Title continues: "Preceded by a Cursory Examination of the American Accounts of Their Naval Actions Fought Previous to that Period: To which is added An Appendix; With Plates." From 1801 to 1813 the author was engaged as an attorney of the Supreme Court in Jamaica. At the time of the declaration of war between Britain and the U.S. in 1812, James happened to be visiting America en route to England and was taken prisoner. Towards the end of 1813 he managed to escape to Halifax where he published a pamphlet entitled "An Enqury Into The Merits of the principal naval Actions between Great Britain and the United States" (1816) of which this work is a greatly expanded version. His harsh, uncomplimentary remarks aimed at Americans aroused much anger in the US.: "... not one of the naval histories published in the United States, pays any respect to the statement of an enemy. American official accounts, however improbable or contradictory, are held too sacred to be doubted; and even idle rumour, and newspaper paragraphs, are often made the grounds of the most positive assertions, upon the most important points" (pp. 1-2). Appendix and Index at rear. Gagnon I 1775. Howes J53. Lande 467. Sabin 35717. TPL 1057.
