Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-06-20

oiilty so awful, so rninOus. No man in this
country possesses such alarming authority !;
and therefore more would presume to use it.
Perhaps it would have been more satisfactory
to the public, had the president complied
With the Commodore's request, by instifuting
an inquiry into all the circumstances Of the
case: We trust he had satisfactory reasons
for declining to do so. s'
1t has been stated in New-York paper,
that the heroic young American, who was We
ny properly rewarded for his gallantry on
board the frigate President, is dangerously i'll
in consequence of his wound. Having seen
the account in one paper only, we hope it is
incorrect.
On what subjects have not books been
written? Franklin was a great SWIM
mer; and had thoughts ofopening swim
ming school on the Thames, while he was
journeyman printer in London. He
might have taught Digby's precepts, de
arte natandi, published almost two cen.
turtles before. The art Of love and the art
ofdrinking, so natural that no art seems
TO be required, have been Systematically
taught. We should like to see treatise
de arts mandendi ct .funigand tabaeum,
the art of chewing and smoaking tobacco.
Tho verses have been written we have no
system on this subject; and there are
muititudes in Virginia who might slime
In such a treatise. The subject would ad-
nit of much division and much ornament,
much sentiment and much episode: the
planting of the seed l.; the setting out of
| the plants the labor of the blacks a
! depression on slavery; tale relative:
curing the tobacco; profits OF the plant
er; sale of the hogsheads tobacco notes !;
loss of them at Faro diversion Of smoak-
ing & chewing groupes of evening smok-
ers rules for the time and quantity; ex-
! puIsion of the hypo; depression on the
spleen; exchange Of tobacco for rum and
wine premature deaths; the 1olsdom OF
states employing great part OF its IN
habitants in raising weed, noxious Itself
or exchanged for liquid poisons; moral re-
Elections, &c. Surely the theme Is fruit
ful.-Fisginia Patriot.
GUN-BOATS-0nce More.
Let it be remembered that it was under
the presidency Of Mr.. Jefferson, and
on his Recommendation, that between
one <snd tsse millions Of dollars were ex-
pended in constructing gun-boats, which
xyer. to set at defiance whole navies,
nav, annihilate them. The good peo-
Die were duped, congress was intatuat-
ed, and disregarding all the warnings
of the federaiists (the real economists
the experiment was tried, the national
treasure squandered, and, alas, alas !!
the gun-boats rotted. They had not
even the honor Of being destroyed by
cannon balls.
The foiiowin, extract from SemPle's tour
in Spain, sets in a clear point OF view
the folly of Mr.. Jeferson's philosophy
cal means Of defence.
" A single English frigate is sufficient
to put to flight all the gun-boats from Ca
.iiz to the bay of Gibraltar.
:. When at Algesiras, saw this spt6-
GENTLY demonstrated. Signals we're made
for IN English convoy having entered the
Cut. The weather was nearly calm and
all the boats got under weigh, full OF
men, and with infinite hustle and NOISE.
Nothing else was expected than the cap
ture Of the whole convoy but anioftu-
natelv for them, small breeze sprung
m soon afterwards, and frigate anu a
hrip of war were seen standing out of Glib
raliar. right across the bay. l was al
ready out of the town and near the Mar
tello tower, at the mouth of the small bay
already mentioned, when the gaa-ooa.s
had begun to collect together On the aP,
proach of the frisate. Inc opan Ian:'
were the first to fire, both from their
hoats and their batteries on the opposite
side Of the bay, while the frigate stood
on without returning a single shot, until
so near that grape could reach them.
Then che o,ened her ports, lufins up in