-fare, directed his efforts principally against unoffending citizens and peaceful villages," and that " the farm-houses and gentlemen's seats near the shore were plundered, and the cattle driven away or wantonly slaughtered ;" that (p. 406) " the Hornet met and captured the British Peacock, of about equal force;" that (p. 411) Commodore Perry's victory on lake Erie "was achieved over a superior force;" that (p. 415) " Commodore Chauncey upon lake Ontario repeatedly offered battle to the enemy's squadron, which was superior in force; but Sir James Yeo, the British commander, intimidated by the result of the battle on lake Erie, retired before him ;" that (p. 425) "Commodore Downie's squadron on lake Champlain carried 95 guns, and was manned with upwards of 1000 men, and that Commodore M'Donough's carried 86 guns, and was manned with 820 men;" that (p. 426) " the American sloop Peacock captured the Epervier, of equal force ;" and that " the sloop Wasp captured the Reindeer, and afterwards in the same cruise sunk the Avon, each of superior force ;" that (p. 437) " the Constitution captured the Cyane and Levant, whose forces united were superior to hers ; and the sloop Hornet captured the brig Penguin, stronger in guns and men than the victor."

The worst is, that, for any thing appearing to the contrary, these statements are contained in an English work ; and I should not be surprised, if the North-American Review were by and by to quote them, as admissions extorted from an English author of note, who had some special reason for concealing his name. It is to be hoped that the more influential of the English reviews will give a trimming to the only party whose name appears to this work, for his impudent attempt to palm upon the English public a book of lies and trash, for a book of "history." Unfortunately, the reprobation of the work may answer the publisher's purpose as effectually as the praise of it; and he is chuckling to himself as he reads this, to think that even I shall put into his pocket some " pretty considerable" amount in British coin for his libels upon British character.

Between the publication of the first and second parts of the former edition of my work, two volumes of another " Naval history" made their appearance before the British public. I

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