UNITED STATES NAVY. The Americans were a maritime people from the time of the first settlement of the colonies; and, as maritime commerce was conducted in the 17th c. in the midst of constant danger from pirates, Indians, and freebooters, all vessels sailing out of American ports were armed; while most of the colonies fitted out special armed vessels for the general protection. In 1690 Massachusetts colony fitted out.eight armed vessels against the French privateer of Acadia ; and in the same year a squadron of 40 vessels, with 2,000 men, also from Massachusetts, made an unsuccessful descent on Quebec. The beginning of the 18th c., and the occurrence of the French war, brought the American colonies into hostilities, and,the crown and colonists acting together, expe ditions were fitted out against the French, and a considerable American navy tenipo rarily organized. After the peace of Utrecht in 1713, this force was reduced to a few armed vessels employed to guard the coast.. In 1739 England declared war against Spain, and many expeditions were fitted out in the colonies, notably that against Car thagena. In 1741 a similar enterprise was undertaken against Cuba, and four years later the expedition against Louisburg, in aid of the new British war against France. In this war there were as many as 400 privateers and letters-of-marque engaged on the part of the colonies. The French and English war of 1756 again involved the colonies, and numerous brilliant naval exploits on the part of the colonial navy are recorded in its history. After the peace of 1763, no further call for armed vessels was made on the colonies, until the breaking out of the war of the revolution. At this period (1775) there existed no naval force whatever in the American colonies; and although Massachusetts fitted out a few privateers at the beginning of hostilities, it was not until six months after the battle of Lexington that congress took steps to organize a navy. Two small cruisers were equipped to intercept British supply ships; then two more, of a larger class; and by the close of the year the construction of about 20 cruisers had been authorized. The first ensign displayed by a regular American man-of-war was hoisted by John Paul Jones, in Dec., 1775, on board the Alfred, of which he was let lieut., that ship then lying in the Delaware. It is believed that this flag contained the device of a pine-tree, with a rattlesnake at its root, about to strike, and the motto "Don't tread on mel" The present national ensign did not come into use until 1777 and is generally believed to have originated in the arms of the Washington family, as displayed on gen. Washing
ton's headquarters' flag. The first American squadron consisted of eight vessels, includ ing the Alfred, and sailed on Feb. 17. 1776, on a cruise against the British naval force then ravaging the coast of Virginia. This cruise was unsuccessful, and the officer in command, commodore Ezek Hopkins,was dismissed from the service,Paul Jones,wbo was promoted to command of the Providence, 12 guns, atoned for this ill-fortune, in a meas ure, by capturing 16 prizes in a single cruise. After the declaration of independence, congress set vigorously to work to construct a navy; authorizing in 1776-77 the building of 7 frigates, 2 cutters, 2 sloops-of-war. and three 74-gun ships. At the same time con gress regulated the rank of the different officers, and 24 captains were appointed to take precedence as their names stood on the list. The new navy did good work; not only as coasters, and upon the high seas, hut by descents on the coast of the British isles. The bold expedition of Paul %Tones, with a squadron of which the Bon Homme Richard was the flagship, is historical. Meanwhile armed flotillas did good service on the great lakes, as to which brilliant exploits are recorded. On the ocean no less than 342 vessels were captured from the British during the first year of the war. During the second year they lost 467 merchantmen,captured by American cruisers and privateers. In 1779 the American navy encountered many disasters: and the three last years of the war wit nessed no important naval engagements. The determination of the British government to exchange no more prisoners captured in American privateers demoralized that system of naval warfare, and but a few of that class of vessels remained; while the continental navy became greatly diminished. It is, however, the fact that British shipping suffered more heavily in this contest than, in any other war in which England had previously been engaged. After the peace of 1783, what few public cruisers remained to the Americans were sold by order of the government. But about 1794, difficulties having broken out with the Barbary States, congress authorized the construction of t3 frigates, and these were speedily built, including the United States and the immortal Cos stitugass.