the quarter-deck,--

"Well, what do you think of her?"

"She is one of the finest frigates, if not the very finest, I ever put
my foot aboard of," responded the Englishman; "but, as I must find
some fault, I'll just say that your wheel is one of the clumsiest
things I ever saw, and is unworthy of the vessel."

The American officer laughed.

"Well, you see," said he, "when the 'Constitution' took the 'Java,'
the former's wheel was shot out of her. The 'Java's' wheel was fitted
on the victorious frigate, to steer by; and, although we think it as
ugly as you do, we keep it as a trophy."

All criticisms on the wheel ended then and there.

The defeat of the "Java" closed the warfare on the ocean during 1812.
The year ended with the honors largely in the possession of the United
States navy. The British could boast of the capture of but two armed
vessels,--the "Nautilus," whose capture by an overwhelming force we
have already noted; and the little brig "Vixen," twelve guns, which
Sir James Yeo, with the "Southampton," thirty-two, had overhauled and
captured in the latter part of November. The capture of the "Wasp" by
the "Poictiers," when the American sloop-of-war was cut up by her
action with the "Frolic," was an occurrence, which, however
unfortunate for the Americans, reflected no particular honor upon the
British arms.

In opposition to this record, the Americans could boast of victory in
four hard-fought battles. In no case had they won through any lack of
valor on the part of their antagonists; for the Englishmen had not
sought to avoid the battle, and had fought with the dogged valor
characteristic of their nation. In one or two instances, it is true
that the Americans were more powerful than the foe whom they engaged;
but, in such cases, the injury inflicted was out of all proportion to
the disparity in size of the combatants. The four great actions
resulting in the defeat of the "Guerriere," the "Frolic," the
"Macedonian," and the "Java," showed conclusively that the American
blue-jackets were equal in courage to their British opponents, and far
their superiors in coolness, skill, discipline, and self-reliance; and
these qualities may be said to have won the laurels for the American
navy that were conceded to it by all impartial observers.

Besides the victories over the four British ships enumerated, the
Americans had captured the "Alert," and a British transport bearing a
considerable detachment of troops