STATEMENT OF THE DUTIES-CONTINUED. Amount DOLLS. CTS 14 90 50 478 50 I returned from the Columbia river to Chili, with the same determination not to salute where my own offer had once been neglected; but still to cultivate friendly relations with the government wherever this point of honor was not concerned. With this 1,137 50 disposition, on my arrival at Valparaiso, I paid a vi320 sit to the governor Don Luis de la Cruz, and also to lord Cochrane, who during my absence had obtained 273 60 command of the Chilian squadron. Soon after visiting lord Cochrane, I received a letter from him, in which he begged to remind me, (for the length of my services he said must have made me aware of the fact) that ships of war, when arriving in a friendly port, had ever been in the habit of saluting publicly; that there was only one exception within his remembrance, which was the American frigate Essex, at Gibraltar, in 1800; she abstained from saluting the flag of lord Keith, the British admiral; and lord Keith felt it his duty to require the salute, or on refusal, that the Essex should forthwith quit the port, which latter alternative was embraced. The style of this letter was equally unexpected and offensive, 74 485 475 20 dolls. 428,184 52 Register's Office, Dec. 31st, 1818. Captain Biddle and Lord Cochrane. From a desire to conciliate, I had overcome my FROM THE POLITICAL REGISTER. feelings at the neglect of my own offer to salute.-The following letter from captain James Biddle, I had even paid the first visit to lord Cochrane, perof the United States' ship Ontario, to his friend com.sonally a stranger to me. Instead of receiving a reBainbridge, as being the correct statement of a turn of my visit from that officer, the first notice of transaction, in all its relations, highly interesting to it from him was a complaint of my not having first our country, will be read with pleasure by every saluted him, accompanied by an intimation that if I person of American feeling and, as vindicating the did not comply, I should be expelled the port, as the rules and character of our naval service, we trust Essex had once been for a similar neglect. it will obtain the decided approbation of the depart ment: United States ship Ontario, It was impossible not to feel the arrogance of this pretension: but I determined not to suffer it to influence my good disposition towards the government of Chili. In my answer to lord Cochrane, therefore, To Com. Bainbridge, Boston. I stated that I was aware it was usual, upon the arMY DEAR SIR-You have seen that during my late rival of a vessel of war at a foreign port to salute pub. cruise, I had a correspondence with lord Cochrane, licly; that it was my knowledge of this circumstance upon the subject of a salute, in which reference was which had induced me, upon arriving at Valparaiso, made to a ship formerly under your command.-in the preceding January, to acquaint the then goThe transaction is one to which more importance vernor with my arrival, and to inform him I would has been attached than it merits; and as this unne-fire the customary salute if an equal number of guns cessary importance has arisen from misconception, would be returned; and that as my offer to salute permit me to relate to you all the facts, together with my view of the subject. was not accepted then, he would perceive the propriety of my declining to salute now. In a few When I was first on my way to Chili, I often re- hours I received a second letter from lord Cochrane, flected upon the propriety of my saluting a flag saying that he was not acquainted with the regula which was not recognized by the government of the tions of the government of the United States, and United States. I was of opinion, that it was not that if I would give my word of honor that it was the strictly proper; but, under all circumstances, Ideem-uniform practice of the American commanders in ed it advisable; and, therefore, upon anchoring at chief, without regard to comparative rank or locality, Valparaiso, in January, 1818, I acquainted the go-to answer with an equal number of guns the salute vernor, that I would salute, if an equal number of of all foreign ships of war, "he would give fresh orders guns would be returned. The governor informed for my salute being so returned," but that as the prac me that some troops were stationed a few leagues tice of all other services with which he had had any from town, and at they might be put in motion in communication, was to return from a flag ship two consequence of any unexpected firing at the fort; guns less to the salutes of ships of war not bearing that he would send off to acquaint the military offi-a flag of corresponding rank, his instructions hithercer with my arrival, and that on the following morn- to had been to that effect; and that an alteration of ing he would notify to me when he was prepared to the customary mode of proceeding, so far as rereturn my salute, which he would do, gun for gun. gards the United States, "must be regulated by the During the whole of the following day I was accord- communication I might make on the subject." The ingly prepared to salute, and expected every mo- offensive style of his first letter I had not considerment a message from the governor. No message, ed necessary to notice in my answer. Therefore however, did come; no salute was fired; nor was any had only replied that I declined saluting, and asatisfactory explanation ever made to me on the signed my reasons