Produced by Norman M. Wolcott
The Blockade Runners by Jules Verne
[Redactor's Note: _The Blockade Runners_ (number V008 in the T&M
numerical listing of Verne's works) is a translation of _Les forceurs
de blocus_ (1871). _The Blockade Runners_, a novella, was included
along with _A Floating City_ in the first english and french editions
of this work. This translation, which follows that of Sampson and Low
(UK) and Scribners (US) is by "N. D'Anvers", pseudonymn for Mrs. Arthur
Bell (d. 1933) who also translated other Verne books. It is also
included in the fifteen volume Parke edition of the works of Jules
Verne (1911). There is another translation by Henry Frith which was
published by Routledge (1876).
Both of these stories are about ships; _Floating City_ about the
largest ship of the time, the _Great Eastern_, and _Blockade Runners_
about one of the fastest, the _Dolphin_.
This text version was prepared from public domain sources by Norman M.
Wolcott, 2003, nwolcott2@post.harvard.edu]
The Blockade Runners
Table of Contents
I THE _DOLPHIN_
II GETTING UNDER SAIL
III THINGS ARE NOT WHAT THEY SEEM
IV CROCKSTON'S TRICK
V THE SHOT FROM THE _IROQUOIS,_ AND MISS JENNY'S ARGUMENTS
VI SULLIVAN ISLAND CHANNEL
VII A SOUTHERN GENERAL
VIII THE ESCAPE
IX BETWEEN TWO FIRES
X ST. MUNGO
THE BLOCKADE RUNNERS
Chapter I
THE _DOLPHIN_
The Clyde was the first river whose waters were lashed into foam by a
steam-boat. It was in 1812 when the steamer called the _Comet_ ran
between Glasgow and Greenock, at the speed of six miles an hour. Since
that time more than a million of steamers or packet-boats have plied
this Scotch river, and the inhabitants of Glasgow must be as familiar
as any people with the wonders of steam navigation.
However, on the 3rd of December, 1862, an immense crowd, composed of
shipowners, merchants, manufacturers, workmen, sailors, women, and
children, thronged the muddy streets of Glasgow, all going in the
direction of Kelvin Dock, the large shipbuilding premises belonging to
Messrs. Tod & MacGregor. This last name especially proves that the
descendants of the famous Highlanders have become manufacturers, and
that they have made workmen of all the vassals of the old clan
chieftains.
Kelvin Dock is situated a few minutes' walk from the town, on the right
bank of the Clyde. Soon the immense timber-yards were thronged with
spectators; not a part of the quay, not a wall of the wharf, not a
factory roof showed an unoccupied place; the river itself was covered
with craft of all descriptions, and the heights of Govan, on the left
bank, swarmed with spectators.
There was, however, nothing extraordinary in the event about to take
place; it was nothing but the launching of a ship, and this was an
everyday affair with the people of Glasgow. Had the _Dolphin_,
then--for that was the name of the ship built by Messrs. Tod &
MacGregor--some special peculiarity? To tell the truth, it had none.
It was a large ship, about 1,500 tons, in which everything combined to
obtain superior speed. Her engines, of 500 horse-power, were from the
workshops of Lancefield Forge; they worked two screws, one on either
side the stern-post, completely independent of each other. As for the
depth of water the _Dolphin_ would draw, it must be very
inconsiderable; connoisseurs were not deceived, and they concluded
rightly that this ship was destined for shallow straits. But all these
particulars could not in any way justify the eagerness of the people:
taken altogether, the _Dolphin_ was nothing more or less than an
ordinary ship. Would her launching present some mechanical difficulty
to be overcome? Not any more than usual. The Clyde had received many a
ship of heavier tonnage, and the launching of the _Dolphin_ would take
place in the usual manner.
In fact, when the water was calm, the moment the ebb-tide set in, the
workmen began to operate. Their mallets kept perfect time falling on
the wedges meant to raise the ship's keel: soon a shudder ran through
the whole of her massive structure; although she had only been slightly
raised, one could see that she shook, and then gradually began to glide
down the well greased wedges, and in a few moments she plunged into the
Clyde. Her stern struck the muddy bed of the river, then she raised
herself on the top of a gigantic wave, and, carried forward by her
start, would have been dashed against the quay of the Govan
timber-yards, if her anchors had not restrained her.
The launch had been perfectly successful, the _Dolphin_ swayed quietly
on the waters of the Clyde, all the spectators clapped their hands when
she took possession of her natural element, and loud hurrahs arose from
either bank.
But wherefore these cries and this applause? Undoubtedly the most eager
of the spectators would have been at a loss to explain the reason of
his enthusiasm. What was the cause, then, of the lively interest
excited by this ship? Simply the mystery which shrouded her
destination; it was not known to what kind of commerce she was to be
appropriated, and in questioning different groups the diversity of
opinion on this important subject was indeed astonishing.
However, the best informed, at least those who pretended to be so,
agreed in saying that the steamer was going to take part in the
terrible war which was then ravaging the United States of America, but
more than this they did not know, and whether the _Dolphin_ was a
privateer, a transport ship, or an addition to the Federal marine was
what no one could tell.
"Hurrah!" cried one, affirming that the _Dolphin_ had been built for
the Southern States.
"Hip! hip! hip!" cried another, swearing that never had a faster boat
crossed to the American coasts.
