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shall without any further order, be, and the same hereby arc de fortune to render myself extremely useful to the clared from thenceforth, to be wholly and absolutely revoked; and commodore, who was but little acquainted with

further that the full benefit of this order shall be extended to any

ship or vessel captured subsequent to such authentic act of repeal military operations. It was to me he was indebted
of the French decrees although antecedent to such repeal, such for the plan adopted by him when the squadron
ship or vessel shall have commenced, and shall be in the prosecu
tion of a voyage, which, under the said orders in council, or one of came in sight of New Providence, and I also under-
them would have subjected her to capture and condemnation; and took to moor the squadron in a proper birth to ex-
the claimant of any ship or cargo which shall be captured at any ecute our enterprize.
time subsequent to such authentic act of repeal by the French
government, shall, without any further order or declaration on the On our return from New Providence, we took two
part of his majesty's government on this subject, be at liberty to armed vessels one of which was loaded with bombs,
give in evidence in the high court of aimiralty or any other court
of vice-admiralty, before which such ship or vessel, or its cargo, and fell in, near Rhode Island, with an English man
shall be brought for adjudication that such repeal by the French of war, called the Glasgow, carrying twenty-four
government had been by such authentic act promulgated prior to

Fuch capture; and upon proof thereof, the voyage shall be deemed guns; but, notwithstanding our superiority, both
and taken to have been as lawful, as if the said orders in council in point of force and sailing, the commander in
had never been made; saving nevertheless to the captors, such chief suffered her to escape, after having many men
protection and indemnity as they may be equitably entitled to, in
the judgment of the said court, by reason of their ignorance or killed and wounded, both on board the Altred and
uncertainty as to the repeal of the French decrees, or of the re the Cabot.
peal by his majesty's government, at the time of such capture.
His royal highness however deems it proper to declare, that
should the repeal of the French decrees, thus anticipated and pro-
vide! for, afterwards prove to have been illusory on the part of the
enemy, and should the restrictions thereof be still practically en-
forced, or revived by the enemy, Great Britain will be obliged,
however reluctantly, after reasonable notice to neutral powers, to
have recourse to such measures of retaliation as may then appear
to be just and necessary."

Westminster, April 21, 1812."

Paul Jones.

As the time is coming when such men as Paul Jones was, will come into fashion, the present is a proper season to make his character and conduct better known to our readers. The following interesting narrative is translated from a French manuscript, written by himself.

The squadron now entered the port of New Lone don, in Connecticut; and Hopkins, on receiving intelligence that the English frigates had been driv en from Newport, took advantage of the darkness of the nights to repair to Rhode Island.

A council of war having dismissed the captain of the Providence, one of the ships of the squadron; the commodore gave me orders in writing to take the command of her, and to escort some troops that were proceeding from Rhode Island to New-York, with a view of serving under general Washington. After this, I received instructions to escort a convoy of artillery from Rhode Island to New York, for the defence of which it was destined. On this occasion, I had two different engagements with the Cerberus frigate; the first for the protection of While we condemn the author for his egotisms, we the vessels under my command, and the second for mu-t make great allowances, on that account, the preservation of a vessel from St. Domingo, laden for the splendid success that attended his enter with naval stores for the congress. In the course prizes, and estimate his vanity by the reasons he of my service between Boston and New York, I had to be vain. Few even, perhaps, circumstanced had also many actions with ships of war under the as Paul Jones was, would have praised themselves command o lord Howe; but on these as on form. less than he has done in this sketch; which poser occasions, I was enabled to preserve my convoy, sesses the singular merit of being substantially and I at length arrived safe in the Delaware, August correct in all its parts, so far as we are informed 1, 1776. of the matter.