for it; reasons which were obli subject. The very least, therefore, I could do was gatory upon me, and ought to have been satisfactonot to salute the fort at any subsequent visit. Still, ry to him. My letter could not be misunderstood, however, I would not omit any mark of personal ci- and as lord Cochrane's second communication still vility to the Chilian officers; and, therefore, when implied the necessity of my saluting, it was neces general San Martin visited my ship, I saluted him sary not only to repeat my intention not to salute with fifteen guns, and I saluted the supreme direc-l at all, but to give him to understand that I would lute. Lord Cochrane speaks of the practice of all services with which he has had communication, and says he is not acquainted with the regulations of the government of the United States; but the very circumstance, that a government has a right to regulate its own mode of answering salutes, makes it manifest that it cannot be obligatory upon a man-ofwar to salute; that it must be optional with her to salute or not, as she sees fit. not suffer myself to be ordered out of the port.-ter, he should have deemed a pleasure, namely, My answer, therefore, was, that as I declined salut- of paying his respects to me, which now consistenting altogether, it was not necessary to enquire whe-ly he could not do, without such an explanation as ther a salute from a ship under my command should shall reconcile the seeming contradiction of my be answered by an equal or less number of guns; public letters. that a salute from a national vessel, upon arriving at As to lord Cochrane's private sentiments, I had a foreign port, was a matter of courtesy only; that as little to do with them as I had to do with his pri it was entirely optional; that it was sometimes prac-vate character; with respect to the mode of all civitised, it was oftentimes omitted; that in respect to lized nations of returning a salute, it was not the what he mentioned of the Essex, I thought he must question between us, since, from the first, I declinbe misinformed, since I was persuaded that my ed saluting at all; and his regret at the awkward friend, captain Bainbridge, who commanded the circumstances in which he perceives so plainly I Essex in 1802, would not have permitted himself to am placed, is as ridiculous as it is vulgar. Lord Cochrane affects to think he has convicted be ordered out of port in the manner ke had stated.* This produced from lord Cochrane a third letter, me of contradiction. It will, I think, be perceived wherein he says, that my first letter, in which I stat- he has not done so. I repeat, that it is usual to salute, ed that my visit to him was in my capacity of an but as a matter of courtesy; that it is entirely opofficer of the United States, and was intended as an tional with the man-of-war. Since there is no pow. evidence of respect to the officer commanding the er in a government to compel a foreign man-of-war naval forces of Chili, had induced him to conceive to salute; that a salute is sometimes practised, that there could be no intention of disrespect to the flag it is oftentimes omitted. The opinion advanced by of Chili, in the omission of a salute, and the more so, lord Cochrane, that it is an insult to the flag of the as the very next sentence in that letter very can-port for a foreign man-of-war to omit to salute, is didly stated that I was aware it was usual on the ar- perfectly absurd; nor would any officer, conscious rival of a vessel of war at a foreign poit, to salute he himself merited any respect from others, or who publicly, and that it was my knowledge of this cir- knew the respect he owed himself, ever make a cumstance that had induced me, upon arriving at the disturbance upon such a matter. Equally absurd is port in January last, to acquaint the governor Iit to suppose that a government has a right to order would pay the customary salute if an equal number a foreign man-of-war out of port for omitting to saof guns would be returned; he requires me to judge then his astonishment on receiving my written declaration, that my letter was intended to decline saluting altogether, and that therefore it was not necessary to enquire whether a salute from the ship under my command should be answered by an equal or a less number of guns. This he says is a public matter. But he desires me to judge of his private sentiments, when he finds me add, that a salute from a national vessel, upon arriving at a foreign port, is I considered the letter of lord Cochrane, as so vula matter of courtesy only; that it is sometimes practised, it is oftentimes omitted; he says it is inçon-gar and indecorous, that I could not answer it to testable, that in no port of a civilized nation, are him; and, therefore, I wrote to the supreme direc an equal number of guns returned by the power tor, to acquaint him, that, upon my arrival, I had viwho may be saluted; that as to the incident notic-sited the governor and the officer commanding the ed in this letter, he has not erred in fact, though he naval forces, and that both visits were intended as may have committed a mistake in incidental tri-ceremonies of respect towards the public functionafles; that he plainly perceives the awkward circum-ries of Chili; that on the following day, the governstances in which I am placed; that I myself could er had visited me on board, and Frecognized in his not regret them more than he did; that it would de- frank deportment and prompt