has been duly naturalized, a copy of which naturalization is filed in the custom house at Baltimore; he is known by Joseph Carey and Tom Rogers, cork cutter, both in Baltimore; has a wife and three children in Baltimore; has lost his protection, but requests Joseph Carey to do all he can to effect his discharge from the British. Rogers entered on board the Sarah Ann in Baltimore.

George Roberts, a coloured man and seaman. This man I had not an opportunity of questioning; but I know him to be a native born citizen of the United States, of which fact he had every sufficient document, together with free papers. Roberts entered on board the Sarah Ann in Baltimore, where he is married.

Sonty Taylor, boy, says he was born in Hackensack, New Jersey, but has neither friends, relations, nor acquaintance there; says, Jane Snowden, of Savannah, Georgia, is his mother; never had a protection. Taylor is fifteen years old, has brown hair and light complexion; he entered on board the Sarah Ann in Savannah. RICHARD MOON, Late Commander of the Privateer Sarah Ann.

Sir,

D.

Copy of a letter from Admiral Warren to Mr. Mitchell, agent for the exchange of American prisoners of war, dated Halifax, 21st October, 1812. I have the honour to receive your letter and its enclosures relating to Thomas Dunn*, and beg leave to inform you, that it appears the said man is married in England, has been eight years in his majesty's service, and received a pension from government: under these circumstances, and the man never having made any application for his discharge from prison, he continues on board the Statira.

I have the honour to be, sir, your most obedient humble servant,

(Signed)

JOHN BORLASE WARREN.

E.

Extract of a letter from William H. Savage, late agent for American seamen and commerce at Jamaica, to the secretary of state, dated

Washington, Dec. 1, 1812.

I take the liberty to enclose you copies of a correspondence which took place between vice-admiral Stirling (commanding

Note. The application was made at the request of his father John Dunn, of Boston, who transmitted a deposition of his birth.

on the Jamaica station) and myself, since the declaration of war. I should have furnished it you at an earlier period, but an acci'dent prevented, which I was not aware of, until my arrival at this city.

No. 1.

Copy of a letter to vice-admiral Stirling, commanding on the Famaica station, on the subject of American seamen, after the declaration of war.

Sir,

Kingston, Jamaica, 6th August, 1812. Enclosed is a copy of a letter received by me yesterday from on board his majesty's ship Sappho, purporting to have been written by four American seamen on board that ship, with a view to solicit my aid towards effecting their discharge, in consequence of the declaration of war by the government of the United States against Great Britain.

In making this application, I am fully aware that my duties ceased as agent for the commerce and seamen of the United States on the knowledge of such declaration being made known here: but, sir, I am led to believe, that, at this period, it will not be deemed inadmissible on your part to receive, nor improper on mine to make the request, that you will be pleased to grant an order for the discharge of these seamen, feeling conscious (should they even not be protected with the usual documents afforded to citizens of the United States) that an English seaman would not declare himself otherwise than such under existing circumstances.

I seize the present opportunity also to forward to you twenty-one documents as proof of the citizenship of that number of seamen, said to have been impressed by ships of war on this station, the greatest number of which have been heretofore unsuccessfully claimed by me, on behalf of the United States, and which may still comprise, at this time, some part of the crews of his majesty's ships on this station.

I beg further to state to you, that I have received numerous applications from on board various of his majesty's ships on this • station for the relief of seamen, who I doubt not are entitled to the protection of the American government, many of them having with them the proofs of their citizenship, as I am led to believe from the assertions contained in their communications. Applications have also been made for the relief of many without success: the latter amount in number to forty-six, as per list of names enclosed, several of whom I understand have been shifted (since their impressment) on board of other vessels than those they were at first taken on board of. All of which I beg

to offer for your consideration, feeling as I do anxious to extend my last efforts in behalf of those seamen who are entitled to them, and at the same time being impressed with the idea, that it would be foreign to you, sir, to retain any Americans in the service of the navy of Great Britain contrary to their disposition, during the present conflict. I therefore take the liberty of adding to my former request, that you will be pleased to grant orders that such seamen may be discharged from duty on board his majesty's ships on this station.

With sentiments of the highest respect, &c.

(Signed)

WILLIAM H. SAVAGE.

No. 2.

Copy of vice-admiral Stirling's secretary's letter in answer to mine to the vice-admiral of 6th August, 1812.

Sir,

Admiral's Penn, Aug. 7, 1812. I am desired by vice-admiral Stirling to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of yesterday's date, and to acquaint you that directions were given some days ago, that all seamen in the squadron under his command, who can prove themselves to be American born subjects, should be sent to the prison ship until an exchange of prisoners is established between the two countries, in consequence of the late declaration of war by the United States against Great Britain.

