LETTERS OF A FRIEND TO THE NAVY, 377 



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 

 probably 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,? 

 DM xrrvn ^ the first draught of your report, put down what ought 



