from our discovery every object that we did not pass within four or five miles of, and indeed for several days together the fog was so thick as to prevent our seeing each other, even at cable's length asunder, more than twice or thrice in 24 hours.

From the time of our leaving the United States until our arrival here we chased every vessel we saw, and you will not be a little astonished when I inform you, that, although we brought to every thing we did chase, with the exception of four vessels, we only made seven captures and one recapture.

It is truly an unpleasant task to be obliged to make a communication thus barren of benefit to our country; the only consolation I individually feel on the occasion being derived from knowing, that our being at sea obliged the enemy to concentrate a considerable portion of his most active force, and thereby prevented his capturing an incalculable amount of American property that would otherwise have fallen a sacrifice.

I am aware of the anxiety you must have experienced at not hearing from me for such a length of time; but this I am sure you will not attribute in any degree to neglect, when I inform you that no convenient opportunity occurred from the time of leaving the United States until our return.

Mr. Newcomb, who will deliver you this, you will find an intelligent young man, capable of giving such further information as you may deem of any moment : He will at the same time deliver you a chart, shewing the track in which we cruised. Annexed is a list of vessels captured, recaptured, and burnt.

The four vessels we chased and did not come up with, were the Belvidera, a small pilot-boat schooner, supposed to be an American privateer, the hermaphrodite privateer Yankee, which we lost sight of in a fog, but whose character we afterwards learnt, and a frigate supposed to be British, that we chased on the 28th ult. Dear the shoals of George's bank and should certainly

have come up with, had we had the advantage of two hours' more day-light.

On board of the several vessels of the squadron there are between 30 and 100 prisoners, taken from the vessels we captured during our late cruise. The gov

ernment not having any agent for prisoners here, I shall send them to Com. Bainbridge, to be disposed of in such manner as best comports with the interest of the United States, and which I hope inay meet with your approbation.

With the greatest respect, I have the honour

to be, sir, your obedient servant,

Hon. PAUL HAMILTON,

Secretary of the Nary.

JOHN RODGERS.

Extract from Commodore Rodgers' Journal.

Sailed from New York June 21. The 23d, 6 A. M. discovered and gave chase to an English frigate, supposed to be the Belvidera. The superiority of the President's sailing, while the breeze continued fresh, enabled her to get within gun-shot between 4 and 5 P. M. when it had moderated so as to give very faint hopes of getting along side. At this time perceiving she was training her guns to bear upon the President, the latter commenced a fire at her spars and rigging, with the view to cripple and get abreast of her, a fire was kept up about wo hours. The President gave her two or three Broadsides, and kept up a well directed fire from the chase guns, which cut her sails and rigging very much. but did not succeed in destroying any of her spars, although some of them were much wounded. The President all this time was exposed to a running fire from her four stern-chasers; and once the British frigate commenced a fire from her main deck, with an intention of raking the President with a broadside, but at that moment receiving one from the President continued her course under a press of sail, and used only her stern

guns. All sail was crowded in pursuit, but in vain. The chase was now throwing overboard every thing that could be spared, to increase her sailing, and escaped by the lightness of the wind; four of her boats were seen floating by the President, completely knocked to pieces, together with a great number of casks, spars, &c. and it was supposed most of her guns were also thrown overboard.

The President received a considerable number of shot in her sails and rigging, but was not materially injured. The chase was continued till about midnight, when it was relinquished as hopeless, and the President hove to for the squadron to come up. Early in the chase, one of the President's chase guns, on the gundeck, burst, and injured the upper deck so much, as to prevent the use of the chase guns on that side for a considerable time. The President had 3 killed, and 19 wounded, most of the latter slightly; of the wounded, 16 were by the bursting of a gun. It was by the same gun Com. Rodgers had his leg fractured; but has recovered.

The squadron afterwards pursued the Jamaica fleet, but owing to uncommonly foggy weather, missed them, although at times very near.

