The National Register. — London, England, 1815-09-03 00:00:00

SEPT. 3. , N directei Ayr iost straggling parties of prisoners running about the wilds and 'endeavouring to enter in the few doors which the nkeys, accot ding to their usual practice, had left open, does seem, as stated, to have been wholly without ob ject or excuse, and to have been a wanton attack upon the lives of defenceless, and at that time, unoffending indivi. duals. In the !nue. or even more severe terms, we must remark upon what was proved as to the firing into the door ways of the prisons, more particularly into that of No. S prison, at a time when the men were in crowds at the entrance. from the position of the prison and of the door, and from the marks of •he balls which were pointed out to us, as n ell as from the evidence, it was clear this firing must have pro ceeded from soldiers a very few fees from the door way, and a l t h oug h it was certainly sworn that the prisoners were at the time of part of the filing at least continuing to insult a»d occasionally to throw stones at the soldiers, and that they were standing in the way of, and impeding the turnkey, who was there for the purpose of closing the door, yet still there was nwhing stated which could in our view at al justify such excessively harsh and severe tieatment 'of helpless and unarmed prisoners when all idea of escape was at an end. Under these impressions, we used every en deavour. to ascertain if there was the least prospect of iden tifying any of the soldiers who bad been guilty of the partictr- Jar outraaes here alluded to, or of tracing any particular death nt that time to the firing of any particular individual, but without success ; and all hopes of bringing the offenders to punishment should seem to he at an end. In col.ciusion, we, the undersigned, have only to add, that whilst we lament, as we do most deeply. the unfortu nate ttaokaction which has been the subject of this inquiry, we find ourselves totally unahte to suggest any steps to be taken as to those parts of it which seem most to call for redress and punishment. (Signed) CUARLES ktwo. FaANCIS SEYMOUR LARPENT. Plymouth, April 28, 1815. pursuance cf instructions received from Messrs. Clay and Gallatin, I have now the honour to transmit to you the report prepared by Mr. Larpent and myself on behalf of our respective Governments, in relation to ; the unfortunate transactions at Dartmoor prison of war, on the Gth of the present month. Considering it of much importance that the report, whatever it might be, should go forth under our joint sig natures , I have forborne to press s ome of th e points which it involves, as far as otherwise I might have one, and it therefore may not be improper in this letter to enter into some little explanation of such parts of the report. Although it does appear that a part of the prisoners were on that evening in such a state, and under such cir cumstances, as to have justified, in the view which the commander of the depot could not but take of it, the in tervention of the military force, and even, in a strict sense, the first use of fire arms, yet I cannot but express it as my settled opinion, that by conduct a little more temporising, this dreadful alternative of firing upon unarmed prisoners might have been avoided. Yet as this opinion has been the iesult of subsequent examination, and after having ac quired a knowledge of the comparatively harmless state of the prisoners, it may be but fair to consider, whether in such a moment of confusion and alarm, as that appears to have been, the officer commanding could have fairly estimated his danger. or ha ve measured out with precision the extent and nature of the force necessary to guard against Jut when the firing became general, as it afterwards appears to have done,. and caught with electric rapidity from (be square to the platforms, there is no plea nor shadow of ex cuse for it.t.xcept in the personal exasperation of the sot diery, nor for the more deliberate, and therefore more Ull justifiable, firing, which took place into three of the pri sons, Nos. 1, S, and 4, but more particularly into No. S, after the prisoners had retired into them, and there was no longer any pretence of apprehensions as to their escape. Upon this ground, as you, Sir, will perceive by the report. Mr. Larpent and myself Lad no difference of opinion ; and I am fully persuaded that my own regret was not greater than his, at perceiving how hopeless would he the attempt to trace to any individuals of the military these outrageous proceedings. As to whether the order to fire came from . Captain Shortland, I yet confess my self unable to form any satisfactory opinion, though, perhaps, the bl'as of my: mind is, that be did give such an order. But his anxiety and exertions to stop it after - it had continued for some little time are fully proved, and his general conduct pre vious to this occurrence, as far as we could with propriety enter into such details, appears to have been characterised with tenderness, and even kindness, in the light in which he stood towards the prisoners. On the subject of any complain►s against their own Government existing among the pri soners, it was invariably answered to several distinct ques tions put by me on that head, that none whatsoever existed or had been expressed by them, although they confessed' themselves to entertain some animosity against M r. Beasley, to whom they attributed their detention in this country — with what justice, you, Sir, will be better able to judge. They made no complaint whatsoever as to their pros i.io , ts and general mode of living and treatment in the prison. I have transmitted to Mr. Beasley a list of the killed at•.tl wounded on this melancholy occasion, with a request that he would forward it to the United States for the inforr.-.a tion of their friends at home, and I am pleased to have it in my power to say, that the wounded are for the most part doing well.• I have also enclosed to Mr. Beasley the notes taken by me of the evidence adduced before us, with a re quest that he would have them fairly copied ; as also a copy of the depositions taken before the Co►oner, and . desire& him to submit them to you when in order. I cannot soul elude, Sir. without expressing my high sense of the impar tiality and manly fairness with which this enquiry has been conducted on the part of Mr. Larpent, nor without re7n. tioning that 4very facility was afforded to us in its prosecu tion, as well by the military officers commanding here and at the prison, as by the Magistrates in the vicinity. I have the honour to be, with much respect, your most obe dient humble servant, (Signed) CHARLES KING. His Excellency J. Q. Adam•, &c. London, April 18, ISIS. Sltt,—At the recpiest of Lord Castlereagh, we have had interviews with him and Mr. Goulburn, on the subject of the ransportation of the American prisoners now in this coun try, to the United States, and of the late unfortunate event at the depot of Dartmoor. On the first subject, we agreed to advise your acceptance of the proposition of Lord Castlereagh, to transport the prisoners at the joint expence of the two countries, reserving the construction of thd article{ of the treaty, which provldes for the mutual restoration of . prisoners, for future adjustment. It was stated by us, and was so understood, that the joint expence, thus to be incurred, is to comprehend as well the requisite tonnage, as the subsistence of the prisoners; and more over, that measures of precaution should be adopted relative to the health and conduct of the risque% similar to thoie ~ .