In an able report, Secretary Jefferson laid before Congress important details touching the position of American interests in that part of the globe. Little could be done, however, as the Americans had no navy, and the commerce of the United States in the Mediterranean was for a long time dependent upon the Portuguese fleet for protection. Portugal was at war with Algiers for several years, and ships of other nations sought the protection of her flag, and were thereby saved from capture. Captain Dawson signaled to the Warwick to come within hail, and without changing their courses materially to do so, the ships were speedily not more than a hundred yards apart. Before leaving America we had news that the war between Algiers and Portugal had been brought to an end through the assistance of Great Britain, with the avowed purpose of injuring France, with which the last-named country was then at war. It was not exactly a treaty of peace, but simply a truce for one year; and in the treaty was introduced the remarkable stipulation that the Portuguese government should not afford protection to any nation against Algerine cruisers. The treaty went into effect immediately, and the result of the agreement was very disastrous to American commerce. Having heard of the truce just before we sailed, we were on the lookout for the sea robbers. The state of the case was that the ships of every nation except those of Great Britain and Portugal were liable to be captured, and their only safety was in running away, or being sufficiently strong to resist. I ought to have mentioned before that the Washington carried five guns,--two six-pounders on each side of the ship, and one twelve-pounder on a pivot amidships. The Warwick had the same armament, but she had the disadvantage, as the reader knows, of being very short-handed, and the Washington had lost some of the members of her gun crews by the absence of the men on the other ship. We had been drilled daily in good weather, so that we felt we could handle our guns very well. If we could only hold the pirate craft away from boarding us we had no occasion for worry. They carry a large number of men on these corsairs, and their plan is to run a ship directly aboard and overwhelm her by superior force. Captain Dawson had hoisted the American flag, and the Warwick followed his example by hoisting the English one, her national color. As soon as the ships were within hailing distance our captain gave orders to Mr. Johnson to stand by and help us in case of necessity. "You can't do much fighting with your crew," said Captain Dawson, "but perhaps you can put a shot in now and then, if necessary." "All right, sir" replied Johnson; then he added, "Mate of Warwick says we have some new-fangled rockets on board for fighting. Hadn't we best try 'em?" "Aye, aye, sir, try 'em, of course," said the captain.