return of my visit, a prive him of what, previous to receiving my last let-disposition corresponding with that which I had uniformly manifested in my several visits to the port; *The following extract of a letter from commo- that, with respect to the conduct of lord Cochrane dore Bainbridge to captain Biddle, will prove how towards me, I felt a delicacy in commenting upon totally without foundation is the story of lord Coch-it to him; and, with respect to my own conduct towards lord Cochrane, I did not deem it necessary or "On my anchoring at Gibraltar, in 1802, where proper to discuss it; that these were matters for com. admiral sir James Saumarez, and not lord Keith,munication with my own government; and that the was the commanding naval officer, I did not salute the object of my letter, was to assure him, that upon admiral's flag, because it had been saluted in sight my arrival, my conduct had been respectful towards of the Essex a short time previous, by the frigate the officers with whom I had communicated, and Boston, captain M'Neil, my senior in rank. And as the that I trusted he would not readily be persuaded to admiral did not offer to the ship under my command, believe I had been wanting in these respects tothe usual ceremony to ships of war, on entering a wards the officers of the government of Chili. friendly port, no acquaintance took place between us The commanding officer of the naval forces had during my then stay at Gibraltar. But on my re-now informed me, that he would not return my offiturn again to the rock, admiral sir James Saumarez cial visit, and had endeavored to dragoon me into sent on board the Essex, and offered the customary saluting. It was, therefore, proper, as the flag had civilities. I then waited on him, and a friendly in-not been treated with proper respect, that I should tercourse followed; but no salute was given by the not remain in Valparaiso longer than was indispenEssex to his flag, nor is there the least shadow of sable.-this consideration, and this alone, detertruth in my being required to salute any admiral's flag at Gibraltar, or on non-compliance thereof to leave the port. Such a demand i should have considered absurd in the extreme." rane: mined me to relinquish my intended journey to St. Jago, to take on board the supplies necessary for the continuance of my voyage; and to sail without Idelay, Being ready to sail on the 30th of Decem ber and about to get under weigh, I received a let-war until his ships could be ready for sea. ter from lord Cochrane, saying that in consequence of fact, they did not sail until two weeks after my In point of the friendly disposition I had professed towards departure. Was I bound to delay executing the the government of Chili, and the ties of amity which orders of my government, by wasting that much he trusted would long subsist between the U. States time at Valparaiso? My destination too, was in a and that state, he had to request of me, as the offi-course directly opposite to that of his squadron. cer commanding a ship of war in that port, that I How then could my sailing in any way interfere would abstain from proceeding to sea, until the with the projects of his squadron. An instance squadron which was under sailing orders should much stronger than this had occurred in the previhave weighed. I answered, that to enable me to say,ous December at Lima. Just as the Spanish expewhether it would be in my power to comply with dition was about sailing against Chili, an English his request, I desired he would inform me at what frigate was on the point of leaving Lima for the hour the squadron would actually sail. He replied, same place. The government of Lima requested that part of the squadron would weigh immediately, her commander to defer his sailing. This he reand the remainder as soon as practicable; not being fused, because he had not been treated with proper later than the next evening before dark. I wrote respect in the port. Yet, although the frigate would to him, that although it was important to me to pro- obviously carry, and did actually carry to Chili the ceed to sea without delay, and I was anxious to have first intelligence of the expedition preparing against sailed that morning, yet from the desire I felt to it, yet the government of Lima made no effort to meet the wishes of the government of Chili, as far detain her by force. as was in my power, I had concluded to remain in With regard to personal civility, so far from report that day, but that it would be my indispensable pelling advances from lord Cochrane it will be seen, duty to sail the next day, and proceed upon my fur-that I rather waved than insisted on rigid rules of ther destination, that I hoped the delay of a day ceremony. My own opinion of the usage on such would be sufficient; and, indeed, as my destination occasions, founded on more than nineteen years exwas round Cape Horn, my sailing would not, I should perience in the navy, is this: on anchoring in a foreign think, in any manner affect the views of the squad-port where there are men-of-war, the man-of-war of ron. the port sends an officer on board with a message It should be remarked, that just as I received of civility, and offers of assistance, &c. The comCord Cochrane's first letter, requesting me to remain mander of the foreign ship then makes a visit, which in port, the frigate San Martin slipt her cable, and is returned by the commander of the man-of-war of. stood out in the offing; the Chacabuco