BUILDING A NEW NAVY
WHEN ENGLAND, IN HER EFFORTS TO WREST COMMERCE FROM THE AMERICANS,
INCITED THE PIRATES OF AFRICA TO ACTIVITY, SHE COMPELLED
THE BUILDING OF THE FLEET THAT WAS, IN THE END, TO BRING
HER HUMILITY OF WHICH SHE HAD NEVER DREAMED--DEEDS OF THE
BARBARY CORSAIRS--AMERICAN NAVAL POLICY AS LAID DOWN BY JOSHUA
HUMPHREYS--THE WONDERFUL NEW FRIGATES--TROUBLES WITH THE FRENCH
CRUISERS ON THE AMERICAN COASTS--TRICK OF A YANKEE CAPTAIN TO
SAVE A SHIP--A MIDSHIPMAN WHO DIED AT HIS POST--CAPTURE OF THE
_INSURGENT_--A LONG WATCH OVER THE FRENCH PRISONERS--ESCAPE OF A
TWICE-BEATEN SHIP--THE VALIANT SENEZ--STORY OF ISAAC HULL AND THE
LUCKY _ENTERPRISE_.
It is with feelings of distress and shame, not unmingled with
indignation, that the patriotic American of these days reads such parts
of the history of his country as have a bearing upon the navy during
the years that followed the Revolutionary war.
No sooner was the war over than all the men that remained in the naval
service were paid off and turned adrift on the beach, while every ship
that remained--even the _Alliance_, that had well demonstrated her
efficiency--was sold. The people of the new nation were so fearful
of a monarchial form of government, and of everything that in the
old world pertained to it, that they went to the remarkable length
of sacrificing the one weapon that could defend them from old-world
encroachment--the navy--lest scheming politicians use it to enslave
their own people.
But while the politicians wrangled over the chaotic conglomeration
that, at the time, was called the general government, the business men
made haste to retrieve the losses brought upon them by the war, and
as there had been but two sources of income worth mention before the
war--the commerce of the seas and agriculture--it was to them that the
energies of the people were applied. It was an along-shore nation. The
salt air fanned its most populous cities. So familiar were the people
with the ocean, that every one spoke of the time when he should be
rich as “when my ship comes home.” So to the sea went hosts of people
seeking fortune. The merchant with his capital, the land-owner with his
timber, and the mechanic with his skill and muscle, united to build
and man ships for the ocean-carrying trade, and so well did they work
together that ships the equal of any other, in some cases the superior
of any in the world, were sent down the ways. Men who had learned to
be aggressive while afloat with the flag in war-time were placed
in command of these ships, and the contest for supremacy in trade,
which had had so great a part in bringing on the Revolutionary war,
was renewed with an energy and an independence of action of which the
people as colonists had not dreamed. Even so small a craft as an Albany
sloop was sailed away from New York for Canton, China. She had only a
page-map from a school geography for a chart of the world, but she made
her port and made home again, and she was the first sail to make the
direct passage from New York to China waters.
The British merchants with dismay saw their own ships passed by and the
Yankees chosen by shippers of cargoes--chosen because both safer and
swifter. And when the British merchant complained, he found (as he has
always found) his government ready to listen and to act in his behalf.
What that government was willing to do to aid the British merchants
was so discreditable that the story of it well-nigh staggers belief,
although the proofs are, in fact, beyond doubt.
On the Mediterranean coast of Africa were found a number of small
Mohammedan states ruled by vassals of the Turk. For time out of mind
these petty rulers had levied a blackmail tribute from every seafaring
nation that traded in the Mediterranean Sea, and even sailed in their
cruisers out upon the Atlantic to capture ships that were not intending
to enter the enclosed waters. When one recalls how much superior the
power of England was to that of all these pirates combined, it seems
astounding that even she should have contributed to the blackmail, but
the reason for her doing so may be found in the debates of Parliament
of that day. Said Lord Sheffield in 1784:
[Illustration: A Mediterranean Corsair Anchoring.
_From a picture drawn and engraved by Baugean._]
“It is not probable that the American States will have a very free
trade in the Mediterranean. It will not be to the interest of any of
the great maritime powers to protect _them_ from the Barbary States. If
they know their interests, they will not encourage the Americans to be
carriers. _That the Barbary States are advantageous to maritime powers
is certain._”
In short, England deliberately encouraged these infamous pirates
because they harassed the ships of other nations, and on the payment of
a small tribute, which was kept small because of her great navy, they
left hers wholly unmolested.
