An account was communicated by Captain Pigot, of the Orpheus, dated New Providence, April 25th, of his having, after a chase of 60 miles, taken off Cuba the United States ship Frolic, carrying 20 32-pound carronades, and 2 long 18-pounders, with a crew of 171 men, out two months from Boston.

A very severe action, ending unfortunately to the British flag, took place on June 28th, lat. 48 Ň. long. 11 W. between the English brig of war Reindeer, Captain Manners, and the American sloop of war Wasp, Capt. Blakeley. Capt. Manners perceiving an enemy to the leeward on the morning of that day, gave chase, and about 3 p. m. the two vessels were yardarm and yard-arm. The engage ment was maintained with the most determined spirit for 25 minutes, when the Reindeer, having lost her brave captain, her purser, and 27 men killed and 40 wounded, among whom were almost all her officers, and having been repulsed in two attempts to board, was under the necessity of striking her colours. Such was the injury she received, that it was found necessary on the following day to destroy her. The superiority of men, and weight of metal, on the American side, is stated as very considerable. It was thought that the Wasp had suffered much, but later accounts from her represent

her loss and damage as trifling. It is apparent that the American fire must have been much more formidable than the British.

The daring enterprize of British seamen, restricted for want of occasions for exertion, has in this, as in former years, broke out in some of those desperate attempts for carrying ships at anchor by means of armed boats, which might perhaps be censured for rashness, were not the preservation of the spirit of the navy a matter of the first importance. One of these, in which final success was obtained, though with a formidable loss, appears worthy of record. An English squadron, consisting of the Plantagenet, Rota, and Carnation, arriving near the close of September in the road of Fayal, a Portuguese harbour in the Azores, descried the General Armstrong, a large American schooner privateer, at anchor in the roads. A boat was dispatched to reconnoitre her force as she was* getting under weigh, which being driven by the tide near the schooner, was hailed, and desired to keep off. This being impracticable, the boat was fired into, and seven men were killed. The English commodore considering this act as an infraction of the neutrality of the port, ordered the Carnation in to destroy the privateer; and as the rocky ground prevented the ship from getting near enough, nine boats, with three lieutenants, and about two hundred men, were dispatched for the purpose. On approaching the schooner, they were received with a most destructive fire from a 32-pounder; and, in the end, the the privateer's men escaped on shore, whence they

fired on the men who were de-, stroying the ship. This was accomplished, but at the expense of a loss of 135 killed and wounded, among whom were the three lieu

tenants.

Of the maritime actions on the Lakes, closing with the disastrous engagement on Lake Champlain, an account will be found in our narrative of the American campaign.

of arms, and store-houses full of clothing, and camp equipage were the farther prize of the victors.

After this affair, the American general Hull arrived at the town of Buffalo, and collecting all the troops in the vicinity, amounting to more than 2,000 men, took post at Black-rock to check the further advance of the British. He was not, however, long suffered to remain there unmolested. Majorgeu. Rial assembling a force of about 950 regulars and 50 militia, with 400 Indians, crossed the Niagara river on the night of Dec. 29th, and at day-break on the 30th, moved on to attack the enemy, who was strongly posted. After a vigorous resistance, the impetuosity of the assailants forced the Americans to give way, and they were driven through their batteries to the town of Buffalo, about two miles distant. There a further resistance was made; but in a short time the American troops fled in all directions, and took to the woods, leaving behind them three pieces of cannon. Their loss was not known, but 130 prisoners were made, the rapidity of their flight preventing a larger capture. The British loss in this spirited action amounted to 112, in killed, wounded, and missing. Among the wounded was lieut.col. Ogilvy, as he was gallantly leading the attack. After the engagement, an officer was sent with a detachment to destroy two schooners and a sloop, part of the enemy's lake squadron, that were on shore below the town of Buffalo, which service was effectually performed. The town itself, the inhabitants having quitted it, was then committed to the flames, VOL. LVI.

with the whole of the public stores, and the village of Black-rock was likewise burnt. A force was then directed to move down the river to fort Niagara to destroy all the remaining cover of the enemy upon this frontier, which being effected, the whole frontier was left clear and naked.

The destruction of the American villages on this occasion was represented in a proclamation issued by Sir George Prevost, as a measure of retaliation for the acts of plunder and conflagration committed by the Americans in their invasion of Upper Canada, and particularly the burning of the village of Newark, consisting of 150 houses, the inhabitants of which were driven out to encounter, without covering or shelter, the inclemency of a Canadian winter. His Excellency gives several instances of the moderation and regard to private property shewn by the British, and intimates that retaliation shall be carried no farther, unless fresh provocation be given.

On Jan. 7th, the President of the United States communicated to both houses of Congress, copies of a letter from the British secretary of state, lord Castlereagh, to the American secretary Mr. Monroe, with the answer of the latter, the subject of which was the proposed negotiations for peace. Lord Castlereagh's letter incloses a note from lord Cathcart, British ambassador to the emperor of Russia, addressed to the count de Nesselrode, in which he mentions that the Prince Regent had been informed of the arrival of the American commissioners in Russia, and though he` [N]

finds reason to decline the mediation of his Imperial Majesty in the discussions with the United States, yet being sincerely desirous of terminating the war between Great Britain and America, he is ready to nominate plenipotentiaries for treating directly with them, and would prefer that the conferences should be held in London, but if that were objected to, he would consent to substitute Gottenburgh. Lord Castlereagh then says, that the American commissioners having declared their readiness to treat in London, he has transmitted this proposal by a flag of truce, and that the British admiral on the American station will be ready to give the necessary protection to any persons sent by the United States in furtherance of the overture. The reply of Mr. Monroe, after expressing the President's regret at the new obstacle which has arisen to the negotiations for peace, and giving reasons why the mediation of the Emperor of Russia had been thought advisable, finally conveys the President's consent to the proposal, and makes election of Gottenburgh for the place of conference.

The speech made by Governor Strong to the legislature of Massachussets on Jan. 12th, distinctly expressed the desire for peace, and the disapprobation of the reasons for war alleged by the government of the United States, which from the first were the prevailing sentiments in this part of America. "The friends of peace (says the Governor) are accused of being under British influence; but their accusers ought to reflect whether partialities of an opposite kind have not produced the

evils we suffer; and whether, if our conduct towards both belligerents had been impartial, a war with either would have been thought necessary. We had assumed the character of a neutral nation; but had we not violated the duties imposed by that character? Had not every subject of complaint against one bellige rent been amply displayed, and those against the other concealed or palliated? It has indeed been suggested, that we have no connection with France in regard to the war; but when France and England were engaged in a most arduous struggle, and we interfered and assaulted one of them, will any man doubt our intention to assist the other?"

In the early part of February, the American army under Gen. Wilkinson continued to occupy its position on the frontier of Lower Canada at the French mills on the Salmon river; but between the 12th and 16th of that month, the troops abandoned this station, after partially burning their blockhouses and barracks which had been erected at vast expense, and destroying their river craft and batteaux. They carried away their ordnance, and the greater part of their military stores. Two regiments proceeded to Sacket's harbour, and the remainder to Burlington and Plattsburg, where Gen. Wilkinson took up his headquarters. The reason for this movement is stated to have been the enormous expense incurred in supplying troops at such a distance with provisions, and their daily increase by sickness and desertion. As soon as their retreat was made known to Sir