America has produced. Nor was he a mere mechanician distinguished in a single department. His genius took a wide range. He was an excellent writer, and might have acquired fame as a painter had he pursued the profession. He always retained an affec tion for art, from his early efforts at Philadelphia and first intimacy with West in London. When his friend, Joel Barlow, reproduced his early poem, "The Vision of Columbus" as the "Columbiad," in a costly quarto edition, the beautiful illustrations were planned by Fulton, and executed under his direction; and it is to his pencil that we owe the characteristic portrait of the author prefixed to the work. From his will, we learn that Fulton expended five thousand dollars for the engravings, printing of plates, and letterpress of the poem. He mentions this for the sake of resigning all property in the work to the widow of his friend, the author. He also in his will provides, in certain contingencies, for the gift of his pictures, of which he had a valuable collection, including West's Ophelia and King Lear, to a proposed National Academy at the seat of Government. The amiable social qualities of Fulton are remembered in New York by many yet living, who were his companions. "He had too much sense," remarks his friend and biographer, Colden, "for the least affectation." "He was emphatically," adds his younger associate, Dr. Francis, "a man of the people, ambitious, indeed, but void of all sordid designs; he pursued ideas more than money." His home in State street is spoken of as the seat of a genial hospitality. In person, he was tall and slender, but well proportioned. The portrait by West has a certain reserved look of the gentleman, with an air of meditation and refinement. His grave is in our midst in New York, in the family tomb of the Livingstons, in the ground of Old Trinity. Adjoining Wall street exchanges millions borne on every sea on the wings of his enterprise. Does she not owe her benefactor a monument? armed himself, and Agamemnon, like vessels. The consequence was, that the him of old, was contented to seize an victorious pursuer was recalled from inferior prize from the forecastle. Bain- the chase, and the Americans, by this bridge submitted to superior force, but pious fraud, escaped. The Frenchmen vowed revenge. The first Englishman were indignant when they found themhe could take would be his own, and selves balked of their certain prey by he found and took him within a week, the deception; but they had the phifrom a merchantman. losophy or the patriotic fervor to ac quiesce in a lie in behalf of one's country. The sequel of the adventure was the release of all the prisoners by the governor of the island, who was not prepared for extreme hostilities, and the return of Bainbridge to his country in possession of the Retaliation. It is not to be wondered at, after these gallant actions, that the government, then on the lookout for officers for its rising and suddenly developed navy, gave employment to the youthful Bainbridge. His first appointment was to the Retaliation, a vessel which, not long before, had been captured from the French, while employed as a privateer. He had the rank, known to the service at that time, of lieutenantcommandant. While sailing in this vessel in company with other ships of the West India station, he was separated in a nautical manoeuvre from his companions, and thrown under the guns of L'Insurgente, a French frigate, which with her consort, Le Volontier, was far too powerful for him to oppose. He was carried prisoner into Guadaloupe. An incident which happened on the way brings up one of those questions of the inviolability of truth more easily solved, accorded to the practice of war, than in the Court of Conscience. L'Insurgente, the better sailer of the two French frigates, was in pursuit of the American vessels, when it occurred to the captain of Le Volontier, who was the superior officer, to make inquiry of Bainbridge of the force of his country men. Thinking, according to the proverb, all fair in war, he did not hesitate to double the real force of the Bainbridge was next placed in command of the Norfolk, one of the vessels which he had saved by his crafty overestimates. He distinguished himself as usual by his management and address in convoying merchantmen and repress ing privateers. He was also intrusted with the command of the small squadron off the Havana, where he rendered efficient service in the protection of American commerce. In May, 1800, he was appointed Captain in the Navy, wanting but a few days of completing his twenty sixth year. The promotion was rapid; but Bainbridge had been early on duty, and served a very satisfactory apprenticeship. His first service with his new rank was a novel one, and proved to be