The Statesman. — London, England, 1809-08-03 00:00:00

COURT MARTIAL ' ON LORD 0.1.4181 ER. StirMTH' DAY. WEDNESPA Y. AUGUST". Admiral SToreonn, at his own desire, was called in to correct that part of his evidence in which he had stet's! that the explosion of one or th e fire vessels was so near to the boats of ihe lasperiense, that one of them had been very much damaged. lltionsitted to state, that both the da maged boat and the other which arconspanied her, were picked up by the Lyra. lie Mis thi.;l (tees tinned by the Court. Q. Front the limo of the arrival of the Com. mender in Chief it Basque Reads to the time u . his leaving it, can you state any instance of his neglect, miscousluct, or inattention to the public ,ervire ? A. So far from it, that it alw a y s ap peared to Inc that the Comniander in Chief was 4 ,, tos re3 by a war seal for the service, and an anxiiatis desire to diseharr.: the duties of the ser- Sim entrusted to hint with puoctuality and care. Lieu/tenant 114..crxs examined At/ the Court. Q. Ton have said, that on the 14th of April a Whig dal was made by the Impericuse to say, that the enemy's ships might be destroyed ? A. The signal made by the insperieove was, h.t "if per. mitt dto remain. CiS4Wlttif J *m gay." 4. T o whom diel.-yoo solevre the rnaltinit of Hutt .i4nal ? A. To Sir ifs** Captain of the Fleet. • Q. Do you know *Wow any thing was done in consequence of it ? • A. t believe there were some !stenches sent in by Ibe Admiral. Vessels w , ee passing to awl fro, bet I do not know what they were sent about. Dy Lord Gdiestro. Q. Was there not a signal made to the Imperi alist on that day, in conveynedee of that figstal. is cern • unicate with L'Algits ? A. There was a tele- Q. Did gn to the anchorage where the Imperienve was anti relieve Ite, A. I can't exactly say the time she anchored, but she weiit in. Were any operations taken against the enr ols, upon the junction of the AMC wsth the Im prricnsc ? A. Not in junction with the Imperi euse, but the twit day the Etna bomb w.as aa•nt in an.l some gran-brigs, there being then nu other bum b will' the het. Q. w ere there another homb sent in with the ?homier bomb ? A. Yes. Q. Did the Vemsvius bomb arrive before the operat ceased ? A. N.) other bomb arrived till the operanons were finiabed. Q. Were. any of the enemy's ships within reach of the b , iinha after they arrived ? A. I (14 mat thank they were. Q. Did you (inn that (;ibiitiun on 'marl the Cal. det.ia, or were you at any time in Aix Roads to form it there? A. On b ant the Cali:dunk. Q. Du you know what day the Regally', which w• s on shore an account of the .ebb, was gut uff re I wont up the Charente? A. At gsy.light on the 2Velt, as it appeared by the log. Lord GA3111111.11.—.." Previous la my withdraw. irrg yesterday from this place, I intimated an in. trial in of closing my evidence and my defame, and this I did from respect to the Court, being averse to engage more of their time than I ewe. c.ived to be necessary, saikfied that every mate: ',al point of the charge had been folly refisted.... l But as all the Captains of the in.shure squrdron have been befere the Court with the exception only of three, I would claim your indulgence so much further as to call its thew Officers, intending only to put to them a very few questions. Oise of them, Captain Newcombe, as his 'mine appeared yester.lay, and it might lead to an imp/elision pre. judicial to that meritorious Officer if I did lint notice his conduct, I beg leuvc to assure this Court th.it he acquittal himself in the command of the Beagle, in Aix Roads, in a manner highly honour. able t., himself and certainly satisfactory to me." Jir lIAERY NEALE was then called in and es. ermined by As Couar. Q. Did the Signal.Licebenant of the Caledonia, on the 14th of April, inform yon that the Impe rieuse had made a signal that " if allowed to re main she could destroy the teensy ?" A. I was walking the pimp when I, directed by the Coat. niandcr in Chief, ordered the signal of recal to be male to the Imperievse. The Imperieuse replied, if permitted to wait can destroy enemy." It was su reported to mc. Q WU any thing done in consequence of that aign3l ? A. Yee. Captain Wolfe of l'Aigle, way directed to proceed and take command of the in.. shrre squadron, and the Imperieuac was directed by telegraph to communicate with l'Aiglc ; but whether she (lid communicate any information or plan in consequence of that direction, or to the Com nander in Chief on his return, •1 am ignorant. Q. Did the Aigle go into Aix IloaJs i ; CAMSw quence of that signal ? A. Ycs. Q. Is the Aigle a ship of equal force, or !icing/ of equal force with the Imperieuse, so as to he es well cilculated to desteoy the enemy as that ship? A. yvs. Q. Were any other ships o► •cssels sent in with l'Aigle, or in consequence of that signal ? A. To the best of my recollection, all or nearly all the small vessels had been sent in the day Wore.