Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1823-12-04

! ioepa, iment knY the three FIRST quarters OF
The ie.eot year, wit he progress mad
~ augmen,iog The d Wy and The mann
been employed.
The usual force has been maintaineu
in the Mediterranean Sea, The Pacific y
cesn, and along the Atlantic Coast, anc
has afforded the necessary protection L.
| our commerce IN those seas.
10 he West Indies aud the Cult OF
Mex,co, our naval force has been aug
mented, by the addition OF several small
; vessels. provided for by the ACT authors
! z'ne an additional naval force for the sup
preston OF piracy" passed by Congress
at their las ession. That armament has
been em,nently successful in the accom-
pIishment oil lis object. The pracies by
which our commerce in TIE neighborhood
OF the island of Cuba had been afflicted, ;
have been repre,sed, and the confidence
| of our merchants, IN great measure r..
stored
The patriotic zeal and enterprise OF
Commodore Porter, TO whom com.
msnd OF The cap. dItlOn Was cOnhded, has
heen fully seconded by The officers and
| zen, under bis command. And, in re
| heCting with nigh satisfaction on the hU
nnrahe manner in which they have sus.
I,ined toe reputation oil their county, and
It's navy, the sentiment is alleged only by
concern, that, I'D the tulhiment OF that
! ,rduous service the diseases incident TO
80 e season, and TO the climate in which II
was Discharged, have deprived Inc nation
o macy useful lives, AMI among them OF
several v6icers OF great promise.
In the uOnih ct August, very ma!Ig.
nant fever made its appearance al Fbnmp.
sous Island, which threatened the de
struction OF our station there Many Pc.
rished, and the commanding officer was
severely attacked Uncertain as TO his
fate and knowing thai mrst OF The medi.
cal officers h,d been rendered incapable
of dlschargng heir du.es it was thought
expedlenl send to that post an officer OF
rank and experience, with several skll'ui
surgeons, to ascertain the origin OF the te
yer, and The productivity It's recurrence
| here IN tulure seasons; 10 furnish very
| assistance to 'nOse VINO were >utf rrDg
| AMI ii PRACTICAL e 10 avnId the necessity oil
abandoning 80 ilB, Orianl station Com
Rodgers, with a prOmplitude which did
bun honor, rheeftuliy accepted that rust,
and has discharged it IN the mann T anti
cIpaled trun Ut skill and patriotism
Before his arrIva', Commodore Porer,
with The greater part IT The squadron, mai
removed from The Island, AMI IetuLned to
Inc United States, IN Consequence OF The
prevailing sickness. blucn useful nIor'
1 l,t,t q.
the stale OF tn. Island, and great relIet at
torded 10 those vino bad been necessarily
| ell there
Although our expedition. cooperating
with al lnvigora,ed administrator OF the
government OF the ISLAM of Cuba, and
with the corse. ponding active exertlons oil
a British naval force in he same seas
have almost entirely destroyed the Unli'
censed plracIes from that island, The sue
cess OF our exertiUns has not been equally
efp tual to suppress the same crime, un'
her other preteLces and cOIUrs, in the
n.gbuoripg island OF Porto RICO They
have been committed there under The a.
bus,ve issue OF Spanish commissions. Al
an early period OF the present year, re
muns,rances were made 10 the governor
OF that island, by an agent, who was sent
for the purpose ag inst those on RACES on
The peaceful commerce OF the United
States. OF which many had occurred. Tha,
ficer PROCESSING his oaH want OF huthO-
Lay to make satisfaction icr our Jrst com-
| li,lnts, answ cred only by reference OF
r,em TO The government OF Spain The
minister OF The United Safes to that Curt
was specially instructed TO urge the ne
cpssit, OF the imme date and .tfee ual in
exposition of hat government, directing
restitution and indemnity for wrongs al.
re,dy committed, ann "ert'ct'ns the re-
petition OF them. Th minrter, as has
been seen, was debarred access 10 the
Spanish government. and, in the mean
time. several new cases Oi hagrant out
rage have occurred, and The citizens OF
The United States in the island OF Porto
Rico have suffered, and others been
threatened with assassination, tor assert
ing their unquestIonable rights, even be-
tore the lawful tribunals Of the country
The usual orders have been gwen 10 all
our public ships, 10 seize American yes
sells engaged in the slave trade, and bring
them IN tor adjudication, and | have the
qualification 10 stale, that not one so en-
ployed ha. been discovered and there IS
good reason to believe that our flag Is DOW
seldom, it at all, dI>gracst by that traffic.
| Ii is source OF great satisfaction, that
we are always enabled f. recur [" The con-
duct of OF our Navy with pride aid coD-
mendation As a means OF rational de.
fence It enjoys the public confidence, and
IL, steadily assuming additional impor'
lance 1t is submlte,' whether M re- ef.
fic ,ent and equally economical orgaHza
ton OF II might not. in several respects, be
effected II il supposed thai higher grades,
than now exist by law, would be useful.
The y would aford well nerited rewards
10 those who have long and faithfully
served their country; present the best in.