Star.
London, England, 1810-09-01 00:00:00

WASHINGTON, JULY tS.

We are informed that on the 24th June 1810, the
United States brig Vixen, Lieutenant Trippe, carry-
ing 14 guns, on her way to New Orleans, under or-
ders from our Government, near the Bahamas, was,
in a wanton and unprovoked manner, fired into by
the British sloop of war, the Moselle, Captain Boyce,
rating 20 guns, 32-pounders—a 32-pound shot car-
ried away the main boom of the Vixen within a short
distance of Colonel Poindexter, a member of Con-
gress, who, with his family, had taken passage on
board on his return from Congress; and a splinter
from the boom wounded slightly Mr. Rodney, son
or the Attorney-General of the United States, who
likewise was on his nay to New Orleans.
The subjoined extract of a letter from a gentleman
of great respectability on board the Vixen, to hisfriend
in this city, will give a detail of circumstances ; and
on the conduct of Lieutenant Trippe, we will forbear

.. -
to make a comment, because, in our war with Tripoli,
this officer signalized himself ; but more especially as
we are informed that he has been ordered by the Se-
- cretary of the Navy to repair immediately to Wash-
ington, for the purpose of an inquiry into his conduct,
in not returning the fire of the Moselle.
" On the 24th inst. (June) an occurrence took
.place, which was equally unpleasant and unexpected.
The character of the affair, however, corresponds
with the treatment which we have so often received
from the British Naval Commanders on former occa-
sions. The Moselle, a 20 gun brig, carrying 32
pounders, was lying at anchor tinder the Stirrup Roy,
near t! !e Bahama Bank. The Vixen approached her
under full sail, with her pendent and ensign hoisted.
The Commander of the Moselle hoisted French co.
lours, and exhibited several private signals. Captain
Trippe, on perceiving a beat which he supposed wish-
ed to speak his vessel, hauled up and received the
Officer, who requested him to go down to the British
vessel. With this iequect Captain Trippe declined a
compliance, furnishing the Officer, at the same time,
with the name of the vessel, and her destination.—
Captain B.)yce, who commands the Moselle, fired a
shot at us as we passed, which Captain Trippe consi-
dered as an intimation, that he wished to speak with
us. Several musket-balls were fired from the boat into
the vessel ; and at the very moment the British officer
was politely received on board the Vixen, and before
he had taken a memorandum of the reply, which was
given by Captain Trippe to the message which was
delivered—Captain Boyce fired a round shot, which
came over the quarter-deck, and penetrated the main
boom of the Vixen. Captain Trippe immediately dis-
charged the British officer, and prepared fot action.
The British brig slipped her cable and got under
way, menacing an attack on our vessel. So soon as
she approached within a proper eistance, Captain
Trippe dispatched a boat, with his first Lieutenant, to
demand of the British officer an explanation of his
conduct, who sent his Lieutenant on board the Vixen,
with various apologies, which were not understood in
a satisfactory manner ; and Captain Trippe addressed
a note to Captain Boyce, requiring a written state.
ment of the reasons which had induced him to fire
• two shots at his vessel.

00 Captain BOyce returned for answer, that he re-
cognized, with pleasure, the existing amity between
the two countries, and was extremely sorry for hav-
ing fired at 4,s—that the reasons which induced him
to fire, were that he could not distinguish our colours,
and saw no preparation for taking in sail—that he had
been informed that two French privateers were fitting
out in the United States, and supposed we might pro-
bably be one of them. He also pledged his honour,
tlfit his shot was not aimed at our vessel. The ex-
planation was deemed by Captain Trippe sufficient
to prevent any further conflict; and we instantly made
sail, and proceeded on our course. The injury which
we sustained was trifling. Mr. Rodney's son was
struck by a splinter from the boom, which occasioned
his mouth to bleed a short time—no other person was
touched.

" The conduct of Captain Trippe in this affair was
highly honourable to himself, to the American navy,
and to his country. The Vixen was prepared for ac-
tion with the greatest promptitude and order, and the
explanation demanded in a manner which left no
doubt, as to his determination to vindicate the honour
of the national flag, or perish in the attempt. The
official assurances of Captain Boyce could not be
questioned in an officiii form, but I feel the most
perfect conviction that he knew the Vixen to be an
American man of war —that..he fired the second shot
directly at the vessel, with the view of provoking a
return of time fire, and thereby furnish him with an
excuse for going into action with a vessel of inferior
metal, and then shift the responsibility from himself
by declaring that his shot was fired through mistake,
and without any intention of injuring the vessel. I
was on deck and saw the gun on the forecastle of the
Moselle levelled directly at the Vixen, and was not
more than three feet from the place where the shot'
struck the boom. The insolence of this transaction is
not more remarkable than the meanness displayed
by the British commander, in forging excuses for his
conduct."