-- No other was sent in on that occasion. Question by Lord GAIIIIIZR—HaJ you any conversation with Lord Cochrane previous In the period you are alluding to, respecting the accu racy of the French charts ? A. Yes. Q. What did he say as to their accuracy or in accuracy ? A. I was conversing with Lord Cock. Tana (about the Oth of April) respecting the dis- Nice of the British Beet from the French t et ; Ills Lordship stated the Barb were 9 miles frem each other ; I leplici that they were only tl y which had been JscertAisted by anglasas well as by arose hear_ iris, upon the chart. His Lordship replied, the rhirt was not to be depended o (spooking of a rench chart) 2 the Frcuch were in the habit of Placing a smaller space epos the chart than was 1-1 K Si'ATI proper; 'that he hid an idstance of it upon some runner occasion, when standing into the lie then expected to have found by the chart, where the space was small, near five or Pt miles Across, instead of being under. Q. What number of furnaces for beating shut did Lord Cochrane report In me there were un the Maud d'Aiz, in reconnoitring previous to the 11t1s of April ? A. Ido tint recollect, bet he reported to me t on his return from rrco 'tring on the bth of April, that the perceived IS)U men, and 5 furnaces burning at that tune. Q. Was nut the tiring of the explosion vessels committed to land Cochrane ? A. Entirely so. Lord GAIIIIIEII then said, that under the peen. :far ciretimbtatices of the connection between Sir iiarry Neale and himself a; a confidential friend, and his Captain, he should not ask any further question. _ By the Court.--Q. Did Lord Cochrane state to you how many_ guns were on the batteries of Isle d'Aix ? A. Nu. He reported thu west end of the batteries to be in a state of rubbish. It was risible to the fleet the battery was iijiw forming. It is material fur me to observe, that Lord Cochrane made till the 19th of " Can de troy the ene n ;" Ott which account I did not then recal the, Impericuse, but as nothing hail been effected by his Lurdship, %lite tin thu fulluning day he made the signal to me when recalled, " If permitted to remain eau destruy the enemy," I thought it unnecessary to pay more attention to his signal, than to direct his Lordship by signal to communicate with L'Aigle, which ship Lord Cochrane knew I had ordered to relieve bins. I concluded, therefore, Lord Cochrane would hate communicated to Captain Wolfe any mental:, he had in contemplation fur destroying the enem y ; and I *as auzious to have hi s L or dship' s Kr_ port of his proem:dings, in order that l might transmit my Report to the Admiralty without delay. Capt. 11.aot.wir 31.70rn, dn.! examined by Lord Gs.v it Elt. Q. What time in the site, noon of the 12th of April were you directed with the Unicorn to the Attack of the enemy t A. As fluor as 1 can rccul. feet, about half. past two o'clock. Q. Were the three ships of the enemy that were on shore nifon the Patois shoal on that day, and which afterwards gut utf, at any time in a position to he attacked. I 111C.111 (ruin the depth or water round them ? A. There u crc two ships afloat itrior to the frigate. g..iug in, And the ene my's snips ashore and upright, and her broadside to the entrance of the anchorage in Aix 'toads. The three enemy's ships on shore appeared to me nut to tie in a position to admit ut 411 attack on town by any of the British ships. Q. %Vas every earl titan used, according to your judgment and observations, by evtry flip and vesail sent itt to the attack of the enemy ? A. To the best of my judgment envy exertion was used by. the Uritudi ships and vessel: that could be. Q. Under all the circumstances of the wind and tide, did it appear to you on the morning of the litis of April, whets tbo enemy's ships were on shore, and the signal had been made that pert of the Vet could destroy them, there was, on sly part, any neglect or unnecessary delay for taking ItgllCtliOl measures to destroy the enemy ? A. 1 do nut kuuw of any neglect ur unnecessary ddlay. • Q. (37 the CovoT.) from the first attack of the enemy's ships to the time of your leaving the 11,istpc Wads, was there, to the best of your judgment, every thing dune that could be dune to elect their destruction ? A. I think there was, up to the 26th of April, when I left Basque Roads. 