Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1803-12-08

ceiyed the conaitatonal majority. Thofe who
were ia favor of the motion, commended that it
requred tlgo thir of all che Senators-snd their
opponents, two thirds of the members pref.nt.
The qaetioD vas taken by yeas anil nays, and
CARED 10 the negative. Yeas 34-Nays s..
W4@. Fxae,alp.
The ioAowiag is a Copy Of a Letter receivea
bg tee SEG1PE7'AR1 e ofcthe NAV1~ fran
CAPT. RODGERS.
United Sfates Frigate Nezu 1ork,
P0tomac, Dee. 6, 1908.
SIR,
/ have the honor to make you ac-
qilainted with the particulars relative to the
destruction of the Bashaw of Tripoli's larg-
est cruiser, by referring you to the follow
ing extract from my journal:
On the evening of the 21st Of June last,
owing to some extraordinary movements of
the gun boats in the harbor of Tripoli, [
was induced to conceive that the BasfaW
either intended to send some cruisers to sea
during the night, or that he had received
Intelligence of some bound IN; therefore,
accordingly, made such disposition of the
vessels engaged in the blockade as to ena-
bic US to intercept either, by stationing the
Adams, capt. Campbell, to the westward,
the schooner Enterprise, lieut.. Hull, to
the eastward, and remaining myself with
the John Adams abreast Of the town, and
at half past A. NJ, on the following day,
Tripoli, bearing w. S w. distance or 4
leagues, observed the Enterprise in the S.
S. E. with a signal flying, its Specification
not distinguishable; made sail and stood
towards her; at do. spoke the Enterprise
when lieutenant Hull Informed me that a
large. ship of the enemy was anchored close
in with the beach,. At half past 8 A. M.
shortened sail and prepared to anchor, with
springs on our cable, discovering that the
enemy was anchored with springs on his
cable in deep narrow bay, about or 6
leagues to the Eastward of the town, and
in a situation very advantageous to the de-
fsncesof their ship. Attic same time OBJ
served nine gun boats close in with the
shore, coming to her assistance, and vast
number ofcavalry and armed men on the
|. beach. At minutes before 9 A. NJ. being
| in fathoms water and supposing we were
| within point blank shot, commenced firing,
which the enemy returned, and constant
t fire was maintained on both sides for 45 MI
nutes, whenthe enemy's fire was silenced.
! At (which instant the crew abandoned the
!! ship in the most confused and precipitate
! manner; such as her boats could not carry,
,leaplng overheard. At this moment being
| ina quarter less fathoms water and the
rocks appearing under our bottom and in
! everv direction around US, I thought it
! prudent TO wear and lay the ships mead off
shore. and in the mean time ordered lieut..
Hull, to stand as close In as consisted with
safety and eamuse the enemy on the beach
until our boats could be hoisted out to take
possession. AT a quarter before o A. NJ.
discovering one of the enemy's boats re-
turning TO the ship whilst in the act Of hoist
ing ours out, tackled, and renewed our fire
and IN few minutes after had the satisfaction
/ 10 see the enenny's colours hauled down at
the same time firing both their broadsides,
which was accompanied by the ship blowing
UP with tremendous explosion which
| burst the hull to pieces, and forced the
main and mizen-masts $50 or $50 feet per-
pendicularly into The air, with all the yards,
.shrouds, stays, &c. belonging to them
This ship was polacre rugged mounting %
guns, and the largest cruiser belonging to
Tripoli, 50 appearance a very fine vessel !;
and from the number Of persons we saw
abandon her, her crew must have consisted
of upwards of 2oomen. All the men who
returned to the ship, were blown up IN her,