easure of our interest. They were entirely in the wrong, but
they had the right stuff in them for making the best kind of English
sailormen, the men who helped to win our country's battles, and to
make her what she is to-day as the owner of a proud position in the
world of nations.

Ten of these twelve men were taken as prisoners to the _Florida_, and
the _St. Thomas_ with her cargo still aboard were towed by the
_Florida_ into Yarmouth Roads, and there delivered to the Collector of
Customs. She was found to be a 54-foot galley--a tremendous length for
an oared craft--with no deck, and rigged with three lugsails and jib,
her size working out at about 11 tons burthen. On delivering the cargo
at Yarmouth it was found that there were altogether 207 kegs. The ten
uninjured prisoners were taken before the Yarmouth magistrates, and
the two whom the officer had cut down were sent on shore immediately
the _Florida_ arrived in that port. The English steersman, to whose
case we call special attention, died, two others were fined L100 each,
two were sent to gaol, and one, who was the son of the man who died,
was liberated, as it was shown that he had only been a passenger. The
man who had been born of English parents at Flushing was also set
free, as the magistrates had not sufficient proof that he was a
British subject.

A few months prior to the above occurrence Lieutenant John Wood Rouse
was in command of his Majesty's schooner _Pioneer_. On the 11th of
January 1817 he was cruising between Dungeness and Point St. Quintin,
when his attention was drawn to a lugger whose name we may state by
anticipation was the _Wasp_. She appeared to be making for the English
coast on a N.W. bearing, and was distant about six miles. In order to
cut her off and prevent her from making the shore Lieutenant Rouse
sent one of his men named Case with a galley to cross her bows. At the
same time he also despatched another of his boats under the care of a
Mr. Walton to make directly for the lugger. This occurred about 10
A.M., and the chase continued till about 3.45 P.M., when the schooner
came alongside the lugger that had, by this time, been seized by Mr.
Case. Lieutenant Rouse was then careful to take bearings of the land,
and fixed his position so that there should be no dispute as to
whether the lugger were seized within the legal limits.

On capturing the lugger, only two persons were found on board, and
these were at once transferred to the _