142 Naval War of 1812 



cares for the lesson taught, not the teacher, and is 

 quite as willing to learn from the defeat of the 

 Chesapeake as from the victories of the Constitution 

 while most American critics only pay heed to the 

 latter. 



The characteristics of the action are the practical 

 equality of the contestants in point of force and the 

 enormous disparity in the damage each suffered ; nu 

 merically, the Wasp was superior by 5 per cent, 

 and inflicted a ninefold greater loss. 



Captain Jones was not destined to bring his prize 

 into port, for a few hours afterward the Poictiers, 

 a British 74, Captain John Poer Beresford, hove in 

 sight. Now appeared the value of the Frolic's des 

 perate defence ; if she could not prevent herself from 

 being captured, she had at least ensured her own 

 recapture, and also the capture of the foe. When 

 the Wasp shook out her sails they were found to 

 be cut into ribbons aloft, and she could not make off 

 with sufficient speed. As the Poictiers passed the 

 Frolic, rolling like a log in the water, she threw a 

 shot over her, and soon overtook the Wasp. Both 

 vessels were carried into Bermuda. Captain Whin- 

 yates was again put in command of the Frolic. Cap 

 tain Jones and his men were soon exchanged; 25,- 

 ooo dollars prize-money was voted them by Con 

 gress, and the Captain and Lieutenant Biddle were 

 both promoted, the former receiving the captured 

 ship Macedonian. Unluckily the blockade was too 

 close for him to succeed in getting out during the 

 remainder of the war. 



