The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1807-03-12 00:00:00

A. I de. The signal was immediately made, but
1,, m what ship I cannot recolleFt.
0 Was not the Volontatre considered as the fora-
mutter of Admiral Willaumeh's squadron a—A. It

v is.
O. State to the Court, whether, from the conver-
sati-on you had with the officers of the Voiontaire.
ti,e Cape was the first destination of Admiral
Willaumez's squadron ?—Fri.,r.i all the conversa-
tions I had with the French officers, I bad no doubt
but they were destined to the ('ape of Good Hope ;
and in a conversation with Captain Krittel, who
commanded Le Polontaire, he expressed much
anxiety for the fate of the French fleet, stating his
t,,,ts that they would arrive, two at a time, to water
and refresh.
Q. Did you not coffeft that the French squadron,
all or part, might be hourly expected at the Cape of
Good Hope?—A. Certainly, a. La Voiontaire had
,t,etti lung parted from them, anti had been long at
sea•
Q. V.'hat did you understand to he the ulti-
Qra;a destination of the French Beet, from any in-
tormation you have stated to have had from
coaversations with Captain Brittel, and the other
olcers of the VolaqtairvPL-A. I obtained informa-
tion, which appeared to me to be certain, that they
were hotrod uitimately to the Brazils for-refresh-
ments, and then to the West Indies ; which infor-
mation I communicated to Sir H. Popham, having
obtained it front an off.cer of La Fulontasre, whom I
did not think in the French ;merest.

Q.What rank did he hotel ?—A. A Liru•enantey.
Q. Were you not aware that I had been ac-
quainted with the officer in question before the
present war ?—A. Ye., I was.
Q. Do you not imagine, from the circumstances
which transpired. that ti,e officer in question was ez-
• ceedingly inclined to give me every information in
his power with rasped to the situation and final
destination of Admiral Willaumez's squadron ?—A.
Yes.

-
Q. Did f not app-ar perfettly satisfied. from the
information which I had from this offizer, materi-
ally corroborated by Captain Brittel and the other
claims, that Admiral Willaumes had tailed for the
Brazils. long betUre I expressed any invention of
proceeding to the East coast of South America ?
A. Certainly.
Q. Do you remember me receiving intelligence
that Admiral Willaumez had really arrived at St.
Saivadote, in tie Brazils, on the Ist of April, and
sailed from ;hence to the West Indies on the 20th
—A. Yee.

Q. That information was, I believe, received by
Anon our arrival in the Rio de IA Plata. and I a..k
you whether it did not completely confirm the in-
formation 1 received from the French officers. pre-
vious to my sailing from the Cape ?—A. To the
first part of that I Answer, it was, to the hest of my
recollection ; that is, from the information I received
on Our arrival at St. Sal adore. To the latter part
I answer, that it did confirm the intormation re-
ceived from the r.f{icots of La rolontairt.

