ered and
manned from the squadron, excepting twelve Neapolitan
bombardiers, gunners, and sailors, attached to each boat, who
were shipped by permission of their Government. This step I found
necessary, as every vessel in the squadron was considerably short
of complement. The gun boats are constructed for the defence of
harbours; they are flat bottomed and heavy, and do not sail or
row even tolerably well. They were never intended to go to sea,
and, I find, cannot be navigated with safety, unless assisted by
tow ropes from larger and better sailing vessels, nor even then,
in very bad weather; however, as they were the best I could
obtain, I have thought it for the good of our service to employ
them, particularly as the weather in July and August is generally
pleasant, and, without them, my force too small to make any
impression on Tripoli.

On the 16th of July we arrived at Malta, where we were detained
by contrary gales until the 21st, when we left it, and arrived in
sight of Tripoli the 25th, and were joined by the Syren, Argus,
Vixen and Scourge. Our squadron now consisted of the
Constitution, three brigs, three schooners, two bombs, and six
gun-boats, our whole number of men one thousand and sixty. I
proceeded to make the necessary arrangements for an attack on
Tripoli, a city well walled, protected by batteries judiciously
constructed, mounting one hundred and fifteen pieces of heavy
cannon, and defended by twenty-five thousand Arabs and Turks; the
harbour protected by nineteen gun-boats, two galleys, two
schooners of eight guns each, and a brig mounting ten guns,
ranged in order of battle, forming a strong line of defence, at
secure moorings, inside a long range of rocks and shoals,
extending more than two miles to the eastward of the town, which
form the harbour, protects them from the northern gales, and
renders it impossible for a vessel of the Constitution's draught
of water to approach near enough to destroy them, as they are
sheltered by the rocks, and can retire under that shelter to the
shore, unless they choose to expose themselves in the different
channels and openings of the reefs, for the purpose of annoying
their enemies. Each of their gunboats mounts a heavy eighteen or
twenty-six pounder in the bow, and two brass howi