The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-12-30 00:00:00

AMERICA.

COMMODORE BAtRON.

Report of the Court of Inquiry assembled on board
the United States ship, Chelopeak, in the hafbour
of Norfolk, and States of Virginia, by order of
the Hon. Robert Smith, Secretary of the Navy of
the United States, end continued by adjournment
from day to days from Monday, the sth day of
Oetober, 1807, until Wednesday, the 4th of No-
vember, 1107. '

1. It appetite to the Court, that the United 'States ship, Cite-
speak, Men varlet the command of Jame .111arnin, Esq. a
Captain to the Navy of the linnet States, sailed (rum Hamp-
ton Roads, on an intended cruise in chit Mediterranean Sea, on
the looming of the 2id June last past, harmg nu board a crew
aeuelwiag of mere than :).-O men, and completely equipped
with every Wag nemitary for mach a ship of war, sailing ed
such t,

2. It appears to the V...!'isert, that Captain Barron was appoint-
ed Conamhdore of the shim and *eels dlailooeJ for th• Medi-
terranean service, on the lhth day of Mayla,t past, and hoisted
hie broad pendant on board the Chesapeak, the int time he
came on board of her, after her arrival in Ilampton Roads, to
wit, on or about the 6th 4ay of Juni last past.
.3. It mipears to the Court, that Cummodere Bairoo wished
the Chesepeak only twice during the Ireton' she remained iii
llanipten. Roads, and Arline he came on board to proceed to
sea ; on neither of which occasions be examined particularly
into her state and Ceeeltion.
4. it appears to the Court that the gong of the Chelapeatr
were never Li:groaned %ware she pioceedad to um...that het
crew were quaiteTeri but a ka tra's pievifull to that time, and
had timer been called to quarters mere t he three times prior
to her sailing for sea.
9. It appears to the Court, that the ship ma reported to
Content/ore Barron to be ready tor sea on the 17th day of June,
that he'zante et. board on the an. that the ship sailed on
the mo.;.ing oldie did of June last pa•t.
6. It *peace to The (•3eri, that antecedent to the tailing of
the Chs,elpeak, dime ht-dl been received on head ..f her some
person WllO had bade 'rimmed by the British Siovernmeat as
desertare from their service, hot who were net ordered to be
delivered up by the Amman Officers—That there was else a
report 1111,4•culation, and eznetally It/own on beard the
ChesaNalb, tut • threat load been used by the Captain of the
British ship el war hfelanqies to take them met from the
Chavapeek-i-That Commodore Ilarrast had full knowlidge of
the facts that such man were wt beats his ship that they
had been densauded ley its British Godai'!inent, and had not
bean delivered tap, the Court aro pettedly satisfied; het 1.0
positive evidence has been siklured to move that the repair et
the Musk above aientaueeti was communicated to him Were
his ship*iled. _

7. I; apltean to the Court, that ttte Chotapnak, la proceed-
ing from Hampton Reads to sea,. passed a British squadron at
assehor io Lynhaven 1t.r..h0, at the time of ber pessiag Wont
were making inertia to each Irtletieittleh was not only reported
to Commodore Barren by oats alai CMlee*. bat
served by htuiself.
g. It appears to the Coerl"h that the:BM% thlp of war Leo-
pard, of 50 gam, ene of the scl'iadron than It 1111cRof within the
limits of the United Stater, weighed immediately afire these
signals were thrown out, aid steel to ass.
9. It doses nut appear to the Cirort, that at this time there
was any ret.el 111 sight, o• coy other eked to induce her se
go to %el but the Chesapcak.
10. It smart to the Cowie, that at the thee the Leeparet
got ender weigh, are wind was et It.S.VV. and therefore fair
for licr to proceed in sea ; but that instal of availing herself
of this to clear the land, she hauled he the wind, close round
Cape Henry, and stood au the souoisr.od tinier easy sail ;
thereby shriving that it was Cot her intention to get elf the
Wad speedily.
It. It appears to the Court, that after this wed twins,
light sad baffling, and tritely to shift, and came nut front the
eastwzrd, that wit cut this happened the Leopard shortened sail
and stood to the eastward.