On the 8th of the same month the president of "At the commencement of the American war the congress presented me in person, with the com(during the year 1775) I was employed to fit out the mission of captain in the marine in the United little squadron, which the congress had placed un-States; this was the first granted by congress since der commodore Hopkins, who was appointed to the declaration of independence, which took place the command of all the armed vessels appertaining on the 4th of July of that same year.

to America; and I hoisted with my own hands the Orders had been given for the construction of American flag, on board the Alfred, which was then thirteen frigates: but, as none of them was yet readisplayed for the first time. dy, I proceeded to sea alone, on board the Provi

I at the same time, acquainted Mr. Hewes a mem-dence, which was a vessel of but small force, as she ber of congress, and my particular friend, with a cried no more than seventy men, and twelve small project for seizing on the island of St. Helena, by cannon. When in the neighborhood of Bermudas, means of our little squadron, which would have in-we fell in with the Solebay, and her convoy, from infallibly rendered us masters of part of the home- Charleston; she was a thirty two gun frigate, and ward-bound East India fleet; and as the congress, formed part of the squadron under admiral Parker. at that time, proposed to appropriate two thirds of I was of course desirous of avoiding an engagement the prizes to itself, they would have thus been fur- with such superior force; but, as my officers and nished with the means of carrying on the war dur-men insisted that it was the Jamaica fleet, as it was ing several years but an event of a more pressing necessary to command by means of persuasion at nature prevented this scheme from being carried in-this epoch of the war, the result was a serious ento execution. gagement during six hours, which, towards the The cruelties and vexations at that time exercised close, was carried on with pistol shot. A desperate by Dunmore, in Virginia, determined the congress manœuvre was the sole resource left me; I attemptto detach the squadron against him; but Mr. Hop-ed this, it succeeded, and I was fortunate enough to kins displayed neither zeal nor talents upon this oc disengage myself. casion, and lost so much time that his squadron was A short time after this, I took several prizes, and then sailed towards the coast of Nova Scotia, on After a delay of two months, the squadron was purpose to destroy the whale and cod fisheries in at length disengaged, and set sail for New Provi-that neighborhood. When near Sable Island, we dence, the principal of the Bahama islands. There tell in with the Milford frigate, carrying thirty two we found a large quantity of artillery, mortars, and guns, with which it was impossible to avoid an enother implements of warfare, of which we stood gagement. A cannonade accordingly took place, eatly in want in America; and I had the good from ten o'clock in the morning until sunset, but

frozen in the Delaware.

the engagement was neither so close nor so hot as assembly transmitted me orders from Philadelphia, that with the Solebay, and I at length escaped by on the 5th of February, to undertake a secret expepassing through the flats, and entered a little harbor dition of great importance, the design of which was, next day, where I destroyed the fishery and vessels to lay the island of St. Christopher, and the north After this, I set sail for Ile Madume, where I made side of Jamaica, under contribution; after which two descents, at the same time destroying the fishe we were to attack Pensacola. This project was first ries, and burning all the vessels I could not carry conceived by me, and then communicated to Mr. away with me. Having accomplished this, I return Morris, afterwards minister of finance: but such ed to Rhode Island, after an absence of six weeks was the jealousy of Hopkins, the commander in and five days from the Delaware; during this inter chief, that it was never carried into execution. He val 1 had taken sixteen prizes, without including was, however, soon after suspended, and then dismissed from the service. those destroyed.

The commander in chief, who had remained all this time in harbor, now adopted a plan proposed and which consisted, by me,

