ESCAPE OF THE "290."
In March, 1862, a steamer just in from an ocean voyage ran up the Mersey,
and as she passed the suspected craft the flag of the latter was dipped to
her. The new comer was the Annie Childs, and she had run the blockade. But
there was more important freight on board than the cargo of cotton which
she brought. Consul Dudley gained an interview with some of her crew, and
learned that it was understood at Wilmington, South Carolina, whence they
had come, that a number of war vessels for the use of the South were
building in England, and that several officers for the Oreto, the name by
which the suspected vessel was now known, had been passengers in the Annie
Childs. These officers had come on board at Smithville, some twenty miles
down the river from Wilmington. On the steamer they had talked of their
future positions on the Oreto, of which Captain Bulloch was to have the
command.
The information thus obtained was hastily transmitted to Mr. Adams, but on
the same day, March 22, 1862, the Oreto sailed, bound, so her clearance
papers certified, for Palermo _and Jamaica_. She was next heard from at
Nassau, where she had been seized by the British authorities, but she was
subsequently released. She afterward ran into the port of Mobile and
reappeared as the Confederate war ship Florida.
The complications arising in the case of this vessel warned the
Confederate agents to be more guarded in their operations. The British
Foreign Enlistment Act provided a penalty of fine and imprisonment and
forfeiture of ship and cargo for any person who should "equip, furnish,
fit out or arm" any vessel to be employed by any persons or real or
assumed government against any other government at peace with Great
Britain. This prohibition was generally understood not to extend to the
construction of the vessel, no matter for what purpose she might be
intended; and the existing state of public opinion was such that it
required strong evidence to induce officials to act in a given case and a
very well fortified cause of action to induce a jury to convict an owner
of breaking the law.
Scarcely was the Oreto beyond English jurisdiction before Mr. Dudley's
attention was occupied with another and more formidable vessel, which was
suspected of being intended for the use of the Confederate government. She
had been launched from the yard of Laird Brothers at Birkenhead, near
Liverpool. The vessel had not yet even received a name, and was still
known by her yard number, 290.
On June 29th, 1862, Mr. Adams called the attention of Lord John Russell,
who was at the head of the British department of foreign affairs, to the
suspicious character of the "290," and an investigation was ordered. The
report of the custom house officers, made July 1, was to the effect that
the "290" was still lying at Birkenhead, that she had on board several
canisters of powder, but as yet neither guns nor carriages, and added that
there was no attempt to disguise the fact that she was intended for a
ship of war, and built for a foreign government, but that Laird Brothers
did "not appear disposed to reply to any questions respecting the
destination of the vessel after she leaves Liverpool." Having agreed to
keep watch of the vessel, British officialdom concluded that it had done
its entire duty in the premises, and the matter was dropped. Meanwhile Mr.
Adams, who had all along been expecting exactly this result, had been in
telegraphic communication with Cadiz, Spain, where the United States
steamer Tuscarora had touched, and that war ship was now on her way to
Southampton.
[Illustration: RAPHAEL SEMMES, COMMANDER OF THE ALABAMA.]
Mr. Adams had also caused a number of affidavits to be prepared, embodying
as much evidence as to the character of the "290" as could be obtained.
The affidavit of William Passmore was to the effect that he was a seaman
and had served on board the English ship Terrible during the Crimean war.
Hearing that hands were wanted for a fighting-vessel at Birkenhead, he
applied to Captain Butcher for a berth in her.
"Captain Butcher asked me," the affidavit continued, "if I knew where the
vessel was going, in reply to which I told him I did not rightly
understand about it. He then told me the vessel was going out to the
government of the Confederate States of America. I asked him if there
would be any fighting, to which he replied, yes, they were going to fight
for the Southern government. I told him I had been used to
fighting-vessels and showed him my papers."
Captain Butcher then engaged him as an able seaman at L4 10s. per month,
and it was arranged that he should go on board the following Monday, which
he did, and worked there several weeks. During that time Captain Butcher
and Captain Bulloch, both having the reputation of being Confederate
agents, were on board almost every day.
This affidavit with five others was laid before the customs officers, but
the evidence was adjudged to be insufficient to warrant the detention of
the vessel. Determined not to neglect any possible chance of stopping the
"290" from getting to sea, the energetic United States minister placed
copies of the affidavits before an eminent English lawyer, Mr. R. P.
Collier, who arrived at a very different conclusion in regard to them. He
said:
"It appears difficult to make out a stronger case of infringement of the
foreign enlistment act, which, if not enforced on this occasion, is little
better than a dead letter."
Armed with this opinion, Mr. Adams lost no time in laying it before Lord
Russell, together with the affidavits upon which it was based. His success
was an agreeable surprise. An official opinion was at last obtained to the
effect that the "290" might lawfully be detained, and an order was issued
in accordance therewith.
The Confederate agents were well aware of the efforts of Mr. Adams and his
assistants, and suspected the nature of the errand of the Tuscarora.
Friends of the builders and others were invited to participate in a trial
trip of "No. 290" on July 29th. Her armament was not yet on board. The
still unfinished deck was decorated with flags, and occupied by a gay
party of pleasure seekers, including a number of ladies, and several
British custom house officials. The vessel dropped down the Mersey, and
the revellers partook of luncheon in the cabin. Then a tug steamed
alongside, and the surprised guests were requested to step on board.
Bunting and luncheon were hastily hustled out of the way, and holiday ease
instantly gave way to the work of getting to sea. Anchor was dropped in
Moelfre Bay on the coast of Wales, and preparations for a voyage were
rapidly pushed forward. A tug brought out about twenty-five more men, and
the crew signed shipping articles for Nassau.
At two o'clock on the morning of July 31st "No. 290" turned her prow
toward the Irish sea. On the same morning came the British officials with
the order for her detention. Information of the proposed seizure had
leaked out through the medium of Confederate spies, and the bird had
flown.
Meanwhile the Federal agents had discovered the location of "No. 290" at
Moelfre Bay, and the Tuscarora proceeded to Queenstown and thence up St.
George's Channel in quest of her. Mr. Adams telegraphed Captain Craven:
At latest yesterday she was off Point Lynas; you must catch her if
you can, and, if necessary, follow her across the Atlantic.
But the fleeing steamer passed through the North Channel, around the north
coast of Ireland and vanished in the broad ocean. The Tuscarora at once
abandoned the chase.