Q. Do you remember my wing on shore at the
request of Sir D. Baird, accompanied by the Cap-
tains of the squadron, to make a regular inspeetion
of the state and position of the batteries, and how
far those already crated, and erating, in conse-
quence of my suggestion, would completely corn-
:need, what is called the anchorage in Table Bays
sad all the landing places from Three Anchor Bay,
so tho West of the Green Point, down to Craig's
Tower, on the gastermost point ?—A. Ido, as I at-
tended you on that occasion.
Q. Do you recollect Sir David Baird expressing
himself most perfectly satisfied with the state of
defence in which the Cape was I—A. I do; I have
frequently heard him express himself in a way
which convinced me he appreiseaded no danger
from any attack of the enemy.
Q. Can you inform the Coutt, whether you
formed the same opinion yourself, from the observa-
tions you made on the strength and p4sition of the
batteries?—A. As far as I can judge of a military
position, I should consider the Cape, in thc hands
of Sir D. Baird, and the troops he there had, as
nearly impregnable.
Q. State to the Court, whether, in your opinion,
all the yearly commerce, between England and In-
dia, if it could be collated in Table Bay, would be
perfeOly secure from any attacks of the enemy ?
A. 1 think any host le man of war, that might at-
tack them, would be destroyed by the effcft of the
batteries, provided the merchants' ships were pro-
perly moored.
Q. Do you remember The Gazette. with Lord
Nelson's victory over the Combined Fleets, being
published at the Cape of Good Hope I—A. Yes.
Q. Was that antecedent to, or after the capture of
La Volontatre ?—A. I cannot recollect ; but I
think it must have been subsequent; but cannot
speak with certainty.
Q. Coupling the impressions which you had on
your mind by the detailed destruetion of the Com-
bined Fleets, from the different Gazettes which
came to the Cape, with the intelligence which we
received by La frq/aftfiiire, of the state of the French
ships at Brest, add other ports, would you imagine
that any force could be collated in Europe, sufficient
se make any attempt on the Cape of Good Hope ?
A. I have no idea that they could.
Q. Is there any place, within your knowledge,
that is so difficult to make au im,;ression upon, by
an invading army, as the Cape of Gond Hope ?
A. No, speaking generally ; but I do not mean to
include Gibraltar, Cadiz, and such forts as those.
Q. Do you know that Sir David Baird was
equipping and practising a very wrong corps of
Flying Artillery, and had raised a Hottentot reei-
merit, before I left the Cape for South America ?
A. Yes, they were then raising rapidly : the former
he was equipping, and constantly poetising.
Q. If the enemy had been in possession of such a
corps of flying Al tillety, :114d had attempted to op-
pose our landing with it, should we not have very ma-
terially suffi red from the heavy toil* which rose on
that beach, to the nestlmm-J of Cr Tower, if t:
expedition had not been rotally defeated ?—A. if the
enemy had had such a corps, and it had ken well
Freed, and done its duty, I think the landing would
km Iwo impossible, es a landing at the Cape of
Good Hope- at the best of times, very diflicutt.
Q. Do you apprehend that avy naval power is
so expert in their boats, and so accustomed to land
under circumstances of extreme difliculty, whether
from the surf or personal exertions, ofposcel

them, as the °teem and seamen of thst British
Navy ; is it not almost impossible?—A. I do not;
but I ivlly speak of 'I able Bay.
Q. Was it not generally understood by Sir D.
Baird, and the principal military c Ricers at the
Cape, that the best possible defence against sin in-
vading army, was a strong corps of flying artillery
A. Certainly.
Q. When I sailed from the Cape of Good Hope,
with the whole of my upiadron, did you not know,
and was it not generilly understood, that f was
going to attempt a eon,. de main against one of the
enemy's possessions, in the Rio dela Plata ? A. Yes.
Q. Could I have pragsibly left behind a frigate,
or even a gun•brig, without risking the sneer ss of
whatever attempt I meaut so make on either of
those settlements ? A. No ;as our force altogether
was small, when combined.

Q. As you say cur force was small, I wish to ask
you, from all the i..forination which we were in
possession of, respelting the defenceless Lice of the
enemy's settlements in the Rio de la Plate, was
there the smallest doubt expressed by any officer in
the army or navy, eniployrd on that expedition, or
by General Baird, of obtaining quick possession of
the places above alluded to, provided we sailed
immediately, and aeted with promptness and vigour
on our arrival in the Rio de la Plata ? A. No ;
❑ot the least
Q Did you ever, direiLly or indireellyg Jw, that
Sir David Baird offered the least ribjettioat or argue
runt against my taking the whole of the tquadfon
from the Cape. of which he was the Goverhor, or
express a wish for any thing to remain, except 'he
Charlotte schooner, which was to be ready to f,)Ilow
me with any dispatches that might be necessai y
A. Never.

Q. Was there any thing that ever came to your
knowledge, which coulJ it dice you •to believe or
suspe9, that my object for um,ettaking the attack
of Buenos Ayres was not to advance the pub!ic in-
terest of the couotty, and to meet the wisl.es of
those under whom I thought I was aF•y;, by en.
deavouring to establish a permanent positn.n in the
Rio de la -Plata ? A. From the various conversa-
tions I have had with, and the knowledge I have
of you, I am confident you had en objet ;n view
hut the annoyance of the enemy, the honour of the
service, and the public interest of the commerce of
Great Britain.

