lic service, the gun-boats now in service to be laid up. Those not in commission to be distributed in the several harbours of the maritime frontier, which are most exposed to an attack, to be carefully kept, and used as circumstances might require.

The pursers of the navy of the U. S. to be appointed by the President, with the consent of the Senate. After May 1st, 1813, no person to act in the character of purser, who shall not have been thus first appointed and nominated, except pursers on distant service, who are not to remain in service after the 1st of July, 1813, unless nominated and appointed as aforesaid. Every purser, on entering on the duties of his office, to give bond with two or more sufficient sureties, in the penalty of 10,000 dollars, faithfully to perform all the duties of purser in the navy of the United States.

On the 2d of January, 1815, Congress passed an act to increase the navy of the United States. It authorised the President, as soon as suitable materials could be procured therefor, to cause to be built, equipped, and employed, four ships, to rate not less than 74 guns, and six ships to rate 44 guns each.

On board each of the ships of 74 guns, to be employed, one captain and six lieutenants, one captain, one first lieutenant, and one second lieutenant of marines, one surgeon, one chaplain, one purser, and three surgeon's mates.

In each of the ships, carrying 74 guns, the following warrant officers to be employed, who are to be appointed by the President of the United States :-one master, one second master, three master's mates, one boatswain, one gunner, one carpenter, one sail-maker, and twenty midshipmen; and the following petty officers, who shall be appointed by the captains of the ships respectively in which they are to be employed, viz. one armourer, six boatswain's mates, three gunner's mates, two carpenter's mates, one sail-maker's mate, one cooper, one steward, one master at arms, one cook, one coxswain, one boatswain's yeoman, one gunner's yeoman, one carpenter's yeoman, ten quarter-gunners, eight quarter-masters; and one clerk and one schoolmaster, also to be appointed by the captain..

The crews of each of the ships of 74 guns to consist of

two hundred able seamen, three hundred ordinary seamen and boys, three sergeants, three corporals, one drummer, one fifer, and sixty marines.

The pay of the schoolmaster to be twenty-five dollars per month, and two rations per day.

The sum of 2,500,000 dollars to be appropriated for building and equipping the ships authorised by this act.

On the 3d of March, 1813, an act was passed supplementary to the act for increasing the navy. It authorised the President to have six sloops of war built and equipped for service; also, such number of sloops of war, or other armed vessels, on the lakes, as the public service might require.

The President to appoint such officers, and employ the number of seamen, necessary for such vessels as are au thorised by law to be put in commission, any law to the contrary notwithstanding.

For the building or procuring said vessels, and for the payment of 200,000 dollars for vessels already procured on the lakes, by direction of the President, the sum of 900,000 dollars to be appropriated.

The sum of 100,000 dollars to be appropriated for the purpose of establishing a dock-yard, for repairing vessels of war, in such central and convenient place on the seaboard, as the President of the U. States shall designate.

The President to be authorised to contract for the building any of the six 44 gun ships authorised by law; provided that the building be under the inspection of an agent appointed by the secretary of the navy.

The President of the United States to be authorised to sell or dispose of such gun-boats belonging to the United States, as may become unfit for service, or, as in his judgment, may no longer be necessary to be retained by the government.

On the 2d of March an act was passed to encourage the destruction of the armed vessels of war of the enemy. It allowed to any person who should destroy a British armed vessel of war, otherwise than by the armed or commissioned vessels of the United States, a bounty of the one half of the value of such vessel and its cargo. Torpedoes, submarine instruments, or any other destructive machines whatever, to be used for this purpose.

CHAPTER III.

Government of the Navy.

THE following rules, which regulated the navy of the United States, during the revolution; and also the present one in the early part of its establishment, were drawn up by Mr. John Adams, the late President of the United States. It was on the 28th of November 1775, that they were adopted.

Rules for the Regulation of the Navy of the United

Colonies:

1. The commanders of all ships and vessels belonging to the thirteen United Colonies, are strictly required to show in themselves a good example of honour and virtue to their officers and men, and to be very vigilant in inspecting the behaviour of all such as are under them; and to discountenance and suppress all dissolute, immoral, and disorderly practices, as also such as are contrary to the rules of discipline and obedience, and to correct those who are guilty of the same, according to the usage of the sea.