1. In the destruction of the enemy's fisheries at Lie Royare; and

The season being now too far advanced for the execution of the scheme in the West Indies, myself and crew received orders to remove on board the Amphytrite, a French vessel, destined to sail from Portsmouth, New-Hampshire, to France, whence 2. Of restoring to liberty more than 300 Ameri-we were to pass into Halland, and take possession can prisoners detained there in the coal mines.of the Indienne, a large frigate, constructing there Three vessels were destined for this service, the Al- for the congress; some difficulties however ensued, fred, the Hampden, and the Providence; but the and I was ordered to prepare the Ranger, a vessel Hampden having received considerable damage in mounting eighteen guns. consequence of running on a rock, could nac- When general Burgoyne and his army were oblicompany me 1, however, emba: ked on board the ged to surrender at Saratoga, it was I who was the Alfred, and, taking the Providence by way of con- first obliged to carry this interesting intelligence to sort, I set sail, and on the 2d of November, 1776, Nantes, whether I arrived on the 2d of December, made prize of a vessel from Liverpool, and soon af- 1777. In the course of my voyage, I took twe ter the Mellish, a large armed vessel, having two prizes, forming a part of a convoy from the MeditBritish naval officers on board, and a captain be-terranean, under the protection of the Invincible, a longing to the land service, with a company of sol-seventy four-gun ship, under the guns of which one diers. This ship was carving ten thousand com- of them was taken. plete sets of union to Canada, for the army post ed there under the orders of generals Carleton and Burgoyne.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

Literary Intelligence.

The Providence having now left the Alfred dur ing the night, without the least pretext whatever, I remained alone, and that too during the stormy sea Mr. Edward J. Coale, bookseller, of this city. son, on the enemy's coast; but notwithstanding has lately published a most ingenious and useful this, and that I was also greatly embarrassed with work entitled " MNEMONIKA, or chronological tabmy prisoners, I resolved not to renounce my project fiets; exhibiting in a methodical manuer, the most I accordingly effected a descent, dertroyed a trans remarkable occurrences from the creation of the port of great value, and also burned the magazines world to the present period, &c." The immense la and buildings destined for the whale and cod fishery, bor and astonishing research bestowed upon the In addition to this, I took three transports and compilation of this volume, give it a claim to the a vessel laden with ling and furs, near Ile Royale, attention of all who desire to receive information these prizes were escorted by the Flora frigate, upon subjects of general interest, which few other which happened to be at a small distance, but which books of the same size can boast. Nor is it calcu was concealed from us by a fog. Having taken aflated solely to instruct the ignorant; the judicious privateer from Liverpool, mounting 16 guns, in the arrangement of its various matter, and the neat comcourse of next day, I instantly returned with my pactness of its form, will render it a valuable, as prizes, towards the United States; but, when in the well as a convenient vode mecum, for every class of latitude of Boston, fell in with Milford frigate, which readers.

I unwillingly engaged. Towards night, however, To have published a work of this description, I placed the Alfred between the enemy and my pri-entirely free from error, would have been to hare zes, and having given the necessary instructions to done what has never yet been, and, we apprehend, the latter, to make for the nearest port, I changed never will be accomplished. It is not, therefore, objeemy course, set up lights, and by this stratagem sav-extraordinary, nor do we mention it as an ed the vessels 1 had captured, as the frigate conti-tion to the general utility of the book, that occasi nued in chase of me. Next day I myself was fortu onal inaccuracies are to be discovered in some of nate enough to escape, after a very serious action, the vast variety of subjects which it embraces. Prewhich was not terminated until dark, and even then judices and partialities are human frailties which in consequence of a hard gale of wind. can never be wholly overcome; hence it is not to

Having returned to Boston, December 10, 1776, be expected that all men should agree in the rela the intelligence of the uniforms taken on board the tion of an important event, or in the account of reThe occasions, however, Melish, re animated the courage of the army under markable occurrences. general Washington, which at that period happen-which occur in the work before us, to call forth ed to be almost destitute of clothing. Let me add these observations, are perhaps fewer than in most also, that this unexpected succour contributed not other compilations; and every man who has at a little to the success of the affair at Trenton against heart the dissemination cfuseful knowledge, willbe the Hessians, which took place immediately after pleased at the opportunity which the publisher has my arrival. here offered of accomplishing that desirable object, by placing his book so completely within the reach of the pecuniary capacity of the people at large. It is a neat duodccimo voiùmé of 228 closely

