The Irish standard., 1905-01-28

of cruel imprisonment OF death in case
of failure or capture by vindictive
enemy. In 1916 congress employed
him to fit out the first fleet that sailed
from Philadelphia and to superintend
the building Of state ship. In May
he took command of the siXteen-gun
brig Lexington and went to sea to
clear the coast OF the small cruisers in
Testing it, although the command car
ricd no emolument. He ran past the
Delaware cape in the face of a British
fleet, captured the war vessel Edward
and drove the small cruisers from the
sea. When the blockade made it i'm
possible to get to SEA lie joined the
army at Trenton. n. j., and gave
good service in the operations there.
When the British army occupied Phil
adclphia he took the frigatcs building
there up the Delaware, but they were
subsequently burned by the British.
1t was at this time he was offered
fifteen thousand guineas and command
of a British frigatc if he would aban-
don the American cause; and Barry re-
fused the offer with Scorn, sta ting that
England had neither money nor posi-
tion to buy him.
During the continuance of the block
, AIDE Barry's activity on the Delaware
river against the enemy resulted in the
nSt nf t\cn In Sl,
eight gun schooner ana Il large guam
tity of stores and military supplies.
In 171S he took command Of the fri
gate Raleigh, 50 guns, and sailed from
Boston, and for Il few days out he
f, WAS chased and engaged by an over
, whcnling British force. After doing
considerable damage to the enemy and
suffering in Il way that would make it
difficult to escape capture, Barry took
heroic measures and ran the Raleigh
ashore on an island off the coast. He
, carried off So of his men and left an
: officer with some men to destroy the
slip by fire, hut that officer betrayed
his trust ana the vessel was captured
ana iloatcd by the British
West Indies, and then in 1871 be took
/: command of the frigate Alliance and
! sailed for France from Boston with
! Colonel Laurens, who went OH an en-
bassy from Washington to the French
court Having landed his passenger he
cruised in the neighboring seas and on
May 90 he attacked two British vessels
of war, the Atlanta and the Trepassy,
and captured both. During the battle
Barry was severly wounded and his
flag was shot away and his second in
command was willing to surrender,
until Barry's bravery and indignation
reused the crew and brought about the
surrender Of the enemy.
After resting and refitting in Lori
cnt, the Alliance sailed for America,
carrying thither the Marquise de La
| fayctte and the Count Noailles. In
March. 1882. the Alliance went to
Havana to escort the sloop Luzerne,
laden with specie, to America. The
ships We're attacked by British fleet
and the specie was removed to the Alli-
ancc for safety and after pretty fight
a French frigate hove in sight and the
British took to their heels, pursued by
Barry and the Frenchman. The Alli-
nncc had three men killed and eleven
wounded in this action, while the ene-
| my had 81 killed and 80 wounded. The
treasure saved was Of prime import
ancc to the American cause and it con-
trbuted to found the famous bank Of
North America.
! Throughout the remainder of the
Struggle for liberty he gave his time,
talents, skill and courage to the cause
of his adopted country and he was
acknowledged rs one of the great men
whose services made the American re.
public possible.
When independence and peace came
an infant navy was built under his
supervision, and his skill and knowl-
edge were potent elements in contrib
uting to the efficiency and success Of
the naval establishment. When the