After the rencounter above related, Capt. Byron, of the Belvidera, in conversation with an American gentleman, observed, that, in his opinion, Com. Rodgers had done every thing on board the President, which could have contributed to the capture of his ship. When the squadron first gave chase to the Belvidera, they gained upon her very fast; and Capt. Byron considered his vessel as lost; but as a last resort, when the President was coming up within gun-shot of the Belvidera, orders were given to cut away the anchors, stave the water casks, and throw overboard the boats, and every thing moveable, which could be spared, and which could tend to lighten the ship. As soon as this had been done, it was observed, that the Belvidera began to

draw from the chase; which being discovered by Com. Rodgers, he opened his fire upon her, in hope of disabling some of her spars, and thereby enable him to come up with her. Capt. Byron declared, that the fire from the President was extremely well directed, almost every shot taking effect; and that to the circumstance above related, and the wind at the same time becoming more light, was his escape to be attributed.

A declaration, like this, coming from an enemy, is conclusive evidence of the good conduct of Commodore Rodgers.

On the 3d of July the frigate Essex, Capt. Norton, put to sea from New-York, bound on a cruise: the Constitution, Capt. Hull put to sea from Annapolis on the 12th, bound to New York. On her way, she was chased out of her course on the 17th by the British ship of the line Africa, and the frigates, Shannon, Belvidera, Guerriere, and Eolus. This squadron commenced their chase under a favourable breeze, and Capt. Hull, seeing no prospect of escape, cleared ship for action, in case of necessity; but deeming resistance against such a vast superiority of force, desperate, he hit upon the following expedient. He sent out his kedges, with a long warp, and hove his ship ahead so adroitly, that she soon gained upon the squadron, so fast as to induce them to put forth all their efforts to bring their headmost ship into action by all the tow boats of the squadron. The parties continued their exertions about 60 hours, with the most indefatigable labours, when the Constitution was relieved by a favorable breeze, and she shot ahead of her pursuers, and made an honorable escape.

The following account from the log book of the Constitution will shew in detail the most interesting adven

tures.

Friday, July 17, 1812. Commences with clear weather and fresh breezes from the northward and eastward. At 1-2 past 1, P. M. sounded in 22 fathoms water. At 2, four sail of vessel

in sight. At 3, sounded in 18 1-2 fathoms. At 1-4 past 3, tacked to the east. At 4, a ship in sight, bearing N. E. standing down for us, and three ships and a brig N. N. W. on the starboard tack. From 4 to 6, light airs from the northward. At 6, the single ship bearing E. N. E. At 1-2 past 6, got a light breeze from the southward and eastward, wore ship and stood towards the above sail, keeping her a little off the larboard bow. At 1-2 past 7, beat to quarters and cleared ship for action. At 8, light airs ;-coming up with the ships very slow. At 1-2 past 10, made the private signals of the day. At 1-4 past 11, hauled down the signals, not having been answered, and made sail by the wind, with starboard tacks on board. From 12 to 4 A. M. light airs from the southward and westward and cloudy. A. M. the ship made a signal. At day-light, discovered three sail astern. At 5, discovered another sail astern, making two frigates off our lee-quarter, and two frigates and one ship of the line, one brig, and one schooner, astern. At 1-4 past 5, it being calm and the ship having no steering way, hoisted out the first cutter and got the boats ahead to tow ship's head round to the southward, got a 24 pounder up off the gun-deck for a stern-gun, and the forecastle gun aft-cut away the taffarel to give them room, and run two guns out of the cabin windows. At 6, got the ship's head round to the southward and set top-gallant studding-sails and stay sails, one of the frigates firing at us. At 1-2 past 6, sounded in 26 fathoms water. At 7, got out a kedge and warped the ship ahead. At 1-2 past 7, hoisted the colours and fired one gun at the ship astern. At 8, calm ;-employed warping and towing the ship. The other ships having a light air gaining on us, with their boats ahead, and one of them using sweeps. At 9, the above ship in close chase of us, and the nearest frigate gaining on us. At 9 minutes past 9, a light breeze sprung up from the southward; braced up by the wind on the larboard tack, when the above frigate commen