I now paid out of my own purse the wages due to the crews of the Alfred and the Providence, and lent the rest of my money to the congress. That

printed pages; ornamented with an elegant fron-, Astonishing increase of the Society of Methodists. tispiece, designed by Master Leslie, a young Ame- It appears, that in the year 1767, the number of rican artist, whose talents bid fair to place his itinerant preachers was not more than 92, and of country in the first rank of enlightened nations, and the people in the societies, 25,911; but that in 1795, engraved by Fairman in his best manner; repre- the number of preachers was 357, and that of the senting the Genius of History holding back the people of the societies, 83,368. By the reports veil behind which have been concealed the events of produced at the Methodist conferences held at Brispast ages, and opening the rich treasures of anti-tol, it appears, that the numbers in the Methodist quity to every inquirer. The whole is sold at the societies amounted to 170,547, viz. very moderate price of 187 cents. The following extracts and ealculations, will serve to shew the na ture and extent of the information to be derived

from this

very

valuable

work :

French Revolution,) statistically compared.

Great Britain, (Ireland included,) Austria, France, Prussia, and Spain, (before the

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Great Britain Austrian

In Great Britain,

In Ireland,

In the West Indies,

83,368

16,540

11,986

In the United States of America, - 58,653
In 1806 a conference of this society was held at
Leeds, and the numbers appeared as follows :-

In Great Britain,

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110,804

23,773

40

1,418

1,775

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Depreciation of Money.

There are two estates, near one of the colleges in Scotland, (says the author of an essay on money,) which were originally taxed an equal number of bolls of grain [the Scotch boll is almost six bushels] to that institution. In very remote times [it would be satisfactory to know in what year] it pleased the proprietor of one of these estates, with consent of the college, to convert the payment into money, according to the then current value, which was a groat or four pence sterling per boll. At the present time one of those farms pays the same number of boils that the other does of groats, which [in this year 1812] is about three hundred for one. Further, as the same writer observes, there is also said to be existing a very old lease of a borough acre, near a town, in Scotland, for which the tenant was to pay a boll of wheat, and a boll of barley; or, if he did not bring the grain between Christmas and Candlemas, the proprietor was not obliged to accept it-the tenant being compelled to pay a sum of money which Duration of life in certain animals. is now 10 12ths of a penny sterling for the boll of Cricket, 10 years; Spider, (sometimes more wheat, and 8-12ths of a penny for the boll of barley. than) 1; Scorpion, (generally, and sometimes more nued and excessive; as comes home to every man's The depreciation of the value of money is contithan) 1; River Cray-fish, 20; Carp, 100 to 150; experience. Within fifty or sixty years past wheat Pike, (sometimes more than) 40; Crocodile, 100; was sold in our sea-port towns for about 3s. (40 Tortoise, 100; Hen, 10; Peacock, 24; Nightin cents) per bushel. The average price of it for ten gale and Lark, 16 to 18; Canary, (if it does not years past, at the same places, was not less than 160 couple) 24; (if it breeds annually) 10 cents-a depreciation, in the United States, of four Sparrow Hawk, 40; Goose, 50; Swan, 100; for one, in fifty years; which depreciation goes on Eagle, 100; Parrot, 110; Rabbit, 8 to 9; Goat, in a geometrical ratio. 10: Sheep, 10; Hog, 20; Cat. 18; Squirrel, 7;| Hare, 7 to 8; Dog, 23 to 28; Wolf and Bear, 20; Fox, 15; Lion, 60; Cow, (sometimes more than) 20; Bull, 30, Ox, employed in agriculture, 19. Deer, 20; Horse, 25 to 30; Ass, 25 to 50; Camel, 50 to 60; Elephant, 150 to 200.

money,comes from two causes-the increase of luxu This great rise of commodities, or depreciation of ry, and the increase of the precious metals; but chiefly to the first, which is the main spring of the latter. As the globe weinhabit becomes better known to civilized men, those metals will become more and

more abundant; for it cannot be doubted that im mense stores of them are yet concealed from our view. Some person, indeed, has ventured to offer an opinion that gold and silver may become so abun dant as to deprive them of their present quality as a medium of commerce, and to compel posterity to resort to something else to carry on their traffic with each other! But those who know the pinch. ings of the present times will believe that day is far

distant!

