter of shaving paper, getting up false invoices, and "doing" the custom-house; but the laws of nations, which had had little connection, heretofore, with the debit and credit side of his ledger, rather muddled his brain. The _Crenshaw's_ certificates were precisely like so many others I had, by this time, overhauled. They simply stated, that the cargo belonged to "subjects of her Britannic Majesty,"

without naming them. To quote the certificates literally, they were in these terms: "The goods specified, in the annexed bills of lading, were s.h.i.+pped on board the schooner _Crenshaw_, for, and on account of subjects of her Britannic Majesty, and the said goods are wholly, and _bona fide_, the property of British subjects." And when I came to look at the bills of lading, I found that the property was consigned _to the order of the s.h.i.+ppers_. Here was evidently another of those "Yankee hashes," spoken of by the New York "Commercial Advertiser;" or, if it was not a Yankee hash, it was an English hash, gotten up by some "subjects of her Britannic Majesty," who were _resident merchants in the enemy's country_--whose property the aforesaid "Advertiser" so innocently thought was not subject to capture. For aught that appeared from the certificates, the "subjects"

were all resident in New York. And so we did the usual amount of "plundering" on board the _Crenshaw_, and then consigned her to the flames.

From papers captured on board this vessel, we learned that the New York Chamber of Commerce--whose leading spirit seemed to be a Mr. Low, one or two of whose s.h.i.+ps, if I mistake not, I had burned--was in a glow of indignation. Its resolutions were exceedingly eloquent. This Chamber of Commerce was a sort of debating society, which by no means confined itself to mere commerce, as its name would seem to imply, but undertook to regulate the affairs of the Yankee nation, generally, and its members had consequently become orators. The words "privateer," "pirate," "robbery,"

and "plunder," and other blood-and-thunder expressions, ran through their resolutions in beautiful profusion. These resolutions were sent to Mr.

Seward, and that renowned statesman sat down, forthwith, and wrote a volume of despatches to Mr. Adams, in London, about the naughty things that the "British Pirate" was doing in American waters. The _Alabama_, said he, was burning everything, right and left, even _British_ property; would the Lion stand it?

Another set of resolutions was sent to Mr. Welles, the Federal Secretary of the Navy, and that old gentleman put all the telegraph wires in motion, leading to the different sea-port towns; and the wires put in motion a number of gunboats which were to hurry off to the banks of Newfoundland and capture the _Alabama_. Whilst these gunboats were going from New York to cruise among the cod-fishermen and icebergs, the _Alabama_ was jogging along, under easy sail, toward New York. _We_ kept ourselves, all the time, in the track of commerce; what track the gunboats,--some of which only mounted a couple of guns, and would have been very shy of falling in with the _Alabama_,--took, to look for us, we never knew, as we did not see any of them.

On the day after capturing the _Crenshaw_, we observed in lat.i.tude 39 47', and longitude 68 06'. Being near the edge of St. George's Bank, off the coast of New England, we sounded with eighty-five fathoms of line, but got no bottom. Here another gale of wind overtook us; the barometer descending as low as 29.33, at the height of the gale. On the next day, the 28th of October, the weather being still rough, we captured the bark _Lauretta_, of which the veracious Captain Wells was master, and of which the reader has already had some account. The _Lauretta_ was skirting St.

George's Bank, on her way to Madeira and the Mediterranean, and literally ran into our arms. We had no other trouble than to heave her to, with a gun, as she approached, and send a boat on board, and take possession of her; transferring her crew to the _Alabama_, with as much dispatch as possible, and "robbing" Captain Wells, as he states--by which he means, probably, that we deprived him of his chronometer and nautical instruments; for the mere personal effects of a prisoner, as the reader has already been informed, were never disturbed. We burned the s.h.i.+p.

On the next day, the weather being thick and rainy, and the _Alabama_ being about two hundred miles from New York, we chased and captured the brig _Baron de Castine_, from Bangor, in Maine, and bound, with a load of lumber, to Cardenas, in the island of Cuba. This vessel being old, and of little value, I released her on ransom-bond, and sent her into New York, with my prisoners, of whom I had now a large number on board. I charged the master of this s.h.i.+p, to give my special thanks to Mr. Low, of the New York Chamber of Commerce, for the complimentary resolutions he had had pa.s.sed, in regard to the _Alabama_. The more the enemy abused me, the more I felt complimented, for it is "the galled jade only that winces." There must have been a merry mess in the cabin of the _Baron_ that night, as there were the masters and mates of three burned s.h.i.+ps. New York was "all agog" when the _Baron_ arrived, and there was other racing and chasing after the "pirate," as I afterward learned.

The engineer having now reported to me, that we had no more than about four days of fuel on board, I resolved to withdraw from the American coast, run down into the West Indies, to meet my coal s.h.i.+p, and renew my supply. Being uncertain, in the commencement of my career, as to the reception I should meet with, in neutral ports, and fearing that I might have difficulty in procuring coal in the market, I had arranged, with my ever-attentive co-laborer, Captain Bullock, when we parted off Terceira, to have a supply-s.h.i.+p sent out to me, from time to time, as I should indicate to him the rendezvous. The island of Martinique was to be the first rendezvous, and it was thither accordingly that we were now bound.

This resolution was taken on the 30th of October, and shaping our course, and making sail accordingly, we soon crossed the southern edge of the Gulf Stream, and were in a comparatively desert track of the ocean. Our sinews were once more relaxed, and we had a few days of the _dolce far niente_.

