In 1798 our, then infant, navy gave bold resistance to the French ships, and for a time a quasi-war was waged on the ocean, in which the frigates "Constitution" and "Constellation" laid the foundation for that fame which they were to finally achieve in the war with Great Britain in 1812.

No actual war with France grew out of her aggressions.

The Republicans came into power in the United States, and by diplomacy averted an actual conflict.

But the American shipping interests suffered sadly meanwhile.

The money finally paid by France as indemnity for her unwarranted spoliations lay long undivided in the United States Treasury, and the easy-going labor of urging and adjudicating French spoliation claims furnished employment to some generations of politicians after the despoiled seamen and shipowners had gone down into their graves.
In 1800 the whole number of American ships in foreign and coasting trades and the fisheries had reached a tonnage of 972,492.