Evening journal., 1901-02-19
MERICANS AND BRITAlAS
FOUGHT NAVAL BATTLE OFF LEWES
Continued From First Page).

place. The entire force was subject to
orders from Col Davis
"The national government sent down
the Delaware gun boats to check the
depredations of the British. They took
no part in the engagement which fol-
lowed. and on the enemies side was
participated in by four lauaches OF
twenty-four and eighteen Founders;
two sloops carrying thirty-two pound
ers and a mortar; pilot boat having
six FOUNDERS and the schooner Paz
mounting twelve Founders Of twelve
calibre each. covered by the fiigates.
Belvidera and Pointers belonging 20
that formidable class of naval wars
men known as "seventy-fours Alto
gether 241 guns thundered and ex-
ploded at the defiant town.
LESS than a week elapsed attar the
arrival of the blockading squadr N be-
fore the men on ship board were II
need of vegetables and beef. The silly
commodore believed he was sufficient
ly formidable to enforce his demand.
He haughtily addressed to the first
magistrate of lewiston a letter sent
from his maiesty's ship Poict.ers, in
the mouth Of the Delaware March
16. not forgetting to politely
append sir. Then followed the read
ing of the letter asking for 20 bullOcks
with a prCpOrtionate quantity of hay,
promising payment at Philadelphia
prices and threatened il the request
was refused to destroy the town. Said
the speaker, such a precious document
inviting the first magistrate Of Lewis
town. to act as commissary officer on
shore TO the British fleet and thereby
place halter round his neck. got in
the hands of Colonel Davis, who trans
mitted il to GoyOner Has.it. Neither
the governor nor those acting under
him were ignorant of article Sc, OF
articles of war. which was in this
wise. who ever shall relieve the enemy
with money viotuals or ammunition OF
shall knowingly harbor or protect an
enemy, shall suffer death or such pun
ishment as shall be ordered by the
sentence Of a Ccu-t-matnal."
The governor left Dover and re-
paired to Lewes and. .frcm the latter
place under date OF March 23. he an
swered Beiesford. In it ne asserted
that governments should be magnami-
nous when at war and not wasten.y de-
stroy property, making a plea agiins.
the threatened attack, and stating that
a compliance with the demand would
be a violation Of the laws Of his coun-
try. BeresfoTd promptly replied, say
ing it was not ungenerCus to destroy
the town and if he did so the distress
must be attributed to themselves. Cap
tain Byron on the 9th of March, sup
plemented the demand. The speaker
went on to say: Correspondence was
at an end. Beresford's first demand
was OF the 10th of March, his letter
of the 23d He had procrastnated in
making his attack which did not take
place until the 9Th OF April. This
paragraph re,ating to his tardiness is
from the National Intellsences. Com
modore Beresford would seem to have
suddenly altered his mind with re
spect to burning down LewistOwn, to
make fire to roast the Delaware oxen
by It would be too offensive to sup
pose a British officer would threaten
without meaning to be as good as his
word. But certain it is that the com
modore has fallen into a dilemma,
which his friends at the coffee house
is highly seasoned and if served up
with forced meat balls, might not
prove as palatable to this nautical
hero as the roast beef Of old England.
"Beresford felt the necessity of act
ing. so he ordered the attack The
speaker next read Colonel Davis dis
patches to the governor; announcing
the order by the British for him to
remove women and children and the
old hero's reply that he was a gallant
man and had already taken care OF
the ladies'; he reported silencing one
OF the enemy's most dangerous gun
boats and made a demand for shOi
and powder The colonel adding: II
is uncertain how long the lombard
ment will continue" The dispatch
closed in this wise, lin this affair, yOJ
will find the honor of the state ha:
not been tarnished."
The speaker next gave a list O
twelve guns mounted in the battery
their calibre, number of muskets, car
tridges, pounds of powder, fiints an'
lead. OF the twelve guns several wer'
badly mounted, and they were withOu
ball for them. While the fight wa
in progress, the legislature in convene
session appropriated $4,000 for tn
defence of Lewes; after reading &C
counts relating to the attack from
newspaper in Baltimore. Of date Apii
s. 1913, the speaker furnished this in
cident. A spectator Of the closin
scene described it; he said: II
gained a situation above the towr
commanding an open view; the BIRTHS
ships were ranged in line Of battle
the fire ceased about o'clock, whe
he visited the earth works. The weatf
er was threatening, winds easterl.
Captain Byrcn drew off his squadro
at 4 o'clock, a few miles, where b
remained until sailing for the cape
About 500 shots were fired. CO
lection Of $50 of small sizes and fe
bombs were made. Houses were mad
Houses were injured, Chimneys cut a
most in two, the corner posts. pat
and studs cut of in several house
The foremast of a schooner cut awi
and another received a shot in h
hull. OF two particular rockets throw
one fell on a lot another in a mars
A fire was directed at the breastwo
where more than thirty men were st