I return herewith the papers which accompanied your letter, and am, sir, &c. &c.

(Signed)

CHARLES STIRLING, jun. Secretary.

No. 3.

Extract of a letter from William H. Savage, esq. late agent for American seamen and commerce at Jamaica, to Charles Stirling, jun. esq. dated

Kingston, Sept. 16, 1812.

In answer to my letter of the 6th ultimo, you were pleased to inform me that directions had been given by the vice-admiral some days prior to the date of my letter for the removal of all native Americans (who could prove themselves such) from on board H. M. ships to that of the prison-ship; but as some time has now elapsed since you were pleased to give me this information, and learning that some instances of detention at present exist on board H. M. schooner Decouverte, I am led to embrace the subject again, as in one instance I shall hope to satisfy viceadmiral Stirling of the man's being entitled to his removal from duty on board H. M. schooner of war. The person alluded to is Elijah Stirling, an American seaman, who was impressed

from on board the British merchant ship Brilliant at the bay of Honduras, in the early part of the year 1810, by H. M. schooner Flor del Mar, and has since been detained on board of various of H. M. ships on this station, although provided with a regular protection, which instrument this man got conveyed to me about the 20th of September following, and which was by me forwarded to admiral Rowley, accompanied (as usual in like cases) with a request that the man might be discharged. On the receipt of my letter the admiral answered through his secretary, that the nature of Stirling's impressment was such, that he could not comply with my request; but which answer was unaccompanied in return with the protection in question, and what has become of it I am unable to say.

About this period I was led to understand from admiral Rowley, that all American seamen who should be impressed from on board any British merchant vessel, would be retained in the service of his majesty, but that all American seamen who should be impressed from on board of American vessels, would, on application, accompanied by proof, be discharged. As this information was received about the period of my application for the discharge of Stirling, I was led to conclude it stampt the nature of his impressment, and what confirmed it in my mind was, that I received similar assurances to various applications made for American seamen, who had under various circumstances shipped on board of British ships, and were from thence impressed on board of H. M. ships of war, all of which I hope the admiral will be pleased to take into consideration; for to insist on the service of this man, I think, will be a dereliction to the marked manner of his amiable endeavours to distinguish and relieve American seamen from duty on board the squadron under his command. I beg to enclose a note from Mr. Meek (the late secretary) relative to my application for this man's discharge, and to observe, that it is possible the protection may yet be found among the papers of the late secretary, as it has

not been usual to return me the protections of those men whose applications for discharge were not complied with.

I beg furthermore to observe, that there appears also to be on board his majesty's schooner Decouverte, two other American seamen, viz. John Englefield and Richard Lauderkin, the former of whom asserts that he served his apprenticeship to the trade of a cooper, at Boston, but has lost his protection; the latter declares himself to be a native of Rhode-Island, and that his protection has been destroyed by Mr. Olliver, commander of his majesty's schooner Decouverte. I shall not now animadvert on the impropriety of such a circumstance, but request, should the

VOL. I.

PP

instances here cited be found correct, that they may meet the attention of the vice-admiral.

No. 4.

Extract of a letter from vice-admiral Stirling's secretary, to W. H. Savage, esq. in answer to his of the 16th September, 1812. Admiral's Penn, 19th September, 1812.

I have just received your letter of the 16th instant, which I have laid before vice-admiral Stirling, and I am directed to acquaint you, that Elijah Stirling, and other persons on board of his majesty's schooner Decouverte, said to be American seamen have not, when called upon, produced proof of being subjects of the United States. They do not fall under the description of persons which I informed you in my letter of the 7th ult. were intended to be discharged from the king's service, and to be detained on board the prison ship until an exchange of prisoners takes place with America.

The note from Mr. Meek, dated the 21st September, 1810, is returned herewith; and as it appears thereby that admiral Rowley thought the circumstances under which Elijah Stirling was impressed, did not permit him to be discharged, vice-admiral Stirling does not feel himself justified in attending to the man's wishes on a bare assertion. The protection you allude to is not to be found among admiral Rowley's papers left in this office.

Message from the President of the United States, transmitting copies of a correspondence between John Mitchell, agent for American prisoners of war at Halifax, and the British admiral commanding at that station; also, copies of a letter from commodore Rodgers to the Secretary of the Navy.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States. I transmit, for the information of congress, copies of a correspondence between John Mitchell, agent for American prisoners of war at Halifax, and the British admiral commanding at that station.

I transmit for the like purpose, copies of a letter from commodore Rodgers to the secretary of the navy. JAMES MADISON.

January 22d, 1813.