not without its perils and picturesque incidents. He was appointed to the frigate George Washington, rated as a 24, and was immediately ordered to the Mediterranean to carry the an nual inglorious tribute of those times to the Dey of Algiers. The best that can be said of the matter is that America at that period shared this disgraceful subserviency to a faithless and cruel barbaric power, in company with states of the old world, whose sentiment should have been more powerfully awakened, and that our country was among the first subsequently to break up the disgraceful payment. The George Washington first carried the penant of the new navy into the Mediterranean.' matter of considerable comment, and various motives have been assigned to relieve him of the naked question so powerfully propounded by the Dey Much of the responsibility is thrown upon the consul, Mr. O'Brien, who had tasted in his own person the sorrows of Algerian captivity, who advised compliance. It was not a pleasant affair to a high-minded officer, by any means, but once in for it, Bainbridge On his arrival at Algiers, Bainbridge conducted the adventure with his usual had an early proof of Moorish inso- spirit. It was not his humor to be delence and authority. He was politely tained at the Dardanelles, and he had requested to be the bearer to Constantino firman to pass the straits, and no nople, of a propitiatory offer to the obvious means in the absence of conSultan of a cargo of slaves, wild beasts sular or other relations at the Porte, to and money, which the Dey had no procure it. This expedient savored of other way to send. The commander the "dash" of a brilliant officer. He remonstrated, the consul argued; but saluted the forts, received a prompt rein vain. The Algerines had too long turn of the compliment, and taking been permitted to use the logic of force, advantage of a favorable wind, broke not to avail themselves of it on such an through the smoke beyond the range occasion. The loss of the ship, exposed of the guns and their portentous stone to the guns of the fort, was threatened, balls. The affair caused some embarand the usual hostilities to commence. rassment to the Turkish officer in comThere were precedents enough for com- mand on shore. In fact he was in pliance, and Bainbridge reluctantly danger of losing his head, as the penyielded to policy, which must some- alty of being outwitted, when Baintimes, at the expense of feeling, be bridge at once interposed, and magnanitaken into account by the bravest, mously took the whole responsibility among whom he must be ranked. He of the action upon himself. As the was even compelled to hoist the Alger- matter was in the hands of the brotherine flag to get safely out of port, when in-law of the Sultan, the Capudan he threw it aside. The decision of Pasha, the Lord High Admiral of the Bainbridge on this occasion has been Turkish fleet, and as he had contracted a warm friendship for the gallant American captain, it was of course readily adjusted and forgiven. Pasha, after this, complimented his friend from the forts on his departure in the handsomest manner. 1 Cooper notices this in connection with the progress of the flag about the world: "Thus the United States 44 first carried the pennant of the new marine to Europe, in 1799; the Essex 32, first carried it round the Cape of Good Hope in 1800, and around Cape Horn in 1813; and this ship, the George Washington 28, first carried it into the classical seas of the old world."-Naval Biography. The the frigate's having touched at Algiers, in her passage from America, and being at anchor so near to the shores both of Europe and Asia." Bainbridge also visited, by stealth, in company with Clarke, the gardens of the Seraglio and the Harem. Upon his return to Algiers, Bainbridge was too wary to trust himself a second time under the guns of the Dey, more especially as this unreasonable functionary was disposed to press upon him another embassage to the Sultan. It was not till this request was expressly repudiated He would not even then have been secure but for the magical effect of the exhibition of the Capudan Pasha's "firman" of protection, which that distinguished friend had given him as a mark of his esteem. The distinguished traveller, Dr. Edward Clarke, was at this time at Constantinople, and in one of his delight ful volumes, has left us a pleasant account of the arrival of Bainbridge. The coming of the vessel, he says, created quite a sensation, not only with the Turks but with the whole diplomatic corps. The former had no conception of an American vessel; they knew not the country; and much time was lost in arranging the preliminaries of etiquette, till it gradually dawned upon the Sublime Porte that America might be the New World. Receiving