THE DREAM OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE MERRIMAC.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVII, Issue 1755, 19 August 1862, Page 3

THE DREAM OF THE CAPTAIN OF THE MERRIMAC.

(From Le Charivari.)

The Captain of the Merrimac is walking up and down the deck of his vessel just after the engagement with the Federals. "Well," says he, "things have not gone so badly. I ara quite satisfied witb the effects I bave produced with my vessel ; indeed, lam delighted. In less than five minutes the Merrimac has sunk a host of vessels. Darn me if I am not quite proud !" . 4 (Calls the mate).—" Black !" " Yes, your honour." " You, who have been on land, must know the effect produced by my ship ! " "Oh ! wonderful, captain. The Federals are furious." "Ah ! but what do foreigners say ?" " They are quite stupified. All the papers talk of nothing else but the Merrimac." " And what does England say to it?" "The English are in indescribable alarm." (The Captain puts his hand to his head.) — "Black, an idea has just come into my head." "What is it, sir?" "I will take advantage of the state nations are in to conquer the world." " Do you mean it, sir ?" " Call up the crew." No sooner is the order given tban the deck is covered by three hundred sailors. " You are all discharged," says the captain, " I shall only keep a dozen gunners with me." " What!" says the mate, " you mean to conquer the whole world, and you only keep a dozen gunners !" " Yes ; just so. Ail these men would only bother me in making the tour of tbe world, and they would eat so much. My dear mate, I give you the command of my dozen gunners, and let's begin our conquest at ouee." ii. - After having discharged the crew, the captain sails for China. As soon as the News of the arrival of the Merrimac is brought to tbe Emperor of tbe Celestial Empire, he is taken with a fit of trembling, for he knows the Merrimac by reputation. "A thousand birds' nests !" cries the Brother of the Sun and Moon : if the Merrimac is come our goose is cooked." ■ (Turns to his Ministers) — " Tell the Captain of the vessel tbat I am willing to pay him whatever he may ask." The captain demands a hundred millions, and the Emperor loses oo time in paying it i him. in. The conquest of Asia, Africa, and Oceanioa is an easy job for the Merrimac. After numerous and easy victories, the invincible vessel comes to Europe, which is the most difficult job; but the captain doubts not that he will succeed in Europe as he has succeeded in all other parts of the world. The first couutry he attacks is Russia. On the news of the arrival of the Merrimac, the Czar launches a wbole fleet on the Baltic. The Merrimac meets the vessels Tn the open sea and they surround her. Tbe battle commences. Iv five minutes, t*vo thousand cannon belch forth fire, and two thousand balls crash on the Merrimac. A quarter-of-an-hour aftei, there is but one vessel to be seen on the water, and this vessel is the Merrimac, which tranquilly pursues her way towaids England. iv. The American vessel after this great success, had no objection to vex pale Albion a bit, who boasted so much about her numerous and invincible fleet. The captain sends his second mate with a flag of truce. "Will you yield?" says be to John Bull. " Yield ! I ," cries John Bull ainased. " Are you out of your mind ?" "No ; but I command those twelve gunners in that vessel, and if you don't give in you will be beaten in five minutes." John Bull shrugs his shoulders, and is not a little uneasy. He gets up on a lightheuse, and from that point bas a fine view of the complete destruction of bis fleet. v. The American vessel becomes the King of the Seas.