170 
ment between the English and the Americans took place, in which 
the American militia is said to have displayed no very great de¬ 
gree of courage. In consequence of this affair, the English march¬ 
ed into Washington, and burned the capitol and the President’s 
house. 
I had not formed a great idea of Washington city, but what I 
saw was inferior to my expectation. The capitol stands upon 
an elevation, and is to be considered as the centre of the future 
city. Up to this time it is surrounded but by inconsiderable 
houses and fields, through which small houses are also scattered. 
From the capitol, several avenues, planted with trees, extend in 
different directions. We rode into the Pennsylvania avenue, and 
eventually came to the houses, which are built so far apart that 
this part of the city has the appearance of a newly-established 
watering place. The adjacent country is very fine, and there are 
several fine views upon the broad Potomac. We passed by the 
President’s house; it is a plain building,*-of white marble, situated 
in a small garden. 
The president resides in the middle building; the four others 
are occupied as public offices. They are built of brick. 
The plan of Washington is colossal, and will hardly ever be 
executed. According to the plan, it could contain a population of, 
one million of inhabitants, whilst it is said at present to have but 
thirteen thousand. To be the . capitol of such a large country, 
Washington lies much too near the sea. This inconvenience was 
particularly felt during the last war. It has been proposed to 
transfer the seat of government to Wheeling, on the Ohio, in 
the western part of Virginia. 
Quite early next morning I received a friendly visit from the 
French minister, Baron Durand de Mareuil, whom I knew in 
Dresden, nineteen years ago, and afterwards as French minister 
at Naples, and met him in the same quality at Brussels. General 
Macomb, commander of the engineer corps of the United States, 
paid me a visit, and I was much delighted with his interesting 
conversation. Lieutenant Huygens also came, with whom I rodej 
to Georgetown. This small town is amphitheatrically situated 
on the Potomac, whose right bank, covered with wood and part¬ 
ly cultivated, presents a pleasant view. Georgetown is separated 
from Washington, or rather from the ground on which it is toj 
stand, by a small river called Rocky Creek, which empties into 
the Potomac, over which there is a bad wooden bridge. I return-j 
ed to Washington with the minister, in order to be introduced to 
several of the highest public officers, and to the diplomatic body., 
* The Duke of Leinster’s Palace served as the model for this building; that* 
however, is one story higher. 
