Officers of the "Alliance" Refuse to Serve—Peace.

Though in October Captain Barry hoped in a few days to proceed on a cruise it was not until December 8, 1782, that he was ready to sail, which he did the next day. Lieutenants Patrick Fletcher and Nicholas Gardner, John Buckley, Master; James Geagan, Surgeon, and Samuel Cooper, Purser, demanded two-thirds of their wages, "though they had received as much prize-money as they knew what to do with." Captain Barry informed them that he had no authority to pay them and had no money if he had. They refused to go on board the "Alliance" and do their duty. Accordingly, Captain Barry placed them under arrest until tried by Court-Martial in the United States. He was obliged to appoint others, "not adequate to the duty of the stations, 'but necessity knows no law,'" he wrote Thomas Barclay, Consul-General of the United States and Commissioner of the Navy in France, who justified Barry's course and concurred in the appointments he made.

All this time there were rumors of peace. On November 30, 1782, preliminary articles of peace had been signed. On December 5th King George III announced that he had given the "necessary orders to prohibit the further prosecution of offensive war upon the Continent of North America."

Though Captain Barry, early in December, 1782, had "great reason to think peace was concluded," he decided to make another cruise by "running down the coast of Guinea" and returning to America by way of Martinico, believing "should peace be made there will be a certain time given for vessels to make prizes in certain latitudes."

The "Alliance" sailed from L'Orient on December 9th, but though chasing several vessels, no encounter came about. On December 16th arrived at Porto Sancto—the next day the island of Madeira. Sailed hence and on January 8, 1783, arrived off Martinico. At St. Pierre Harbor Barry found orders for him to proceed to Havana to take in specie for Congress.

On January 12th sailed for Havana and after stopping at St. Eustatia and Cape FranÇois arrived there January 17th. While off Hispaniola Barry met an English fleet of seventeen sail, but he "got clear of them." The next day met two British cruisers, one of 74 guns. They chased the "Alliance" under the guns of Cape FranÇois.

On February 13th Captain Barry notified the Governor of Havana that the "Alliance" and "Duc de Lauzun," frigates belonging to Congress, were ready to sail from that port. He requested permission for the frigates to depart as he had "despatches from the Court of France which are very important," and also desired that the American merchant vessels at the port should be permitted to depart under convoy of the "Alliance." The Governor replied that, complying with secret instructions from the King, it was entirely out of his power to grant the permission sought. To which Barry replied that it was somewhat singular for ships of war employed on national objects to be restricted in the same manner as merchant vessels. He then again asked "in the name of my Sovereign for permission for the sailing of the two American ships of war." He withdrew his request for the trading vessels as they were "fully under the influence of the embargo." The Governor replied that he and the Admiral of the Squadron had consulted and decided that permission could not be given then. He advised Captain Barry "to reflect on the immense prejudice that might occur to the common cause of the allied powers and commerce of Spain if any unlucky accident should happen by the enemy taking one of the frigates."

On February 22d, Washington's birthday, Captain Barry issued orders "to exercise the great guns and the small arms every day, to loose the topsails in order the men could learn to do it well, to have wood and water ready for sea." He evidently was having the ship ready for service and action though he had brought the news of peace to the West India Islands.