Barney, Joshua

an American commodore, B. at Baltimore, 1759. Being one of fourteen children, he entered on board a pilot-boat when only 11 years of age. When the American provinces came to an open rupture with England, B. adopted the national cause, and was appointed master's mate on a sloop of war called the Hornet, which was sent forthwith to the Bahama Islands, to seize upon some warlike stores which had been collected there; which object was succe fully accomplished. On his return from this expedition, he joined a small squadron of row-galleys employed in the Delaware, and so signalized himself by his bravery and good conduct, as to obtain, when scarcely seventeen, the commi ion of lieutenant in the United States navy. After this, Lieutenant Barney was for some time constantly employed on board small ve els of war, and exhibited great zeal and activity in the performance of his duty. In the course of four years he was twice taken by the English and exchanged; and in 1780, when not yet twenty-one years of age, he had married, and was again in active service on board the United States ship Saratoga. This ve el captured several British ve els; and Barney, being placed as prize-master on board one of these, which was in an almost sinking condition, was again captured by an English 74-gunship, and sent as a prisoner to England. Having escaped from the prison in which he was confined, and having spent some weeks in London, he embarked for Ostend, visited France and Spain, and reached his home in March, 1782. He was immediately appointed to command a small ship of war, one of a squadron fitted out for the protection of trade in the Delaware. While thus employed, Barney was attacked by two ships and a brig belonging to the British navy, and by a combination of stratagem and bravery, succeeded in capturing and securing one of the ships. For this gallant action he received the thanks of the legislature of Pennsylvania, accompanied by a gold-hilted sword; and his prize being fitted out and commi ioned in the American navy, he received the command. Commodore Barney was afterwards sent with despatches to Dr. Franklin at Paris, and returned to America with a British pa port, bearing despatches which announced the signing of preliminary articles of peace between England and America. At this time, the commodore was only twenty-five years of age, and the public having no further occasion for his services, he embarked in commercial speculations connected with the sea, but was unsucce ful. In the course of these pursuits, he visited France in 1794, and in the following year received a commi ion as captain in the French navy. He afterwards obtained the rank of chef-de- division, and served as commander of the French squadron in the West Indies. On his return to France, he resigned his commi ion, and received the grant of a pension for life, which, however, he would never touch. Returning home, he again engaged, with no better succe than before, in commercial undertakings, and after a time retired to the cultivation of a farm. When the war between England and America broke out in 1812, Barney immediately fitted out a privateer, in which he made some valuable prizes, and was shortly afterwards appointed by his government to the command of a flotilla, to be employed for the protection IMG:content-0535.png:[blocks in formation] Barns'borough, in N. Jersey , a P.O. of Gloucester co. Barnsley, a town of England, in the W. Riding of the co. of York, on the Dearne, 155 m. N.W. by N. of London, 34 m. S.W. of York, and 9 S. of Wake field. It is a thriving and busy place, situate in the centre of a large mining district. Manf . Linens and steel-wares. Pop . 20,017. Barn's table, in Ma achusetts , the most E. county of the State, po e ing an area of about 290 sq. m. It includes the peninsula of Cape Cod, and a number of islands. Soil generally light and sandy. Large quantities of salt are extracted here from the sea-water. Cap . Barns table. BARN'STABLE, a port of entry and cap. of the above co. It is seated on the S. side of a bay of the same name, opening on Cape Cod Bay, 65 m. S.E. of Boston, and 28 S.E. from Plymouth. On the bar at the entrance to the bay there is a depth of water of from 6 to 7 feet. B. is extensively busied in shipping transactions and the fisheries, and po e es a large number of ve els, principally coasters. Barn's taple, a seaport-town of England, co. Devon, on the Taw, 172 m. W. by S. of London. B. po e es a large shipping-trade. Pop . about 4,000. Barn's tead, in New Hampshire, a post-township of Belknap co., 15 m. N.E. of Concord. Barn's ton, or BARN'STON CORNERS, a village and township of Lower Canada, in Stan stead co., 14 m. E. of Stan stead.