British.

Meanwhile Captain John Barry was busy in constant service on the
Delaware River and on shore, promoting the progress of naval affairs
conducive to the formation of a navy.

It was not, however, until March 23d that Congress ordered Letters of
Marque to be issued and authorized public and private cruisers to
capture British vessels or to seize or destroy supplies for the British
naval forces.

Captain Barry, in the "Lexington," at once proceeded down the Delaware.
On March 29, 1776, was off Cape May, New Jersey. On Sunday, the 31st,
the "Lexington" went out to sea--his first entry upon the watery domain
bearing the flag of defiance--the Union or Continental flag hoisted at
Cambridge on January 1, 1776, by General Washington, which he had
adopted so that "our vessels may know one another," and so "distinguish
our friends from our foes," as he had written Captain Barry's friend and
fellow-Catholic of Philadelphia, Colonel Stephen Moylan, the Muster
Master General of his army.

When Captain Barry proceeded to sea, the "Roebuck," British man-of-war,
"one of His Majesty's pirates" and her tender, the "Edward," "put to
sea" also after the "Lexington," but Barry was too swift and got so far
away that the "Roebuck" returned the same evening to the Bay.

Barry's historical and patriotic career had begun.

[Illustration: ADMIRALTY SEAL AND SIGNATURE OF THE SECRETARY OF THE
BOARD]

CHAPTER II.

CAPTURES THE "EDWARD"--HIS PRISONER RICHARD DALE--IMPORTANCE OF THE
PRIZE--BARRY UNKNOWN TO OR IGNORED BY CAPTAIN HOBSON.

The "Lexington" cruised off the coast of Virginia a week without meeting
with the enemy. Barry had gone to sea on Sunday. The Sunday following,
April 7, 1776, while off the "Capes of Virginia" he "fell in with the
sloop 'Edward' belonging to the 'Liverpool' frigate" and "shattered her
in a terrible manner," as he reported to the Marine Committee, after an
engagement of "near two glasses." The "Lexington" lost two men killed
and two wounded. The "Edward" had "several of her crew killed and
wounded." She carried "eight guns and a number of swivels" and was
commanded by Lieutenant Richard Boger of the "Liverpool." Barry brought
the "shattered" captive to Philadelphia with the crew of twenty-five
prisoners taken.

Among the number was Richard Dale, of Virginia, who had been Lieutenant
of a light cruiser in the service of Virginia, which had been captured
by the "Edward." Dale was "induced