4. -Was the Unicorn anchored with the rest of the sqoadruii on the 13th of April, ou the edge of the Pilais shoal ? A. Yes, site was. Q. Were the brigs, sloops, slid gun-boats VAISCNI nearer to thi , enemy than the attacking , ships ? A. To the best of lily knowledge noise of the brigs except the Beagle naS in the advance' of the British ships during the attack of the 12th. Thu Beagle continued under weigh Laween the enemy and the attacking frigates. • Q. Hid the Beagle appear to you to be as far adrinceil toward the dirtily as the depth of water wuuld admit of her being A. Nut lia•iit4 sounded any distance betas deli the Unicorn anal the enemy, I cannot say whether the depth of water would have ad.nittcd the Beagle to hart: closed mere with the enemy. 4. How much nearer to the en-my than the frigates do you suppose she was ? A. - fu the beat of my lodgment three or (Jur ship's length. Q. Did she anchor? A. No ; I did nut ob serve her on the Ott:nitwit of the 12th. Q. Did she engage the enemy ender ? A. Yes, she dikl, and l bdiuvu conduits d so engaging until the gencr4l firing ut the Walsh squaitrun CC.J SO • Q. Ir.vs the &ugh: phced between the British 'hips an.l the ships of the enemy aground, and being under sail, subject 4t any time, in your apprelten. • mon, to receive ally dint ige by the shot of the rAgtish ,hills A. I thank she was; tint fam Mit certain that she rei.eivett any from them. Q. Front the lime of the Commander in Chiefs *writ itt 'bisque Roads till your le.', ins it, can you %WC any tstatans.vut tteglcct or misconduct in his proceedings fur the arlvaulage ot the public service ? A. I, c.tnnot. Thu Utticurit was the advance friilto (rota Ilse t i d y of aim boriug iu Basque Ruud., tilt the afternoon of the 12th of April. Q. Ware the exertions of the brigs and small vcsselsoontintted after the 12th of April for t h e de • struetiorrof the enemy's ships, until thry'hatl re. moved entirety out of their reach T A. From the 13th of April until the Unicorn'. leaving Asyut: goads, I have no reason to Immo...qv there was any emit ur exertion on the part of the brigs and its. sills. t bellow they continued to lire. It cost. tinder' to blow (boring thc time so strong, that stnAll vessel , ' often to nut procriAl in their ',pe r ab tn.. C4itisiss Sarmetne, of the Pallas ; sxorn and Q. (37 Lnrd GAmsien)—What time In the MAN. afternoon of the lcith of April were you directed, or did yria proceEd with the Pall4s to the attack of the enemy's ships' A. About a quarter after two o'clutk. Q. Do you remember seeiug the posiiiin et the enemy's fleet on that Morning, and whether there were any of them afloat at their anchorage? A. Two ships were aflost there—the Rear-Admiral and Commodore. His Imrtiship then put the levers! questions, which were answered by Captain flattlantan, to this white+, ; which were muttered precisely to the same effect as to the operations of the in-shore squadron, and the movements of the enemy's ships. Q. (By the Covnz.) When the ships of the line left Aix Roads, did the Pallas go out with them ? A. She did not. Q. On the morning of the 13th or April were there any of the enmity's ships which remained within reach of shot from the l'alias A. No, not by • very congiderable distance. Q. Was the Pallet thee In the situttiull In which she was when she eniaged the enemy on the 12th A. She was not; but muvcd on the precedingeven. ing into deeper water. Q. Were any of them within gun.shot of the situation front which she removed ? A. No. The COURT then continued to examine this wit. Webs in a manner similar to the timer witnesses. His answers were to the same effect, adding, that circumstances I►ad occurred aft. rwards which proved that the Regulus might .have been at. tasked by small vessels. She wits on shore under the battery. To the question respecting the general conduct of the Conta►ander in Chief, and