On the outbreak of hostilities with Britain in 1812, United States naval forces included 30 armed ships, 16 of which were sailed by the United States Navy with the remainder operated by the United States Revenue Marine, the maritime force of the United States Department of the Treasury. The ships of the Revenue Marine suffered from poor provisioning - the Department of the Treasury took the position that the war was not its responsibility to fight, except in circumstances where the collection of taxes was threatened, and that the costs of prosecuting the conflict should be borne by the Department of War and Department of the Navy.