The first cost of such a ship as the Constitution must have exceeded $300,000.

Nicholson sailed in August, 1798 carrying Old Ironsides into blue water for the first time. His cruising ground was on the coast extending from Cape Henry to Florida, with orders to look out for Frenchmen. But the French, who were then at war with England, sent no heavy ships into the American waters, and it was soon found useless to keep a vessel of the Constitution's weight so near home. We find the ship, still under Nicholson, on the West India station at the close of the year, when she formed one of Barry's squadron, If her captain had originally worn a broad pennant in her, which we much doubt, although he appears to have had several small craft under his orders, it was now struck, Barry being the only commodore of the windward squadron, while Truxton, Nicholson's junior by four, having the leeward. Little connected with the Constitution occurred during this cruise or indeed throughout that war, of an importance to be noted. The luck of the ship had not commenced, nor was there much chance of any thing being done of eclat by a vessel of her force, under all the circumstances. The English were every where, while the French had lost so many ships already, that it was of rare occurrence to fall in with one of their frigates. By as singular fortune, the only two frigate actions that took place in the whole of the quasi war with France fell to the share of one and the same ship, the Constellation, which took the Insurgente and beat off La Vengeance. The Constitution returned to Boston ... and her command was transferred to Talbot, who hoisted a broad pennant in her, as commodore of what was called the St. Domingo station. On this cruise Hull sailed as first lieutenant.

The second cruise of Old Ironsides commenced in August, 1799. Her orders were to go off Cayenne, in the first place, where she was to remain until near the close of September, when she was to proceed via Guadaloupe to Cape Francois, at which point, Talbot was to assume the command of all the vessels he found on the station. In the course of the season, this squadron grew to be six sail, three frigates and as many sloops, or brigs.

Two incidents occurred to Old Ironsides, while on the St. Domingo station, that are worthy of being noticed, the first beings of an amicable, and the second of a particularly hostile character.

While cruising to windward the island, a strange sail was made, which, on closing proved to be the English frigate, the _.

The commander of this ship and Com. Talbot were acquaintances, and the Englishman had the curiosity to take a full survey of the new Yankee craft. He praised her, as no unprejudiced seaman could fail to do, but insisted that his own ship could beat her on a wind. After some pleasantry on the subject, the English captain made the following proposition; he had touched at Madeira on his way out, and taken on board a few casks of wine for his own use. This wine stood him in so much a cask—now, he was going into port to refit, and clean his bottom, which was a little foul; but, if he could depend on finding the Constitution on that station, a few weeks later he would join her, when there should be a trial of speed between the two ships, the loser to pay a cask of the wine, or its price to the winner. The bet was made, and the vessels parted.

At the appointed time, the _ reappeared; her rigging overhauled, new sails bent, her sides painted, her bottom cleaned. and, as Jack expressed it, looking like a new fiddle. The two frigates closed, and their commanders dined together, arranging the terms of the cartel for the next day's proceedings. That night, the vessels kept near each other, on the same line of sailing, and under short canvas.

The following morning, as the day dawned, the Constitution and the _ each turned up their hands, in readiness for what was to follow. Just as the lower limb of the sun rose clear of the waves, each fired a gun, and made sail on a bowline. Throughout the whole of that day, did these two gallant ships continue turning to windward, on tacks of a few leagues in length, and endeavoring to avail themselves of every advantage which skill could confer on seamen. Hull sailed the Constitution on this interesting occasion. and the admirable manner in which he did it, was long the subject of eulogy. All hands were kept on deck all day, and there were tacks on which the people were made to place themselves to windward, in order to keep the vessel as near upright as possible, so as to hold a better wind.

Just as the sun dipped, in the evening, the Constitution fired a gun, as did her competitor. At that moment the English frigate was precisely hull down dead to leeward; so much having Old Ironsides, or young Ironsides, as she was then, gained in the race, which lasted about eleven hours! The manner in which the Constitution eat her competitor out of the wind, was not the least striking feature of this trial, and it must in great degree he ascribed to Hull, whose dexterity in handling a craft under her canvas, was ever remarkable. In this particular, he was perhaps one of the most skilful seamen of his time, as he was also for coolness in moments of hazard.