Portland Gazette, And Maine Advertiser

NEW-ORLEANS, SEPT. 18.
PRIVATEERING.

We find the American coast lined with French privateers, and New-Orleans the grand depot of their robberies. Surrounded by water as we are, no city in the United States presents such an inviting situation; and along with that, the number of inhabitants that have been thrown by the fate of war on our shores, who have long practised and have felt the beneficial effects of the honorable profession of privateering secures to those freebooters many friends here. Not having any port in the West Indies or on the American continent, where prizes can be carried for adjudication, they avail themselves of this friendly port to smuggle in their plunder.

Privateering is permitted as legal between belligerents under certain restrictions: So say the different writers on the law of nations. To elucidate the business--A French privateer capturing an English merchantmen, before she can become a legal prize, she must be carried into some place of safety where she can be condemned; if she is carried into a neutral port in distress, she is not in a place of safety, she cannot be condemned, but is obliged again to put to sea and run the risk of being taken by the English or any power at war with France. This, like all the other laws of nations, becomes binding by consent, and any nation deviating from this law, becomes robbers. Hence it is, not capturing a vessel on the high seas, plundering her of valuable property, and burning and destroying her, and smuggling the property into a neutral country, is Robbery on the high seas; and any English captain of a privateer or letter of marque convicted of such a crime would suffer death.

We particularly request the collector and Naval officers to be on the alert --to look to the southward and eastward from those small bays and inlets the goods wares and merchandize, plundered at sea, are introduced into our city.

Extract from the Log book of the ship Stranger, capt. Thomas from New-York.

Tuesday, August 20, 1811--These 24 hours commenced pleasant gales, all sails set--At 4 P. M. got within sight of Tortugas banks, 5 fathom water--Middle part moderate gales-- At 6 A. M. was fired upon and brought too by the French privateer La Française, capt. Chevalier. The privateer passed us without taking any further notice, in chase of a schooner; at 3 A. M. made sail and stood on our course, the ship Broker of New York, in company -At 9 A. M, the privateer came up with the schooner and took her; she proved to be Spanish schooner from Campeachy for Havanna--at 10 A. M. the privateer fired and brought us too again--after part pleasant gales from S.E.

Wednesday, August 21, 1811--At 2 P. M. a boat from the privateer came on board with an officer, and told the captain to take his papers and go on board--From us he went on board the ship Broker, and took the captain on board the privateer with him, ordering the ships to follow--and after we had run 4 or 5 leagues-- to the S. E. and got in the Gulph Stream, we were ordered to have her too, and were kept lying there for the Spaniards' louis. At 1 p.m. the captain was sent on board with six Spanish prisoners with him, one was ordered to take to New-Orleans, though he remonstrated, and said he was short of both provisions and water. yet he put them on board without supplies of any kind.

The captain states, that while on board the privateer he was abused and informed that they would take what they wanted from on board his ship.