11. It upturn to the Dirt, that after this the wind rl3l
Saha •001111.11 about 6.1.6, end that the Leopard then having
thus got the,sother-gage, preserved it, by taking in-shore,
when the Chcsapeak dd se, its order to get off her pilot, and
after the Chesapeak again stood off to the eastward, that hie
Leopard were and Lore drain fur her.
11. It appears to the Court, that when the Leopard tacked
and stood in-shore on the same tack with the Chesapeak, that
her Lower deck ports eels all weed up.
14. It appears to the Court, that when the Leopard run
down fur the Chenpealt, she rounde.i-te on her starboard-
quarter and to win/wail of her, and that, at this time, her
timpani wets out ti her guise.
13. It appears to toe Court, that Commodire Barron we:
upon deck, observing Use Leopard, during the time Mese aa-
nceuvres were pratliting, and tittles apuearanees exhibited
16. That the Court Is of opinion that the crteuttatances above
staled were in theusselves so suspicious as to have furnished
sufficient warning to a prudent, discreet, and attentive ofFsersr,
of the probable designs of • ship ot war cooducted lot that way,
and ought to have induced Commodore Barron to have pit
pared his ship for action, especially with the information he
possessed, of Use satuat,on of hi. crew generally, of those who
fiat limit demanded by the British Government particialent,
and of the rueral state of the ship at that time.
17. It appears to the Court that Commodore Barren never-
theless del Hot order his ship to be cleared for action, and that
he did not call his men to quarters
11. It appears to the Court, that when the Leopard came
alongside tithe Chesapeake, an officer was Onst frets bar, with
a eotom (sic." iron from Captain !lanoline', the Chileans of the
Leopard, to Gornmirdere (Barron, which the latter could not and
did not onsundeirtand, but vary correctly concluded to be a
demand with which he ought sot, and could not comply, sad
use which, if refuted, would boenforced, If possible.
19. It appears to the Coon, that althouen rues was the al-
tuatioa and jeopret,ton of Commodore Barron at this time, yet
that lie die not still order his shi p tv he prepared for ac tlon, al-
-111 'ugh ample time was a.i..ered for that purpose, the British
Officer being &imad on board the, Chesapeake irtiul 35 to 4)
minutia

20. The Court is of opinion, that the n•glitA of Coenntia.
dote Barron to prepare his ship for action wider such circuits.
stances, is edireet breach of the 4th attach, of the rules sad
regulations for toe Government of the Navy of the United
States, adopted by an Act of the Coogrem of the United
States, pasted on the ltd day of April. 1800, Milan; fr An
Act ter the batter Guretument of the Nary of the United
Staten."
21. It appears to the Court. that after the British Officer
left tne Chcapealt, bracing a posit., refusal trim Conlon.
done Barton to the demand which had b-en made by Captain.
Humphries, and after Commodore Karroo was himself taus.
bed Haman attack upon his ship would be made, he did not
take ;memo, ocamary, and efficient means to prepare his ship
for battle; that bis Kitt order was merely to clear his gun deck,
and the 'mood, given after the Japer of tome time, was to got
his mon tisquatiers secretly, without boat of dram ; although
with such • stew as he had on board. aud in such a situation
a. the ship then was, it rah not to lie suspected that such urdela
einaW be effectually accomplished.
V.. It appears to the Court, that the conduct of Commo-
dore Bartfm, during theonodeet the Leopard, manifested great
indersismis and • diffraction so negotiate rather Chao a deter.
nituallost ;waylay to attend his ship ; that he repeatedly hailed
the Leopard dung tart attack noon him ; that lie drew his
men from their guns to lowenitg down boat., to send tan board
of the atiachatig shi;i ; and that he ordered his First Lieu-
rimant fauna Ms qua during the attack, to carry a message
on home of the Leopard, at that is us firing upon him.
23.. It appears to the Louth that during the attack, Com-
mode', Buren used lenge:qt., in presence of his nice, calcu-
lated to Cspirit his crew, by ordering them to keep down, or
that they would all be cut to pieces.
24. It spears In the Coate, that Commodore Barron or-
dered the guioert of the Chesapeek ie M struck; and that they
were struck, before a nadir gun of any kind tau fired from her ;
and that at the time trey were SA struck, her mail desk battery
was in a attuatMa which would have enabled the getout of a
broadside in a err" short time.
25. The Court is thereinto et *pinion, that the Clsetairett
was prematurely suirenderod, at • tam, when she ens sirorly
prepared for ba.tle, and when the iojurie. :aries!ned esther en
the sh•p or crew did not make such a sk.arnider then nerewary;
and that her the Commodore Iltra:ww•falls under a part of the
Swat Aftede of the Rube 114.41.ittietteue fee the Oeverttetent