rolling cannon's boom across the waters, was one of terrific grandeur. For an hour they gazed with strange fascination upon the mortal strife between the estranged brethren of the same household. Many of the shots went wild; others struck home with fatal effect. One shot from the Kearsarge penetrated the coal-bunkers of the enemy, exploded, and killed or wounded eighteen men. At the end of an hour's fighting the Alabama ceased firing and was seen to head for the harbor; but Captain Winslow steamed across her bow and was about to open a raking fire when the Alabama struck her colors and surrendered. A few minutes later one of her officers in a small boat rowed up to the Kearsarge, informed Captain Winslow that the Alabama had surrendered and was sinking, and he begged that boats be sent to save the crew. Winslow instantly dispatched the only two of his boats that had not been pierced by bullets; at the same time he called to the captain of the Deerhound, an English yacht that had come near, and requested him to help save the men on the sinking Alabama. But while many were still on board, and but twenty minutes after the battle had ceased, the time of reckoning arrived, and the Confederate privateer sank beneath the waves, "And the sea yawned round her like a hell As down she sucked with her the whirling wave." Thus the wild, meteoric career of the famous Alabama was ended. For two years, without let or hindrance, she had coursed the waters of two hemispheres on her mission of destruction. She had destroyed sixty-five vessels —ten million dollars' worth of property. But at last her course was ended. She, with many of her valiant crew, found a final home on the bed of the ocean, on whose bosom she had reigned, a queen without a rival, until her too sanguine master made this hapless challenge to fight a duel with the Kearsarge.1 Nearly a score of Confederate privateers were 1 By every rule of warfare the survivors of the Alabama were prisoners of Captain Winslow; but to his astonishment the " gentleman" who commanded the Deerhound steamed away with Captain Semmes and several of his fellow-officers and gave them their liberty. But three men on the Kearsarge were wounded and none killed. See "Rebellion Record," Vol. IX. p. 221. built or fitted out in English waters during the four years of warfare. Next to the Alabama the Shenandoah was the most destructive to American shipping; she made thirty-eight captures on the high seas, twenty-one of which were whalers. She had been a British merchant ship in the Bombay trade, and was purchased by the Confederate Government. The Florida made thirty-six captures and the Tallahassee twentyseven. In October, 1864, the Florida was captured by the United States war vessel Wachusett in the harbor of Bahia. But owing to the capture having been made in Brazilian waters the captive ship was released and an apology made to Brazil. The Florida afterward sank through an accident off Hampton Roads, Virginia. Negotiations There was a notable gathering in the city of Paris in the spring of 1856. In this meeting were representatives from all the leading nations of Europe, and their object was to make new and important rules concerning naval operations in time of war. The most important declaration of this congress was that VOL. II. — Q privateering preying upon the enemies' commerce in time of war -be abolished. The United States Government was requested to join in this agreement, but it refused. Had it only been foreseen what a terrible retribution would be visited on the United States within the coming decade on account of this refusal, the decision might have been otherwise. But the reason for refusing was plausible, nevertheless. It was remembered that in the War of 1812 our greatest hold upon Great Britain was through privateering, for her vast merchant marine offered a tempting bait to our few armed cruisers. It was also argued that, since our navy was insignificant and that of various other nations was powerful, it would be obviously to our disadvantage, if, when at war with one of them, armed war-ships alone were legitimate prizes. However, in July of the same year, 1856, the United States offered to accept the Paris Declaration if the Powers would add another article exempting all private property, even of an enemy, from capture on the sea; but to this they would not agree. At the opening of the Civil War the United States was the only great nation not committed to the abolition of privateering, and it was at once seen what a serious blunder had been made; for southern cruisers might now prey to their heart's content on United States merchant marine, while no retaliation could be offered, as the South was without any merchant shipping. At the beginning of the war, even before the close of April, 1861, Secretary Seward offered to accept the Paris Declaration without qualification. France and Great Britain consented on the condition "that it have no effect on the internal difficulty now prevailing in the United States." But this was the very object sought, and as this was denied Seward allowed the matter to drop, and to this day nothing further has been done. Thus we see how it came out that our shipping fell under the ravages of the reckless Alabama and her reckless sisters during the Civil War. In less than four months after the escape of the Alabama from Liverpool, Mr. Adams placed into the hands of Earl Russell a written protest against the negligence of the British Government in permitting the vessel and others |