Memphis Daily Appeal

The Rebel Steamer Ovieto.

Captain Semmes, of the Alabama, must look to his laurels, as the business character of the operations of the Ovieto, since she left Mobile, prove that Captain Maffitt is industrious. The day after her escape she sank the brig Estelle, of Boston, laden with sugar and molasses, and it is now supposed the United States steamer Hatteras was sunk by the Ovieto instead of the Alabama. The description of the rig of the vessel that sank the Hatteras, as given by a boat's crew of the latter picked up by the Brooklyn, corresponds with the rig of the Ovieto.

With these two rebel privateers in the gulf our commerce is closed, unless we send a convoy with each vessel. The Ovieto, in her escape from Mobile, proved her sailing qualities, running the gunboats that chased her out of sight in a few hours. The officers of the blockading were vigilant and did all they could to prevent her escape. She could run two miles while any of our vessels or gunboats of the squadron were running one. That is the reason why she was not captured. The reason the Alabama has not been captured is that her speed renders it optional with Semmes to fight or run, and if he runs we cannot catch him.

The Secretary of the Navy seems to be the only person in the country who does not know that the Alabama can only be caught by vessels of greater speed. The Vanderbilt is the only fast steamer that has been sent after her, and she is the only one that Semmes apprehends danger from.

We have a navy of 350 vessels, and claim pre-eminence in shipbuilding, yet one rebel privateer has been burning our vessels for months. Our naval officers are as enterprising, skillful, and courageous as they ever were, but they cannot add to the speed of the vessels they command. The fault is in the vessels, not the officers. The Secretary of the Navy may dismiss from the service in disgrace the officers in the Mobile squadron for permitting the Ovieto to escape, as he did Preble for not preventing her entrance, but the country will know whom to censure. It has learned to place a just value upon sentences passed by this administration on gallant and faithful officers.—Chicago Times.