Thus its destination was unknown, and in order to obtain any reliable
information one must be an intimate friend, or, at any rate, an
acquaintance of Vincent Playfair & Co., of Glasgow.
A rich, powerful, intelligent house of business was that of Vincent
Playfair & Co., in a social sense, an old and honourable family,
descended from those tobacco lords who built the finest quarters of the
town. These clever merchants, by an act of the Union, had founded the
first Glasgow warehouse for dealing in tobacco from Virginia and
Maryland. Immense fortunes were realised; mills and foundries sprang up
in all parts, and in a few years the prosperity of the city attained
its height.
The house of Playfair remained faithful to the enterprising spirit of
its ancestors, it entered into the most daring schemes, and maintained
the honour of English commerce. The principal, Vincent Playfair, a man
of fifty, with a temperament essentially practical and decided,
although somewhat daring, was a genuine shipowner. Nothing affected him
beyond commercial questions, not even the political side of the
transactions, otherwise he was a perfectly loyal and honest man.
However, he could not lay claim to the idea of building and fitting up
the _Dolphin_; she belonged to his nephew, James Playfair, a fine young
man of thirty, the boldest skipper of the British merchant marine.
It was one day at the Tontine coffee-room under the arcades of the town
hall, that James Playfair, after having impatiently scanned the
American journal, disclosed to his uncle an adventurous scheme.
"Uncle Vincent," said he, coming to the point at once, "there are two
millions of pounds to be gained in less than a month."
"And what to risk?" asked Uncle Vincent.
"A ship and a cargo."
"Nothing else?"
"Nothing, except the crew and the captain, and that does not reckon for
much."
"Let us see," said Uncle Vincent.
"It is all seen," replied James Playfair. "You have read the _Tribune_,
the _New York Herald, The Times_, the _Richmond Inquirer_, the
_American Review_?"
"Scores of times, nephew."
"You believe, like me, that the war of the United States will last a
long time still?"
"A very long time."
"You know how much this struggle will affect the interests of England,
and especially those of Glasgow?"
"And more especially still the house of Playfair & Co.," replied Uncle
Vincent.
"Theirs especially," added the young Captain.
"I worry myself about it every day, James, and I cannot think without
terror of the commercial disasters which this war may produce; not but
that the house of Playfair is firmly established, nephew; at the same
time it has correspondents which may fail. Ah! those Americans,
slave-holders or Abolitionists, I have no faith in them!"
If Vincent Playfair was wrong in thus speaking with respect to the
great principles of humanity, always and everywhere superior to
personal interests, he was, nevertheless, right from a commercial point
of view. The most important material was failing at Glasgow, the cotton
famine became every day more threatening, thousands of workmen were
reduced to living upon public charity. Glasgow possessed 25,000 looms,
by which 625,000 yards of cotton were spun daily; that is to say, fifty
millions of pounds yearly. From these numbers it may be guessed what
disturbances were caused in the commercial part of the town when the
raw material failed altogether. Failures were hourly taking place, the
manufactories were closed, and the workmen were dying of starvation.
It was the sight of this great misery which had put the idea of his
bold enterprise into James Playfair's head.
"I will go for cotton, and will get it, cost what it may."
But, as he also was a merchant as well as his uncle Vincent, he
resolved to carry out his plan by way of exchange, and to make his
proposition under the guise of a commercial enterprise.
"Uncle Vincent," said he, "this is my idea."
"Well, James?"
"It is simply this: we will have a ship built of superior sailing
qualities and great bulk."
"That is quite possible."
"We will load her with ammunition of war, provisions, and clothes."
"Just so."
"I will take the command of this steamer, I will defy all the ships of
the Federal marine for speed, and I will run the blockade of one of the
southern ports."
"You must make a good bargain for your cargo with the Confederates, who
will be in need of it," said his uncle.
"And I shall return laden with cotton."
"Which they will give you for nothing."
"As you say, Uncle. Will it answer?"
"It will; but shall you be able to get there?"
"I shall, if I have a good ship."
"One can be made on purpose. But the crew?"
"Oh, I will find them. I do not want many men; enough to work with,
that is all. It is not a question of fighting with the Federals, but
distancing them."
"They shall be distanced," said Uncle Vincent, in a peremptory tone;
"but now, tell me, James, to what port of the American coast do you
think of going?"
"Up to now, Uncle, ships have run the blockade of New Orleans,
Wilmington, and Savannah, but I think of going straight to Charleston;
no English boat has yet been able to penetrate into the harbour, except
the _Bermuda_. I will do like her, and, if my ship draws but very
little water, I shall be able to go where the Federalists will not be
able to follow."
"The fact is," said Uncle Vincent, "Charleston is overwhelmed with
cotton; they are even burning it to get rid of it."
"Yes," replied James; "besides, the town is almost invested; Beauregard
is running short of provisions, and he will pay me a golden price for
my cargo!"
"Well, nephew, and when will you start?"
"In six months; I must have the long winter nights to aid me."
"It shall be as you wish, nephew."
"It is settled, then, Uncle?"
"Settled!"
"Shall it be kept quiet?"
"Yes; better so."
And this is how it was that five months later the steamer _Dolphin_ was
launched from the Kelvin Dock timber-yards, and no one knew her real
destination.