Q. Atter the capture of Buenos Ayres, did I
not do every thing, by precept and example, to con-
ciliate the minds of the inhabttar.ts, and to prove to
them that the great ohje.ll of the Lxpedition was to
establish a commercial intercourse between that
country and Great Britain ? A You did.
Q. Were not applications frequently offered to
me, on the propriety of immediately embarking th•
quicksilver and bark, and other valuable merchari-
dize ; and did I not refuse to do so, until tie fl -t
was oomph:v.ly provisioned ; and by that wish:ion
to the pulkc service, did I not snake a very mate-
rial private sacrifice, and to what amount in your
judgment? A. I think it was proposed to you to
embark the property, which you curi.tantly de-
dined, ur.til the &et was completely viduallad, and
I think you thereby made ♦ personal sad private
sacrifice of at least YO,0001•

Q. Do you seine:l;4er ray having sent from the
Cape of Good Hope to England ; liat Admiral
Cochrane, in the West Indies; to Sir Edvi.ard Pel-
lew, in the East Indies ; and to the Commanding
Officer off the Mauritius, the intelligence received of
Admiral Willaurnez's fleet, and its probable ulti-
mate destination ? —A. Yes.

Q. Do you recoiled ever to have known an in.-
stance of the intelligence I received, and which I
generally communicated to you, to have been incor-
red ?—A. No ; I do not recollt:d any.
Q. Was there ever a doubt entertained by any
Captain or Officer of the squadron, that the Rio de
la Plata was completely within the Cape station ?
A. Never ; I have heard them frequently converse
on that subjed.
Q. Do you not know, of your own knowledge.
tat Captain Rowley, who commanded the Barron-
oble, under my orders, was at the Cape station, last
war, in different ships ?—A He has told me so ;
and, I think, he told me he commanded the
bnpurieuse.
Q. Do you remember my being supersec!ed by
Admiral Stirling at Maldonado?
This question was objeded to by the Cone T.
Sir HOMS Porn Ast only wished to chew, from
the manner in whici-. he was sent home, that he had
not the necessary witnesses, because he bad no idea
of being called to a Court Martial.
After a variety of observations, the question was
ordered to be expunged, as being irrelevant to the
charge.
Ry the pROMOToll•
Q. ihrlien did Sir Home Popham first commu-
nicate to you his intention to attack the enemy in
the Rio de la Plata ?—A. To the best of my recol-
lzdion, in the latter end of March ; we having, ge-
nerally speaking, given up tiny expectation of Ad-
miral Willaumea, alter the 2041 of March.
Q. De you recoiled the day when a fonningen
brig e inn in, at d stael her having been boarded
by a French squadron ?—A. No.
9. Were the letters which were written by Sir
Home Popham, to the Admiralty, communicated
by him to you ?—A. No ; I do not recolied to have
read any part or parts of letters from Sir Home
Popham, to the Admiralty, while we were at the
Cape.
Q. I do not ask you, Sir, whether you ever read
any parts of those letters ; but I ask, whether the
substance of t hose letters from the Cape ves ever
communicated by Sir Home Popham to you ?—A.
I do not know to what letters you allude.
Pausacuroa—" Turn to Nu. 19 ; 2L-t March,
ISub."

[Letter read by Witness, stating, that a Ton-
niugen brig corning in teas boarded by a French
squad. on.]
Q. Having looked at that letter, does it bring
to your recolleflinn the tail of a 'lonningen brig
having crane in, and Luting, that she had been
hoar tied by a French squadron 3—A. Ycs ; but I
did not tecolleel the time ; I have no recollerftion,
except(rom that letter.

