Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1813-09-15

Nosa.Scotla, canada, and tne V''. :.
wilderness.
rprrrR FROM CAPTAIN BROKE TO
CAPTAIN LAWRENCE.
His Britsnnie Majessy's shh Shanno"'
off Boston, June 1918.
SIR.-As the Chesapeake appears
now ready for sea. ] request that
you will do me the favor TO meet
the Shannon with her, ship to ship,
to try the fortune of our respective
flags. To an officer Of your charac-
ter, it requires some apology for pre-
cesding to further particulars. Be
assured, sir, that it is not from any
doubt l can entertain of your wish
ing to close with my proposal, but
| merely to provide an answer to any
| objection which might be made. an!
very reasonably, upon the chance of
| our receiving unfair support.
After the diligent attention which
we had paid to commodore Rod.
gers the pains / took to detach all
force but the Shannon and 'fennedos
to such a distance that they could
not possibly join. in any action fought
in sight of the Capes; and the va:
rious verbal messages which had
been sent into Boston to that effect
we were much disappointed to find
the commodore had eluded us by
sailing on the first change. after the
prevailing easterly winds had oblig-
ed us to keep an offing from the
coast. He perhaps wished for some
stronger assurance Of a fair meeting.
l am therefore induced to address
YOU more particularly, and to assure
You that what l write l pledge my
honor to perform to tue utmost Of
my power.
The Shannon mounts twenty-four
guns upon her broadside, and one
light boat gun; eighteen Founders
on her main deck, and thirty two
pound carrouaaes on her quarter
deck and forecastle; and is manned
with a compliment of three hundred
men and boys "a large proportion of
the latter besides thirty seamen,
boys and passengers. who were TAX
en- out of recaptured vessels lately.
I am thus minute, because report
has prevailed in some Of the Boston
papers that we had one hundred and
fifty men, additional, lent US from
La Hogue, which really never was
the case. La Hogue is now gone to
Halifax for provisions, and l will
send all other ships beyond the pow
er of interfering with us, and meet
YOU wherever il is most agreeable
to you, within the limits Of the un-
aforementioned rendezvous, viz.
From six to- ten leagues east Of
Cape Cod light house, from eight 10
ten leagues east ofCape AIMS light,
on Cashe's ledge in lat. rs N. at a.
ny bearing and distance you please
to fix Of the south breakers OF Nam
tucket, or The shoal on st. Georges
Bank.
If you will favor me with any plan
Of signals or telegraph. l will warn
you IF sailing under this promise)
should any of my friends be too nigh
or any where in sight, until l can de-
tach them out of the way; or would
sail with you under flag Of truce
to any place You think safest from
our cruizers. hauling il down when
fair to begin hostilities.
You must, sir, be aware that my
proposals are highly advantageous
to you, as you cannot proceed to sea
,ingly in the Chesapeake without
imminent risk Of being crushed by
the superior force Of the numerous
British squadrons which are now "a.
broad. where all ,our efforts. in case
of a rencoDtre, would however gal
liant, be perfectly hopeless. en-
treat you, sir, not TO imagine that l
am urged by mere personal vanity
to the wish of meeting the Chesa-
peake; or that l depend only UPON
your personal ambition for your ac-
ceding to this invitation !; we have
both nObler motives. You will feel
it as compliment if / say, that the
result Of our meeting may be the
most grateful service can render
to my country; and l doubt not that
you. equally confident of success,
will feel convinced. that it is only by
repeated triunphs in even combats,
that your little navy can now hope
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