But the mere avowal of this policy in the hall of Parliament was by no
means all that she did. For some time previous to 1793 Portugal had
maintained her rights upon the sea as against these pirates by keeping
a strong fleet at the Strait of Gibraltar--a fleet that pounced upon
every Barbary corsair that appeared. It was not for the protection of
her own commerce only that this was done. By an understanding with the
United States the American flag was protected and American merchantmen
furnished with convoys when needed.
Under the protection thus afforded, the American merchantmen swarmed
into the profitable trade on the east side of the Atlantic. English
merchants viewed the increasing numbers of American ships there with
dismay, and English diplomacy, as said, at once intervened.
Taking advantage of a general agreement among the so-called Christian
powers, under which England was to be allowed to act for all in certain
minor matters when negotiating with the Barbary powers, the British
government instructed the British agent at Algiers to bargain secretly
for a truce between the Dey and the government of Portugal. The truce
was to last a year, and in consideration of allowing the Portuguese
ships to trade free of blackmail, the Portuguese blockade was to be
removed from the Strait of Gibraltar, and it was further provided that
“the Portuguese Government _should not afford protection to any nation
against Algerian cruisers_.”
The only nation that had been protected by Portuguese men-of-war
was the American. This truce, which was arranged by the British
consul-general at Algiers, Mr. Charles Logie, was deliberately planned
to turn the pirates against American ships. Worse yet, it was done
without even consulting Portugal, and in secret so that the pirates
could get away before the Americans could possibly be warned. And once
it was made, British influence at the Portuguese court prevented its
abrogation.
As early as July 25, 1785, the Boston schooner _Maria_, Capt. Isaac
Stevens, had been captured by Algerian pirates near Gibraltar, and on
the 30th of the same month the ship _Dauphin_, Capt. Richard O’Brien,
was also taken. Thus twenty-one American citizens were made slaves to
the Arabs. Because of the Portuguese blockade of the strait no other
American ship had been captured, but the moment British diplomacy
had freed the pirates from that restraint, the Dey sent his corsairs
seeking the American flag. There is no doubt in reasonable minds that a
special search was made, at the request of the British agent, for the
Stars and Stripes. In one cruise of the pirate squadron eleven vessels
were captured and 112 American seamen were reduced to slavery.
Did the American nation declare war at once? It did not. It could not.
There was not a warship afloat bearing the American flag.
Having no ships of war, Congress was forced to buy the freedom of these
enslaved Americans. The men captured in 1785 were ransomed for $59,496
(coin). For the 112 captured at the instigation of the British agent,
a far greater ransom was paid. The Congress had refused to build a
navy for the protection of Americans when abroad, but now they were
compelled to buy the release of enslaved Americans by building the
_Crescent_, “one of the finest specimens of elegant naval architecture
which was ever borne on the Piscataqua’s waters.” They had to arm and
fit her for sea. They had to freight her with “twenty-six barrels of
silver dollars and many valuable presents for the Dey,” and then send
her to Algiers, where ship and cargo were given in exchange for the
enslaved Americans.
“It is worthy of remark, that, as appears by documents published at the
time, the peace obtained from the Dey of Algiers cost the Government of
the United States near a million of dollars ($992,463.25), a sum quite
sufficient to have kept the barbarian’s port hermetically sealed until
he should have humbly sued” for peace, had it been expended in building
suitable warships. And so would have been saved the noble lives and the
property afterwards lost on the African coast.
But out of the national humiliation sprang a new navy. The people who
had called every legislator that spoke for the honor of the flag a
blatant demagogue; the people who had feared naval tyrants, who had
feared taxation, and who had argued that a small navy was worse than
none--the peace-at-any-price men had been in a great majority. Now the
publication of these facts opened the eyes of enough to make a majority
the other way. Nevertheless, so little regard had the members of
Congress for the honor of the nation that “the resolution of the House
of Representatives, that a naval force adequate to the protection of
the commerce of the United States ought to be provided, passed by a
majority of two votes only.”
However, pass it did, and was approved on March 27, 1794.
