The Enquirer

NORFOLK, July 3.

Mr. Fox, Naval Constructor for the U. States at Washington, arrived here yesterday with twenty shipwrights and sail-makers, to expedite the refitment of the Chesapeake frigate.

Ledger.

From Baltimore we understand that Lieutenant Read, arrived at that city from Washington with orders to refit the United States' Schooner Revenge, the sale of which had been previously ordered.

It is conjectured that this vessel will proceed without delay for London, with orders to our Ministers, to demand explanation and satisfaction or the late outrage, and in case both are not given, to leave the Court of St. James.

There has been no communication with the British squadron in Lynnhaven-bay for some days. This squadron begins to feel some serious inconvenience from the want of water and fresh provision.

Price Current.—We have inserted our Price Current as usual in the first page of this paper, but our readers will understand that prices are merely nominal. Business of every kind has been Suspended Since the attack on the Chesapeake, and while the uncertainty of what will be the result, commercial operations will remain suspended. Some of the Insurance Companies to the Northward, have shut their offices for the present The Insurance Company here have not come to such a determination, but the difficulty in fixing any premium equal to what the risk may be, produces nearly the same effect as shutting the office.

At a meeting of the committee at the Exchange Coffee House, on Monday the 29th of June, 1807.

Present—Thomas Matthews, Moses Myers, Wm. Newsum, Francis S. Taylor, Seth Foster, Thomas Newton, Richard Blows. Thomas Blanchard, J. W. Murdaugh, Theo. Armistead.

The chairman presented the following letter from Commodore Stephen Decatur, which was ordered to be published.

Norfolk, 1st July, 1807.

SIR,

Orders from Government directing my immediate attention to the re-equipment of the Chesapeake, any farther movement of the Gun Boats, for the moment, must necessarily be suspended. These boats will however lay where they are, with every thing on board, ready for such measures as the government may direct or emergencies call for.

Allow me to avail myself of the present occasion to express the high sense I entertain of the zeal and patriotism of the citizens of this neighbourhood, Particularly that portion of them by whose voluntary and unexampled exertions, these boats, then laying in a dismantled state, were in a few hours completely rigged, equipped and brought to the point where they now are; and from whence by similar services which continue to be tendered by the seamen and armed companies of the place, they may in a few hours at any time be rendered distinguishably useful to their country.

Accept, Sir, for yourself, and the Board over which you preside, the assurances of my high consideration and respect.

STEPHEN DECATUR, Jun.

To General Matthews, Chairman of the Committee, &c.

Resolved, That this committee view with the greatest satisfaction and most lively sensibility, the patriotism displayed by captain Decatur since the alarm excited by the late outrage committed on our flag by a British squadron.

Resolved, That commodore Decatur be invited to partake of a public dinner.
Resolved, That Seth Foster, Thomas Newton, and Richard Blow be a committee to wait upon Commodore Decatur with this invitation, and to make the necessary arrangements for this entertainment.

Whereas this committee passed a resolution interdicting all communication with the British ships until the pleasure of government should be known; and whereas the Collector of this port has received directions to make a request through the medium of the British Consul for the release of some impressed seamen now on board the Bellona.

Resolved, That this committee never did consider the interdiction entered into by the citizens of Norfolk, of communication between the British Consul and the British squadron, as extending to dispatches transmitted under authority of the government of the United States or any of its agents.

A communication respecting the state of Fort Norfolk was received from Col. Sharp.

The Committee appointed for that purpose made a return of the powder in the magazine.

A communication was received by the chairman from Dr. Shore, chairman of a town meeting of Petersburg.

THOMAS MATHEWS, Chairman.

At a meeting of the Committee at the Exchange Coffee-House, on Tuesday, the 30th June, 1807.

Present—Thomas Mathews, Luke Wheeler, Wm. Pennock, Francis S. Taylor, Wm. Newton, Richard Blow, Seth Foster, Thomas Blanchard, Moses Myers, J. W. Murdaugh, Theo. Armistead.

Resolved, That a Committee of Moses Myers, J. W. Murdaugh, and Wm. Newton, be appointed to examine the State of the Magazine, and to obtain a correct account of the Powder in the Borough, the proprietors thereof, and the present market price of that article.

Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that the public exigencies require the preservation, in our own hands, of every means of defence, and that persons who hold any quantities of powder, be admonished thereof, and desired to hold it for the public service.

Resolved, That the committee will consider any enhancement in the price of the said article by the holders thereof, at the present crisis, derogating from the character of a good citizen, and will well deserve the censure and contempt of the nation.

Resolved, That the thanks of the committee be given to Captain Stephen Decatur, and through him to the officers, marines and others, who have volunteered their services under his direction, for the alacrity with which they have undertaken to equip the Gun Boats for the defence of our ports at this eventful crisis.

Resolved, That in execution of the object heretofore requested of Captain Decatur, this committee hold it to be their duty to reimburse any expenses which may be incurred beyond those which Captain Decatur may consider himself authorized to incur as the commandant of the United States Naval force.

Resolved, That Moses Myers and William Newson be a committee to wait upon Captain Decatur with the foregoing resolutions.

Resolved, That a subscription be opened to defray the expenses, under the direction of Richard Blow, Seth Foster, and F. S. Taylor.

THOS. MATHEWS, Chairman
Theo. Armistead, Sec'ry.

Proceedings of the committee at the Exchange Coffee House, 3d July.

Present—Thomas Mathews, Luke Wheeler, William Pennock, D. Prentis, Seth Foster, F. S. Taylor, Thomas Newton, jun. Thomas Blanchard, Moses Myers, Thomas Armistead.

Whereas it has been represented to us that the British Consul has refused to send his dispatch covering communications from our government to the British ships through the conveyance offered by the collector, alleging that the resolutions of the committee have suspended his functions, and therefore that he would not make a demand for the liberation of the seamen detained on board of the Bellona, unless through the medium of the advice boats hitherto employed by the squadron, or in such other mode as he may think proper.

Resolved, That this committee do not prescribe to the Consul any mode of communication which he may, in his pleasure, think proper to adopt. He knows full well how far the resentment of an injured people will brook the appearance in their own ports of those very men whose hands are yet reeking in the blood of their country. But in an interval wherein the sense of the government cannot be ascertained, the committee will hold him infamous who infringes the spirit of the public resolutions; and whether it may or may not be deemed expedient by our government to suspend for the present the intercourse between its citizens and the British squadron. We do declare that the citizens of this community have a right as individuals to withhold supplies of provisions and water derived from their estates, and that it will be departing from that just indignation already expressed by them if they furnish or permit to be furnished supplies of any kind, until ample retribution is made for the insult offered to our national character.

Resolved, That this committee deriving their power from the people only, and appointed solely to carry into effect the Resolutions adopted by them at the general meeting, have no power to alter, modify or abolish proceedings and instructions of their constituents.

THOMAS MATHEWS, Chairman.
THEO. ARMISTEAD, Sec'y.