the Bashaw of Tripoli, on the 14th of May, 1801, caused the flagstaff of the United States in front of the consul's house to be cut down; the customary mode, with these summary gentlemen, of promulgating a declaration of war.

Not to be behindhand with his two brother spoliators to the westward, the Bey of Tunis made use of a somewhat ludicrous pretext for levying a contribution upon his " friends." On the night of the 18th of June a fire broke out in the palace, and in its progress consumed 50,000 stands of arms. On the 20th the American consul, Mr. William Eaton, having been summoned to the Bey's presence, was told that his government must supply 10,000 stands of arms. " I have," says the Bey, " proportioned my loss among my friends, and this falls to you to furnish. Tell your government to send them without delay." The consul made a very proper reply ; and, upon the whole conducted himself with becoming, and, as the result proved, successful firmness.

Expecting from the tenour of the consular communications from Algiers, Tripoli, and Tunis, that a rupture with one or more of them would shortly take place, the government of the United States, since the latter end of May, had despatched to the Mediterranean a squadron of three frigates and a sloop or two, just half the force then in commission, under the orders of Commodore Dale; which squadron also carried out presents to a tolerably large amount, for such of the regencies as yet remained at peace.

On the 2d of July Commodore Dale, with the 44-gun frigates President and Philadelphia, 32-gun frigate Essex, and the brig-sloop Enterprise, anchored in the bay of Gibraltar; where were also lying, having come in to get a supply of water, a Tripolitan ship of war, with the high admiral's flag on board, carrying 26 guns, 9 and 6 pounders, and 260 men, and a brig of 16 guns, 6-pounders, and 160 men. The commanders of these vessels, who were now performing quarantine, pretended not to know that their government had declared war against the United States; but Commodore Dale became assured of the fact from a communication with the shore. He soon afterwards made sail for the coast of Barbary, and in the course of the month showed his squadron off Algiers, Tunis, and Tripoli in succession. The two first of these regencies appear to have lowered their tone a little on this rather unexpected visit. With Tripoli, however, no arrangement was effected, and the war went on. After remaining off Tripoli about 18 days, Commodore Dale stood along the coast to the westward as far as the island of Pidussa, then steered for Malta to get a supply of water; and on the 16th came to an anchor in the harbour of Valetta.

On the 1st of August the United States' schooner Enterprise, of 14 long 6-pounders and 90 men, commanded by Lieutenant Andrew Sterrett, being on her way to join Commodore Dale at Malta, and not far from that island, fell in with a Tripolitan

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