At that time the ablest shipbuilder in the United States was Joshua
Humphreys, a Quaker, who for thirty years had been laying down keels
at Philadelphia. Going to General Knox, the Secretary of War, he made
a notable statement. The number of ships which the United States could
support, he said, would always be less than the number in any of the
large European navies. It was therefore necessary that such ships as
we did have should be fast-sailing enough to either fight or run at
will, and when they chose to fight they must be equal, ship for ship,
to anything afloat. To accomplish this they must be longer and broader
than the existing type and yet not so high out of water. On this model
they would carry, he said, as many guns on one deck as the others
carried on two; could fight them there to better advantage; and, what
was more, the improved model would give much more stability--would
allow so much more canvas to be spread aloft that, blow high or blow
low, the Yankee could show her teeth or her heels, as occasion demanded.
Not only were Humphreys’ theories accepted then; they have prevailed
in the American navy to this day. However, this is not to say that the
theories of Mr. Humphreys have always been realized in practice.
Six frigates were ordered laid down on this model: the _Constitution_,
of forty-four guns; the _President_, of forty-four; the _United
States_, of forty-four--all sister ships--and the _Chesapeake_, the
_Congress_, and the _Constellation_, all of thirty-six guns each.
The _United States_ was built by Humphreys, at Philadelphia, and he
sent her afloat on July 10, 1797. The _Constitution_, the famous “Old
Ironsides,” was built by Cloghorne & Hartly, of Boston, and she floated
on October 21, 1797--just 100 years ago. And she is still afloat to
bear the flag. Capt. Samuel Nicholson had charge of her (Congress had
provided for officers and men), and on the day she was to be launched
he proposed to hoist the flag with his own hands. But instead of doing
so at once on reaching the yard that morning, he gave orders that
no one else should do it, and then went away to breakfast. That was
an error fatal to his ambition. When he was out of sight one Samuel
Bentley, a shipwright, bent the flag to the halliards, and, with the
help of another man, hoisted her to the mizzen-truck. Captain Nicholson
swore like a pirate, it is said, but the flag was up and he would not
haul it down again.
[Illustration: John Barry’s Commission as Commander of the _United
States_.
_From the original at the Naval Academy, Annapolis._]
Later a dozen smaller ships were ordered built or purchased, besides
galleys, schooners, and brigs. And then came a time when it was
absolutely necessary to use them. The Revolution was on in France, and
the European powers, with England in the lead, were trying to crush the
new republic. In fighting back, the French cruisers had played havoc
with American ships carrying legitimate goods to European ports--had
captured and condemned many American merchantmen laden with American
products not contraband of war, simply because those ships were _en
route_ to ports of nations at war with France. So retaliation became
absolutely necessary, disagreeable as it might be to fight a former
ally.
It should be noted here that the United States government did not
actually declare war against France, but on July 7, 1798, all treaties
in existence between the governments were declared abrogated, and
meantime, on May 28, 1798, the American cruisers were authorized “to
capture any French vessel found near the coast preying upon American
commerce.” It was under the act of May 28, 1798, as strengthened by
that of July 7th of the same year, that the American ships went hunting
the Frenchmen. But while there was an actual state of war on the ocean,
there was never a time when the American State Department was not
striving to negotiate a permanent peace with the discordant elements
that, in those days of the French Revolution, ruled at Paris.
When hostilities began the American navy had in all twenty-two ships,
mounting 456 guns and carrying 3,484 men, ready for battle; they were
made ready before the end of the year.
As originally organized in the war for freedom, the American navy had
held but a few puny merchantmen--thin-walled, crank, and slow. But
now, though still comparatively few in number, the ships of the nation
were “fore and fit,” and, better yet, they were manned by men who had
smelled the sulphurous breath of an enemy’s guns. Officers and men
from the old cruisers and privateers came forward to volunteer in such
numbers that a ship’s complement was filled in some cases in half a
day. Meantime some new blood, the sons of the officers and seamen of
the other war, and others, too, came, eager to take the chances of war,
and some were accepted.
Even before the treaties were abrogated two ships were sent to
sea--the _Constellation_, under Capt. Thomas Truxton, who had made
fame as a privateer, and the _Delaware_, under Stephen Decatur,
Sr., father of the Decatur who made fame later on. The French ship
_Croyable_, of fourteen guns, was found off the Delaware. She had
taken several American ships, so she was sent into Philadelphia, and
not long afterward came out again under the American flag, and bearing
the appropriate name _Retaliation_. She was commanded by William
Bainbridge, an able officer. But luck was not with her.
