On the 19th of November, 1813, he took formal possession of this island in behalf of the United States of America, by the name of Madison's Island. It is situate between the latitude of 9 and 10 S. and in longitude 140 W. from Greenwich, and is large, fertile, and populous.

Having refitted, he sailed from this place on the 12th December for the coast of Chili. În February, 1814, he reached Valparaiso. On the 28th March, he was attacked by commodore Hillyar's squadron, in violation of every principle of honour, and regardless of the rights of nations, within pistol shot of a neutral shore. After a hard fought action of three hours, during which time from the crippled state of the Essex at the commencement of the action, only six guns could be used, commodore Porter surrendered to a superiority of more than double his force. Commodore Porter in his official letter to the secretary of the navy, says, "To possess the Essex, it has cost the British near six millions of dollars, and yet, Sir, her capgovernment ture, although dishonourable, was owing entirely to accident."

On commodore Porter's return to the United States, he was received with that eclat to which the brilliancy of his actions entitled him. He afterwards assisted at the defence of Baltimore; and on the return of peace, congress having established a navy board, to assist the operations of the navy department, he was appointed one of the three commissioners to whom its directions was confided.

He has since been appointed to the command of the American fleet on the West India station.

PERRY, OLIVER HAZARD, the "Hero of Lake Erie," was born at Newport, Rhode-Island, in

August, 1785. At the age of fourteen he entered the navy of the United States, and shortly after he accompanied the squadron to the Mediterranean, in which he served during the Tripoline war.

At the commencement of the late war with Great Britain, he was appointed to the command of the flotilla of gun-boats, stationed in the harbour of New-York, with the rank of master-commandant.

In 1813, he was appointed to the command of the squadron on lake Erie. As soon as he had equipped and manned his vessels, he set sail from the port of Erie in pursuit of the British fleet, on the 8th of August. Nothing of moment, however, happened until the 10th September, when he discovered the enemy at sunrise, and immediately made for them. The action commenced about ten o'clock, and lasted for three hours, when the whole British squadron struck their colours. Never was a victory more decisive and complete. The captured squadron had more guns and more men. The enemy's loss in killed and wounded amounted to 160, the Americans 123. Soon after the victory on lake Erie, the thanks of congress were voted to the commodore, his officers, seamen, and marines; and medals were presented to him and his officers. (In 1815, commodore Perry was appointed to the command of the Java frigate, and sailed with commodore Decatur's squadron to the Mediterranean, and participated in the negotiation of an honourable peace with the Algerines.

(In June, 1819, commodore Perry sailed from the Chesapeake bay in the United States ship John Adams, for the West Indies and a cruise, with sealed orders.

In September, 1820, the melancholy intelligence of his death reached the United States, on which occasion the secretary of the navy ordered the usual tribute of respect to be paid to the memory of this illustrious officer.

He died at Port Spain, on the 23d August, 1820.

(PIKE, ZEBULON MONTGOMERY, a brigadier-general in the army of the United States, was born at Lamberton, New-Jersey, on the 5th of January, 1779/

By his own perseverance and application, he became skilled in the mathematical and astronomical sciences, and a proficient in the Latin, French, and Spanish languages./

In 1805, a new career of honourable destination was opened to his active and aspiring mind.

The government of the United States having purchased Louisiana, determined upon ascertaining its geographical boundary; its soil and natural productions; the course of its rivers and their fitness for the purpose of navigation, and other uses of civilized life; and also to gain particular information of the numbers, character, and power of the tribes of Indians who inhabited this territory.

With these views, president Jefferson appointed captains Lewis and Clark to explore the unknown sources of the Missouri, and captain Pike that of the Missisippi.

In August following, general Pike embarked at St. Louis on this interesting and perilous expedition, and did not return to the seat of government until August, 1807.

Before two months had expired, captain Pike' was selected for a second perilous journey of hardship and adventure. The principal purpose of this expedition was like that of the former, to explore the interior of Louisiana, especially the tributary streams of the Missisippi, Arkansaw, and Red River, and thus to acquire such geographical information, as might enable government to enter into definitive arrangements for a boundary line between our newly acquired territory and North Mexico.

Upon his return from this last expedition, he received the thanks of the government. He was shortly afterwards appointed major, and in 1810, a colonel of infantry.

During the interval of his military duties, he published a narrative of his two expeditions, accompanied by several valuable original maps and charts.

In 1813, he was appointed a brigadier-general, and was selected to command the American forces in an expedition against York, the capital of Upper Canada. (On the 27th April he arrived before York at the head of his troops, and attacked the enemy's works in person. The fire of the enemy was soon silenced, and at the moment that a flag of surrender was expected, a terrible explosion took place from the British magazine, which had previously been prepared for this purpose. An immense quantity of large stones were thrown in every direction, one of which struck the general, the wound from which proved mortal after lingering a few hours. In the mean while, the British standard was brought to him, which he made a sign to have placed under his head, and then expired without a groan!)

PINCKNEY, CHARLES, lone of the signers of the federal constitution was born in Charleston, South Carolina, in the year 1758.)

Unaided by a college education, he became by the assistance of private instructers a proficient in the languages of Greece, Rome, and France, in all acquirements essential to public utility, and necessary to form a great statesman. }

(Ardent and impassioned in the pursuit of literature and distinction, he did not long remain unknown.

(At the commencement of the revolution, he took a share in the struggle for independence, and was one of those patriots who underwent

seven years calamity to restore liberty and independence to his country.)

(At the age of twenty-seven, he was elected a member of the state legislature, which place he held until the year 1787, when he was unanimously elected by that body one of the delegates to the federal convention, which met at Philadelphia to frame the present constitution.

(Though youngest in this august body, yet he has ever been ranked among the most conspicuous in eloquence and efficiency.) He advocated an energetic general government. Of the various propositions which he originated, there is one which, though not a part of the constitution, yet the people appear to have adopted in practice. This was, that the president's tenure should be seven years, and afterwards ineligible. By custom he is continued for eight years, but his popularity, which will always in some degree influence his independence, is exposed in four years.

His distinguished services were remunerated with the applause of his constituents, and as an evidence of their high opinion, he was advanced to the chief magistracy of his native state, soon after he had been auxiliary in procuring the adoption of the new constitution by the state convention.

In the year 1798, he was elected a member of the senate of the United States. He was afterwards appointed ambassador to the court of Spain, where, besides fulfilling his official duties, he collected a fund of information on the manners, laws, and customs of the old world. Upon his return from Europe, his native state elected him for the fourth time, governor.

The eloquence of Mr. Pinckney was luminous, fervid, and without acrimony; his enunciation was full, ardent, and impressive.)

Gifted with unusual colloquial powers, urbane in manners, with a temper of great amenity, he always