Alexandria Daily Advertiser

Fort M'Henry, September 13.

Messrs. Tunis & Brown,

GENTLEMEN,

I take the liberty of dropping you a few lines, presuming they will be acceptable to you. I sailed from the Port of Spain, island of Trinidad, in the brig Two Friends of this port, on the 24th ult. I left at said place about fifteen sail of American vessels from different ports on the continent; but none belonging to Baltimore. I am sorry in so hastily leaving said place that I cannot oblige you with any late papers. The affairs of Trinidad, for some time past, relative to the transactions of government, have not given such general satisfaction to the inhabitants as could have been wished, and consequently produced great party work, one for Mr. Picton, the other for Mr. Fullarton, two of the commissioners invested with the power of the late governor of said island. The latter, however, appears to have had much the strongest and most respectable party, and was called home about seven weeks past, to substantiate, it is currently reported, numbers of charges of a serious nature against Picton. Mr. Fullarton, who is said to be a man of an amiable character, a few days previous to his embarking for England, was superseded by his excellency brigadier general Thomas Hislop late governor of Demerara, and was at the taking of said place; said to be an officer of distinguished merit.

Three days after leaving Trinidad, on my passage, fell in with a very small French privateer called the Sans Peur, captain Sibhil of Guadaloupe, belonging to the noted wood n-leg Williams, of said place: had lost her rudder, broke their compass, sprung a leak, on a short allowance of water and provisions, being lost, not knowing which way to steer; ten men in number. After being on board about three days they concluded, as I past St. Thomas's, to leave me and to go on shore; but in sight of the island, and about two or three hours previous to the probable time of that taking place, was brought to by the Galloway Lass privateer, captain Hagen, of Tortola, mounting 10 slot 12 pounders, and compelled to go into said place; to appear before the owner of the privateer, John Dougan, and two lawyers, to stand examination, who used a great deal of their fine spun rhetoric to brow beat me into a confession that the Frenchmen had taken me as a prize and that they had retaken me, and consequently entitled to a salvage; at which I warmly remonstrated against the illegality of such a proceeding, and after 2 or 3 hours debate, they thought proper to bid me to proceed. I shall make free to advance it as my opinion that it will be no harm to guard against and strictly to watch the conduct of this Dougan and the council of said place, who seem all to be resolutely bent to take all advantage of neutrals, and have already condemned several for trifling circumstances.

The French privateer before alluded to, or rather I might say, with more propriety, the little pirate was fitted out, as they themselves told me, for the purpose of cutting vessels out of English ports, and had made several attempts of the kind, but proved unsuccessful; they had cut a vessel out of Basseterre (St. Kitts) in the night and towed her some distance from the land, but after finding that she was an American vessel let her proceed into port. I think it is my duty to add, that in this privateer there was a man belonging to Alexandria, and a black man belonging, as he informed me, to Philadelphia, by the name of Samuel Robinson.

I will thank you to insert what I have written, or abridge it. You may act as you please in that respect. The whole that I have stated you may rely on as matter of fact.

I remain your very obedient,

Humble servant,

Wm. N. WILLIAMS.

Master of the brig Two Friends.