The Blockade Runner — page 118: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

THE BLOCKADE RUNNER. 119 CHAPTER XV. CLEARED FOR ACTION, We must not lose sight of Robert Bentham, whom we left at Fortress Monroe awaiting the arrival of the new screw cruiser, Avenger, to which he had been ap- pointed chief gunner. This vessel had been built by the government ex- pressly for the purpose of paying close attention to the Confederate privateers, many of whom had escaped to sea and were working sad havoc among the merchant marine of the country. To be sure, most of these pests were small, chiefly fast schooners and barks, armed with a single gun asa rule, but which was as effective as a broadside when threatening an unarmed vessel; but there were also several iron steamers, commissioned by the Confederate authorities, well armed and equipped to resist even armed intervention, such for example as the Sumter and the Shenandoah, whose depredations were giving the national authorities much concern. It was against steamers of this class that the Avenger was designed to operate. She was a strongly built vessel, capable of a speed estimated at fifteen knots, well armed with Parrott guns of heavy caliber, including along rifled gun amid- ships, which had a great reach, and was manned by a fine crew of blue jackets. It was an open secret that many foreign govern- COMmMuicoooks (©) fe