Q. State to the Court, whether the con v tion
you !Lid with Sir Home Popham, on the subject of
his undertaking an Expedition to the Rio de la
Plata, were or were not riot. to the date of that
fetter? A. I think 1 hare already acsisered that

• ..

question fully. I had no knowledge of Sir Home's
intention, prior to the date of that letter.
Q. Am I to understand you, Sir, as swearing
positively, that you Lad no conversation with Sir
Home Popham, relative to taking an Expedition
from the Care, prior to that letter ? A. Certainly.
Q. Upon your arrival at the Cape, and taking
possession of it, did Sir Home Popham obtain the
private signals of the enemy, and shat signals were
they ?—A. We obtained of course the colonial
signals ; those, I mean, used at the signal posts.
Q. Were those signals known to the several Cap-
tains of the Isfolad:rin ?—A. They were, to the best
of my recline:iron ; I had a copy of them, as Cap-
tain of the Diadem.

Q. Had these signals been made to In Vadantaire
before she struck ? A. Not that I recolleel.
Q Were any ships cruising without the Bay
when Le Vatontaire stood in for it ? A The Raiwa-
able and Nfirrisiris were at sea, and chased La VOlCill•
tuire into the Bay.
Q. Supposing La Vvlontaire had not struck to the
Di..dem, would not those ships have been able to
have captured her ? A. No ; because the DladtAl
would have sunk her, or blown her up.
Q. Supposing no ship had been there, could not
those slips have captured her ? A. Yes ; J. think
thoy migi.t.
Q. Is it not therefore manifestly of service to the
Cape to have some of His Majesty's ships there,
which could be so employed ? A. The Board of
Admiralty are the best judges of that.
Question read again.
A. It would be advantageous at all times to have
ships cruising in every probable situation that ene-
mies' ships may be found in ; but, with respell to the
'•isdlraritage of the Cape, I do nut see any.
.Qu *leo repeated.
A. 11 it is understood that it refers to trade, I
thinkiso:
Q. You have described to the Court what you
think of the Cape as a military position ; do you
not thins that security would be materially
added to, is the event of an attempt upon it, by
its baying a naval forte for its prate/lion ?—A. As
far as 1 can ju.'ge, the Cape is :xtrirrnely strong,
and capable of being well defencbd without
ships ; but most undoubtedly the addition of ships,
if the enemy were not superior in naval force, would
be an assivance.

Q. Vl/4 Fen did Sir Home sal from the Cape for
the Rin de la n'ttat ? What naval force did he take
with him, any, what di 7esve 7 A. lie
sailed in the rule die I think the
13. h or 14th ; •,/ern, Ruion-
a lie, DlOthtd., eissur, and L • ;r.-I .ig. I
do not know of any man of war kit b.., .1.
Q. thu you return home with Sir it5....-ne Pop-
ham' ? A. 1 did.
By the Counr.
PRCEMENT--‘• Did any ship or vessel arrive at
the Cape, trom which yim received any intelligence
on the day of your sailing, relative to Buenos
Ayres ? A, Not that I recoiled.
Q. When the Yetontaire was taken, she had on
board a number of English prisoners ; do you recol-
lect how many ? A. lo the best of my recollection,
they might amount to nearly two hundred.
Q. Do you know the number of her crew ? A. I
think about three hundred.
Q. When she arrived, was she very short rf wa-
ter ? A. Yes.
Q. If she had not had the two hundrei rilfnaers
on board, might she not have contiau. d much
longer at sea without being very short of water
A. Certainly, in as much proportion as the prison-
ers had used.

