Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1834-07-25
.ARusE De GuraRE.-Strategie as well as force

is among all nations considered justifable in
war, but whether the conduct which is embrace
ed in the anecdote which We are about to relate,
should be considered strictly in accordance with
the mdfal principle which ought to regulate the
actions of men, we leave to casuists to decide.
Daring the early part OF the last war with
Great Britain, small brig mounting about ten
skies, with a crew OF forty OF fifty men, sailed
from New England as a Leter-of-M arque, with
pefSntssion to cruise as priyateer for acertain
length of time, and capture prizes from the enc
my While cruising inthe latitude of the home
ward bound West Indiamen, the brig one morn
ing fell in with large ship, to which she gave
chase, but the Captain, an "old sea dog" on
accommodating her through his spy-glass, was
satisfied that she mounted too many guns to
Sontehd with, with any prospect of success, and
hitiled off, much TO the dissatisfaction the crew
who attributed his conduct to want of spirit and
COURAGE. In fact, they were not backward in
exhibiting their feeling, and the word copard
was more than once banded about the ship in
the hearing of the Captain.
A few DAYS afterwards the brig fell in with
another vessel. Every stitch of canvass was
spread, and just at night, the chase was made
sui TO be large West lndiaman, apparently
well armed and manned, and looking like an
"ugy customer" "Now" said the Yankee
CAPTAIN to his crew. II wish you to listen, men, to
what am going to say. heard some of you
muttering something, not long since, about cor-
drds,-and to oblige you, will give you an op-
portuhity of testing the courage of every man
On board. You see that ship ahead. She is
pierced for twenty-four guns, and probably car
rjes sixteen at least, ofheavy metal. That ship
shall be my prize before two hours. So look out
for. squalls. Ifsome Of you don't lose the num-
Der OF your mess Pm mistaken. But mind We,
is5Dacking out-CowARDs, hal"
The crew looked rather blank at this pithy
-. h,,k1 or NOT STRAIT
were caught in their own tolls and resolved to
fight it out like men.
a'Nfght came on, but they still kept sight Of the
Enriishman. Ii was about half past eight in
the evening, when they ranged up within hail,
erthe weather quarter of their more bulky an-
tag1nst who had every man at quarters, evil
IDENTITY prepared for brush, and with his high
'5nkwarks, and numerous deck lanthorns, pre-
ssnted rather a formidable appearance. The
CAPTAIN ofthe' brig seized his speaking trumpet,
and;in peremptory manner hailed the stran-
ser.~
s4",Ship ahoy!'
,.H.Halo!n
: q Heave too-and I'll send my boat on board"
.ls.,What brig is that, pray?"
.s''e1he United States Brig ARGUsM
.. {" Aye, aye, STRIP
Jshn Bull thought it would be madness to
contend with the U. S. brig Argus which was
We'll known to be a crack Sloop of War of
twenty gins, and accordingly backed his main
:toA.Sail, without further parley. The Yankees
, %ese thunderstruck at their Captains impu-
: dence. But the quarter boat was lowered, and
Offered and manned Immediately, in true man
&-,yar style
= !Phe American officer assembled the gang-way
/; Ct the English ship with "swab" on his shout
DEF "What ship is this?" said he, in an au-
hiorltative tone as soon as he reached the deck.
-HThe English ship Caernavon Castle, sir,
ff6nn Barbados bound to Brostol," returned
tAe Euglishman, submissively.
'1tThen sir, you will please to step into the
Boat, with your papers, and return with me on
board the Argus. Mr.. Simpson," said he to
theCaptain's clerk, who filled the post of a mid
dy on this occasion, Z" l leave you with the men
irfSharge of the ship you will proceed to put
the prisoners in irons, ready to be transferred to
the Argus"
when the British Captain arrived alongside
the Argus, he was astonished at her dlmnutive
size;-when he got on board, he saw at once that
he had been duped; but twas then too late to re-
medy the evil
"Sir," said he to the Yankee Captain, more
in anger than in sorrow "you told me this YES
sci was the United States brig Argus"
al told you the truth, sir. Her name IS the
Argus, and she belongs to the United States"
A Fair Business Trdnsaction!-Some months
ago, at the time of the greatest pressure in the
money market Isaac Hill then at Washington,
wrote to the Directors of the Merrimac County
Bank in this town, asking them to place to the
credit of the Post Master General $4,000; as
surfing them that interest would be allowed from
the time Of placing ofsaid sum to the credit of
the Department, until it should be paid; and near
the close of the session, the same MIR. Hill voted
in the Senate, with forty other Senator'S being
tbswhoe number present, that all the money
borrowed by the Post Office Department, was
borrowed without any authority from Govern
hient;-that all such bargains were illegal, null
and void, and the Government could not and
ought not, to assume them.
aor Concord (N H. Courier.
How does it happen that Major Barry, the
Postmaster General, who has practsed and
sanctioned the enormous and unexampled abu-
ses of that department-by which the depart
ment is involved in debts and defalcations of
more than 81, 00,00O,-how does it happen
that he is the only man whom Gen. Jackson re-
tains in office, through the mutations-the I" ins
aid the outs" He has had, already, four Secre-
C Co. e Al.