THE ALABAMA AND KEARSARGE.

New Zealand Herald, Volume I, Issue 268, 21 September 1864, Page 6

THE ALABAMA AND KEARSARGE.

Tiie ?ate naval duel has been the subject of correspondence and paragraphs. (1.) Our contemporaries publish a letter from Sir. Masi.n to Mr. Lancaster, the owner of the Peerhound, thanking liiin for his " noble and disinterested spirit." and his signal service in rescuing tho 1 Alabama's' crew, and saving that in doing so he (Mr. Mason) but anticipates the grateful sentiments of his country and government. (2.) A correspondence is published between Captain W inslow and Mr. Monfils, the French Confederate agent. Captain AVinslow claims us his prisoners those of the ' Alabama's' crew rescued by pilot boats, and brought into Cherbourg. lie allowed tlie pilot boats to save the prisoners from motives of Immunity, but if the prisoners endeavour to free themselves from the obligation, they must expect to meet, no mercy another time. Mr. lionfils replies that there is nothing to hinder even a surrendered prisoner from escaping if he can, and declines to act as a gobetween Captain "Winslow ami persons he does not even name; nor can he understand how Captain Winslow can claim to hold prisoners within the territory of the French empire. JV) r. Lancaster, in a long letter to tho Daily AYitv, vindicates his conduct against the charges brought against him of stealing away with the captain and ollicers of the ' Alabama/ whom he saved from drowning. lie denies altogether having acted i'S tender to the 4 Alabama* before the fight, or having hud any previous communication with the 'Alabama's' ollicers or men, and maintains that he would never have saved them from drowning merely to deliver them up to the 4 Kearsarge' as prisoners—he would not have rescued them on such terms, nor was he aslccd to do so. (•!.) Captain jjlakcly writes, the ' Alabama's' one Blakely gun weighed less than half the two smooth bores (Dahlgren's) pitted against it, making tlie odds ito 1 at close quarters. At long range the advantage would have been with the one-ritled gun, as it could make tolerable practice a full mile farther than the smooth bores. The 1 Alabama,' he adds, had not one steel shot or shell on board. Any gun she had, even the little 32-pounders, could have tired steel shot through the 1 KcarsargoV armour ; no gun on earth could throw thin iron shell through it. The 4 Alabama's* prisoners captured by the i Ivearhave been parolled by Captain Winslow, and a number ol'them have readied Southampton. They speak iu tho highest terms of Ihe humanity of the Federal captain. lie told his own men that as the struggle belwoen the ' Alabama' and the 1 Jvearsarge' was over, the prisoners were to be treated as brothers. They appear to be all Englishmen #or Irishmen. Many oi ihem state that on entering the Confederate service they had no political leaning towards North or South. They were badly oil* in this country, and they thought to better their condition by means of high pay and prize-money. They found, however, that they were not to have the latter until the war was over. iThey are consequently said to be much disappointed.

The Jndvjycnthuicc liehjc aflirms that an armourplated ship is nearly ready for Captain Semmes, to replace the * Alabama. 1 The new ship, it is said, was built at Bordeaux.