may therefore at once and for ever abandon the idea of future claims; for I again assure you, in the name of my government and country, that the discharge of our treaty obligations will put an end to our contributions here. "Your contributions as you think proper to call them," said the minister, "will never have an end. If this be the language you think of holding at this court, you may prepare yourself to leave the country and that very soon." If change of style, on my part, said I, be the condition of residence here, I will leave the Bey's kingdom to-morrow morning. "We will give you a month," said the minister. I ask but six hours I replied. "But you will write?" No. "But it is your duty to write." For deficiency in duty this is not the place where I am to be questioned. "I tell you again," continued he, "your peace depends on your compliance with this demand of my master." If so, said I, on me be the responsibility of breaking the peace. I wish you a good morning. Leaving the place I heard the minister say to one of his colleagues, "By GoD, that man is mad! but we shall bring him to terms-never fear." I don't know how this affair will end. I will not change my position.

I have the honour to be, Sir, with perfect respect, your most obedient servant,

WILLIAM EATON.

Honourable Secretary of the United States.

Extract of a Letter from the Secretary of the Navy to Commodore Dale, dated May 30, 1801.

"RECENT accounts received from the consul of the United States, employed near the regencies of Algiers, Tunis and Tripoli, give cause to fear, that they will attack our commerce, if unprotected, within the Mediterranean; but particularly, such apprehension is justified by absoluté threats on the part of the Bey of Tripoli.

"Under such circumstances, it is thought probable, that a small squadron of well appointed frigates appearing be

fore their ports, will have a tendency to prevent their breaking the peace which has been made, and which has subsisted for some years, between them and the United States. It is also thought, that such a squadron, commanded by some of our most gallant officers, known to be stationed in the Mediterranean, will give confidence to our merchants, and tend greatly to increase the commerce of the country within those seas.

"I am therefore instructed by the President to direct, that you proceed with all possible expedition, with the squadron under your command, to the Mediterranean. It will be proper for you to stop at Gibraltar and obtain permission from the governor for depositing provisions there, for the use of your squadron. It is not presumed there will be any refusal; but should he deem it improper, you will then leave a letter with Mr. Gavino, the American consul, for the captain of the provision vessel that will be sent hereafter, directing him where to proceed.

"On your arrival at Gibraltar, you will be able to ascertain whether all or any of the Barbary powers shall have declared war against the United States. In case all are tranquil, you will water your ships, proceed off the port of Algiers, and send to the consul, Mr. O'Brien, whom you will inform that you have arrived-that the views of your government are perfectly friendly-that you have a letter for him and the Dey-and that you request to see him; or that he send some person in whom he can confide, for the letters or that he send a permission for one of your officers to go to the city. You will have on board certain goods, which you will deliver on his requisition. They are for the biennial presents to the regency. The George Washington is preparing to carry timber and other stores for at least one year's annuity, and you have on board the President, thirty thousand dollars, which it is hoped and expected Mr. O'Brien will be able to induce the regency to receive for another year. The balance may go some time hence. But if Mr. O'Brien cannot induce the Dey to receive money instead of stores, you will

retain the thirty thousand dollars, excepting four or five thousand dollars, which, on Mr. O'Brien's requisition, may (if he should think it useful to commence with) be given him on your arrival, and which amount may be replaced, if the Dey shall afterwards agree to receive the thirty thousand dollars in full for one year's annuity, out of the ten thousand dollars hereafter mentioned as being intended for the Bey of Tripoli, and the stores will be sent as soon as possible.

"When your business is arranged at Algiers, to your satisfaction, you will proceed to Tunis, and there cause the letters you carry to be delivered to Mr. Eaton, the consul. A ship is preparing and will sail as soon as possible, with stores, agreeably to treaty with that regency.

