TURNING THE TABLES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 17246, 12 January 1924, Page 5

TURNING THE TABLES.

AMAZING NAVAL STRATEGY.

The most ama-zing instance of naval strategy on a smaa ocaie ever placet! on i recoru occurred in louo. atmuu was j tilen at war »itn a very large part or ; tiie woriq, and privateering was an ex- • ceeaiugiy prom, ame pruieatuon. JLue j privateer lamar, m tuo course of her j xneanuorings, captured the little hon I A oyage, and piuped a prizo crew of ; fourteen aboard her, unaer charge ofthe first lieutenant, with instructions j to luaK© tor tne first friendly port. j Next day the fasten sailing Lamar I was out ot sight, and to the couster- ! nation of the little prize crew tnere ; appeared on the scene the Le Brave, a renowned French privateer, which mounted sivteen guns, and had a crew ot 130 tried men. All seemed lost, and, indeed, the Bon Voyage’s little ' complement of men were already pack- j ing up their traps preparatory to a \ trip across t-o the other ship, when the j brave lieutenant hit on a strategem. Ho knew that the Le Brave’s invariable mode of fighting whenever possible was by boarding, so ho brought all bis four guns to the side on which she was approaching, loaded them, and caused the rest of the ship’s ammunition to be thrown overboard- He next caused the only boat aboard to bo plentifully supplied with firearms and moored under the stem out of sight. As the Le Brave drew near they let her have a broadside, a compliment which was soon returned, and a few minutes later the aggressor's bow was fouling the Bon Voyage’s rigging, and her sailors streaming anoard. The lieutenant at this very moment retreated with his men to the stem cabin, and the French, in their ignorance. followed, and actually placed sentries at the door, so that they could not sally forth. The prize crew', however. had meantime gained their boat by an open port, precisely as arranged, •ml were rowing stealthily round the ship to the Le Brave, which had now parted company with her quarry, and boarding her, they made short work of the four sailors left in charge. The astonishment of the Frenchmen when they found the British flag floating proudly over their ship can better m»eined than desorbed. They stll had the men, four guns, and a good ship, but .to their chagrin. not a •inele barrel of powder. Tho gallant lieutenant assured t>«nn of ft.© pleasure the eTcbnne© >*ad afforded him, and ot tbo mnrr'os of their own cannon h© obliged fFiom to rmmisp to pnvjrrn t“h© B'vn V/vrno-e to t l *© port T«» „ r. nrfl i, ri p n of their disagreeable