2. The commanders of the ships of the thirteen United Colonies, are to take care that divine service be performed twice a day on board, and a sermon preached on Sundays, unless bad weather or other extraordinary accidents prevent.

3. If any shall be heard to swear, curse or blaspheme the name of God, the commander is strictly enjoined to punish them for every offence, by causing them to wear a wooden collar, or some other shameful badge of distinction, for so long time as he shall judge proper. If he be a commissioned officer, he shall forfeit one shilling for each offence, and a warrant or inferior officer six-pence. He who is guilty of drunkenness, if a seamen, shall be put in irons until he is sober; but if an officer, he shall forfeit two days pay.

4. No commander shall inflict any punishment upon a seaman beyond twelve lashes upon his bare back, with a cat of nine tails; if the fault shall deserve a greater punishment, he is to apply to the commander in chief of the

navy, in order to the trying of him by a court-martial, and in the mean time he may put him under confinement. 5. The commander is never by his own authority to discharge a commission or warrant officer, nor to punish or strike him: but he may suspend or confine them, and when he comes in the way of a commander in chief, apply to him for holding a court-martial.

6. The officer who commands by accident of the captain or commander's absence (unless he be absent for a time by leave) shall not order any correction, but confinement: and upon the captain's return on board, he shall then give an account of his reasons for so doing.

7. The captain is to cause the articles of war to be hung up in some public place of the ship, and read to the ship's company once a month.

8. Whenever a captain shall inlist a seamen, he shall take care to enter on his books the time and terms of his entering, in order to his being justly paid.

9. The captain shall, before he sails, make return to, and leave with the Congress, or such person or persons as the Congress shall appoint for that purpose, a complete list of all his officers and men, with the time and terms of their entering, and during his cruize, shall keep a true account of the desertion or death of any of them, and of the entering of others; and after his cruize, and before any of them are paid off, he shall make return of a complete list of the same, including those who shall remain on board his ship.

10. The men shall, at their request, be furnished with slops, that are necessary, by the captain or purser, who shall keep an account of the same: and the captain in his return (in the last mentioned article directed to be made,) shall mention the amount delivered to each man, in order to its being stopped out of his pay.

11. As to the term "inferior officer" the captain is to take notice, that the same does not include any commission. nor any warrant officer, except the second master, surgeon's mate, cook, amourer, gunsmith, master at arms, and sail-maker.

12. The captain is to take care when any inferior officers or volunteer seamen are turned over into the ship under his command from any other ship, not to rate them on

the ship's books in a worse quality or lower degree, or station, than they served in the ship they were removed from; and for his guidance, he is to demand from the commander of the ship from which they are turned over, a list under his hand of their names and qualities.

13. Any officer, seaman, or others, entitled to wages or prize money, may have the same paid to his assignee, provided the assignment be attested by the captain or commander, the master or purser of the ship, or a chief magistrate of some county or corporation.

14. The captain is to discourage the seamen of his ship from selling any part of their wages or shares; and never to attest the letter of attorney of any seaman, until he is fully satisfied that the same is not granted in consideration of money given for the purchase of his wages or shares.

15. When any inferior officer or seaman dies, the captain is forthwith to make out a ticket for the time of his service, and to send the same by the first safe conveyance to the Congress, or agents by them for that purpose appointed, in order to the wages being forthwith paid to the executors or administrators of the deceased.

16. A convenient place shall be set apart for sick or hurt men, to which they are to be removed with their hammocks and bedding, when the surgeon shall advise the same to be necessary, and some of the crew shall be appointed to attend and serve them, and to keep the place clean.

17. The cooper shall make buckets with covers, and cradles, if necessary, for their use.

18. All ships, furnished with fishing tackle, being in such places where fish is to be had, the captain is to employ some of the company in fishing; the fish to be distributed daily to such persons as are sick, or upon recovery, provided the surgeon recommend it; and the surplus by turns amongst the messes of the officers and seamen gratis, without any deduction of their allowance of provisions on that account.

19. It is left to the discretion of commanders of squadrons, to shorten the allowance of provisions according to the exigence of the service, taking care that the men be punctually paid for the same.