Early on the morning of November 20, 1798, while cruising with the
_Montezuma_ and the _Norfolk_, two small fleets were seen. The
_Retaliation_ went looking at one fleet and the other two at the other.
When too near for comfort the _Retaliation_ found she had two French
frigates before her, and one, the _Insurgent_, of thirty-six guns,
quickly overhauled her when she strove to fly.
Captain Bainbridge, after surrendering, was taken on board the second
Frenchman, the _Volontaire_. Her captain refused to accept his sword,
and after the proper civilities of the occasion he was allowed to go
to the topgallant forecastle with the other officers to watch the
_Insurgent_ chasing the _Montezuma_ and _Norfolk_. It was a mighty
cheering spectacle to the French, for the _Insurgent_, with her great
spread of canvas bellying to the wind, was overhauling the Yankees hand
over fist. But just when the _Insurgent_ was expected to open fire
Captain St. Laurent of the _Volontaire_ turned to Bainbridge and said:
“Pray, sir, what is the force of those vessels?”
“The ship carries twenty-eight twelve-pounders and the brig twenty
nine-pounders,” replied Bainbridge in a matter-of-fact way.
That was double their real weight of metal, and it was a weight that
outmatched the _Insurgent_. Greatly alarmed, Captain St. Laurent, who
was the senior French officer, ordered the _Insurgent_ recalled.
When she got back within hail her captain shouted:
“Sir, if it had not been for your signal I should have had those
vessels in ten minutes more.”
“Citizen Captain, you do not know, sir, what vessels you were chasing.
Your ship is not able to contend with a force of twenty-eight
twelve-pounders and twenty nine-pounders,” said Captain St. Laurent.
At that the _Insurgent’s_ captain chopped the air violently with his
hands and replied:
“Sir, they have nothing heavier than _sixes_, and do you suppose that
this ship could have anything to fear from such guns?”
[Illustration: A French Vessel of 118 Guns, a Century Ago.
_From an engraving by Canali._]
“Did you not say, sir,” demanded St. Laurent, turning on Bainbridge,
“that the ship carried twenty-eight twelve-pounders and the brig twenty
nine-pounders?”
“Yes, sir,” replied Bainbridge, cheerfully, “and if I had thought at
that moment that I could have saved the ships, by telling you that they
carried twenty-four-pounders, I would have done so.”
Three months later the fighting captain of the _Insurgent_ (his name
was Barreaut) had an opportunity to show his metal, and it is fair to
say that he took advantage of it nobly.
At noon on February 9, 1799, while the _Constellation_, Captain
Truxton, was cruising between Nevis and St. Kitts at the northeast
corner of the Caribbean Sea, the lookout discovered a sail to leeward.
There was a fresh breeze from the northeast, and squaring away before
it, the _Constellation_ spread studding-sails, and with the white foam
roaring away from the bow and a swirling wake dragging astern, she went
swooping down to reconnoitre. But no sooner had sail been spread than a
black squall came down with the wind, and all hands had to turn to, as
if for life, to shorten sail.
There were lively lads aloft on the Yankee ships of those days, for the
crews, down to the powder monkeys, were inspired by a sense of honor.
They stripped the _Constellation_ in time to save her spars, but the
other ship lost her main-topmast, and when the squall had passed, it
was seen that she had changed her course, hoping to reach port at St.
Eustatius.
But the _Constellation_ was soon upon her. She hoisted American colors,
but could not answer a private signal, and a little later sent up the
French flag and fired a gun in defiance.
Later still (it was at 3.15 o’clock), when the _Constellation_, with
her canvas above the topsails furled, came bowling down, the enemy
hailed, but no reply was made. Captain Truxton was not yet ready, but
when he had arrived within ten yards just off the enemy’s weather
quarter and the hail was repeated, Captain Truxton answered with a full
broadside.
The fire was instantly returned, and then the enemy shoved his helm
hard down, intending to luff up yardarm to yardarm and board the
_Constellation_. In that move lay his only hope for victory, for he
carried a hundred men more than the _Constellation_. But Captain
Truxton was not to be caught. The _Constellation_ being unhurt aloft,
was able not only to steer clear of the crippled Frenchman, but to pass
across his bows and rake him.