The weather became fine, as we proceeded southward, and the sailors, throwing aside their woollen garments, were arrayed again in their duck frocks and trousers. Our mornings were spent in putting the s.h.i.+p in order, preparatory to going into port, and in exercising the crew at the battery, and the evenings were given up to amus.e.m.e.nt. Great inroads had been made, by the continuous bad weather of the Gulf Stream, on both duty and pleasure. Sometimes a week or ten days would elapse, during which it would not be possible to cast loose a heavy gun, for exercise; and evening after evening pa.s.sed in drenching rain and storm, when not so much as a note on the violin was heard or even a song. The men were, however, cheerful and obedient, were as much excited as ever by the chase and the capture, and were fast becoming a well-disciplined crew. If there was any of that discontent, spoken of by Captain Wells, it was not visible to the eyes of the officers. Our numbers had been considerably increased, by recruits from the enemy's s.h.i.+ps, and we now had men enough to man all our guns, which added considerably to our sense of security. The young officers had gained much experience in the handling of their s.h.i.+p, and I began in consequence to sleep more soundly in my cot, at night, when the weather was dark and stormy.

On the 2d of November, when we were scarcely expecting it, we captured another of the enemy's s.h.i.+ps. She was descried from the mast-head, about half-past eight in the morning, and we immediately gave chase. It was Sunday, and the muster-hour coming on, we mustered the crew, and read the Articles of War in the midst of the chase. We came up with the stranger about noon, with the United States colors at our peak, and upon firing a gun, the fugitive hoisted the same colors, and hove to. She proved to be the _Levi Starbuck_, a whaler, out of New Bedford, and bound on a voyage of thirty months, to the Pacific Ocean. Here was another store-s.h.i.+p for us, with plenty of provisions, slops, and small stores. Getting on board from her such articles as we stood in need of, and removing the crew, we burned her about nightfall.

Her New Bedford papers were only four days old, with the latest news from the "seat of war." The two armies were watching each other on the Potomac, and additional gun-boats had been sent "in pursuit of the _Alabama_." In the meantime, the _Alabama_ was approaching another track of commerce, across which she intended to run, on her way to Martinique--the track of the homeward-bound East India s.h.i.+ps of the enemy.

Toward midnight of the 7th of November, we descried a schooner, standing to the southward, to which we gave chase. She had heels, as well as the _Alabama_, and when day dawned she was still some distance from us, though we had gained on her considerably. But fortune came to her rescue, for very soon, a large s.h.i.+p, looming up on the horizon like a frigate, came in sight, steering to the north-west. She was under all sail, with studding-sails, and sky-sc.r.a.pers set, and Evans, having been sent for, p.r.o.nounced her "Yankee." The small craft was probably Yankee, too, but we were like a maiden choosing between lovers--we could not have both--and so we took the biggest prize, as maidens often do in a similar conjuncture.

The large s.h.i.+p was standing in our direction, and we had nothing to do, but await her approach. When she came sufficiently near to distinguish our colors, we showed her the stars and stripes, which she was apparently very glad to see, for she began, of her own accord, to shorten sail, as she neared us, evidently with the intention of speaking us, and getting, it might be, a welcome newspaper from "home." The stars and stripes were, by this time, flying from her own peak. She was terribly astonished, as her master afterward confessed, when the jaunty little gun-boat, which he had eyed with so much pleasure, believing her to be as good a Yankee as himself, fired a gun, and hauling down "hate's polluted rag," hoisted, in its stead, the banner of the Southern Republic.

The stranger had not much more to do, in order to surrender himself a prisoner. His studding-sails had already been hauled down, and he now hauled up his courses, and backed his main-yard. We were once more in gentle airs, and a smooth sea; and in a few minutes, the boarding-officer was alongside of him. She proved to be as we had expected, an East India trader. She was the _T. B. Wales_, of Boston, from Calcutta, for Boston, with a cargo consisting chiefly of jute, linseed, and saltpetre. Of the latter, she had 1700 bags, sufficient to supply our pious Boston brethren, who were fighting for nothing but "grand moral ideas," with a considerable quant.i.ty of powder. But for the _Wales_ meeting with the _Alabama_, it would, probably, have gone into some of the same Yankee mills, which, just before the war broke out, had supplied the Confederate States under the contracts which, as the reader has seen, I had made with them. The jute, which she had on board, was intended as a subst.i.tute for cotton, in some of the coa.r.s.er fabrics; the Boston people being somewhat pressed, at the period, for the Southern staple.

The captain of the _Wales_, though a Northern man, had very few of the ear-marks of the Yankee skipper about him. He was devoid of the raw-bone angularity which characterizes most of them, and spoke very good English, through his mouth, instead of his nose. His p.r.o.nunciation and grammar were both good--quite an unusual circ.u.mstance among his cla.s.s. He had been five months on his voyage, and, of course, had not heard of any such craft as the _Alabama_. He had quite a domestic establishment on board his s.h.i.+p, as, besides his own wife, who had accompanied him on the voyage, there was an ex-United States Consul, with his wife and three small daughters, returning with him, as pa.s.sengers, to the New England States.

There was no attempt to cover the cargo of the _Wales_, and I was glad to find, that it was consigned to, and probably owned by, the obnoxious house of the Barings, in Boston, whose s.h.i.+p, the _Neapolitan_, I had burned, in the Strait of Gibraltar. This British house had rendered itself exceedingly active, during the war, in the Federal interest, importing large quant.i.ties of arms, and otherwise aiding the enemy; and I took especial pleasure, therefore, in applying the torch to its property. It was one of the New York "Commercial Advertiser's" pets--being a _neutral house, domiciled in an enemy's country, for the purposes of trade_. I have not heard what Admiral Milne and the British Minister at Was.h.i.+ngton did, when they heard of the burning of the _Wales_, or whether the "Advertiser"