sloop of war, the port-and an intercourse is thus opened, which also stood out. The San Martin anchored several is improved or not, according to the disposition of iniles out the Chacabuco returned at night, and the parties. Although this is the most usual course, anchored so close to us, that I expected the two yet it is not always pursued, either from inadvertence, ships would get foul. In the morning, the Chaca-or from an opinion that these matters are in thembuco again got under weigh, to stand out; and the selves of small importance, or from a difference of San Martin was also under weigh. These manau- sentiment as to its propriety. Sometimes a man-ofvres, and the character of lord Cochrane, induced war, upon her arrival, sends in the first instance to me to believe, that there was a design to intimidate the man-of-war of the port an offer to salute, on s from sailing; or to attack us, if we attempted to condition of receiving gun for gun; but this course is go to sea. I did not choose to be driven from my not frequent, nor is it, in my opinion, the most corurpose by either of these intentions, In the morn-rect, though it is not in any way exceptionable. ing, therefore, at 10 o'clock, having cleared ship for action, I weighed and stood out for sea, passing near the San Martin and the Chacabuco. They offered no molestation; but, soon after returned into port. When States, you know, we never had any regulations Up to the date of my sailing from the United about salutes in the navy. But to confirm my opinion on this subject, I can state, that immediately on The conduct of these ships satisfied me that lord with the compliments of the Portuguese admiral, my arrival at Rio Janeiro, an officer came on board, Cochrane had no intention to endeavor to detain me and the offer of any assistance I might want. by force. I had informed him the preceding day, of beating into Callao, the Spanish commodore sent my determination to sail-and did sail accordingly. his first lieutenant on board before I had anchored, Yet his own frigate, the Maria Isabella, made no with compliments of congratulation on my arrival, movements, nor did the frigate Lautaro, although I and offers of assistance. In this deportment, I regot under weigh from within one hundred yards cognised the character of officers and of gentlemen. of both, under a light breeze. In fact, the pub-To both of them I paid a visit the day following, and Jication in the Chili Gazette, seems conclusive on that subject. It states, that as the sudden departure of the Ontario, from Valparaiso, had excited various rumors, the literal correspondence between the admiral and captain Biddle is published for the satisfaction of all. The rumors there were probably as absurd as they have been here-and to put an end to them, it is published that difficulties had occurred between lord Cochrane and myself about a salute-and that af erwards, lord Cochrane had requested me to remain in port, which I had declined doing, and had sailed. My own belief is, that the object of his movements was to overawe us by the force of his squadron, and induce us to remain from the fear of being attacked. my visit was in due course returned. To neither of them did I pay the compliment of firing a salute, though at both places I saluted the forts, previously ascertaining that it would be returned gun for gun. Upon my arrival at Valparaiso, lord Cochrane nei. ther visited me himself, nor did he send on board any message of civility. Although I was not unmindful that the advances towards an intercourse between us should properly come from him, yet I waved this consideration, as not being very important, and I paid a visit to lord Cochrane. Did he return my visit? No; but in two hours after, I received his letter, reminding me of a part of my duty, which he thought, I had been long enough in the navy to know, and insinuating, that if I did not fire a salute, In thus leaving Valparaiso, violated no duty, he would turn me out of the port. Had lord Coch whatever, to the government of Chili. Lord Cochrane returned my visit, and in the manner of a gene had no right to detain an American man of tleman requested of me to salute, he might perhaps have obtained by civility what he certainly could not have extorted; for I trust, I shall ever continue so much like yourself, and the rest of my brother officers, as not to be dragooned by lord Cochrane or by any other lord, or by any other man, into a conduct which might bring down reproach upon our flag. In fact, had I been undecided about saluting, the very letter of lord Cochrane, calling upon me in such a style for a salute, would have determined me to refuse it. AMERICAN COMMERCE PROTECTED. From the Bos.on Daily Advertiser, May 25. We understand that the allusion in the correspondence of lord Cochrane with capt. Biddle, to the case of a neglect to salute the admiral's flag by the frigate Essex on entering the harbor of Gibraltar in 1802, is grossly incorrect, and that the British admiral on that occasion, so far from requiring that the salute should be afterwards paid by capt. Bainbridge, in very handsome terms acknowledged that under the circumstances none was due. It has been suggested, as a motive of lord CochSome of the southern papers have shown a strong rane's conduct, that there were on board the Ontario, passengers attached to the royal cause, and also disposition to censure some parts of the conduct of a million of dollars. The whole sum on board was