Then the _Constellation_ dropped down on the starboard side and gave
the Frenchman other broadsides, and following up the advantage of
superior sailing power, she once more crossed his bows and raked
again. Again she passed alongside, firing as she went, and this was so
effective that every eighteen-pounder in the main-deck battery of the
Frenchman was dismounted, leaving him nothing but twelve-pounders for
continuing the fight. Nevertheless, the Frenchman held fast his colors
until the _Constellation_ once more drew ahead in a position to rake.
The fight was then absolutely hopeless and the Frenchman struck.
[Illustration: DIAGRAM OF THE INSURGENT-CONSTELLATION BATTLE.]
It was then learned that she was the _Insurgent_, Captain Barreaut.
The _Constellation_ carried forty-eight guns, throwing 848 pounds of
metal at one discharge, while the _Insurgent_ carried forty guns,
throwing 791 pounds of metal. The _Constellation’s_ crew numbered
309, and the _Insurgent’s_ just 100 more. The battle lasted one hour
and fourteen minutes. The French lost twenty-nine killed and forty-one
wounded, the _Constellation_ two killed and three wounded.
[Illustration: A French Vessel of 120 Guns.
_From an engraving by Orio._]
One gets a remarkable picture of the discipline on board the
_Constellation_ when reading, in the report of the battle, that one
of the two men killed was shot dead by Lieut. Andrew Sterrett for
deserting his post at the first fire.
More interesting still is the story of the _Insurgent_ during the three
days after the battle. Lieut. John Rodgers and Midshipman David Porter,
with eleven men, were sent on board to take charge, and supervise the
transfer of prisoners. While yet 173 of the French crew remained in her
the two ships were separated by a West India hurricane. These thirteen
Americans were left to face the gale and 173 of the enemy. Worse yet,
all the hatch gratings, hand-cuffs, and shackles had been thrown
overboard after striking colors. But Rodgers and Porter were the men
for the occasion. They drove the prisoners below the hatches and placed
one resolute, well-armed man at each hatchway with orders to kill any
one who strove to get out. With the others they worked the ship for
three days and two nights. They did not sleep or rest during that time,
but they brought the ship into St. Kitts, where the _Constellation_,
with an anxious crew, awaited them.
Still more to the honor of the flag was the fight between the
_Constellation_ and the _Vengeance_ on Sunday night, February 2, 1800,
for the Frenchman was in every way superior, and Captain Truxton
compelled him to fight.
It was after a long chase that the _Constellation_ drew up on the
weather quarter of the enemy at a distance of fifty or sixty yards. The
ship had already been cleared for action, and now the battle lanterns
were lighted, the crew were ordered to preserve perfect silence, and
Captain Truxton stepped to the lee rail and hailed. For a reply the
enemy opened fire with such guns as he could bring to bear, and some
of the shot struck home. But Truxton was not yet in a position to suit
him, and the _Constellation_ forged ahead, with her crew standing in
perfect silence at their stations, peering out at the red flash of the
enemy’s guns in the night, and shrinking back as the shot came in and
here and there knocked a man dead or struggling across the deck. The
wounded were instantly borne below, while the quarter-masters sanded
the blood, but no man spoke a word.
As the time passed, the strain upon them became greater. The Captain
noticed that the men were flinching more and more, and sternly ordered
them to stand to their posts until they got the word, and then to aim
at the hull and fire deliberately, but to load swiftly. And the men
obeyed that order.
Reaching the vantage point where every gun would bear, the order to
fire was given, and echoing from the crash of the balls in the enemy’s
hull came such shrieks and cries as told of the havoc wrought there.
Thereafter until 12.30 o’clock that night the crew of the
_Constellation_ loaded as quickly as possible and fired as deliberately
as if but practising with the battery at a target. So swift was their
work that the guns got heated, and men crawled out the ports and dipped
up water with buckets to cool them off. But at midnight the fire of
the enemy, that had been slacking away, died out entirely. The victory
seemed won--it was, in fact, won over and again, for the French flag
had been lowered twice during the fight (some historians say three
times), but the _Constellation_ people did not see it because of the
smoke, and, under the circumstances, the Frenchmen felt compelled to
fight on. But when they could fight no more and victory was assured for
the American flag, the captain of the _Constellation_ found that her
main standing rigging had been wholly shot away. He called all hands to
send up preventers, but before the work could be done the mast fell,
carrying Midshipman James Jarvis and several men overboard, all but one
of whom were lost. Jarvis might have escaped before the mast went, but
chose to remain at his post and face death.
