Johnston Blakely, an officer of the United States navy, born in Ireland in October, 1781, lost at sea in 1814. His parents settled in North Carolina while he was very young. He was educated in the university of that state, entered the navy in 1800, and in 1813 commanded as lieutenant the brig Enterprise, cruising upon the eastern coast. In the same year he was promoted to the rank of master commandant and appointed to the new sloop Wasp, in which he sailed from Portsmouth, N. H. on a cruise, May 1. 1814. On June 28, in hit. 48° 36' N., lon. 11° 15' W., he fell in with and captured, after a severe engagement, the British sloop Reindeer. The danger of recap-ture being great, Capt. Blakely destroyed his prize and put into Lorient with his prisoners. For this exploit congress voted him a gold medal. The Wasp sailed from Lorient Aug. 27 on another cruise, and made several captures, one a vessel laden with guns and military Stores, which was cut out of a convoy in charge of a. line of battle ship. On the evening of Sept. 1 he captured the Avon, and subsequently took several other prizes and destroyed them. On Sept. 21 he captured the brig Ata-lanta and sent her to Savannah with a prize crew.

On Oct. 9 the Wasp was spoken by a Swedish brig, but was never heard from again.