Delaware State journal, advertiser and star. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1832-1833, 1833-08-13
Extract of a Letter from an officer on board
the u. S. ship Falmouth, dated Callaso
Rndcs Feb % 1883

yesterday, the U. S. frigatc Potomac,
Commodore D. vines, sailed for Valparaisc;
and, i'll order to comp,rc the sailing of the
two ships, the Falmouth also got under way
at the same time, and never did two ships get
their anchors on board and sails set in shDr-
ter time, nor in hantsnmcr stvle. TIE
Potomac was anchored ab mt two hundl cd
yards to ,ecward of 0ur ship
At tNirty-six minutes past l. p. M. the
ICommodore made signs to get nnd,r way. 1t
would be difficult to give an d fthc excite
mcnt at the moment: and n.thing but the
high constant state of discipline on board
could nave rcpresSed the enthusiasm of the
crew; they seemed to feel, individuality, that
their respective regulations rested on the re-
suit of the contest; and the same spirit of
emulation existed in both ships. The orders
seemed to be executed by some talsmanc
power vt the wards III which they were is
sued. The successive scntences-"Lay aloft
topman;' clay out and loose awav," %. et
l tall; 'Shut homei" and "Host away the
topsails," brought the topsai!s to the mast
head in less time than require to describe
the act. The next moment, capstain bars
were manned, and the anchor hurried from
Its oczy bed to the merry tune of Fishers
H Hornpipe.
! he top gallant sails we e set, and the
F yards braced; and we were going ahead close
hauled, with courses, topsails, and topgallant
sails set, III precisely four minutes after the
Commod''re's signal was displayed-and the
anchors both Coated" and .'fshed." The
Potomac was about forty seconds longer in
f getting under the same sail. and aminute and
J a halt in getting her anchors to her bows; SC
: that we consider her beaten by minute and
: "A halt but 1t is mere easy to imagine thar
) Dc scribe the rapidity with which that large
: and beautiful ship was put il motion; from
A a state ct rest, with ali her sails neatly furl
: ed, she begen $50 walk the waters like
| thing of life" and in five and a half minutes
after the signal was made. The Red Rover
D of Coopcr's fancy, would have thought him
Y self outdone, had he been here to look on
n The wind was at first light. but afterward
i increased TO a severe knot ,reeze.
: In twenty minutes after the two ship
+. hauled upon wind, we passed the frigate l.
7vind7vard; and, contrary to all opinion an,
d expectation, we kept ahead, and to windwari
d after the breeze freshened, and we were il
II the open sea: for the Potomac has a reputa
e ton for sai!in FAST while the Falmouth is on
e ly considered fair sailer for Man Of Wa,
y At four O'Clock. p. NJ, the frigate was abou
'. three miles astern. AT six o'clock the Com
" modore made signals, which we could Jus
: distinguish, to tack, and make the best of on
way back to Port. We sailed forty mile.
,r and beat her about hve-part of the tim
ID were under royals and flying jib. The friq
q, ate sent down her royal yards about thre
v O'Clock, md from that time we were sailn
in FROM seven to eight knots under top gallaI
IS sails.
j. The officers on board consider this to ha,