this disparity of force, the Surinam had received such shocks that she was evidently glad to get off, and instead of going direct to the common rendezvous at Barbadoes, she first put into an out-port to refit, having had her foremast badly wounded. What further damage she sustained we have not heard.'

"Britannia needs no bulwark,

No towers along the steep;

Her march is o'er the mountain waves,

Her home is on the deep."

GALLANT ACTION FOUGHT BETWEEN THE PRIVATEER-SCHOONER SARATOGA, CHARLES W. WOOSTER, COMMANDER, AND THE BRITISH LETTER-OF-MARQUE BRIG RACHEL, OFF LAGUIRA, ON THE 13TH OF DECEMBER, 1812.

On the 9th December, the private armed schooner Saratoga, commanded by Charles W. Wooster, made her appearance off this place, (Laguira.) The same day the first Lieutenant came on shore. He said they were twenty-four days from New York, and had seen nothing. On the 10th, Captain Wooster ran down and anchored in the roads, but in a few minutes was advised in a note, from the American consul, to weigh and keep out of the reach of the batteries, as the commandant had said he would sink her if she came to. He immediately complied with this advice, and stood off. He soon discovered a schooner standing down the coast, some miles to windward of Laguira. He boarded and captured her. She was a schooner, with dry-goods on board to the amount of $20,000.

The next day, at nine A.M., after the fog cleared off, we saw the Saratoga some miles to leeward, in-shore of a brig, but neither near enough to fetch in. At eleven A.M., the brig tacked off shore, and soon after, the schooner did the same. It was known on shore the

brig was well armed and manned, and it was generally believed she would take the Saratoga, or at all events beat her off. All the inhabitants, from the commandant to the beggar, left their business to see the engage

ment.

The brig being so far from the schooner, it was some time before she came up with her. Both vessels were so far off, we could but just discern them from the housetops, and just as we had given up all hopes of seeing the battle, we discovered they both tacked in-shore again. They continued standing in until within two leagues of the town, when the Saratoga commenced the action from her starboard bow-guns, which was returned from the brig's larboard quarter. The action now became furious, so that both vessels were hid from us in columns of fire and smoke. In a few minutes, however, the firing ceased.

When the smoke cleared off, we could see no colors flying except the American on board the Saratoga, which was victorious. (May it always remain so.)

On the 13th the second mate and twenty-five seamen arrived at Laguira in the brig's long-boat, which Captain Wooster had given them, together with every article belonging to them. The second mate was the only officer that was alive after the action, there being great slaughter on board the brig. On board the Saratoga they had but one man slightly wounded. The brig was the Rachel, from Greenock, mounting twelve long-ninepounders, and carrying sixty men. She had on board a cargo of dry-goods, etc., invoiced at £15,000, sterling.

CHAPTER III.

BATTLE BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES FRIGATE UNITED STATES AND THE BRITISH FRIGATE MACEDONIAN-REMARKS ON ADMIRAL WARREN'S BLOCKADING THE AMERICAN PORTS—— BRITISH SHIP JOHN CAPTURED BY THE COMET—A VALUABLE BRITISH SHIP SENT INTO PORTLAND BY THE DECATUR-EXTRACT FROM THE LOG-BOOK OF THE ATLAS, CAPTAIN MAFFET, AND HIS ACCOUNT OF AN ACTION WITH TWO BRITISH SHIPS, WHICH HE CAPTURES —–BETWEEN APRIL AND AUGUST, 1812, TWO HUNDRED AND SIXTY-SIX AMERICAN MERCHANT VESSELS ARRIVE AT NEW YORK-ON THE 18TH OF JUNF, THE COMMON COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF NEW YORK PRESENT CAPTAIN ISAAC HULL WITH THE FREEDOM OF THEIR CITY IN A GOLD BOX-COMMODORE BARNEY RETURNS TO BALTIMORE, ON THE 10TH OF NOVEMBER, FROM A SECOND SUCCESSFUL CRUISE-EXTRACT FROM HIS LOG-BOOK ON THAT CRUISE-A GALLANT, BUT UNSUCCESSFUL CONFLICT BETWEEN THE PRIVATEER NONSUCH AND AN ENGLISH SHIP, OFF MARTINIQUE——A MEMORIAL FROM THE MERCHANTS OF NEW YORK TO THE CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES --BRITISH SHIP JOHN HAMILTON SENT INTO BALTIMORE BY THE DOLPHIN PRIVATEER—A BRITISH SHIP OF 22 GUNS DRIVEN ON SHORE NEAR DEMARARA, BY THE GENERAL ARMSTRONG-BRITISH SHIP QUEEN, 16 GUNS AND 40 MEN, CAPTURED BY THE GENERAL ARMSTRONG, ETC.

NAVAL BATTLE BETWEEN THE FRIGATE UNITED STATES AND THE MACEDONIAN.

On the 25th October, in latitude 29° North, longitude 29° 30′ West, in the neighborhood of the Western Islands, Commodore Decatur was cruising alone to intercept the enemy, and no doubt wishing to meet a single ship of equal or somewhat superior force, it was his good fortune to make a large sail to windward. It was then blowing a strong breeze, with a high sea on, and as the sail was dead to windward, the Frigate United States was brought to the wind, in order to near, and ascertain the character of the ship in sight.

It was soon discovered that the stranger was a frigate, and no doubt an enemy, who being to windward, had of course, his choice of distance and time for commencing the conflict. As the stranger did not choose to ap

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