1812	Light Squadrons and Single Ships	1

As we are now entering upon the first exploit of one of the far-famed American 44-gun frigates, we conceive. it will be useful to examine, a little more minutely than we have done, the force and qualifications of a class of ship, little known in Europe, until the President brought herself into notice in the manner we shall presently have to relate.

In our account of the action between the Constellation and Insurgente, we mentioned that, in March, 1794, when a rupture was expected with the regency of Algiers, the government of the United States ordered the construction of four frigates of 44, and two of 36 guns; and we stated that one class was to mount 56 guns, including 30 long 24-pounders on the main deck, and the other 48 guns, including 28 long 18-pounders.* But we are inclined to think that this was not the armament originally intended for these ships ; and our opinion is founded on the following facts. Soon after the passing of the act of congress of the 27th of March, 1794, the differences with Algiers were amicably settled ; but in the course of the same year, feeling an interest in the success of republican France, the United States pushed their complaints against England to an extremity bordering on war. Now the Algerines possessed no stronger vessels than frigates, and those not of the first class ; but England could send to sea a fleet of line-of-battle ships. It was this, we believe, that occasioned the American president to direct, as by a clause in the act he was empowered to do, that, instead of the four 44

* See vol. ii., p. 322.

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