armed vessels as should be deemed unnecessary, or supernumerary, in time of peace. Although this measure was warmly opposed in congress, at the time, it was sanctioned by the weight of public opinion, and gave general satisfaction to the nation. The same policy that thus dismantled the little navy of the United States, suspended the act for building the six 74s, and under the same principles of economy.

Although this act was equally popular as the other, yet many of the friends of commerce, who had witnessed the protection they had experienced from a naval force, and the heroes as well as the friends of the navy, felt the shock, when they saw, or thought they saw the right arm of the nation palsied at a blow, and the bulwark of national defence, and national honor sacrificed upon the shrine of a false economy. The acts of congress were promptly carried into effect, and the gallant naval heroes returned again to the bosom of their families, there to enjoy the laurels they had so nobly won by the smiles and benedictions of a grateful country.

Although the navy of the United States was thus by law reduced, and the senior cammanders were reposing in peace in the bosom of their families, the spirit of the rising heroes indulged not a moment's repose. Their ardent minds thirsted for fame, and their active exertions cultivated a knowledge of that nautical skill, and those naval tactics, that laid the foundation of their future laurels.

During this period of peace and tranquillity, the commerce of the United States was free and uninterrupted, throughout the world. The ships of the nation crossed every sea, and their spreading canvass whitened every clime. But this was of short duration.

Those sons of Ishmael that inhabit the southern shores of the Mediteranean sea, commonly denominated Barbary Powers, had long been accustomed to plunder the commerce of christian nations, and imprison their

captives in the dungeons of slavery, or extort exorbitant sums by way of tribute for their ransom. Those sons of barbarous rapine fixed their eyes upon the commerce of the United States of America, and agreeably to their usage for centuries, again sent out their cruisers, seized several merchant vessels, belonging to citizens of the United States; carried them into their ports for adjudication, and imprisoned their crews, or condemned them to perpetual slavery.

The great maritime powers of Europe had suffered these indignities for centuries, and encouraged the aggressors in their depredations, by ransoming their people and property, and thus gave sanction and support to a system of piracy, by a voluntary tribute, that was degrading to the christian name.

Those corsairs of the Mediteranean flattered themselves with a belief, that if their powerful neighbors could thus be made tributary, a young, and in their estimation a feble nation, residing more than three thousand miles across the Atlantic, in the region of the west, and destitute of a naval force, could readily he made subɛervient to their views, and enrich their coffers with tribute. Their cruel and avaricious hearts prompted them to make the experiment; and the regency of Tripoli fitted out its cruisers, and commenced depredations accordingly.

When the news of these depredations reached America, the government and the nation felt the shock, and prepared promptly to redeem their citizens, and their property, and vindicate their honor, and their rights. They again turned their attention to that little navy, which had wrought such wonders in the naval war with France, but whose thunders had been hushed to peace, and still slept in port, under the watchful care of their veteran and rising heroes. The American government saw at once, the alternative that lay before them and prepared promptly to meet it. True to themselves, they paused not a moment between the choice of slave

ry, and tribute, or an efficient naval force to vindicate their rights, and protect their commerce; and fixed upon the latter, as alone admissible. The frigate Essex, with several others, was ordered to be immediately ready for service in the Mediterranean, and commodore Dale appointed to the command. The orders were promptly obeyed, the squadron was soon ready, and the commodore set sail for the coast of Barbary. He entered the Mediterranean in triumph, displayed the starspangled banner, for the first time upon the mast of an American armed ship in that sea, and took his station at the entrance of the harbor of Tripoli, to check the ravages of the corsairs of the imperious Bashaw. While commodore Dale was engaged in this service, capt. Sterrett, of the armed schooner Enterprize, one of the American squadron, fell in with a Tripolitan corsair off the island of Malta, and after a desperate action of two hours, compelled her to strike her colors; then demantled her and let her go. The following extract from the purser's report will show more fully the desperate conflict.

66

It

Lying off the island of Malta, so celebrated in ancient and modern history, a Tripolitan cruiser bore down upon our schooner, and gave us a broadside. was instantly returned. For two glasses [two hours] the contest was terrible as can be imagined. She lowered the Turkish crescent, to the stars and stripes-but the cheers for victory had scarcely ended, when the cruiser hoisted her red flag, and poured into us another broadside. The contest was renewed with renewed desperation. She again struck; and when Capt. Sterrett was approaching her, it was a third time renewed. The indignation manifested by the captain and crew is indescribable. I left my station as purser of the ship, was handing cartridges to the men, and distinctly heard the Captain exclaim, "Sink the damned treacherous creatures to the bottom." The slaughter became dreadful on the corsair, and the commander prostrated himself on

the side of his ship, and, with his own hands flung his own flag into the sea. Capt. Sterrett, being instructed not to make any prize, from his quarter deck, ordered the perfidious Turk to throw all his guns, ammunition and arms of every kind into the sea, and tell his master this was the only tribute he would ever after receive from Americans."

When the vanquished corsair returned into port, and showed to his master the valour and magnanimity of the Americans, as displayed in the wreck of his vessel, the Bashaw saw at once, that the continuance of a war with such a people would prove unprofitable; he immediately sued for peace, and proffered to commodore Dale such terms as were consistent with his instructions. He met the overture, settled a peace, and returned in triumph to the United States, 1801.

When the Bashaw saw the wreck of his cruiser, and learnt that she had struck her colours to an American armed vessel of equal size, he was enraged, and ordered the captain, wounded as he was, to be bastinadoed with five hundred strokes, and then conveyed through the streets upon an ass, as an object of ridicule, and contempt for the people.

The triumph of the naval heroes of the American revolution, and of the late war with France had been felt, and were remembered by the christian powers of Europe; but the barbarians of the Mediterranean nei. ther felt nor believed that the infant navy of America could check their ravages; but this lesson taught them by commodore Dale was severely felt, and gave an eclat to the American navy that will not be forgotton. All the other Barbary powers, and even the christian powers of Europe viewed the enterprise with astonishment.

7

CHAPTER V.

Subject Continued.

Upon the return of commodore Dale to the United States, the government saw at once, the importance of a naval force in the Mediterranean, and immediately ordered commodore Morris to get in readiness a second aquadron, for the protection of American commerce in that sea. He promptly obeyed, and soon after, hoisted his broad pennant upon the frigate New York, and sailed with the frigate John Adams to his destined station.

The fame of his predecessor remained bright and unsullied in that region, and so far overawed the Barbary powers, that, nothing further remained for commodore Morris to do, than to traverse the Mediterranean, display his flag for a short time, then resign his command to commodore Rodgers, and return to his country, with the good tidings, that peace continues abroad, commerce is free, and all is well. But this was of short duration; the Barbary corsairs renewed their ravages, and the gov ernment of the United States again met the crisis, to vindicate the honor of their play.

In the summer of 1803, commodore Preble received orders to get ready a squadron for the Mediterranean service; he obeyed with alacrity, and on the 13th of August hoisted his flag on board the frigate Constitution, and set sail, accompanied by the frigate Philadelphia, each 44 guns, the brig Argus, 18 guns, Syren, Nautilus, and Vixen, of 16 guns each, and Enterprize of 14 guns. Upon the arrival of this squadron at Gibraltar, commodore Rodgers, then on his return to the United States with his little squadron, joined commodore Preble to assist in chastising the emperor of Morocco, for his pirati cal depredations upon American commerce.

On the 5th of October commodore Preble, after having despatched the Philadelphia and Vixen to block