96 TlMEHRI. 



should be when sent to sea. And soon Englishmen began 

 to wonder at what was happening. On the 13th of August, 

 1812, the Alert, of 16 guns, was captured by Captain 

 PORTER in the United States' frigate, Essex, of 32 guns. 

 On the 19th of the same month the Gueme're, of 32 guns, 

 was taken by Captain HULL, in the Constitution, of 44guns. 

 On the 18th of Oftoberthe Frolic, of 18 guns, was taken 

 by Captain JACOB JONES, in the Wasp. On the 25th 

 of 06tober, the Macedonian, of 38 guns, was taken by 

 Captain Decatur in the United States of 44 guns. 

 Then, on the 29th of December, off St. Salvador, in 

 Brazil, the Java, of 38 guns, was captured by Commodore 

 Bainbridge. This was not a bad beginning for an 

 infant navy, in its struggle with the Mistress of the Seas, 

 especially when, as was the case, but one American 

 war-ship, the Wasp, had been, up to date, captured 

 by the English. Little knowing against what odds their 

 ships had fought : for the condition of some of them was 

 worse than the disadvantage of fighting bigger ships, 

 better armed and manned : people in England cried out 

 against their brave officers. Accustomed to victory, 

 they seemed to think that their officers could wrest it 

 against any odds. As it was, the Americans had to burn 

 the Guerriere and the Java, as soon as these were taken. 

 The Frolic was recaptured and her Captain at the same 

 time taken. The Alert, formerly a collier, was found 

 unfit for a store ship, and was turned into a block-ship ; 

 and the Macedonian alone was added to the navy of the 

 United States. The young Republic's sailors had, how- 

 ever, established their prestige, and, although the odds 

 had been on their side, it was now plain that descendants 

 of Englishmen settled in the New World were not afraid 



