CHAPTER XVII COMMODORE PORTER GAINS GLORY IN THE PACIFIC. The Gallant Fight of the "Essex" Against Great Odds 189 CHAPTER XVIII COMMODORE MACDONOUGH'S VICTORY ON LAKE CHAMPLAIN. How General Prevost and the British Ran Away 201 CHAPTER XIX FOUR NAVAL HEROES IN ONE CHAPTER. Fights with the Pirates of the Gulf and the Corsairs of the Mediterranean 210 CHAPTER XX COMMODORE PERRY OPENS JAPAN TO THE WORLD. A Heroic Deed Without Bloodshed 220 CHAPTER XXI CAPTAIN INGRAHAM TEACHES AUSTRIA A LESSON. Our Navy Upholds the Rights of an American in a Foreign Land 231 CHAPTER XXII THE "MONITOR" AND THE "MERRIMAC." A Fight which Changed all Naval Warfare 239 CHAPTER XXIII COMMODORE FARRAGUT WINS RENOWN. The Hero of Mobile Bay Lashes Himself to the Mast 252 CHAPTER XXIV A RIVER FLEET IN A HAIL OF FIRE. Admiral Porter Runs by the Forts in a Novel Way 268 CHAPTER XXV THE SINKING OF THE "ALBEMARLE." Lieutenant Cushing Performs the most Gallant Deed of the Civil War 278 CHAPTER XXVI HOW THE "GLOUCESTER" REVENGED THE SINKING OF THE "MAINE." Deadly and Heroic Deeds in the War with Spain 288 CHAPTER XXVII THE GREAT VICTORY OF MANILA BAY. Dewey Destroys a Fleet Without Losing a Man 294 CHAPTER XXVIII HOBSON AND THE SINKING OF THE "MERRIMAC." An Heroic Deed Worthy of the American Navy 304 CHAPTER XXIX SAMPSON AND SCHLEY WIN RENOWN. The Greatest Sea Fight of the Century 313 CHAPTER I THE FIRST SEA FIGHT OF THE REVOLUTION THE BURNING OF THE "GASPEE" IN NARRAGANSETT BAY DOES it not seem an odd fact that little Rhode Island, the smallest of all our states, should have two capital cities, while all the others, some of which would make more than a thousand Rhode Islands, have only one apiece? It is like the old story of the dwarf beating the giants. The tale we have to tell has to do with these two cities, Providence and Newport, whose story goes back far into the days when Rhode Island and all the others were British colonies. They were capitals then and they are capitals still. That is, they were places where the legislature met and the laws were made. I need not tell you anything about the British Stamp Act, the Boston Tea-party, the fight at Lexington, and the other things that led to the American Revolution and brought freedom to the colonies. All this you have learned at school. But I am sure you will be interested in what we may call the "salt-water Lexington," the first fight between the British and the bold sons of the colonies.