the general con. duct of the ships and vessels employed in the ope. ratio's' at Basque Roads, he expressed his st.ong conviction, as far as he could presume to express an opinion on such a subject, that the conduct of the Commander in Chief was must zealous and meritorious ; and that the conduct of the vessels was such as to impress on his mind the strongest sensation of satisfaction and admiration, from the lime of their elitratice into Basque Roads until the departure of the Commander in Chief frum Basque Roads. There had been thither neglect or unne cessary delay, nor hail a single exertion been omitted by the Commander in Chief that could feud to the eventual success of the British um. drone Capiain Newcomer., of the Beagle, was then sworn and examined— Lieutenant HA WI( I Ns, Cap tain KERR, Admiral Stursonto, and Cipta4l WoLFE, re-Ctaillified-111441 Captain MALCOLM sworn aad examined. At five o'clock, finding it impossible to get through the rest of the evidtmee this day, the Court adjoorned till to.tnorrow. CONCLUSION of the PROCEEDINGS at the COUItI'ofCO.VMON COUNCIL yesterday. Mr. Aldermin A MISS, in cestlmiation. " Sately we should pause before we come to such a cosclu• sion : speaking for myself, I have no hesitation in confessing that my ability is not eqnal to the task of proceeding with that celerity which is proposed by this Resolution, to remote Ia the nom Ministers wbu have embryo heard before us. Be *ides, it is nut the purpoic fur which Ibis Coast is professedly assembled we did not come here to-day, to pronimac" apse the King's Ministers. bet to consider the pro. primy or the impropriety of remindiog our wins user rerpect- Mg indhideal. And now we are called upon, by a side wand. to vete quite smother matter. Indeed. my Lord Mayer, I cannot help asklag whether this it net a trap hild to catch the mweeeffiewdemen who were not aware of it ? TM, seems to be mooing riot with thing►. lam ready to my that the veer attitatsks to Mr. Wyllie ought net to be reminded on accost of arty thing that has yet transpired ; bat I cannot Assent to the proposition which goes the len;th of extending our thanks to that Gentleman on :account of his statement in the House of Commons, of matter in which there may be it seeing in the public exp.nditurr, because that matt is not, at pirwnt. before us. nor does it follow that every saving is economy. If you diminish your evisblishincist, you nifty dioni nish your expellee ; but it dews not thence ncc►ssarily follow that you i rnprove your condition. If I put down my carriage, which, a: far as regards msself, I might do, because, thank God. I can walk, 1 might save some expense, bat I do not think it would improve the rendition of my family ; and so it tans he in some parts of the esprniitore of this country, the particulars of which I am not now dismissing—they are topics w hich we are not culled upon to disco-s; and the Court will pardon me if I Sushi its competence to such a disco:shin. The great objection I have to it is, that we were not brought here for this purpose ; if we pawl this Resolution. it will ap pear to the public that we were brouilst together for one pur pvse, and have been entrapped into another. I came here to enter my protest against rrwiniting the vote of thank• to Mr. Wardle, but I mast likewise protest :tgainst the Resolution sow propo.e.l." Mr. Cf. ARK,' admitted that the Vote of Thaoss to Mr. Wardle ou,;ht not to be eiakeo, hut thought the present Itrso lutioa went to approve of the whole of his subsequent coo. duct, *proposition to which he did nut assent, and therefore st 'sued it to ue withdrawn. Mr. 1111.1.104. Nod. that w of the conduct of Mr. Wisrdic sithicqueot to I.le Vote of Tiialt6 of this Court to him, in the light of Debtor and Creditor ssith the p_elsbc, there was a very large balance in favour of that Gentleman. Mr. M.\ IS MAN cnatenJed tint this Resolution iris such as ought not to be innetioned by this Cnrpnr.►tion under the resent eirrunotances.—lle never would give his rapport to a Ilrselution so drawn—the sense he bad of the ditnity of "thr Cot poratino—the rezard he had for his own individual ehs ractrr, forbade his ii,sent to h.