The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-27

NEws FROM TIE AFRICAN SQUADRON. I'VE have
received BY the OHIO, at Provincetown, budget Of
interesting information from our African squad
ron. We give one letter, which contains fact or
two worth knowing
U. s. SHIr DEcATuR,
PoRTo PRAYA, Oct 9, 1913. :
Movements Of the Sqaadron--Narai Court Mar
tials-Hnmbugs of the Service Yachting and
Yaping-pTec Of Porto Gramde.
SIR Perfectly unknown to you, except by re-
putatlon, as the editor of the most worthy and IN
telligent paper Of the United States make bold to
| inform you are here We Joined the flag ship
Macedonian, Commodore Perry. at Porto Grande,
IN me Island OF 81. vincent whele, on joining, the
| upon our joining the flag ship made.
Our ship was IN most miserable condition as
regards her equipment, tor upon stripping her at ST.
found to be perfectly decayed with the dry rot,
although the ship had been reported ready for sea
by her last commander, and had experienced
any thlng OF gale on orr passage outthe ship and
safe
eve arrived at this place on the 10th of Septem-
Der last and sailed again on the 10th for st. Vim
cent. This has been chosen by the department for
the rendezvous Of the African squadron, but there
is no harbor, and vessels liable to be driven
the rocks which bound the shore, by some terrible
which fate occurred to U. S. store ship. about
three months since, from wreck of which only
about one. third Of her stores were saved. Indepen-
dant OF the insecurity OF the harbor or rather road
upon almost every thing and, indeed, duties have
to be paid upon merchandise or slop clothing and
provisions, which are transferred from one Of our
HEa ships lying in the roads road to another and
stores, they would have to pay duties according to
the laws OF the country, which are very heavy
The Commodore had already preferred charges
ga, because he had asked for his rights, the COM
!mand of the brig Porpoise. which command had
become vacant by the return of her Lieut.. Com
was, that on joining the Macedonian, when a
sufficiency of officers could be convened for
Court Martial, this officer was tried and
hs e
was the accuser, being the principal evidence
agans, him. Those who. know the accused, Can
fully attest to the fair and unblemshed character
he has ever borne since his entrance into the SER
vice, and there is man, when he becomes ac-
quainted with the features OF the case, but will
honestly acqult him Of the charges preferred against
We all are well on board, with an excellent CON-
mander, and without an exception, splendid COM
plement OF officers Our crew also are excellent
set Of men, and well treated by the officers
was she not too short by about twenty feet; in fact
she would make splendid sixteen gun brig, and
think our Bureau Of Construction would think the
same, was il TO inspect her as it should do.
all, with the exception of the Governor, the Anne.
rcan Consul, and two Lieutenants of the Portu
guese army are negroes. The town consists OF
Is or 70 houses or huts but the harbor or bay,
may be termed, is IA beautiful sheet Of water; bu
an iron bound shore, where the rocks rise in many
places to the heghh Of 300 and 500 feet, the base.
of which roll heavy surf rendering landing, except
at the small portion Of beach where the town j.
located, dangerous, if not impossible. This place
s worse off with respect to harbor, but the town,
situated on high bluff Of land, ut the bottom OF
the indentaton often styled the harbor, contains
population OF about 500, two-thirds Of which are
negroes; the houses generally of one story, bu
of stone, or mud and stones. The English have
Consul here, as also have We, and naval store.
keeper; but from the unusual course pursued by the
Government Of compelling us to pay duties upoh
our own Government stores, think this will not b.
long our rendezvous. 1t is not known where We
go from this place, but the general suppositlon u.s.
that the squadron is a humbug, and will not pay
The commander considers il as yatch sailing. and
after he has dined, comes deck, sets the band
playing, and says to himself, Let us evOlutionize,"
and up goes the signal, 'Close on the Van," OF
some other outlandish signal which we poor Jack.
can't get hold of, except we hear some Of the Off
GERS talking of them on the poop deck
18th Oct.-We are underway; can write no
more.
We have not heard of a single capture of a
SLAYER, or any thing that looks like one, by our
squadron OF eighty guns strong, on the coast.