ur fortunes, with a view of serving our country, and who have no desire
of being mere sinecure officers if we could at this moment embark and
obey the commands of our country, in going in pursuit of a barbarous
enemy, who now holds in chains and slavery so many of our unfortunate
fellow-citizens; the relieving and restoring of which to the bosom of
their families and friends are, with that of having an opportunity to
chastise their cruel oppressors, objects of our greatest ambition and
which we anticipate with all the ardor of officers, of seamen and of
citizens."

But no haste was made in building the frigates. Temporary diplomatic
arrangements with France quieted or averted action. Our country paid
tribute to the Barbary State and sent barrels of silver to purchase
tolerance on the sea from these pirates as a cheaper method of peace
than the cost and maintenance of armed vessels of war would be.

By the Act of March 27, 1794, work on the frigates was to cease in the
event of peace being signed with Algiers. So when on December 21, 1795,
Washington informed the Senate that the Emperor of Morocco had signed a
treaty of peace and friendship with the United States, work on the
frigates was suspended. Washington called the attention of Congress to
the loss that would come if the work ceased, whereupon on April 20,
1796, Congress ordered the unexpended balance to be used, but ordered
the work to be discontinued. Yet President Washington in his message had
declared: "To secure respect for a neutral flag requires a naval force
organized and ready to vindicate it from insult or aggression.... Our
trade to the Mediterranean, without a protecting force, will always be
insecure. Will it not then be advisable to begin without delay to
provide and lay up materials for the building and equipping of ships of
war and to proceed with the work by degrees, in proportion as our
resources shall render it practicable, without inconvenience so that a
future war of Europe may not find our commerce in the unprotected state
in which it was found by the present."

The cannon for the frigates had been cast at Cecil Furnace, Maryland.
Captain Barry, on May 16, 1796, was sent there "to see the guns and
examine whether they were suitable or fit for service."

The frigate "United States" was progressing rapidly towards completion.
Captain Barry, on September 19, 1796, estimated the cost of fitting out
for officers and men at $7285. The vessel when