TENTH Congress, Session II, Volume 1, Chapter 11.

An Act authorizing the employment of an additional naval force.

          Sec. 1.  Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That, in addition to the frigates now employed in actual service, there be fitted out, officered and manned, as soon as may be, the four following frigates, to wit: the United States, Essex, John Adams, and President: and, moreover, the President of the United States is hereby authorized and empowered to equip, man, and employ in actual service, so many of the public armed vessels, now laid up in ordinary, and gun boats, as, in his judgment, the public service may require; and to cause the frigates and other public armed vessels, when prepared for actual service, respectively, to be stationed at such ports and places on the sea coast as he may deem most expedient, or to cruise on any part of the coast of the United States or the territories thereof.

          Sec. 2.  And be it further enacted, That, for the purposes of carrying out the foregoing provisions into immediate effect, the President of the United States be, and he is hereby, authorized and empowered, in addition to the number of petty officers, able seamen, ordinary seamen, and boys, at present authorized by law, to appoint, and cause to be engaged and employed, as soon as may be, three hundred midshipmen, three thousand six hundred able seamen, ordinary seamen, and boys, who shall be engaged to serve for a period not exceeding two years; but the President may discharge the same sooner, if, in his judgment, their services may be dispensed with.  And to satisfy the necessary expenditures to be incurred therein, a sum, not exceeding four hundred thousand dollars, be, and the same is hereby, appropriated, and shall be paid out of any moneys [sic] in the treasury not otherwise appropriated.

          Approved, January 31, 1809.