"From thence you will proceed to Tripoli; on your arrival there send for Mr. Catheart, American consul for that port, to whom deliver his letters, and either by him or one of your officers (which ever may be deemed most proper,) send the President's letter to the Bey. You have on board ten thousand dollars, as a present from the President; the whole, or such part thereof as you may have on your arrival at Tripoli, and which Mr. Cathcart may conceive useful, will be given the Bey, provided he has conducted himself peaceably towards the United States.

"You will be careful not to solicit the honour of a salute from any of those powers; if you do, they will exact a barrel of powder for every gun they fire.

"You will enjoin upon your officers and men the propriety and utility of a proper conduct towards the subjects of all those powers. A good understanding with them being extremely desirable.

"Should you find the conduct of the Bey of Tripoli such as you may confide in, you will then coast with your squa❤ dron the Egyptian and Syrian shores as far as Smyrna, and return by the mouth of the Adriatic-thence pay the Bey of Tripoli another visit; finding him tranquil, proceed to Tunis, and again shew your ships; and thence coast the Italian shore to Leghorn, where you may stay some days,

and then proceed along the Genoese to Toulon, which port it will be instructive to your young men to visit. From thence proceed again to Algiers. If there should be no hostile appearance on the part of those powers, and you should be well assured that no danger is to be apprehended from either of them, you may on the 15th October, commence your return homeward; but if there should be any cause for apprehension from either of those powers, you must place your ships in a situation to chastise them, in case of their declaring war or committing hostilities, and. not commence your return to the United States, until the first day of December.

"On your return you will go into Hampton Road, and repair yourself to this place as soon as you can. Order the Philadelphia to Philadelphia, if the season will permit ; if not, let her go with the Essex to New York-the Enterprize send to Baltimore.

"But should you find on your arrival at Gibraltar, that all the Barbary powers have declared war against the United States, you will then distribute your force in such a manner, as your judgment shall direct, so as best to protect our commerce and chastise their insolence-by sinking, burning, or destroying their ships and vessels wherever you shall find them. The better to enable you to form a just determination, you are herewith furnished with a correct state of the strength and situation of each of the Barbary powers. The principal strength you will see, is that of Algiers. The force of Tunis and Tripoli is contemptible, and might be crushed with any one of the frigates under your command.

"Should Algiers alone have declared war against the United States, you will cruise off that port so as effectually to prevent any thing from going in or coming out, and you will sink, burn, or otherwise destroy their ships and vessels wherever you find them.

"Should the Bey of Tripoli have declared war, (as he has threatened) against the United States, you will then proceed direct to that port, where you will lay your ship in such a position as effectually to prevent any of their

vessels from going in or out. The Essex and Enterprize by cruising well on towards Tunis, will have it in their power to intercept any vessels which they may have captured. By disguising your ships, it will be some weeks before they will know that the squadron is cruising in the Mediterranean, and give you a fair chance of punishing

them.

"If Tunis alone, or in concert with Tripoli, should have declared war against the United States, you will chastise them in like manner by cruising with the squadron, from the small island of Maratimo near the island of Sicily, to cape Blanco on the Barbary shore, you may effectually prevent the corsairs of either from intercepting our commerce in the material part of the Mediterranean sea, and may intercept any prizes they may have made.

"Any prisoners you may take, you will treat with humanity and attention, and land them on any part of the Barbary shore most convenient to you. This mode will be humane, and will shew that we have no sort of fear, what such men can do. It will also tend to bring those powers back to a sense of justice which they owe to us. But you will be careful to select from them, such christians as may be on board, whom you will treat kindly, and land when convenient, on some christian shore. Should you have occasion, you may accept their services."

Extract of a Letter from Commodore Dale, commanding the United States squadron in the Mediterranean, to the Secretary of the Navy, dated Gibraltar Bay, July 2, 1801.

"ON my arrival here I found lying at anchor the high admiral of Tripoli, in a ship mounting 26 guns, nine and six pounders, 260 men, and a brig of 16 guns, 160 men. He has been out thirty-six days, says he is not at war with America, nor has he taken any thing. He came in here for water, and is under quarantine at present. From every information I can get here, Tripoli is at war with America."