[Illustration: Medal Awarded to Thomas Truxton.]
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
Having lost her mainmast, the _Constellation_ was so badly crippled
that the enemy slipped away in the night to Curaçao. She was the
_Vengeance_, Capt. A. M. Pitot. She carried fifty-two guns, throwing
1,115 pounds of shot, while the _Constellation_ at this time carried
fifty guns, throwing 826 pounds of shot. The crew of the _Vengeance_
numbered 330 to 310 on the _Constellation_. She lost fifty killed
and 110 wounded, while the _Constellation_ lost fourteen killed and
twenty-five wounded. Her ability to escape was hard luck for the
Yankees, for she was carrying a very valuable cargo, including a lot of
specie.
If there is any one feature of this battle better worth remembering
than any other it is the escape of the _Vengeance_ after she was twice
whipped--her escape through continuing the fight. For it proves, as
John Paul Jones proved in the _Bonhomme Richard_, that a ship is never
hopelessly defeated until she is sunk or wholly disabled.
Another interesting battle was that between the _Boston_, Capt.
John Little, and the _Berceau_, Capt. André Senez, who was, during
the American Revolution, a midshipman under Count D’Estaing in
the operations that enabled Washington to complete the capture of
Cornwallis. The _Boston_ was a larger ship, with more men and more
and heavier guns than the enemy, but when she ranged up within ten
yards of the _Berceau_ and Captain Little demanded that she surrender,
the valiant Senez replied “Never!” This was at about 4 o’clock in the
afternoon of October 12, 1800. The _Boston_ opened fire, and with cries
of “Vive la Republique!” the Frenchmen replied, and so effective was
their fire and so determined was their commander that the battle raged
for twenty-two hours, save for the intermissions during which the
_Boston_ had to haul off and repair rigging. But at 2 P.M. of the 13th
the _Berceau_ was practically shot to pieces and she had to surrender.
The dash of Lieut. Isaac Hull, when he cut the valuable privateer
_Sandwich_ out of Puerto Plato, was characteristic of the man who
distinguished himself in later years. The privateer was lying in
position to rake anything entering port, and she was protected by
a good shore battery. But filling the Yankee sloop _Sally_ with
seamen and marines from the _Constitution_ (Hull was then her first
lieutenant), he entered the harbor at night, sent the marines ashore,
where they spiked the fort guns, while he with his sailors boarded and
carried the privateer and sailed her out of port and sent her home. But
though a brave, it proved to have been an illegal capture, and full
restitution was made to the owners.
The adventures of the twelve-gun schooner _Enterprise_, Lieutenant
Shaw--notably that when she fought the letter of marque _Seine_ that
would not surrender until twenty-four had been killed and disabled
out of a crew of fifty-four--were of the most stirring character. In
six months she captured eight Frenchmen and recaptured four American
ships the French had taken. The _Experiment_, Lieut. William Maley, was
handled in like fashion. Both vessels often met and whipped superior
forces, but space is lacking to give the story of their deeds.
This high-seas war with France began on May 28, 1798. It came to an
end when, on February 3, 1801, a treaty of peace was ratified by the
American Senate. Nearly three years had passed away. By it peace was
assured for the future, and as for the past, all government vessels
captured on either side were to be restored. By this provision the
Americans returned the _Berceau_, the _Vengeance_, and a smaller
cruiser. The _Insurgent_ was lost at sea. Seventy-six French ships, in
addition, such as privateers and armed merchantmen, carrying together
500 guns, had been captured, and these were retained. No American
warship was captured by the French except the _Retaliation_, which was
originally taken from them.
[Illustration: “The _Sally_ Attacked by a Sea-Serpent off the Shore of
Long Island.”
_From a French engraving._]
The patriotic American does not care to dwell on this trouble with
a people that had rendered such great aid when the nation was
struggling for life against the oppressor. The significant features
of such conflicts as took place were found in the efficiency and good
discipline of the crews of the American ships and the development of an
_esprit de corps_ unknown during the Revolution. The pride and dignity
of the new nation were stirring the blood of its naval seamen.
[Illustration: A French Cutter of 16 Guns.
_From an engraving by Merlo._]