THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ALABAMA.
Iis difficult to imagine an occurrence more dramatic in 1 itself and in all its surrounding incidents than the de- struction of the Alabama. It might to imaginative minds seem almost to foreshadow the future result of the great American conflict, the long and useless hunt of years, followed at last by a final battle of Armageddon, in which the Northerner wins, wins completely and finally, but the Southerner goes down fighting till the water covers his guns, and flings him- self into the sea rather than submit to the rival whose victory path of humanity ; his claim to a legal character is doubtful, merchantmen beat off an armed squadron carrying metal and his right to destroy vessels uncondemned is opposed heavier than their own. But what sailing vessel could now to every precept of the laws which Europe has spent fifty hope to escape a ship like the Alabama, moving at double her years in framing for the amelioration of war. But to deny speed, armed with the newest guns, and perhaps iron-clad,-- that he is a hero in the ancient sense of the word, a man to to resist in fact a man-of-war worked by privateers? A first- whom all danger seems trifling, all obstacles feeble when class Indiaman would be pounded into chips before she could compared with the advantage of his country, or to call him a return a shot, while the assailant who can board her at dis- " pirate," is as absurd as to call Jefferson Davis incompetent or cretion is himself beyond the reach of anything but artillery. a brigand. What Barthe imagined of La Vengeur Captain Formerly, too, it was possible to protect the trade even of a Semmes did with the Alabama, and the world would not be country like England by means of convoy,—by using the fleet, the better for prejudices even against slavery which could as it were, as escort for the travellers. Since then trade has blind men's eyes to the recognition of heroism such as his. expanded far beyond the range of patrols. The American He was safely anchored in Cherbourg when the Kearsage fleet, if devoted to that single end, could not accompany was signalled outside the harbour, beyond the possibility of one half the American merchantmen, and even that of Great attack, and with a vessel, according to some accounts, griev- Britain would only secure the necessary protection at °Italy in need of repair. Nevertheless he accepted the chal- the cost of restrictions which would destroy the commerce lenge as he would have done one from a private enemy, and it is proposed to secure. While commerce has expanded steamed out to a doom which he partly foresaw, and against enormously the means of destroying commerce have increased which he had provided by consigning all his chronometers in almost equal proportion, and unless we can place merchant- the spoils of sixty vessels, the bills exacted for the ransom of men under the protection of international law the next merchantmen, and his private papers, to Confederate hands in maritime war will witness a destruction of property of which France. His motive for the act may still be undetermined. the world has scarcely seen an example. Short of that great He may have underrated the power of the Kearsage, and we change the only plan for restricting the evil is that which the believe he did, or he may, as the Times thinks, have been Americans, after two years of useless activity and querulous swayed by the thought that having triumphed so often over remonstrances, have at last adopted,—to meet the depredator the unarmed he was professionally bound to accept the with his own weapon, give up preventive devices, but hunt challenge of the first vessel which could meet him on equal down privateers or regular vessels known to be on the look- terms. At all events, with his ship's bottom covered with out for prey until they are sunk or captured. Whatever the- weeds, her copper partly torn off, and two years' injuries to rover can do his pursuer can do also, and though a stern be repaired, out he went, sustained for an hour a superior chase is a long chase, still there must come a day, as in the flre, and with the ship's boiler shot through, her rudder case of the Alabama, when the destroyer and the avenger- shot away, and her side torn out "for a yard's length," shall at last meet upon equal terms. England may rejoice if fought on till the water rose above his guns, and then when that day comes she is served as well as the North has- pulling down his flag for the sake of his men sprung over- been served by the commander of the Kearsage, or the South board himself, preferring the chance of drowning to the by Captain Semmes.
certainty of being taken prisoner. It was a gallant deed, and we shall be surprised if even the Americans, bitterly as they have suffered from Captain Semmes' interpretation of the laws of war, and keenly as they may feel that he acquired in their own navy the training which he has employed with such effect against themselves, do not acknowledge that it is well such an enemy should not die. Their captain fought as bravely and more successfully, the scourge of their trade has been fairly beaten by a vessel of her own size, and they may well be content. The fear we perceive in some quarters that the rescue of the drowning Captain by the English yacht may yet lead to complications is utterly unreasonable. Captain Winslow, who is an officer not an assassin, himself signalled to Mr. Lancaster to rescue as many of the drowning men as he could, and once rescued there was no possibility of surrendering them to their foes. If Captain Semmes sur- rendered by hauling down his flag, there may be an honour- able obligation upon him to fight no more until he has been exchanged, but the course of the English yachtsman did not admit of doubt. He had rescued a drowning sailor, and the notion that he was to rescue him in order to deliver him to his enemies, to be by them committed to prison, is as illegal as it is repulsive. Captain Semmes when his flag was hauled down was at the uttermost a prisoner of war, and the right of a prisoner of war to rescue himself if he can has been admitted throughout modern warfare.
