THE ACTION BETWEEN THE KEARSAGE AND THE ALABAMA.

Wanganui Herald, Volume III, Issue 654, 16 September 1869, Page 2

THE ACTION BETWEEN THE KEARSAGE AND THE ALABAMA.

It was on Sunday morning, the 15th June, 1864, that the action took place. The Alabama came out of Cherbourg escorted by a French frigate until she had steamed some- niue miles from the shore. Then she steamed towards the Kearsage, which was to windward. The two vessels approached each other until about 2000 yards distant, when the Confederate opened fire with her rifled 100-poun-der, but forged ahead in order to get at close quarters. After and abaft her engines she was protected by chains slung on bolts,- and thinly coated with wood, and it was this that probably caused Captain Semmes to open his eyes with wonder, as he beheld his shells break on the enemy's sides and fall into the sea without doing any harm. When within 1000 yards, Captain Wiuslow, of the Kearsage, opened fire with his Dahlgrens, and we all know the result. But the Alabama was fought bravely, although the gunnery practice is said to have been bad. That of the Kearsage, directed by Captain Winslow, and Lieut. Thornton—eminent as ar-. tillerists—was, on the contrary, magnificent. Every shot told, riddling the back of the privateei-, and opening gaps fore and aft in her sides that soon sealed her fate. At noon she sank. It will be remembered that the bravest man of her company went down with her, a martyr to a high, sense of dut}'. Dr Lewellyn, an Englishman, refused to leave the wounded who were left on board the sinking ship, and went clown with them.

The Alabama carried one gun more than the Kearsage, although her weight of metal was less. Her crew numbered 130 ; that of the Kearsage 200. The victory was due to the superior gun practice of the Federals, no less than the wise ]srecaution-taken by the commander of the Kearsage in making his vessel comparatively invulnerable with her seventy fathoms of chain armour. The whofe damage done to the Federal vessel consisted in some slight, bruises to • her hull fiom the shot of the enemy. About 120 rounds were fired from the Kearsage, and twice as many from the Alabama. The latter vessel lost nine (by shot), the former throe.

HOME NEWS. -; A well lately sunk at Am Sala, Algeria, to the depth of 44 metres threw up not water, but fish, on an ' average half an inch long, and resembling whitebait in appearance and taste. From the fact of the sand in the well being identical with that in the bed of the Nile, it is concluded that an underground communication exists between it and the river. "

On July 1, Edward Hastings Forder, a young- man very respectably connected, was brought before the Yarmouth magistrates, char/gedwith the murder of his aunt, Susannah Hastings. The prisoner, who had led a dissolute life, went to the residence of his relative on Wednesday" evening, June 30, and demanded some money. The demand was "refused whereupon he struck Miss .Hastings a fearful blow under the right ear with his fist, from the effects of which she died a few hours after-' wards. He has been committed.