cube of the tenth part of the metre. They chose
also, for the measuring unit of weight, the quantity
of distilled water equal in bulk to the same cube in
a constant state presented by nature, viz. of a cer-
And lastly, it is decided, that the
tain temperature.
multiplies and submultiplies of each kind of measure
whether of weight, capacity, surface or length, shall
be always taken in the decimal or decuple progres-
sion, as the most simple, natural and easy for calcu
lation, according to the system of numeration which
all Europe has used for many centuries.

The following table, shewing the annual and As the basis of this new metrical system depends universal product of the mines of gold and silver, is extracted from Blodget's Economica. Our author on a quarter of the terrestrial meridian, it is necesdoes not inform us from whence he derives his au sary that the magnitude of this are should be known thorities-he merely says that "however deficient, with great precision. Therefore, although many it is the best we can obtain ;" and it is, probably, diferent degrees of the meridian have been carefully as nearly correct as can be expected in an estimate measured at several times, and in different coun

of the kind :

Spanish America,

Residue,

Europe,

Asia,
Africa,

Annual waste and consumption, Annual increase on" an average for 10 years,

Silver.

Gold! Total.
dols. 33,000,000 1,000,000 34,000,000
5,000,000 3,000,000 8,000,000
1,500,000 500,000 2,000,000
2,000,000 2.500,00 4,500,000
1,000,000 1,500,000 2,500,000

42,500,000 8,500,000 $1,000,000
20,000,000 5,000,000 25,000,000

22,500,000 3,500,000 34,000,000

tries, the Institute ordered a new and actual measurement of the whole arc of the meridian, extending the whole length of France, viz. from Dunkirk, on the north, to Barcelona in Spain, and passing through Paris; an extent of almost ten degrees. The measurement of this arc, in several years, was at length completed by Mechain and Delambre. two eminent astronomers; in which they employed rules or rods made of platina, of two toises or 12 feet in length, for measuring the bases; and whole circles, accurately made, for taking the angles, to enths of seconds, by repeating the measures in many different parts of the circumference, and taking mediums of the whole. The precision with which the angles were observed is such, that out of

French Weights and Measures. 90 triangles which connect the extremeties of the

[The following, with the article that has already appeared in the REGISTER, No. 35, page 132, contains all that is necessary to a correct under standing of these matters.]

meridional arc, there are 36 in which the sum of the three angles differs from its proper quantity by less than one second; that is, in which the error of the three, taken together, is less than one second: there are twenty-seven triangles, in which this error is less than two seconds; in 18 others it does not amount to three seconds; and there are four triangles, in which it falls between three and four seconds; and three triangles only in which it is more than four, but less than five seconds.