We do not see that the history of the contest adds much to naval knowledge, unless by proving once more that victory at sea as on land is coming to depend more and more upon artillery and scientific appliances. Had Captain Semmes been able to board the Kearsage he might have won the day, for his men were picked desperadoes, hardened by two years of adventure; but the Kearsage steamed the quicker, and board- ing became impossible. From the moment that was clear the decision rested with the artillery, that of the Kearsage was the heavier, the service was about equally well performed, and the Alabama, outweighted in metal, was not only beaten but sunk. Her men might have performed any prodigies of valour of which poets could dream, and all would not have stopped the rents made by the Dahlgren shells. That, we believe, will be the result of every naval engagement in he has nevertheless acknowledged. We do not affect to con- which the same disparity exists, science depriving the moral coal our-belief that the victory has in this instance been given qualities of the fighters of half their effective value. There to the better cause. Captain Semmes has, as an agent of the is, however, a real lesson to be gained from the career Confederacy, in our judgment no claim to English sympathy, of the, Alabama,—that all the plans which succeeded during no more than Marshal von Wrangel, or the General who is the last great war in securing protection to commerce now expelling the Circassians. He represented at sea, as must be laid aside. Formerly it was possible ty arming Mr. Davis represents on land, a bad cause,—a principle the larger sailing vessels to give them at least a partial which produces innumerable miseries now, and would if security against pirates or privateers. The latter were successful produce a grand retrogression in the onward constantly fought, and on one occasion at least a fleet of path of humanity ; his claim to a legal character is doubtful, merchantmen beat off an armed squadron carrying metal and his right to destroy vessels uncondemned is opposed heavier than their own. But what sailing vessel could now to every precept of the laws which Europe has spent fifty hope to escape a ship like the Alabama, moving at double her years in framing for the amelioration of war. But to deny speed, armed with the newest guns, and perhaps iron-clad,-- that he is a hero in the ancient sense of the word, a man to to resist in fact a man-of-war worked by privateers? A first- whom all danger seems trifling, all obstacles feeble when class Indiaman would be pounded into chips before she could compared with the advantage of his country, or to call him a return a shot, while the assailant who can board her at dis- " pirate," is as absurd as to call Jefferson Davis incompetent or cretion is himself beyond the reach of anything but artillery. a brigand. What Barthe imagined of La Vengeur Captain Formerly, too, it was possible to protect the trade even of a Semmes did with the Alabama, and the world would not be country like England by means of convoy,—by using the fleet, the better for prejudices even against slavery which could as it were, as escort for the travellers. Since then trade has blind men's eyes to the recognition of heroism such as his. expanded far beyond the range of patrols. The American He was safely anchored in Cherbourg when the Kearsage fleet, if devoted to that single end, could not accompany was signalled outside the harbour, beyond the possibility of one half the American merchantmen, and even that of Great attack, and with a vessel, according to some accounts, griev- Britain would only secure the necessary protection at °Italy in need of repair. Nevertheless he accepted the chal- the cost of restrictions which would destroy the commerce lenge as he would have done one from a private enemy, and it is proposed to secure. While commerce has expanded steamed out to a doom which he partly foresaw, and against enormously the means of destroying commerce have increased which he had provided by consigning all his chronometers in almost equal proportion, and unless we can place merchant- the spoils of sixty vessels, the bills exacted for the ransom of men under the protection of international law the next merchantmen, and his private papers, to Confederate hands in maritime war will witness a destruction of property of which France. His motive for the act may still be undetermined. the world has scarcely seen an example. Short of that great He may have underrated the power of the Kearsage, and we change the only plan for restricting the evil is that which the believe he did, or he may, as the Times thinks, have been Americans, after two years of useless activity and querulous swayed by the thought that having triumphed so often over remonstrances, have at last adopted,—to meet the depredator the unarmed he was professionally bound to accept the with his own weapon, give up preventive devices, but hunt challenge of the first vessel which could meet him on equal down privateers or regular vessels known to be on the look- terms. At all events, with his ship's bottom covered with out for prey until they are sunk or captured. Whatever the- weeds, her copper partly torn off, and two years' injuries to rover can do his pursuer can do also, and though a stern be repaired, out he went, sustained for an hour a superior chase is a long chase, still there must come a day, as in the flre, and with the ship's boiler shot through, her rudder case of the Alabama, when the destroyer and the avenger-
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