in their favour, they were brought quite as near to us as was desirable. At the time of meeting with the enemy's two ships, the privateer schooner Scourge, of New-York, which I had fallen in with the day before, was in company; but their attention was so much engrossed by the President, that they permitted the Scourge to escape, without appearing to take any notice of her.

Being thus disappointed in meeting with the convoy, and a still further portion of my provisions being expended, I determined to proceed to a more westerly station, and accordingly steered to gain the direction of the trade passing out of and into the Irish Channel. In this position, between the 25th of July and 2d of August, I made three captures,' when finding that the enemy had a superior force in that vicinity, I found it expedient to change my ground; and after a circuit round Ireland, and getting into the latitude of Cape Clear, steered for the Banks of Newfoundland, near to which I made two more captures, and by the latter one found that the Bellerophon 74, and Hyperion frigate were on the eastern part of the bank, and only a few miles to the westward of me; I however did not fall in with them. From the eastward edge of the Grand Bank, to which I had beat all the way from the N. W. coast of Ireland (the wind having prevailed, without intermission, from the 1st of August to the middle of September from west), I steered for the United States, without seeing a single vessel of any kind until the 22d of the present month, being near the south shoal of Nantucket I met with a Swedish brig and an American cartel (the Russian ship Hoffnung) from London, bound to New-Bedford.

By this time my provisions, and particularly bread, was so nearly consumed, as to make it indispensably necessary that I should put into the first convenient port after gaining the requisite information of the disposition of the enemy's cruizers as would enable me to steer clear of a superior force; and this I was enabled to do in a manner which I shall communicate in another letter. On the 23d instant I captured his Britannic majesty's schooner High Flyer (tender to admiral Warren), with which vessel I now have to inform you of my arrival at this port.

Annexed is a list of vessels captured and destroyed, in which were made 271 prisoners. I have now, however, only 55 prisoners on board, having sent to England on parole 78 in the Duke of Montrose; 76 in the Greenland ship Eliza Swan, and 62 in the barque Lion, of Liverpool.

During my cruize, although I have not had it in my power to add any additional lustre to the character of our little navy, I have nevertheless rendered essential service to my country, I hope, by harrassing the enemy's commerce, and employing to his disadvantage more than a dozen times the force of a single frigate.

My officers and crew have experienced great privations since I left the United States, from being nearly five months at sea, and living the last three months of that time upon a scanty allowance of the roughest fare; and it is with peculiar pleasure I acquaint you that they are all in better health than might be expected, although you may well suppose that their scanty allowance has not been of any advantage to their strength or appearance.

The High Flyer was commanded by lieutenant Hutchinson, second of the St. Domingo. She is a remarkably fine vessel of her class, sails very fast, and would make an excellent light cruizer, provided the government have occasion for a vessel of her description.

Just at the moment of closing my letter, a newspaper has been handed me containing captain Broke's challenge to my late gallant friend captain Lawrence, in which he mentions with considerable emphasis, the pains he had taken to meet the President and Congress with the Shannon and Tenedos.

It is unnecessary at present to take further notice of captain Broke's observations than to say, if that was his disposi tion, his conduct was so glaringly opposite as to authorise a very contrary belief. Relative to captain Broke, I have only further to say, that I hope he has not been so severely wounded as to make it a sufficient reason to prevent his re-assuming the command of the Shannon at a future day.

I have the honour to be, &c.

JOHN RODGERS. The Hon. William Jones, Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

List of Vessels captured and destroyed.

June 9, brig Kitty, of Greenock, Robert Love, master, of two guns and 11 men, from Newfoundland bound to Alicant (Spain), with a cargo of codfish. Ordered her for France.

June 10, packet brig Duke of Montrose, A. G. Blewett, commander, of 12 guns and 34 men, from Falmouth bound to Halifax. Sent her to England as a cartel, with 78 prison

ers.

June 11, letter of marque brig Maria, of Port Glasgow (Scotland), John Bald, master, of 14 guns and 35 men, from

Newfoundland bound to Spain, with a cargo of codfish-ordered her for France.

June 12, schooner Falcon, of Guernsey, John Mauger, master, of two guns and 10 men, from Newfoundland bound to Spain, with a cargo of codfish-ordered her for France.

July 12, brig Jane and Ann, of Salt Coats, Robert Caldwell, master, from Cork bound to Archangel, in ballast, took out her crew and sunk her.

July 18, brig Daphne, of Whitby, William Gales, master, of two guns and nine men, from South Shields bound to Archangel, in ballast, took out her crew and sunk her.

July 24, ship Eliza Swan, of Montrose, John Young, master, of eight guns and 48 men, from a Greenland whaling voyage, bound to Montrose with fish blubber-ransomed her for 5000 pounds sterling.

