d" and her gallant crew. But however vexed the
controversy over the cause of the explosion, there has been no denial
of the gallantry of its victims. The names of all are honored in naval
annals, while that of Somers became a battle-cry, and has been borne
by some of the most dashing vessels of the United States navy.

It may be said that this episode terminated the war with Tripoli.
Thereafter it was but a series of blockades and diplomatic
negotiations. Commodore Barron relieved Preble, and maintained the
blockade, without any offensive operations, until peace was signed in
June, 1805. The conditions of that peace cannot be too harshly
criticised. By it the United States paid sixty thousand dollars for
American prisoners in the hands of the Bashaw, thus yielding to
demands for ransom which no civilized nation should for a moment have
considered. The concession was all the more unnecessary, because a
native force of insurrectionists, re-enforced by a few Americans, was
marching upon Tripoli from the rear, and would have soon brought the
Bashaw to terms. But it was not the part of the navy to negotiate the
treaty. That rested with the civilians. The duty of the blue-jackets
had been to fight for their country's honor; and that they had
discharged this duty well, no reader of these pages can deny.

PART II

BLUE-JACKETS OF 1812.

CHAPTER I.

THE GATHERING OF THE WAR-CLOUD. -- THE REVOLUTION ENDED, BUT
THE WAR FOR INDEPENDENCE YET UNFOUGHT. -- OUTRAGES UPON
AMERICAN SAILORS. -- THE RIGHT OF SEARCH. -- IMPRESSMENT. --
BOYHOOD OF COMMODORE PORTER. -- EARLY DAYS OF COMMODORES
PERRY AND BARNEY. -- BURNING A PRIVATEER. -- THE EMBARGO. --
WAR INEVITABLE.

On a bright November afternoon in the year 1783, the streets of New
York City, bordering on the bay, were crowded with excited people,
pushing and elbowing each other rudely, and all pressing down to the
water-side, where was collected a huge crowd, looking anxiously across
the broad waters of the noble bay, to a spot where lay anchored a
large squadron of ships. The taut cordage, the trimly squared yards,
and the rows of cannon protruding from the open ports made it evident
to the veriest landsman that many of the ships were men-of-war; while
the scarlet flags crossed by the emblem of St. George, flaunting from
the peak of every vessel, declared the allegiance of the fleet to the
monarch of Great Britain, against whose rule