Daily National Intelligencer

THE WASP.

Notwithstanding the reports which we have heretofore published, a conversation with an officer of the first rank and respectability in the Navy, permits us to entertain no doubts of the loss of the United States Sloop of War Wasp, and that her end was as glorious as her cruize had been brilliant. All readers of newspapers must recollect, that about a year ago, there was an account of a British frigate putting into Cadiz much cut to pieces, and one hundred men killed and wounded; reporting her having had an engagement with a large American Frigate off that port.

It was known at the time that we had no Frigate in that quarter, and that the Wasp was believed to be cruizing in that neighborhood; but little was thought or said about it at the time, as the report was not generally credited. We now learn, from a source which cannot be doubted, that there was an action between a British Frigate of the largest class, and an American Sloop, and that it was, undoubtedly, the Wasp. Lieut. Conkling, who commanded the scow Ohio, one of Commodore Sinclair's squadron, on Lake Erie, and who was captured in August, 1814, off Fort Erie, and sent to England, has lately reported himself to his commanding officer; to whom, it appears, he related, having met with one of the Lieutenants who was on board the above mentioned Frigate; and was informed by him, that the Ship they engaged was not a Frigate, as was stated; and that his commander, as well as every person on board, could see, by her battle lanthorns being lighted, and from the flashes of her guns, that she was a Corvette Ship, mounting 20 guns; and that they believed themselves, it was no other than the Wasp; but, after being so gallantly beaten off, and having suffered so severely, they were reluctant to acknowledge how inferior the force was, which inflicted such severe chastisement on them. It appears, by the Lieutenant's own account, that the action lasted several hours: that the Frigate sheered off to refit, intending, if circumstances would admit of it, to renew the action at day-light, which was not far distant; but, at its earliest dawn, there was no vestige of their gallant opponent. From the crippled state of the ships, and the short time intervening between their separation and day-light, the Lieutenant believed it impossible that they could have been out of sight of each other had their opponent been above water.

The above account essentially coincides with the opinions of the best informed naval men about the seat of government, who generally agree in the belief that the Wasp was the vessel engaged by the British frigate above alluded to.-Nat. Intel.