—lle objected to the Manse in n hich it was brought forward ; it came by snrptine--so tice should have been even of it manfully, that the Court 'might Isere been convened fur the purpose of dismissing h— aus was indirect and insidious—be Mild protest wing it as nn individual. Mr. Alderman 000DBEHERE said, that the general %indent was nnw oianifest as to the Yone of nooks postal io favour of Mr. Wardle—that wrh Vote sight ant Go be rescinded—bat, said the worthy Alderman, I bore oilomal rt abatis to this Court for thinking that It Ma not rue the whole length which it ought W go if favour of Mr. Wardle, for 1 Itairestated facts to the credit of Mr. Wardle. othith he stilted in the Hear of Corson* In the advantage at the public. which have bee, verified by uslo teq uollt emits, aid from hicooduct on Hutt occasion, mimed aber.t limo bare olthudy taken places and codokkitotion of which. 1 my. talk oa 114 to nark Ma costlifet Otkh aiditiodhl approbattom--(Brotot, /moo f &knee. liS. .li—ll most. therefore. petsist filmy Atomodment,mositllotiondlo k t the /Is. cosmos lit of us, worthy tricot/ spas ihe door (Mr. Mam mas); l diens hie tricadship highly, aid I timid with do ewe • his sasistasee. de *sold, at any lime, be a very sseitil lox- Wary toasty one whose wino* he shoal l be pleased to es posse; but if! cacaos have hh viloabie aid,l must go on as well as l'ftm able, without it. and he mutt allow me to differ Deal him in orbited epos the pretest ones ion, and to s.ty th it it is my privileateto decide on what coarse I shall take now, wahout dictation from any quarter, boom.: atecte.ble that may be; and I asap well COD9ineeti of the propriety of what I now offer, that I sot only trust the Court will adopt it, bet I persuade myself that if I bad the pleasure of speeder that worthy Member, and of discoing this matter with him in private, I should base obtained his assent to it. (No, no, sail Mr. Mcnornan.] Mr. Alderman COOD BE H ERE praeecded—" I still re tain my opinion ; for I know his feelines, and I know bow grateful he Is to those who serve the public. and V/ e all know that gratitude In good nines a feeling that will not bear COM pressiun—it is of syr.':heoes growth as well as of expansive notate. -nri delight. in eiereise. Then would my worthy Friend wish to cheek its growth, or destroy its lustre? -No. There is a bmiity is desetved praise, whieh I am confident my Worthy Friend would not diminish, and vet be now ap pears to wish to du away the effect of those praises which Mr. Wardle has so well deserved, and this would have a very unfavoer effect on the minds of those who are not much in the habit of thinking for themselves; unless we took care to counteract it I say, then, Vial Mr. Wardle studs in tl Situation peculiar to himself; that he came firikard. and, 6r a while, stood alone; had no party, and hardly an Mai, vidnal to support him, in his endeavour to expose corruption is the management of our public affairs. I say that be has had no other reward fur all his labours, successful as toey were, than the approbation and esteems if Ma Public. Ile has had neither place nor petition, nor tie reversiva, no" - the promise of a reversion of place or peatioo.—He therefore stands before us with peculiar claims to our countenatice and supp rt ; he hal indeed high claims, sit only on our geaero -1 say, bet on our justice j let us encourage bits to peewee ' ranee in his object. I therefore, with that vie*, stall per sist in recommending my proposition to the adoption of BSI Court. Here the Worthy Alderman's Amendment was read by the Recorder, as already stated. Mr. At AWM AN then expressed his *Monti meat that the Worthy Alderman persisted to what appeared to hint (and, he hoped, to the Court) a very extraordinary course of pro ceeding. All 'Cat be had 101 . w do, with a view of coun teracting it, was to move an Amendment upon this Remit lion, which was to move, that aft( r the word " That," all be left out, and the folio% log be inserted in their stead :—" This Court duth nut see any mows for rescinding the Vote passed on the 6th of April last, of Th.stiks and Gratitude to Gw !LIM' LLOYD WARDIE, Esq. Mr. SAMUEL DIXON said, that this Amendment Ras 99 plain, that the meanest capacity in the Court must 6oderstaod it, and it had his assent in preference to that which it was it! object to supercede—a prop.rsition so long, so complex, on beirtAtered,sulk h farrago, that he dmibled whether any body imileistood it thoroughly; and, at the same time, foreign to the avowed purpose for which the Court met.