Daily National Intelligencer

NORFOLK, OCT 4, 1819.

Sea Robbers.—We have seen a letter from an officer on board the brig Spartan, Capt. Josiah Cowper, of this port, giving the particulars of the capture of that vessel by a cruizer belonging to the squadron of the pirate Aury. The Spartan was on her way from Cadiz to Vera Cruz, when on the 3d of July, off the south side of the Island of St. Domingo, the Isle of Vache bearing N. W. by W. he was fallen in with and captured by the privateer schooner Creole, who took out the crew of the Spartan, with the exception of the captain, and, leaving her standing to windward, the privateer run in and anchored under the Island of Vache, for the purpose of communicating with Aux Cayes.

"On the 5th joined the brig again, and, beating to windward until the 7th, anchored under Cape Batti. The captors then held a consultation among themselves, as to what disposition they should make of the brig and cargo; and on the 12th we sailed, as we understood, for the Island of Margaretta, but soon discovered, from the course she steered, that we were running for the main. We were now informed that it was their intention to carry us into the island of St. Andrews, but found ourselves, on the 19th, safely moored at the island of Old Providence, under the Buenos Ayrean flag and command of general Aury. We here underwent a trial, by their laws. On the 27th of July sentence of condemnation was pronounced on the vessel and cargo. Venture, including the captain's property; and on the 8th we were all sent back to the brig, having then been detained on board the privateer 27 days.

"On the 23d August, (says the letter of which the foregoing is an extract,) the privateer brig Mars arrived at Providence, with Capt. Muren and the other officers and crew of the ship Vermont, of New York, which they had captured on the 10th July. We sailed thence on the 1st of September, at which time the Vermont had not arrived. Apprehensive that his ship would not get in at all, Capt. Muren sent his son William with us to this port."

The writer is here under a mistake; there was neither trial or condemnation, as we are given to understand by a letter from Captain Cowper himself. The goods were made bon prize of, without any formality of that sort, and the brig was only released because she was not such a vessel as the pirates could make any use of.

As instances of depredation committed by Aury and company, on American commerce in the West Indies, are already sufficiently numerous to claim the serious attention of government, it is scarcely necessary to urge the present case as an example of the necessity of an adequate naval force in those seas: if the ninety-nine cannot produce the desired effect, it is not to be expected that the hundredth will. Herald.