Q. You hare spoken of the intelligence ycu re-
ceived from au officer on board the Voiontai,e, rela-
tive to Willaunsees squadron, did you learn from
him how he himself was informed of that destira-
tion ?--A. No; but I considered him. and found
hum, a very intelligent man, and one who appeared
to me to he much in the confidence of his Captain.
q. Did he tell you that he bad seen the orders
of Admiral Willaturniz, or that kis Captain had
informed him what those orders srete?—A. No.
Yon have said, that if the whole of the commerce
Iwitween Great Britain and the East Indies was
properly anchored in Table Bay, that it might be
defended by the batteries on shore ?—A. I mean to
say, that as many as the Bay will hold, if properly
anchored, could be prntesied.
Q. Would those ships be proteited by the bat-
teries, before they approached near the shore, going
into Table Bay A. 1 hey would.
Q. Would those batteries proteCt the ships some
leagues firm the shore ? A. Certainly not.
Q. Would then the Commander of the Cape, or
ships coming thither, be better pi oteeted by ships of
war cruising off the Cape, than without ? A. Yes,
certainly.
Q. I think you have said, from the information
you rec-ived from the Volontair,, of the state of
the French ships, at Brest and other ports, that the
enemy could not coffee, in Europe, any force to
make an attempt en the Cape. Did you obtain,
trom the "'violets:re, information of the naval force
in Holland, of the naval force in Toulon, of the sta-
tion of ships escaped into Cadiz, or of those which
were left by t..e Vsibanfire, of the squadron in
Rochefort ? A. No ; but in all the conyetsations
I had with the Frei ch officers, which were nume-
rous, I uncLirstood it to be their opinion, that the
naval forces •1 the Allies sit France, as well as her-
self, were not in a stare to attempt t ffensiee opera.
lions, generally sr aking ; upJn which I had
founded my opinion.
Q. De you mean that it was the opinion of t. •
Officers. •hat France and her Allies were not caps
hle of sending any squadron to sea.—A. I do not
know what might be their opinion of France or her
Allies being capasl.! of sending out a few cruisers,
but I think it was tile opinion of those Officers, that
they were not able to scud to sea a Naval Expe.
di: ion.

Q. I think you have said Sir D. Baird thought
flying artillery the most efficacious ro present a
landing of an ememy at the Cape of Good Hope?
A. I did.

Q Did rut consider him to say that they were
,o efficacious as to render a naval tore. unnecessary.
—A. No. 1 never heard him speak of the co-opera-
tion of a naval force with hi, flying artillery; but
I have frequently he:ad him express his opi-
nion, that the Cape was in perferft security, and
that the landing at troops, opposed to his army,

