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

Ineetion irnmed:atcly before the Ceutt, you
will not impute it to any improper intention ; as 1
inn oduced pert of the evidence, apparently irrele-
vent, when seperatcly comidered, but which, when
joined together, bears imee; candy upon my case. 1
shall not. in the course of my future examination,
intentionally incur the displeasure of the Court
ag tin, in the same way, but confine myself to such
pats of the proofs, as appear to tue indispensable.
tin; 1 should rather forego any evidence that may
seem important, than merit the imputation of tres-
passiog on the time of the Court with any thing
even apparently irrelevant."
William &Linden, E.q. esvoin and examined.
By Sir HOSSLPOPHAM.
Q. How %mg have you held any official situa-
tion ender the Board of Admiralty ?—A. Upwards
of twatve yeers.
Q. In the long official experience you have
had, as Chief and under Secretary in the concerns
of that Board, I ask you whether you can state to
toe Court, whether, in the Trials of Admiral Byng,
Lord Keppel, Sir H. Palliser, or the moat recent
ones of Sir J. Duckworth and Sir Robert Calder, the
charge against these officers was worded in the
saint manner as the one which has given rise to the
present Court Martial ? I mean, if those orders for
holding the Court Martial in question, inculpated
the Prisoner; and, by implication, sailed upon those
Cuurts to punish the persnu to be tried, by inserting
in the order, words to the following effe&, vie.
6. Whereas a due regerd for the good of his Ma-
jesty's service requires that se flagrant a breach of
public duty should nor pas, (cc."
Admire' Row e tir --" I cannot nee how this can
bear upon the subjed ; we are r.ot to arraign the
Admiralty fur :.omens a charge as they may
please."
After a few observations by the PRFIIIDENT. Sir
Home Purlieu observed, ti.at he oniy asked the
reae.tion for the purpose uf shcanag that the whole
et his case lied been marked with a severity and
harshness, nor usual to other dicers i s si:nilar situ-
atioas. The question was then enteral to be ex-
punged from the praceedings.
Q Do you recoiled whetaer any force, as a sta-
tioeary force, for the Cape, was sent there After the
receipt of my letter of April 9, ISthi, stating the
rangement 1 had made for goiag to the East coast
of South America, with the squadron under my
command ?—A. To the best of my recolleetion,
the Sampson, I think, was sent as a ship intended
for the Cape of Good Hope station ; and I think
about that time Sir T. Trowbridge was ordered
thither horn India.
Q. When did the Santirtsn leave England?—A.
1 do not recoils& the precise date.
Q. Was she ordered to call at the Rio de la
Plata A. I think she was.
Q. Then you could net consider her as a ship or-
dered dire& for the immediate protedion of the
Cape A. Not direly ler the Cape.
Q. Do you welled when I was employed in
Resia, that I had several Commaialers in the
Navy under my orders ?—A. 1 de not r. coiled the
dad. aithcugb I have no reason to doubt it.
Q. Have you brought with you the Trial of Caps
tam iholopson ?-4. I have brought the sentence.
mere the Coe a r interposed, and said, that the sen-
tence of another Court could not be a allied for its
Sir Home POPHAM I only wished to shew
that I etitiel holm precedei.t ; I du nut mean to dic-
tate to the Ceurt."
By the COLItT.
Q. Sir I..asc Coffin. do vett know the nature of
the service on which Sir Home lerphain was then
employed ; was it of a military neture, and subjed
to military discipline?—A. My recollection is so
feint, that I cannot speak with certainty.
By Sir Home POP /1414.
. Q. Do you know whether the Sallipsolll was tom.
itig house with a convoy ?—A. I do not.
Mr. Thomas Wilson sworn and examined.
By Sir Hume Porn sit.
Q. I believe you are a Merchant in London, and
have had considerable intercourse with the Rio de
la Plata ?—A. Yes. I had.
Q. Do you recoiled several conversations I had
with you in the summer of lee e ?—A. Yes, l do;
about the month of June ; they were respeding the
produce of that country, and its strength, from
what I could coiled through the persons I had em-
ployed there. The result was, that all the informa-
tion I could tolled was from three pc: sons, and 1
made an appointment with one of them to go up to
Mr. Pitt, with Sir Home Popham, on his return
from Portsmouth.
Q. Did you endeavour to persuade me to impress
wee Mr. Pit's mind the necessity of having a toot-
ing in Spanish South America ?—A. Yes, on Mr.
Rose's mind. Mr. Pitt I never saw princely, as
the appointment did not take place; and in conse-
quence of an intimation from Sir Hems Popham,
that the matter was waved for the present, and an
assurance that I should hear from him hereafter.
Since 1795, 1 had been in the habit of trading to
that country, by license, in neutral vessels; and see
veral times 1 have seen Sir S. Cottrell and Mr.
Feltner, and have suggested to them what benefit
a trace to that ccuntry would be to Great Britain,
and how easily it might be effeded by British ves-
sels, the place being so weak.
Q. Did you ever mention this to the Board of
Trude Yes, I did, several times.
Witness withdrawn.
Mr. Thomas Browne sworn and examined.
By Sir BrIMUNPIII.IIII.
Q. %%-ere you not Master Attendant of the Csee
of Good Hope, slier its capture in January, ISJti?
R. I was.
Q. Did you consider the Cape in a perfect st rte
of security, after I had sailed from it with my
squadron. for the Rio de la Plata ?—A. I did.
Q. Did Sir David Baird so consider it, from .my
conversation you had with hire on the sailed ?
A. H- did.
Q. St rte to the Court the substance of these con-
versattoes on the state of defence its which the
Cape wee t
The JUDGE AD,OC•TZ olijeted to Cie question.
Admiral ST error r.—" Sir Home Popharn has
a :Isla to ask this gentian, as it is a part or the
Cearge that the Cape was in a defenceless state
wool he left it."
Q. Did Sir D. Baird ever corsult you about
}dazing any &she, its ; and what dal :*e ely to you