The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1810-03-16 00:00:00

teb7tr NARTI.4L.

We lately d'4, the bliontes of the Evidence en
`the trial of the Hon. Warwick bike, for anposing
a man on the destrt Wand of Sombrero. 'llia fol-
lowing is a crop• of Capt. Lake's defence

" Mr. President and Geutletnen of this Honour-
able Court—lt is not my isiteutian to detain you
at ally length, by representing to you the painful
situation to which I am placed, nor of pointing out
to you the nature of the charge alleged against me;
to men of your honourable arituds, suck au address
min hardly be wanting; indeed, I am couviuced
it is wholly unnecessary, from the strict attention
you hose paid to the Inquiry. The accusatiou
loping me is of a most serious nature ; and L beg
leave to ask every Gentleman of this Honourable
Court, whether It has slot been brought furer..rd
under must singular circumstauces ? It is stiege.ted
by a person I have never seen in my life, but
whose character will loot bear investigation. 1 need
not remind you. that the diameter of an accuser
ought always to be most scrupulously attended to.
When I speak of the accuser, of course I do not
mean the Lords Comnoiasionets of the Admiralty,
fur whom I must ever have the highest respect : but
by my accuser, I mean Thomas, who is not here,
to be confronted by suer and whose charge is
couched in a bitterness of spirit which brings down
suspicion upon it. It also contains a foul and false
assertion, as I trust will manifestly apirear in the
result of this !orrery ; a charge which has oe:ce-
aOutied aggravated and unfounded manors and
conjectores against my character. With ' regard
to the fact' of landiug Robert Jeffery. I have
peter denied it; I have admitted it in my letter
to the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty,
sod I was equally ready to admit it yesterday, in
order to sive the time of this honourable Coon;
hat I do from my heart deuy the motives imputed
to me. 1 solemnly declare, I never iuteuded to
pout Holiest Jeffery in any jeopardy by lauding him.
It appear. that his character was bad; his propen-
sity to disobedience and dishonesty was such, as to
lead ate, moil others, to believe, that puntshruent
scuuld uuly harden his heart, and confirm him in
his bad practices. You will be pleased to recollect
the evidence of Mt. Spencer, the chief witness on
the pint of the prosecution. on this poiut ; he him-
self advised the to get the man out of the ship; •td
1 decider, that, by landing him, I thought he would
be made inure seusitole of his wain of conduct, and
reform in future. I was persuaded, at the time,
that t h• island was itiliabited ; in addition to which,
cannot but suppose it within your knowledge, that
the hilicael is not out of the reach of human etas otance.
I need uot state that itis within the track of veseels oa
particular elestiustions. and which fnapienity pass
within sail of the island. Jeffery found this to be the
case. and there is sin reason to doubt but that lie
waa taken of the island; for it appears, that on •
search b.ing made there afterwards for him, one of
the witnesses states expressly, that not a truce of
him was to be found.which I cannot conceive could
have been the case, if he had remained there, as is
won unwarrantably asserted by Thomas: Gauls.
men, I have no doubt he was coveyed to America
its perfect safety. I myself verily believe he is in
England at this inoment, consigned (as it were) to
the merchants, out of whose service I pressed hito,
and who. perhaps, are keeping him concealed till
the event of this Court-Martial is known,
gni then he may he let loose upon me, to
seek • compensation in damage., by au action at
law; the place of his concealment, however, has
hitherto clu.lal Vie diligence of my agents. I do
not expect or deeire any statement to be taken on
my own assertieve but I stand here ou my defence,
under considerable disadvantages, with several wit.
nesses.awhout I consider material on my behalf,
noo shrewd ; such as Lieut. Mould, Mr. Salmon.
the Mid.hipenan, Mr. Boyce the Gunner. and
others; among whom I may mention the lion.
Copt. CloA- is. I sin not, however, left destitute
of evidence, fur a moat important document is now
before you ; I mean the official report made by Sir
Alexander Cochraue to the Lords Commissioners
of the Admiralty, on this subject, and by them
transmitted to the Judge Advocate, read by him to
this Honourable Court. and wow lying on the tittle.
Be pleased to consider attentively the statement
made by ties official conimunicetinn ; contrast it
with the letter of Thoinda, who is my invincible
accuser, and then decide whether lie was warranted
in averting. that Hobert Jetkry bad perished
through the inhumanity of one whom he ha
thought proper to describe es a titled murderer."
Gentlemen. I have stated, that I admit the feet of
landing the man, but I deny the motives and con.
sequeisces 'alleged *Oast me, and found this denial
as well no his diameter. as nos my own belief re-
specting the state of the island. I was informed
eitterwards, on my arrival at Bashadoev, that I was
mi•takeo on this stohjert, which I must ever de.
plore• it cannot. however. be denied, that this
island is within the obeteroation of passing vessels.
foe this fact I beg tie advert to the evidence ea the
pert of the prosetteio.l; and oleo to the conelneion
of the letter from Sir A. Cochrane. I mast again
deity that any fetal donsequeoce loefel this man; as
to this point. I alight safely rest ou the westing,.
thou of law, in favour of the man's existence, unless
his death kw proved: as to this, I again beg leave
to refer to tl.e cvi hence before you, slid once aeon
drew your atteution to Sir Alexander Cochrane's
letter, olararby he expresses himself fully satisfied
as to the m on's safety. Getitiedirn, it appears,
t Mit my Comnialialra-in-Chirf. Sir Alexander
Cotiliratie. took thi. affair under his inquiry, with
every mraiiii of itiforusdison afforded to I i i 444 ; and
the result of his mature and unbiassed judgneeett
• a.. Ci 't the ease did soot require hi.n to try tate by
a Conn-Martial. but h. did. agreeably to the feel-
tatos of his honourable character, inquire into, ad.
petit*, and punish me on the ioccasum, for I nog
ad,oirwm.heal by him. es lie states in his
1-tter ; and what hut pon•shment can that be to •
f-ruse, enaoly, and honourable mind ? I did.
tlierdtiare. Imo., that tii.b notortunate event had
aos,...neir visited, and that the present Conti-
:Martial ought hare beret drenied non..ermary ; Itot
I do not mean this as the language of el:emollient ;
I how to the wisdom and ju.t,ce of the Lords Coin-
missioners of the Admiralty, who have thought it pro.
to. r to have pot this mower into a tram of further in.
ra.t lotion; and 110.1. e CI • II m4ances of my our moat
make it apparent, that I load no wish to impede or
protract the inquiry. L cannot be prevailed °pogo to

