Alexandria Gazette & Advertiser

COM. PORTER'S SQUADRON

Baltimore, June 7. In the Richmond Enquirer received yesterday, we find a letter dated at Allenton, Thompson's Island, 1st May, 1823. from an officer on board the squadron employed in the suppression of piracy. After detailing the arduous duties which had been discharged in examining every harbor and inlet on the north side of the island of Cuba, the writer proceeds:

Having put down all piratical establishments on this side of the Island, you will perceive by the foregoing statement that we are extending our operations to ascertain whether any exist in other quarters. We have been on the station not quite two months, and in that time no act of piracy has been committed--with a force not more than equal to one of our large frigates we have put it down, not only given complete protection to our own commerce but to that of all other nations who have in common with our own trade, enjoyed all the benefits of our convoys.

Perhaps there are very few persons, who are aware of the extent and importance of our trade to Cuba. I think since we have been here, that our convoy lists, will give an average of 30 arrivals and departures weekly, of American vessels for Havana, and about two thirds of that number for Matanzas--and there is scarcely a day without our seeing three or four pass this place.

Our operations have been much embarrassed by an order, which has been given to prevent our vessels from entering the minor ports of Cuba--and although repeated applications have been made to the Captain General, for its revocation, it is still in force. When last at Matanzas, much alarm prevailed, in consequence of the assemblage of a body of robbers, (18 or 20 in number,) well mounted and armed, who were committing depredations to the very entrance of the town. There is no doubt of their having been driven by us from similar practices on the ocean, and not being molested by the local authorities when there, I presume they must have calculated on the same conduct if they commenced land privateering. They will be deceived, the injury comes home to every member of the community, and vigorous measures had been taken for their apprehension.

As the order for our exclusion from the ports of Cuba, may have an important bearing on our own trade to that island, as well as that of other commercial nations --the Commodore has permitted me to take copies of two letters, he has addressed to the Captain General on the subject --neither of which has been answered-- you are at liberty to use them, as you may think most proper.

The Decoy is getting ready to go for water, the springs on the island having failed, or become so bad that the water cannot be used without great inconvenience. The Sea Gull (as well as the Decoy) has been stripped of her crew to man the barges, and remains here as a guard ship. The Commodore resides on board of her under an awning; which is the most comfortable accommodation his squadron affords him.

May 16--On yesterday the Commodore received from the new Captain General of Cuba an answer to the two last letters he addressed to his predecessors in office, and of which I have already taken notice. The reply of General Vives is so highly satisfactory, that it is due to him, that a copy of it, and also one of the circular orders, spoken of, should accompany the papers I had prepared for you, before his letter came to hand. I also add the Commodore's answer to it.

CORRESPONDENCE, &c.

Havana, April 28th, 1823.

To His Excellency the Captain General of Cuba.

Your Excellency: Having been informed that an order has been issued by your excellency to the military commanders of districts in this island, forbidding the entrance of the Squadron under my command into the harbors thereof I have therefore to repeat to your excellency, that I came by the orders of the government of the United States, In aid of the local authorities for the suppression of piracy, and for no other object as I have already assured your excellency; and I have to beg of you, that to prevent any unpleasant consequences from the existence of an order so hostile to the interest of Cuba, and so opposed to the friendly and benevolent intentions of my government, that your excellency will be pleased to cause it to be revoked as early as practicable, and that you will furnish me with a paper bearing your excellency's signature, whereby the friendly character of the forces under my command may be made understood by the aforesaid military commanders, as well as by all others in authority with whom I may come in contact; and your excellency will pardon me for urging with great earnestness this request, as the knowledge of this order has been the source of great uneasiness to me, particularly since admission on the part of your excellency confirms its existence.

I have the honor to be your excellency's obedient humble servant.

(Signed)
D. PORTER
Commanding the U. S. Naval forces in the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico.

U. S. Galiot Sea Gull, Matanzas,
May 4th, 1823.

To His Excellency the Captain General of Cuba.

Your Excellency: On an expedition from which I have just returned, in pursuit of pirates to the west of Havana, I have most seriously felt the inconvenience and danger arising from the existence of the order from your excellency to the military commanders of districts adverted to in a former communication.

At Mariel I was not permitted to enter the harbor, and my small vessels were threatened to be fired into if they attempted to proceed; they consequently were compelled to anchor for the night, in an exposed situation. At Porto Cavanas, found the most hostile disposition manifested by the commander of the fort, and notwithstanding every means had been taken by me to satisfy him of our friendly character, after passing the fort with his vessel, my barges were stopped by him and not permitted to proceed until I was reluctantly compelled to resort to threats to compel him to an acquiescence; and even after the letter of your excellency to me of the 29th of March was shewn to him, he continued to increase his force at the fort, by the assemblage of people from the neighborhood.

At Bahia Honda, also found them in hostile array, with the guns of the fortress pointed into my vessels: but whether from less hostile feelings on the part of the commandant, or from not being in so good a state of preparation, or from some other cause, I did not find it so difficult to satisfy him of our character.

