to sea without these is the European ships are expected any day
and should any of them be taken and I lying in the harbor, the merchants
may blame me and no other, although it would not be my fault." Barry
returned on November 9th "totally unexpected," as an "accident had
prevented the 'United States' from getting to Newport," where the ship
had been expected to appear.

On November 29, 1798, Captains Barry, Dale, Truxtun and Tingley were
directed to report upon "a proper system for the government of the
Navy." He had previously recommended the establishment of Navy Yards and
organization of a Navy Department. The War Department had, previous to
1798, directed all naval affairs. At the opening of Congress in
December, 1798, President Adams, in his Message, declared the law of
France, that "neutral vessels with British fabrics or produce, although
the entire property belonging to neutrals, were liable to seizure," was
an "unequivocal act of war on the commerce of the nation it attacks,"
and so "whether we negotiate with her or not, a vigorous preparation for
war will be alike indispensable." He urged the increase of the Navy.
Congress in February, 1799, added six 74's and six 18's to the naval
force at a cost of $2,400,000. The naval appropriation for 1799 amounted
to $4,594,677.

On December 7, 1798, Captain Barry was placed in "immediate command" of
the frigates the "United States," the "Constitution," the "George
Washington," the "Merrimac" with four or five more vessels of nearly the
same force as the latter (24 guns). The fleet was to be employed in the
West Indies in active operations for the "protection of our commerce and
for the capture or destruction of French armed vessels from St.
Christopher's as far as Barbadoes and Tobago," and to "pay considerable
attention to Cayenne and Curricoa and even to the passage from the
United States to Laguayra, on the Spanish Main, to which place our
citizens carry on considerable trade," but above all, Barry was "to
relieve our commerce from the piccaroons and pirates continually issuing
from the Island of Guadeloupe."

Captain Truxtun was assigned "from St. Christopher's to Porto Rico,"
with two or three vessels of 14 and 18 guns. Captain Decatur, with one
brig of 16 guns, "the vicinity of Havana," and Captain Tingley in the
"Ganges," "between Cuba and Hispaniola," to give security to the trade
of Jamaica.

The expedition was designed "to rid those seas as well of French