July 29, brig Alert of Peterhead, George Shand, master, from Archangel bound to Oporto (via England), with a cargo, of pitch and tar-took out the crew and burnt her. August 2, barque Lion, of Liverpool, Thomas Hawkins, master, of eight guns and 52 men, from Greenland, whaling voyage, bound to Liverpool, with fish and blubber-ransomed her for 3000 pounds sterling.

August 30, hermaphrodite brig Shannon, of St. Kitts, John Perkins, master, from St. Kitts bound to London, with a cargo of rum, sugar and molasses-ordered her for the Uni

ted States.

September 9, brig Fly, of Bermuda, James Boyey, master, of six guns and nine men, from Jamaica bound to London, with a cargo of coffee-ordered her for the United States.

September 23, his Britannic majesty's schooner Highflyer, lieutenant George Hutchinson, commander, of five guns, five officers, and 34 men.

CAPTURE OF THE DART.

Copy of a Letter from Commodore Rodgers, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated

Sir,

United States Frigate President, Pawtuxet, Oct. 7th, 1813. Enclosed I have the honour of transmitting you a letter this moment received from lieutenant Nicholson, command

ing the gun boats at Newport, informing me of the capture of the private armed sloop Dart.

With great respect I have the honour to be, &c.

JOHN RODGERS.

The Hon. Wm. Jones, Secretary of the Navy.

Copy of a Letter from Lieutenant Nicholson to Commodore Rodgers.

Sir,

Newport, Oct. 5, 1813. I have the pleasure to inform you of the capture of the British armed sloop "Dart," by the revenue cutter of this place last evening. She appeared off the harbour before sunset; the captain of the cutter offered his services to go out; I put on board three sailing masters and about 20 men; she immediately made sail and laid aboard the Dart, and carried by boarding: her first officer was killed; two of our own men wounded slightly. The prisoners I send for your disposal.

Very respectfully, your most obedient humble servant,

JOSEPH NICHOLSON. Commodore John Rodgers, U. S. Frigate President.

CRUIZE OF THE ESSEX.

Copies of Letters from Captain David Porter commanding the United States Frigate Essex, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated

Sir,

United States Frigate Essex, Pacific Ocean, July 2, 1813. I have the honour to inform you that on the 29th of April, in the latitude of 40° N. longitude 91° 15′ W. about 20 miles to the northward of the island of Albermarle, one of the Gallapagos in the Pacific Ocean, I captured the British ship Montezuma; two others being in sight, close together, distant from us about seven miles, which we were informed were the British letters of marque ships Policy and Georgiana; the first mounting ten guns, six and nine pounders; the other six 18-pounders, four swivels, and six long blunderbusses, mounted on swivels. The wind being light and variable, and confiding greatly in the bravery and enterprize of my officers and men, and apprehensive of their escape, from the prevalence of fogs in that climate, I directed

the boats of this ship to be armed and manned, and divided into two divisions, placing the first under the command of lieutenant Downes, first lieutenant in a whale boat, accompanied by midshipman Farragut. The officers in command of boats under lieutenant Downes were, lieutenant S. D. M'Knight, in the third cutter, accompanied by midshipman W. H. Odenheimer, sailing master John P. Cowell, in the jolly boat, accompanied by midshipman H. W. Ogden, and midshipman George Isaacs, in the second cutter. The second division under the command of lieutenant Wilmer, second lieutenant in the pinnace, accompanied by midshipman Henry Gray, and master's mate James Terry; lieutenant Wilson and Mr. Shaw, purser, in the first cutter; and lieutenant Gamble, of the marines, in the gig. Suitable signals were established, and each boat had her particular station pointed out for the attack, and every other previous arrangement was made to prevent confusion. The boats, seven in number, rowed off in admirable order. Guns were fired from the enemy to terrify them; they rowed up under the muzzles of the guns, and took their stations for attacking the first ship, and no sooner was the American flag displayed, by lieutenant Downes, as the signal for boarding, and the intention was discovered by the enemy, than the colours were struck without a shot being fired; so much were they daunted by the intrepidity of our brave officers and men. They then left a crew on board the prize, and took their stations for attacking the other vessel, when her flag was also struck, on the first call to surrender. Thus were two fine British ships each pierced for 20 guns, worth near half a million of dollars, mounting between them 16 guns and manned with 55 men, well supplied with ammunition and small arms, surrendered, without the slightest resistance, to seven small open boats, with 50 men, armed only with muskets, pistols, boarding axes, and cutlasses! Be assured, sir, that Britons have either learned to respect the courage of Americans, or they are not so courageous themselves as they would wish us to believe.

I have the honour to be, with great respect, your obedient D. PORTER.

servant,

The Secretary of the Navy, Washington.

Sir,

United States' Frigate Essex, at Sea,

Pacific Ocean, July 2d, 1813.

On the 23d March last, I sailed from -, shaping my course to the northward, and on the 26th of the same month