capt. Biddle during his late arduous expedition. two hundred and one thousand dollars, received at The public are hardly qualified to judge of his conLima, of which $15,000 were for Archibald Gracie duct, before knowing any thing of it. Whether the and Sons, of New York; $15,000 for Mr. Astor, of official report of his cruise will be laid before the New York; $11,000 for Mr. Ellery, of Boston; and public, we have no means of knowing; but, when it the remainder was shipped by individuals in Lima, is, it will probably be as satisfactory to them, as it and consigned to individuals in Rio Janeiro. This undoubtedly is to the government. It is known circumstance could have furnished no cause of com- that capt. Biddle was instrumental in saving much plaint, as it is customary for our ships of war, as well property of some of our citizens; and gentlemen as those of other nations, to do so. It is sanctioned concerned in the trade to those remote seas, feel by our laws, and no doubt is entertained of its pro-formance of his public duties. In proof of which, under strong obligations to him, for his faithful perpriety. During my cruize in the Pacific, two English men-of-war touched at Valparaiso, having spe- we lay before our readers the following corresponcie on board, which they were conveying from Lima dence; a copy of which we have procured for pubto Rio Janeiro, nor was any dissatisfaction ever expressed on that account. lication: Boston, May 10, 1819. Dear Sir-We have been informed by letters from With regard to the passengers attached to the capt. Crary, and Mr. Higginson, master and superroyal cause, they were two merchants, one lady, and cargo of our ship Levant, that at the time of her one officer. To these two last, I had consented to arrival off the port of Valparaiso, an attempt was give a passage, at the earnest solicitation of the vice made by a Spanish squadron to impede her entry King of Peru. I did so, because the vice king had into that place, and that the endeavor to restrain yielded to my earnest solicitation for the release of her would probably have succeeded, but for the two American ships, the Beaver and the Canton, and prompt and voluntary protection afforded by the because he had, as a personal favor to myself, re- United States' ship Ontario, under your command. stored to liberty many of our unfortunate country- Permit us to add to the expression of our respect men, whom I found in the prisons of Lima, for hav-and esteem for your public and private character, ing been taken in arms against the royalists. Not to our warmest acknowledgements for this gallant and have granted so slight a request, in return for such disinterested exercise of what you have been pleas signal favors to my fellow citizens, I should have ed to consider as an official duty towards the comdeemed a total want of feeling and generosity; nor merce of our country, and at the same time to offer could I ever have anticipated, that whilst I was sub-you our congratulations on the successful result of jecting myself to the inconvenience of having the many exertions you have made, during your strangers on board my ship, as a return for benefits late arduous expedition, to fulfil the object of a conferred on my countrymen, I was laying the foun-mission so wisely conceived and so happily appoint dation of reproaches against me. ed by the government of the United States. We are, with respect, sir, your obedient humble servants, JAMES & THO. H. PERKINS, James Biddle, esq. The circumstance of having a Spanish officer on board my ship, and the special reasons which induced me to receive him, are stated in my detailed report of the cruise to the secretary of the navy, made immediately on my arrival in the U. States. United States' ship Ontario, In maintaining the intercourse which my duty reNew York, May 20, 1819. quired with the conflicting parties in South AmeriGentlemen-I had the pleasure to receive yesca, it was difficult to avoid exciting the jealousy of terday your obliging letter of the 10th inst. addressone or both of them. Knowing the popular senti-e to me at Philadelphia. The assistance I renderments of this country, and seeing many of our citi-ed to your ship, the Levant, when in danger of capzens actually engaged in hostilities against them, ture off Valparaiso, it was my duty to render. It the royalists were particularly disposed to consider was a duty which I performed with great cheerfulus as inimical to them. ness, as during my late cruise, my endeavors were constant and zealous to afford to the persons and A conduct at once respectful and conciliatory to-property of my countrymen, ail the protection ward them was due to the neutrality of our govern-which the presence of a public vessel of the United ment, and was no less essential to enable myself to States was capable of affording. act with effect in procuring the release of the property and persons of my fellow citizens in the pow-pressions; particularly at this moment, when my I am very sensible to your kind and Aattering exer of the royal government. To this conduct I owe character is assailed in some of the newspapers, for the success which attended my endeavors to serve a conduct which I had trusted would not have inmy country. curred any public reproach; for, however much my wishes were on the side of the patriots of South America, I felt it incumbent upon me, in my official conduct, not to compromit, in my intercourse with Very sincerely, your friend, J. BIDDLE. |