FREE BOOKS

Author's List




PREV.   NEXT  
|<   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121  
122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   >>   >|  
labama will be a fine ship, quite equal to encounter any of the enemy's sloops of the class of the Dacotah, Iroquois, Tuscarora, &c.; and I shall feel much more independent in her upon the high seas than I did in the little Sumter. I think well of your suggestion of the East Indies as a cruising-ground, and hope to be in the track of the enemy's commerce in those seas as early as October or November next, when I shall doubtless be able to make other rich "burnt-offerings" upon the altar of our country's liberties. Lieutenant Sinclair having informed me that you said, in a conversation with him, that I might dispose of the Sumter either by laying her up or selling her, as my judgment might approve, I will, unless I receive contrary orders from you, dispose of her by sale upon my arrival in Europe. As the war is likely to continue for two or three years yet, it would be an useless expense to keep a vessel so comparatively worthless so long at her anchors. I will cause to be sent to the Alabama her chronometers, charts, &c., and I will transfer to the vessel her remaining officers and crew. In conclusion, permit me to thank you very sincerely for this new proof of your confidence, and for your kind intention to nominate me as one of the "Captains" under the new Navy Bill. I trust I shall prove myself worthy of these marks of your approbation. (Signed) R. SEMMES. Hon. S. Mallory, Sec. of the Navy. CHAPTER XII. _The new vessel--Aide toi et Dieu t'aidera--Accommodation on board--Cost--Laws of neutrality--Necessary caution--The 29th of July--A breakfast party--The scene changed--Off--The pursuit--Too late._ The vessel to which Captain Semmes was now appointed had been built expressly for the Confederate navy, by Messrs. Laird and Sons, of Birkenhead. She was a small fast screw steam-sloop, of 1040 tons register, not iron-clad, as was at one time erroneously supposed, but built entirely of wood, and of a scantling and general construction, in which strength had been less consulted than speed. Her length over all was about 220 feet, length of keel, 210 feet; breadth of beam, 32 feet, and 18 feet from deck to keel. She carried two magnificent engines, on the horizontal principle, constructed by the same firm, and each of the power of 300 horses; while her coal-bunkers were calculated to accommodate about 350 tons of coal. The Alabama, or as she should as yet be called, "No. 290," was barque-rigged, her
PREV.   NEXT  
|<   97   98   99   100   101   102   103   104   105   106   107   108   109   110   111   112   113   114   115   116   117   118   119   120   121  
122   123   124   125   126   127   128   129   130   131   132   133   134   135   136   137   138   139   140   141   142   143   144   145   146   >>   >|  



Top keywords:
vessel
 

Alabama

 

length

 

dispose

 

Sumter

 
Captain
 
expressly
 

Semmes

 
appointed
 

Confederate


Messrs

 

caution

 
Accommodation
 

aidera

 
SEMMES
 

Mallory

 
CHAPTER
 
breakfast
 

changed

 

pursuit


neutrality

 

Necessary

 

Birkenhead

 

erroneously

 

constructed

 

principle

 

horizontal

 

engines

 

carried

 

magnificent


horses

 
called
 

rigged

 

barque

 

bunkers

 
calculated
 

accommodate

 
breadth
 

supposed

 
register

consulted
 

general

 
scantling
 
construction
 

strength

 

sincerely

 
offerings
 

doubtless

 
October
 

November