Account of the present metrical system of France, with its exact reduction to English measure. The Savans of the French nation devoted their attention for severals years to the invention of a new set of measures, for lengths, surfaces, capacities Every care was taken to support and dispose the and weights. The substance of their operations is contained in a variety of memoirs that have been platina rods properly in measuring the bases. The presented to the National Institute; and it appears extremeties of the rods were never brought into that a great number of the most learned men of contact; an interval being left, which was measur different nations contributed their assistance to this ed by a tongue of platina, sliding from the end of object: some in performing the numerous and de- one of the rules and carrying a vernier and telescope. licate experiments; others in making the necessary The corrections and allowances for difference of calculations and deductions; and others in arrang. temperature, for obliquities of the line actually meaing the results and drawing up the reports. The sured, and for the elevation above the level of the result of the whole is contained in a report made the sea, were also attended to, and allowed for. One to the Institute on the 17th June, 1799; the abridg-rod was kept unemployed, for a module or standard, ment of which is as follows: which was exactly equal to the double toise of Peru, The first object was to fix upon a standard of in ten degrees temperature of Reaumur's thermomelength; thence to deduce the measures of all the ter, or fifty four of Fahrenheit. With this module, other kinds. To employ, says the reporter, Van and also with the toise of Peru, the other measuring Swinden, as the fundamental unity or standard of rods were compared, both before and after the ope all measures, a standard taken from nature itself— ration of measuring,and found not to be at all altered. a standard as unchangeable as the globe we inhabit; The celestial latitudes, &c. also observed with to propose a metrical system, having all its parts the same repeating circle of Borda, are such as not intimately connected, with its multiplies and sub to have an error of any thing near half a second. divisions following a natural progression, which is The settling the article of the measure of weight simple, obvious and always uniform—is a beautiwas deputed to Lefevre Guineau, together with ful, grand and sublime idea. This standard is Fabroni of Florence; and the calculations from founded on the basis of the circuit of the earth be the measures of Mechain and Delambre, and the ing the fourth part of the terrestrial meridian, con- management of the whole business, was under the tained between the equator and the north pole. The direction and conduct of a number of commissionten millioneth part of this quadrantal arc was adopters, several of whom were deputed from other naed to be the lineal measuring unit, which they called tions.* metre, applying it equally to superficial and solid measures, taking for the unit of the former the square of the decuple; and for that of the latter the

* For the remainder of this article we shall be indebted to Aikin's Chemical Dictionary.

The metre is equal to 36.9413 French inches, which is equal to 39.38272 English inches, the standards of each being at the temperature of melt ing ice, or 32° Fahr. But as the standards in this country [Great Britain] are always referred to the temperature of 60° or 620 (and the lattter is now preferred) the expulsion of brass-(which is the material of which the standards are made) from 32° to 62° must always be taken into account; for it is obvious that if the English standard is at 62° and the French at 32°, the latter will measure a less quantity of the former than if both were at 32°. The number 39 38272, therefore, which is the equi valent to the French metre when both are at 32°, must be diminished in the proportion in which brass expands 30 degrees, which is estimated by Dr. 2 Soung, from Bordas' experiments, to make the equivalent of the metre to be 38.371 English inches, the standard of the metre being at 32°, and that of the English inch at 62°.

All the new French measures increase and decrease in decimal proportion, a distinctive prefix being put to the term by which the integer is called. These prefixes are Deca-, Hecto-, Kilo, and Myria, (taken fron: the Greek numbers) to express the multiplication of the integer by 10,100,1000 and 10000 respectively; and Deci-, Centi-, Mili-, (from the Latin numbers) to express the division of the integer by 10,100, or 1000. Or according to the following scale, taking the metre as the integer. Metre.

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1 Myriametre 10000 1 Metre =

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Litre.

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1 Kilometre

1000

1 Decimetre

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15.444
30.888

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6.4350

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and the term are is adopted, which is a decametre The decimal progression of all the French squared. A Hectare, or 100 Ares, are about equiva-weights and measures renders it only necessary to lent to 2 English Acres.

For the integer of the measure of capacity, both change the decimal point in order to convert one into the equivalent of any other, of the same species wet and dry, the decimetre cubed is employed, and and numerically the same, of a different denominais called the Litre. It is more than a third larger tion. Thus, as 9 litres are equal to 15 5817 ale pints, than the old French Litron, and is equal to 2 1-89 hectolitres will be equal to 1558.17 ale pints; and English wine pints. so of the rest.

The cubic metre is also called Stere, but is only used for measuring fire wood, to be substituted for the old French Corde de Bois.

For the integer of the measure of weight, the weight of a cubic centimetre of distilled water at 329 has been adapted. This is called a Grumme, and is equivalent to 15 1-2 English grains.

Of these measures, the Metre, Litre and Gramme, are almost the only integers that the chemical read er will ever meet with; and certainly their unifor mity and exact ratio to each other, and decimal pro gression, render the comparison of them with our own measures, extremely easy.

The following are the correspondences between these and English measures.

The Metre 39.371 English inches.

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