LETTERS OF A FRIEND TO THE NAVY. 77 



was irregular, and he was very properly ordered to restore the 

 money. In which case no appeal lies to the " Citizen ;" and if the 

 officer has sent his report of this case to the " Citizen," he has 

 prohably made a mistake in the direction. 



The finishing of the frigate Macedonian and store-ship Relief, 

 and the building of the two brigs and schooner, required extraor- 

 dinary exertions on the part of the officers to whom these duties 

 were assigned, and for the performance of which they are entitled 

 to much credit ; yet all this does not satisfy the " Citizen," and 

 in his No. V. he asserts that the Macedonian was not completed 

 and in a condition to receive her complement of men until June of 

 this year. It is believed the " Citizen" is somewhat incorrect ; 

 but if what he states is true, is it the fault of the secretary ? The 

 expedition could not be sent out upon the proposed plan without 

 the frigate ; it was therefore impossible that the squadron should 

 be now doubling Cape Horn. 



In March last, and before the Macedonian was finished, as the 

 " Citizen" says, it was discovered, from the sailing of the Pioneer, 

 that she was not fit for service in this expedition ; and the Con- 

 sort and Pilot were believed to be in a still worse condition. Until 

 the necessary alterations shall be made in these vessels they can- 

 not be sent out as a part of this exploring squadron ; so that, in 

 fact, there has been no time at which this squadron could have 

 been sent to sea, even if there had been no difficulty as to recruit- 

 ing seamen. In this no delay was feared after the time that the 

 vessel could be prepared ; and the secretary, in his report to the 

 president of the 6th of February last, says, " the difficulties which 

 have retarded the recruiting for this service are nearly obviated ; 

 and it is confidently hoped that in a short time there will be suf- 

 ficient numbers recruited to complete the crews of all the vessels 

 of the squadron." 



The " Citizen" very unnecessarily works himself into a fury 

 about the Macedonian ; in his same number five he says to the sec- 

 retary, " In speaking of the vessels, you proceed to tell the presi- 

 dent that ' the frigate and store-ship which were on the stocks when 

 this measure was authorized have been finished and equipped, and 

 are now receiving their crews.' What unaccountable hallucination 

 could have possessed your mind when you wrote this sentence ? 

 Did you, in the first draught of your report, put down what ought 



