The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1814-09-14

could not be finished with blocks and iron
works tor her gun and spar decks before the |
- or 18th uit. when she was reported ready |
by capt Jones. As considerable anxiety had !
been manifested by the publc to have the |
heet on the Lake, I should have asked Cap |
tam Jones to take charge Of it and go out, but |
i was then recovering my health, and was !
confident SHOULD be able in three or four !
days TO go or board myself. There was an |
additional rsason for submitting to this delay |
IN the difficulty found III making the chan
ges OF commanders, neither of them being |;
Wiling to be separated from his officers and
men, and change OF crews through the Feet
being inadmissibie
In the afternoon OF the 5lst July, was Ia
ken on board, but it was calm, and did,nct
sail before the next morning. To, satisfy at
once whatever expectations the public had
been ledto entertain of the sufliciency Of this
squadron 70 take and maintain the ascepdar-
cy ON this lake, and at the same time to OK
pose the tutility of promises, tlc fuIhlpicnt
OF which h'ld been rested ON our appearance
at the head OF the lake, got under way at 1
O'Clock IN the morning of the LIST inst. and
steered for the mouth of the Niagara. Ow-
ing to light winds. did not arrive off there
before the 5th. There we intercepted one Of
the enemy S brigs running over from Yor,> to
Niagara with troops, and run her on shore a
bout miles 70 thc westward of Fort George
ordered the Syl,h in. 10 anchor as near TO
the enemy as she could with safety, and to
destroy her. Capt Elliot ran in iii very
gallant manner to within from 500 to 500
yards of her and was about ;1nchorng, when
the enemy set ere to her and she soon after
blew MP. This vessel was a schooner the
last year, and called the Beresfori--sincer
they altered her t. brig, they changed
her name, and have not been able to ascer-
tam it. She mounted IA guns, twelve 24-
pound carronades and two long e-pounders
Finding the enemy had two other origs and
a schooner IN the Niagara river. determined
toleave a force 20 watch them, and selected
the Jefferson, Syiph and Oneida for that puI-)
p 50, and placed the whole unGer the orders
ofCapt. Sdgely. Having looked into York
without discovering any vessel Of the enemy
left the Niagara with the remainder of the
squadron on the evening of the 7th, and arri-
we'd here the 9th. We found one of the enc
nny's ships in the o.ling, and chased her INTO
Kingston.
My anxiety 70 return 20 this end of thelak
was increased by the knowledge had of the
weakness OF Sackett's Earbor, ard the appre
henson that the enemy might receive large
reinfOrcements at Kingston, and, embarknr
some OF the troops on board his feet, make
dash at the Ha,bor and burn it with all nv
stores during our absence. When | left the
Harbor there were about zoo regular troops
called il, but little could be expected from
them should an attack be made. My appre-
sion, 1t seems, was gTouIitiiess, the enemyhavng
contented himself with annoying III some tri-
ling degree the coasters between Csweeo
and the HaTbor in his 5oats
/ Cannot forbear expressing the regret
feel that so mach sensation has been excited
in the pablic !nnd, because tiis squadron did
not sail So soon as the wise-hcads that conduct
our newspapers have presumed to think !
ought. need not suggest to one OF your eX-
pei'ience, that "A man of war may appear 10
the eye of landsman perfectly ready for sea,
when she is deficient IN many OF the most es-
senti,l points of her armament, nor how un-
worthy should have proved myself of the
high tiustrepose6 IL me, had venturcd to
sea IN the face ofan enemy Of equal force,
without being ready 10 meet him in enc hour
after my anchor was weighed.
1t ought in justice 10 be recollected tllatthe
building and equipment Of vessels on the At
lantic are unattended by any of the great diff
fculties which we have TO encounter on this
Lake (; there every department alountls with
facilities. a commander makes a requsition,
& articles of every description are furnished
ntwelye hours but this fieee has been built
and iitled in the wilderness, where there are
no agents and chambers shops & founderies
&c. &c. to supply our wants, but every thing
Is to 6e created and yet | shall not decline
comparison of what has been done here, with
any ching done on the Atlantic, in tie building
or equipments Cf vessels. The Guerrero, for
instance, has been bh,lding and fitting upwards
OF twelve months in the City Of Phiiadelphia.
aud is not yet ready. The President fricate
went ITO the Navy-Y3rd AT Ncw-Yo,k for
some partia! repairs, a few DAYS after the
keei ofthe Superior was laid since then two
frij,1tes Ola large class and two sloops of war
OF the largest Class, have been built and fitted
here, and have sailed before the President is
ready for sea, although every article of their
armament and rigging has been transported
from New-Ecrk IN despite Of Obstacles al
most ia5urT3cuntaolc. J VIII 10 farther. sir,
for it is due 20 the unremitted and unsnrpass-
ed exertons of tllnse who have served the
pu5lc under ny command, and will challenge
thc world TO produce, parallel INSTANCE. IN
which the same number of vessels # such al
Iaensions have been built and fitted in the
same time by tle same NUMBER of wor5rnei,.
! confess that am mortified in not having
succeeded IN satisfying the expectations of the
public, bu it would be Infinitely more painful,
could fluid any want 81 zeal Or eXertion in my
endeavors to serve them. 10 which could in
any degree iTpute their disappointment
ihavc the honor 20 be-, sir, with the utmost
respect, your most obedient aud humble ser
want,
ISAAC cHAUNCEY.
Hon WV. JowEs,