that he ventured within the harbor. a confirmatory answer to this bold conjecture, Captain Bainbridge was treated with great respect, though the offerings of the Dey, which he had brought with him, failed to conciliate the sovereign authority. The order and discipline of the George Washington were much ad- Being thus thwarted in his attempts mired, and its commander was greatly to make a convenience of the Ameri in request at the tables of the different cans, the Dey turned his attention to ministers. Dr. Clarke accompanied his French subjects, and as a peacehim on a characteristic excursion- offering to the Porte, ordered them a voyage in his long boat to the Black all-men, women and children, the ConSea-for the purpose of hoisting the sul included-into slavery. Captain American flag there for the first Bainbridge hereupon interposed his time. On their return the Captain influence, and gained a respite of fortygave a singular dinner entertainment. eight hours, with permission for them "Upon the four corners were as many to leave the country in the meantime. decanters, containing fresh water from Forbearance of this kind was of but the four quarters of the globe. The little worth when the means of escape natives of Europe, Asia, Africa, and America, sat down together to the same table, and were regaled with flesh, fruit, bread, and other viands; while, of every article, a sample from each quarter of the globe was presented at the same time. The means of accomplishing this are easily explained, by แ were not at hand; but Bainbridge, though his country was then at issue. with France, gallantly made it of avail. He took the whole of them on board his vessel within the brief stipulated period, and landed them safely at the 'Travels in Greece, Egypt, etc., III. 77. neutral port of Alicant. Napoleon, hostile commission from his govern then First Consul, did not overlook ment. He more than suspected the this important service, which he ac- character of his expedition, and gave knowledged by a message of thanks him half an hour to produce his and promise of reciprocation. authority to plunder American vessels, After this, Bainbridge returned or be hung as a pirate. At the end of home. His course was approved of, that time, the Moor, who seems to have and he shortly received, in the spring worn as many waistcoats as Hamlet's of 1801, the command of the Essex, of grave-digger, unbuttoned the fifth, and the Mediterranean squadron, Commo- disclosed the looked-for document. dore Dale, sent to protect American The prisoners and their chieftain were commerce from the cruisers of Tripoli. all treated with kindness by BainMaking the port of Barcelona on the bridge, who, when one of the Moors voyage to the Mediterranean, Bain- was struck by a corporal, caused the bridge was compelled to resent an offender to be punished, though he was indignity offered to the Essex, which not first in the wrong. The ship was appears to have grown out of a feeling handed over to Commodore Preble, at of jealousy excited in the Spanish Gibraltar, who immediately proceeded officers in the harbor, by the praises to Morocco, and obtained satisfaction lavished on the American vessel. The of the emperor. government made a proper amende, and Bainbridge proceeded with the objects of his expedition. It was not, however, till his next voyage to the Mediterranean, in 1803, when he was intrusted with the command of the Philadelphia, 44 guns, of Commodore Preble's squadron, that the more stirring incidents of this service took place. The first adventure was off Cape de Gatte, on the coast of Spain. The Philadelphia overhauled at night a ship with a brig in company, which turned out to be the Meshoba, a cruiser of the Emperor of Morocco, and her American prize. The captured crew were found under deck in the ship-ofwar. Bainbridge arrested the Moorish commander, and made prize of his vessel. He had some difficulty in extorting from the old man the proof of a The next adventure of Bainbridge was less fortunate. He was cruising off Tripoli in October, 1803, in chase of a strange vessel, when, on the last day of the month, his ship ran upon a reef of rocks. Notwithstanding every effort of seamanship to save her, the sacrifice of nearly every article on board, reserving only a few guns for protection against the gun-boats of the enemy, which were plying around; and finally, when matters got to the worst, the cutting away of the masts, the preservation of the Philadelphia in any condition, was felt to be hopeless, and after five hours' exposure to the enemy's fire, the officers having thrown overboard the small arms, floated the magazine and scuttled the ship, surrendered to his Tripolitan majesty. Then commenced a wearisome year and a half and more of imprisonment, of |