Alexandria Daily Gazette, Commercial & Political

From the Boston Repertory.
SOMETHING NEW
Our friends, the Norwegians, though far to the North, seem not wholly destitute of invention. They have discovered a new cause of capturing American vessels, never yet suggested by any principle of maritime law or common sense.
A friend handed us, yesterday, a letter from an American in Norway, to his correspondents in this town, relating to the capture of the brig Mary, Wood, of which the following is an extract.
Egwog, (about 60 miles N. W. of Christiansand) June 8, 1810.
" After a pretty good passage from Boston of 40 days, we arrived in this place on the 5th inst. being brought in by a Danish privateer, who boarded us about 5 leagues from this place, and after looking over our papers, observed we had NO CHARTER PARTY, and must be carried into port for further examination."
We were carried into Farsund and examined.
We replied to the agent of the privateer, and likewise to our detention, but the captain could not obtain the non.
We were however informed by some Americans here that we shall be tried by the prize court.
Of the American vessels here and near this, were the brig Minerva, Barker, from Portland, Catharine, capt. Ackington, from Boston ; and brought in with us. American vessels here are the ship Egena, The A Lor, from New York ; brig Ellen Naia Adams, from Lisbon ; brig Sylph, from New York ; all waiting trial.
A vessel captured for not having a charter party ! then all vessels with cargoes belonging to the owner of the vessel are good prize to these free booters. That our friends in this country, unacquainted with commerce, may know on what ridiculous pretences these recent allies of Bonaparte seize upon our property, it may be necessary to observe that the charter party is nothing more nor less than the agreement between the owner and freighter. Of course when they are the same, a charter party is as unnecessary as for a man to take a lease of his own house.