Alexandria gazette & advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1822-1824, 1824-07-31

1
LA tAYETTE proposed to take passage fol
this port in the ship Sfephania, and that
he would determine on the SUBJECT The toll.
lowing day. The Slephanla had agreed
| TO wait uatil the 10th OF July in case the
Geneal could be readyto embark by that
| time. Mercantile yidoertsssy.
Letters from Jamaica to The Gin instant,
mention no news OF interest. Flour cont.
nued at l2 dollars per barrel: about $500
barrels had arrived since il rose to- that
price. Ibid,
A great sensation exists in this CITY in
consequence OF lbe account we published
yesterday Of the capture of The sohr. Mer.
Gator, by pirates. The anxiety of the
friends OF the crew is extreme, and it is
ascertainec that upwards of ffy-1fve hou-
sand dollars was insured in this city on the
cargo. Ibid
The newspapers have for some time
past teemed with encomiums on Commo-
dore Porter, for his active and successful
efforts IN suppressing piracy in The West
Indies; and 1t is probable that their coun-
try readers really believe dat our mer-
chant ships. with their enterprising crews
and valuable cargoess are navigating those
regions in perfect security: but the fact is,
the pirates are at this moment as hume.
rous, as daring and as successful in their
attacks upon our commerce as at any tor.
mer period; and so far trom being put
down ty the squadron which the nation IS
maintaining at so great an expense, it is
even questionable whether this very SQUAD
ron has not produced more harm than good,
by ininsing groundless coD6de,d in the
minds OF our mariners engaged in that
trade, who, relying on the protection Of
tered by their government, have omitted
TO provide themselves with the means of
seli-detpnce, and have thus fallen uDresist-
ing victims to the rapacity and cruelty Of
those tends in human shape.
Those persons whom professional pur-
suits have led 10 an attentive observation
of events in the West Indies, have long
been convinced that the system adopted
by government for the suppression OF pi
rscy is eitber 10 itself, or from the manner
10 which it is executed totally insufficient,
and that some other more e6icaClou, means
must be adop ed. This is due to the feel.
ings OF those who are suffering under the
loss ot their property, or mourning the
death OF near relative or friend, butcher
ed by these monsters.
Recent accounts from Matauzas, which
is in tue vicinity OF Key West, our naval
squadron had lately been Withdrawn from
that post, and that the bulls of tour brigs
destroyed by the pirates, had been seen TO
the eGstward-the crews of which were
supposed to be murdered. Three others,
the John, of Newport, the Be,sey Dole,
and the Castor, had been boarded, their
cargoes plundered. and their crews shame.
fully abused. The capture of the Merca-
tOT adds one more vessel to the list.--l6.
Captain Singer, OF the brig Columbia,
arrived bere (says the Philadelphia Ga.
zette reports, that the day previous to bis
sailing from St. Johns, there were FIVE pi-
rates brought over by land by guard of
soldiers from Cabrobo. small port near
the west end OF the Island. The Cover
nor had issued orders that launch well
manned should be fitted out of each port
10 the Island Immediately, TO suppress pi
racy, and that every hut within mile of
the coast should be RACED in less than eight
days from The date of his proclamation -
The pirates taken and brought in. are
part of the gang that infested the south side
oil the Island and taken several vessels,
most OF the crews OF which have been mur-
dered. From the strong CircumsrantiaI
evidence against them, il was The general
opinion that they would undergo immed.
ate execution.