speak or ayself, but it is possible that yon► tatty
know, that an early testimony was bestowed upon
me (I hope not undeaervedly) for having done that,
which I admit was nothing more than n.y duty, and
which I do not pretend. was wirtliy of notice.
This, however, is a subject which it dots not be-
come any man to dwell upon, and hope to be ex-
cused fur even alluding to it ; but, Gentlemen.
when I am preseuted to your notice, cruel and op-
pressive, am I not ell dicated from the charge by
the evidence ? Mr. Hobson, in particular, I cons►-
der as saying expressly on his solemn oath, that he
does not consider me capable of such acts ; for he
stateil, thnt he iv most certain. that I would not
have ordered Robert Jeffery to be landed,
hod I known, believed, or even supposed, that
the island was not inhabited, in addition to
this, I might (if I could be permitted so
to do) adduce the unsolicited and 'inexpert-
ed evidence of a most handsome letter from
the officers of -my own ship. I must ever fetel
obliged to those Gentlemen for addressing it to me,
whether I am allowed to Is/ it before this Honour-
able Court or not. I rely implicitly on your good
sense, experience, and honour, and I look forward
to be speedily relieved by your sentence, from the
dark and horrible insinuations which have gone
fo►th, and deeply wounded my peace of mind. and
afiected my character as a Captain of a British
man-of-war. I apologise for occupying so much
of your time. acknowledging the attention and in-
terest you have inamfeced on this seimaion, and
confidently expecting a favourable result from your
feelings of justver and honour, actuated by the
evidence which has been adduced before you ; and
winch. I must 'oilman, dies in no respect substan-
tiate the very extratiamery accusation that has
been preferred against me.—Dated Gtb February,
1810. st W. Lau."