Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-04-06
COMMUNICATION.
fH. Snowden,


1Er. Snozvden,
IN your Gazette of yesterday, you have
published some anirladversions on Mr.. Full
TONS torpedoes. lam unacquainted with this
new invention but wish every experiment
TO have fair trial, especially one which pro-
misses so much. Mr.. Fulton is unquestionably
man of talents, and, have been informed,
has realized handsome fortune by the exer.
ZION of his genius. Let us therefore not be
too hasty in condemning him. ] confess I
should, with you, have been better pleased,
had Mr.. F. offered his invention Frs; to our
government. The very name Of them might
have been a terror to our enemies for long
time.
The Torpedoes have been much extolled
! on the one hand, and ridiculed on the other.
Perhaps both parties have gone rather too far.
/ have reflected somewhat on the subject, and
am of opinion, that if they can be brought into
use, they will be valuable acquisition. But
besides the numerous objections which have
! been urged against them, two have occurred
to me, which l should like to see obviated
They may appear triaing, bat will thank you
to state them.
In the first place, Torpedo can take no
prizes. This will always render t. en- unpo-
pular amongst seamen, as a warlike engine
Secondly, what is to become Of the untortu.
nate victims who may be on board vessel de-
stroyed by means of one of those instruments!
Suppose two ships about to make an attack on
harhor, and one of them should be blown up.
Not one fifth, perhaps, or so many, OF her
crew, would be killed in consequence OF the
explosion. Should we suffer them to perish
in that unhappy situation Should ne assist
them Or should we permit their comrades
TO SO to their relief
These doubts are not suggested from wish
to cayii at what may be useful, but from. sin
cere desire to obtain information. A. B.
+ Boaatarse's :" Protection ef.amercan
t>< Commerce."
In our paper last evening, we gave inior-
nation OF several recent captures by the
French, under tie DEGREES, which Mr.. Madl-
son, assured tho people were repeated on the
first of Nov. last. Il vessel belonging to
Salem, Massachusetts,, had lately been cap
tured and carried into Morlaix, for which
she was actually bound, upon the,faith OF the
Presidents assertion. The prirateer Duke
Of Damtzic has been making American Cap
lures ever since the early part of November,
and had taken vast number of our vessels.
, Taose laden with colonial produce, she sends
to France; all others, after taking out what
is most Val uabe, are burnt on the high seas.
which our polite President informed Bonaparte
WIS s: the most distressing method OF eXer.
cisng the rights of war against neutrais,'
The ship He5e, from Cadiz, bound to Phlla'
delphi;., in ballast, was lately captured by a
French priyateer, on her way home, and hav'
ing nothing of value on board, was released
again by paying the triaing sum Of tie" th0n-
sand dollars, for enjoying the Liberty Of The
seas" The ship Gideon, of an for this port
experienced the same favour. But the ship
Eiza and the schooner .lleghany, OF Phlla'
delphia, and the schooner 7raSeller, of Bos'
ton, have all been captured by the Privateers
and sent into French ports; which is the last
We shall ever hear of them; unless perhaps
they have been turned into French prlva
teers, and are cruizing against us. Another
Capture was also mentioned in last evening
paper: The schooner Hound, for Phlladei
phia, was taken by oneof Christophe's PR
vateers, and sent into Cape Francois. Thu:
the very negroes kick us---French negroes
and our good President pockets all In gooe
temper. But if they were English negroes
zouhds H.
G.New-York En-. Post.
EoL