amounted to almost an impossibility ; and I New
crive, that had the Dutc made proper resistance
with their flying artillery, at Lot pude. Bay, it
would have been very difficult, it not errepiasibil, to
have made gond cur I,nding
Q. Is the toad between the Ctn. an'. Ciaidinal
Bay of such • 'description as to admit of a flying
artillery being rapidly trtrnsported there, it an enemy
shimid attrirpt to land there ? A. I have newel'
been there; it is about sixty miles dista..t, and the
road is bad.
Q. You have said you do not know that Sir David
Baird ever ohjetted to the whole force going with
Sir lii.me Popham with the troops ? A. I have.
Q. Can you say Sir David Baird never did o'sect
to sending them ? A. I cannot say what might
have passed between Sir David 1! tird and Sir H .me
Popham, whe I have not been present, but I Mask
it likely, if he had objected, 15h• uld have heard it.
Q. Yon have said, there was no doubt in the
mind of any Captain hi the squadron, that Steno*
Ayres was in the lint sof the con,m;:nd of th• Officer
commanding at the :'ape ; have you seen any order
or instrudions, which can kiddy tae belief. .bat it
was within such limits ? A. No ; but I have,eser
understood so, anti from knowing that the cruisers
of the Cape station have gone frequei fly to cruise
at the mouth of Rio de la Plata, and some as high
as Monte Video, I could entertain no doubt on the
suhjed.
Q. Do you speak of your own knowledge ? A.
I speak upon general knowledge ; I cannot say
saw them; bat knew it from the men who were on
board the Deonirde.
Q. After leaving the Cape, the squadron went
to St. Helena ; did you find t .e:e any of the East
India Company's ships, or any other ship waiting
for convoy for England? A Not that I recoiled,
Q. You stated that under Sir David Baird yes
thought the Cape impregnable ; do you mean to
say, that it was thought so impregnable, atter the t
sailing of Sir Home Popham ind his squadron,
with the troops, for Buenos Ayres ? A. I mesa
to say, the enemy must have sent so Largo a force
to make any impression, as would render it nest to
impossible to arrive there within any time of the
season, so as to insure the smallest prospad of
fewness.
, Q. Do you know when the winter is supposed to
begin at the Cape?—A. I should conceive at the
lawr end of April.
Q. Do you know what force Sir D. Baird had
there after the squadron bad sailed ?—A. I should
think about 6000 men.
By Sir HOME POPHAM.
Q. On what day does it appear the Marriagea was
hoarded by the French Beat?—A. On the gist of
February.
Q. Is not the Cape considered. every tempestuous
station to cruise off in the winter ? A. Yes.
Q. Did we not leave the it.a.rnaite and Aare-isle;
in Tahle Bay a day or two previous to their coming
in with La Yaw:Mire ; and were they not thavireo
turning to Table Bay ? A. Yes, they were, so the
best of my recolection.
Q. When you said the Rmiseamtie and Nereirmis
would have taken the its!. faire, if the Dimdrat had
not been at anchor there, did you not assume that
the Cape was in possession of the English ? A. Yes.
- Q. firowt the position in which yne sa as the Aimee
ships in the morning, do you not tainit the indent. die
amid have got under the protection of the batteries.
provided the Cape was in possession of the enemy,
before the Rativiable and Amnesic: could have got
up to her ? A. Yes.
Q. if greater advantages can be manifest, as likely
to be derived by employment of the squadron on
other service than that of remaining in the vicinity
of the Cape during the winter, ought not that
squadron so to be employed ? A. .-s tar as dean•
ter of opinion goes, I should reply yes.
Q. Did you hear of any capture made by the
enemy within the ptecinds of e r. car, duriitt the
absence of the squadron in the Rio ee la Plat . ? A.
I do not recoiled that any such tiling hanpened.
Q. Do you remember having been told, on tl a
night of our anchoring, after weighing on the 10:n
of April, that there was a person in the squadron
who was eight years at Buenos Ayres, and two of
those interpreter to the Cosnonnhouse ? A. Yes.
Q. Do you remember what information he gave
relative to the state of Buenos Ayt ea ?—A. He gave
a good and clear account of the situation of ituen.
Ayres, and its mean; of defence, and from his know-
ledge of the people, it would be very easy to obtain
possession of it with a few troops.
Q. Do you recoiled my going to Sir D. Baird.
on shore, wirb that information ; and that thn troops
he granted for the expedition were embarked in
48 hours, and that we sailed as soon atter as the
weather would permit ?—A. Yes.
Q. Do you recoiled how severely the British
troops. on board La Volontatre, had suffered
from the scurvy, for want of water ; and do you,
recoiled several having died on their pa.sage to the
shore ? A. Ido receded they were much Aid:Jed
with the scurvy, and it is probable their shnit al-
lowance of water might have contributed to, or
caused it ; but as I did not attend them to the shore,
I do not know, except from hearsay, of many hav-
ing died.
By the COURT.
Q. Was it likely that ship would have endurel
so short an Allowance- it water, if the British pr.-
soners were not on sward? A. Certainly not.
By the PRRSIDENT.
Q. You have sand, you ddl not hoar of any cap-
ture being made by tlig enemy, in the vicinity of
' e Cape, after the sallidg of Sir Home Popham,
and his squadron? A. Yes.
After some few mote questions and observations.
at aid o'clock the Court adjourned until nine o'clock
tonitorrow naongag.

FIFTH D stY.
WWNPSOAV, MARCH 11.

The Cot rt having met at half past nir• o'clnck,
and Sir Home Popham having taken kis place,
the Paulo:tar thus addiessed him: "Sir Hoene
Popham, you are at liberty to pro eed in c Xing
further r%!dence in support of .our detene.."
Sir flows Poen • iit—" I bad three or four MOTO
witnesses to examine, hut tiey chieBv go to corm.
borate the evidence of Captain King, I not theta•
tore new mean to call ; but that knew! sot re _ _ _