PERTAINING TO SITUATION IN 1852-1853. 175 



I am gratified to learn that there is a strong probability that under 

 the skill of engineer Martin and his associates, the Princeton may yet 

 be a successful and serviceable war steamer. 



I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 



J. C. DOBBIN. 

 Com. W. B. SHUBRICK, 



Commanding the United States /Squadron, 



Eastern coast of the U. $., Portsmouth, N. H. 



Commodore Shubrick to Commander Whittle. 



U. S. STEAMER PRINCETON. 

 Portsmouth, N. H., July 23, 1853. 



SIR: The Decatur being in all respects ready for sea, you will 

 proceed, when the signal is made for you to separate, to the grounds 

 usually resorted to by American fishermen. You will run along 

 the coast of the United States as far as Penobscot bay, and then 

 stand across the mouth of the Bay of Fundy to Cape Sable, then 

 along the coast of Nova Scotia to the Strait or Gut of Canso ; passing 

 through which, you will proceed to the Magdalen islands; from the 

 Magdalen islands you will stand over to the island of Newfoundland, 

 making the island about Cape Ray, and running down on the west 

 coast the whole extent of the island, and then cross to the coast of 

 Labrador. 



You will anchor at your discretion at the places most resorted to 

 by our fishermen, and so regulate the extent of your cruise as to 

 return to St. John, Newfoundland, by the twentieth of August, where 

 you will probably find me, or orders for your further proceedings. 

 If I should not be there, and you should receive no orders, you will 

 leave St. John in time to be at Portsmouth, N. H., by the 15th 

 September. 



The objects of your cruise are, in the first place, to protect the 

 citizens of the United States engaged in the business of fishing in 

 their just rights; and, in the second place, to caution them against 

 encroaching on the rights of others. What those respective rights are 

 you will learn by the copy of the first article of the convention of 

 1818, which is enclosed with this, and in which they are defined. 



You will be careful to maintain, in your intercourse with vessels 

 of war of other nations with which you may meet, the most respectful 

 and cordial manner, communicating frankly the objects of your 

 cruise, and avowing your readiness to co-operate with them in secur- 

 ing the observance of treaty stipulations by the citizens of the re- 

 spective countries. 



It is confidently expected that there will be no interference with 

 the lawful pursuits of the citizens of the United States. If, how- 

 ever, this just expectation should be disappointed, and you find that 

 such interference has taken place, you will carefully collect the facts 

 of the case, or cases, and report them immediately to me ; or, if oppor- 

 tunity should offer, directly to the Secretary of the Navy; in which 

 last case you will send a copy of your communication to the depart- 

 ment to me. 



