The master of the latter coolly asked the Alabama to take to England a discharged British seaman, and on the following morning another master of an English ship made a similar request--both being met with a refusal.

On the 26th, no less than thirteen sail were sighted by the Alabama, but not one of them displayed the Yankee flag.

The only excitement of the day was an obstinate Hamburgh barque, which refused to show colours until the Confederate cruiser was nearly upon her, and even then a blank cartridge was required to bring her to.
After the large number of neutrals that the Alabama had overhauled, came a prize.

On the morning of the 27th February, the United States ship Washington was captured.

The vessel was the property of the enemy, but as she carried a cargo of guano from the Chincha Islands, on account of the Peruvian government, consigned to their agents at Antwerp, the Washington was released on giving a ransom bond for 50,000 dollars.