1814	British and Americans on Canadian lakes	331

248 picked seamen, chiefly masters and mates of merchantmen. The Adams, therefore, was one of the most formidable " corvettes " that cruised on the ocean. While in the Irish channel, towards the end of July, she was chased by the 18-pounder 36-gun frigate Tigris, Captain Robert Henderson, and would probably have been caught, had not Captain Morris thrown overboard his quarter guns and a portion of his stores. Captain Brenton confounds the Adams with the " John-Adams, " and gives the ship only " 20 guns. " *

As at the close of the preceding year, the military and naval commanders-in-chief, upon the Canadian frontier of the United States, were Lieutenant-general Sir George Prevost and Commodore Sir James Lucas Yeo. On the 15th of April were launched at Kingston, Lake Ontario, the British ships Prince-Regent and Princess-Charlotte. The first measured 1310 tons, and mounted 28 long 24-pounders on the main deck, four long 24-pounders, four carronades, 68-pounders, and 22 carronades, 32-pounders, on the upper or spar deck, total 58 guns, with a complement of 485 men and boys. The last-named ship measured 815 tons, and mounted 24 long � 24s on the main deck, and two more, along with fourteen 32 and two 68 pounder carronades on the quarterdeck and forecastle, total 42 guns, with a complement of 315 men and boys. The six 68-pounder carronades were the same mounted in the preceding year on board the Wolfe and Royal-George. The latter, now named the Niagara, had replaced the two 68s with two long 18-pounders ; the former, now the Montreal, her four, with the same number of 32-pounder carronades. The schooners Moira and Sidney-Smith had been altered into brigs, and their names changed to the Charwell and Magnet; as had been the names of the Melville and Beresford to the Star and Netley ; but, it is believed, no alterations, beyond those already mentioned, were made in the armaments of any of the British vessels.

Before the end of March, Commodore Chauncey had succeeded in equipping two large brig-sloops, the Jones and Jefferson, each, as acknowledged, of 500 tons American, and therefore of at least 530 tons English. It has been stated, that these brigs carried 42-pounder carronades, and mounted 24 guns each ; but they will be considered as having mounted the same as the ships Frolic and Peacock, with the addition of a long 24-pounder upon a traversing carriage. The Sylph, now a brig, mounted, in lieu of her former armament, 14 carronades, 24-pounders, and two long 12s. On the 1st of May, was launched at Sackett's-Harbour, the Superior, of about 1580 tons, mounting 30 columbiad or medium 32-pounders on the lower or main deck, two long 24s, and 30 carronades, 42-pounders, on the upper or spar deck, total 62 guns, with a complement of 550 men.

* Brenton, vol. v., p. 171. � Doubtful if not medium,

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