It affords me pleasure to say, that on the information received from this officer, I was enabled to destroy several piratical establishments in that neighborhood, the existence of which he was compelled to allow for the want of means to suppress.

In the neighborhood of Cayo Blanco, my boats were fired on from the breastwork on shore, thrown up by license from the commandant of Bahia Honda, but of this fact we could not be informed until we had taken possession of the work, fortunately, however, without injury to any one.

These facts it is sincerely hoped, will induce your excellency to lose no time in countermanding the order complained of, for if any further inconvenience should be experienced from it, I shall not feel myself justifiable in exposing the valuable lives of the officers and men, under my command, to the fire of those whom we have every desire to meet as friends, and whom it is made our duty to protect.--I shall be compelled consequently, to turn my attention wholly to the protection of the persons and property of citizens of the U. States, and leave to Cuba all the inconvenience of piracy and the odium inseparable from it.

I have the honor to be your excellency's very obedient servant.

(Signed)
D. PORTER,
Commanding the U. S. naval forces in the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico.

[TRANSLATION.]

In the last conference which you had with his excellency my predecessor, you no doubt became satisfied with the friendly demonstrations and sincere offers of this government to that of the U. States, unequivocally expressed by that chieftain, with explanations of the subject of your doubts relative to his official letter of the 29th of March in his last paragraph, in answer to one from you dated the 6th of the same month.

Having gained an understanding of this case, I have now the satisfaction of declaring to you that this government has not issued any order for prohibiting the entrance of the vessels in the squadron under your command into the ports of this Island, but on the contrary your squadron will meet with every aid and co-operation on the part of the local authorities in the pursuit of pirates who may shelter themselves in the uninhabited coasts, compatible with the territorial privilege conformable to the laws of nations.

And I can do no less than assure you, that the Spanish Government, always a faithful observer of the rights pertaining to each nation, as well as jealous of their own, never could take measures of the kind to which you allude, without proclaiming their intention with that frankness and clearness which are its strong characteristics; and in the present case it has had no motive for acting contrary to the sentiments which it has heretofore expressed to you. And that you may remain satisfied and convinced, I enclose to you circulars for the different commandants of the military stations on this Island, in order that they may afford you all the assistance necessary for the attainment of your important commission; with this I consider your official letter of the 8th ultimo as answered.

This opportunity allows me the pleasure of offering my services to you with the highest consideration. God preserve you many years.

Havana, 10th May, 1823.

(Signed)
FRANCISCO DIONISIO VIVES.

Commodore David Porter,
Commander of the U. States Squadron.

Translated Copy of a Circular letter from the Captain General of Cuba to the Commandants of the several Military stations in that Island.

Office of the Captain General of the Island of Cuba.

An American squadron under the Command of Commodore David Porter being destined to cruise about the coasts of the islands in aid of our forces, who are engaged in a like enterprize, namely the purpose of exterminating the pirates, who infest our seas, and cause so much injury to commerce in general, without respecting any flag whatever; and it being an obligation of every civilized nation to annihilate such banditti, who heedless of their duties in society employ themselves in such execrable practices, I have thought it proper to give orders that wherever this squadron may arrive and present itself to the constituted authorities, they must afford it every aid, which may be compatible with the territorial privileges and respect.

God preserve you many years,
Habana, 10th of May, 1823.

(Signed)
FRANCISCO DIONISIO
Vives.

To his Excellency Don Francisco Dionisio Vives, Captain General of the Island of Cuba and its dependencies.

Your Excellency: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your communication of the 10th, with the circulars accompanying it, and beg leave to return my sincere thanks for your prompt and satisfactory reply to my application of the 4th inst. as well as assurances of the high sense I entertain of the favorable disposition of the higher authorities of Cuba, towards the squadron under my command, which has been manifested by various acts that have greatly facilitated the execution of the duties entrusted to me; and it is the cause of great regret that I should have been under any erroneous impression with regard to orders of any kind issued by your predecessor in office, in any way concerning the operations of my forces, and beg leave to offer as my apology the assurances of those who had stated to me that they had seen the orders--the admission of the Captain General as understood by the officer whom I sent to him on this subject that orders of a restrictive nature had been issued, the conduct of the commandants of Mariel and Porto Cabanas, and information received from the commandant of the Bahia Honda, that some orders with regard to the forces under my command had been received by him. The assurances of your excellency have put the subject forever at rest, and your circulars have relieved my mind from the serious apprehension under which it laboured.

Permit me to embrace this opportunity to felicitate your excellency on your arrival, to assure you that nothing but a severe indisposition has prevented my paying my respects in person, and to offer you my best wishes for your health and happiness.

I have the honor to be, with the highest respect, your excellency's very obedient humble servant,

(Signed)
D. PORTER.
Commanding U. S. Naval forces in the West Indies and Gulf of Mexico.

U. S. Steam Vessel Sea Gull, Allenton,
Thompson's Island, May 16, 1823.