Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-05-20

The ground and principle of the war, as now
! exhibited blythe American government Is PAN
/ ly and incoGtestiby this
America is at war with Great Britain for ShS
| liberty of Withdrawing British subjects IRON
tue allegiance they owe to their native country,
| and Great Britain is at war with America for
the maintenance of her undoubted right TO the
! services OF her own subjects.
The Java was the late French frgate Ne
reide, taken with the Rennomee (now the Ma
dagascsr) by the Phoebe, captain fli!lyar, Ca
latea, captain Losack, and the Astrea, captain
Schomberg, OFF the island of Madagascar. The
trigates, with the Clorindc, bad arrived With
troops on board for the purpose of reinforcing
the garrison of the isle of France, taken by the
British about month before. The CloriLdc
effected her escape during the action, and got
safe back TO France, for which her commander,
captain ST. Cricq, had his epsulettes torn from
his shoulders, and was broken for eowardioe.
Captain Lambert one Of those brave men
who so long lay under the ERE of the batteries,
at the above mentioned island, prsYious ts'its
Capture, in consequence OF getting aground in
making an attempt on the French naval force
there. Courier.
The earl of Darnley Yesterday in the House of
Lords, adverting TO the capture of the Java I'll
~
for AZ enquiry into the naval administration of
the country. We are glad of it We hope
similar notice will be gwen in the house of
Commons We never disapprOve of the con-
duct OF this or thSt administration being put
to the test o. fair and full enquiry. But whst
we dePrecate and detest Is, The tactics 50 usuai
with the opposition, Of making attacks without
making them in place where they can be OH
ciaily answered. II the sdmiralty nave weld
n Love stt NHrNHT d
feeble and fsltcring hand. let them re osive the
censure they deserve. If our commanders on
tos American station have not evincud 4 pro-
pes LEili and activity IN the distribution Of the
force placed under their command, let chen,
be removed. ifthere be blame, ct il D. 2scer-
tanned where IL lies but do not let us adopt
thaf tone of whining ,ameutati0n, Of affected
sensibliity and puerile grief, which some of our
contemporaries So 40 if our naval superiority
had received fatal and irFsvocsble wound.
W hat and where is the loss OF national s1ory
and naval rcnow1i Three Of our frigates hAve
been captured by--WhAt' frigates! They are
called so by the Americans and by the opposi.
ton. butthey deserve to nc called frigates just
as much as boy deserves TO be called s. man:
They are line OF battle ahips, equal in siae and
weight OF metal The Java mounted 25 10
pounders, Is % pound carrouGdes and long9
FOUNDERS, IN all forty.eight guns: whereas, he
WRITES OD guns; sttI kiN OA4.NASliNS
IN weight of metal in favor Of the latter still
more considerable, being as $40 20 1884. Yet
against this vast superiority the Java was fought
tIll she was complete wreck, having her bow
spcit and every mast and spar blown out %
herr 30 that 1t was found necessary two days
afterwards to destroy her at sea.
Our naval glory thus remains not only unfair
nished, but derives fresd laSfre from this gal
liant but unequal contest. Why then no blame
of course attaches to the officers and crews
engaged with these Americans. But the adj
miralty have not stationed sufficient force
early enough on he American station. II six
or seven times the amount of.the whole Arne-
rican navy be not sufficient, we know lot what
force can be deemed adequate. But the force
has been badly disposed, aud the American
ports have not been well watched. Any such
assertion we must disbeiieve, FOR the skill aad
talents OF the admiral selected for that station
are indisputabie. But how happens it ihkt
these frigCJes do esccPe from the American
ports aud return in safety The Chesapeake
and The Delaware ere blocksdcd. But they 10
escape from Boston, and gDhg is Boston nst &c6t
in state Of bioekdde For one simple rea-
son, that = cannot be 5l2ekade4 in rvinfeT. Esress
is open 10 them, aud unfortunately they haze
been able TO get back to Boston ia ssfcty. And
this may happen, AID the good fortune that has
attended them may have happened too without
misconduct on our parts. However, lie sub
ject is likely to be fully Investigated, and We
are extremely glad OF ito.