—Tbe purpose for which the Members of. the Corporative came together was, to we whether there wet, or was not, Umtata for rekind le* she Vote of Thanks to Mr. Wardle; and this proposition nos, seder pretence of an Amendment to another proposition, to ensure the whole of the Administration of the Country ender the heart of a string of assertion, unconnected with the avowed purpose of the Court. Mr. WAITHMA\ said, that the last Amendment, under peeteoce of moaning the Coed to the purpose of its Meeting, was much more amercing of the titles( a trap than the pro position of his worthy friend, Mr. Md. Goodbehere, for the teal purpose of the Meeting of the Court was, to eaovass the conduct of Mr. Wahile since the Vote of Thanks. The Court bad dace so, and it appealed, Is the course of that io qairy, repots& recital of facts, that such conduct had been ht O meritorious and beneficial to the Public ; and the dear of the Resolution was to express that feeling. The almleocy of the Amendment was, to prevent that justice being duke to Mr. Wardle, under pretence of friendship to him. hare tee been tkarged, said be, with being a party man, but Dow lam charged with being of no party. Thus it to that we have sees party nee make a noise ab?ot cor ruption, until they can create discontent enough is tt.e Public to turn out an Adiniaisration, and get to m ;selves into it, and then they are contented, while 11.0 people are no better of than before; but if you attack Corruption itself, lowed of only attacking those who feed. opon it, then you have all parties •poo your back, because you are destroying their food. Thus hale I met my CWI4 (Mr. Manama) at the 11 tug Club (Sr it is not evety Mem ber of the Whig Club that is a Whig, believe roe)—l am a Whig certainly ; I was taught in the Whig School princip:eo ohms seated his Majesty's-illustrious Haase ape' the Thro..e of these realms. But I have met men at the Wbig Club, alms came torte to follow Charles Fox,. and would follow any Fox, if they thought they would get any Hung by it ; but who would not follow you an inch on the road to destroy corruption itself, although they would cry nut against the thing, fur the sake of turning out tho9f. %he profited by it, mod get in themselves. Nay. they would oppose you, as they do sometimes iu the licese of Cowman, with professed friendship and real haters!, by the Dl , * of an nmendinent j alma your amendment. t care not for these half-one-hay men: 0:1,, 1 d0..111.e them noire, because more ungenerous I than an open es - Icm). —( Hu; st Of npplaiter.) Mr. .Thlcrman WOOD did out seruple to say that Mr. Wanlle had actually saved eats country; and it Mas Impossi ble Sutbriently to repay him ; but for Mr. Wardle•s exertions, the Duke of York would hare been, at thh isioaseat, Cons maader in Chief, and at the brad of the Hipoditioo I and thtul-- , -I say, said the worthy Alderman, Mr. Wardle bar saved this country. Mr. MAWM PI had so hesitation is say lag that the p!IL. sent Administration otshht t 3 be dimmed ; bet be saw great danger ie telling tile people that they were to look for so pad from nay ether pan), became ft was, in effect, Mlles the people th.►t they ought to take the ()cerement into their Owe fonts.—Whoi mid what wad bit. Wardle, that beibMild he looked up to as the issdy human behig who rould sate this country t de saw in Mu no mach trameendlot Mr. WA ITN?! AN cositeaded for the propriety of feral rating in the minds of the people, this towslmo That they ate net to look for sell adsamage by a chair of awn that there meat be a dump IC Spam ?her was the clorttire of bin lint himself—doettief foaNded in true a lidorn, and width; think Heaveit l "Mohan droned every day —dot-. Wee isce asimilefd, evil by Mr. Parr. The Wadi IPSO tarot pt and declared by 'be Lord ifarrfi mph a ifw of bawds, to have bees carried /a fo veae of Mr: Plitworao's Ameadvaeot—bat; os a divlsioo, the somber were— Fie the Aisembilest, 1 itlifernaa, 31 Conterseeem ? Teller* —41. 4 Fir Aid. Goillbehefe's It notations, 3 Aldermeo, 51 Cos* matatitsi litraiti-31-'4 l llllO 6 tY. b. Order. bate beett istned by the Treater? to ift4i MAN to tteetie ill the told halfpence At present in circulation, and to *rue for the future none hut those nude by Alt. tlulton, of Soho; sneh eosin. I writhe as are so well done that a columon oh. IPCf T t could nut (Ibtinguillt them, are to be taken. 1~~ }. I i N 1 ~I