The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1818-11-13 00:00:00

INSURGENT PRIVATEER.N.

[PROM A JAMAICA PAPER].
KINGSTON, SEPTEMBER 426.
• We hsv‘ been favoured, says The Jamaica
Courant. with the following particulars respecting
the piratical acts committed on board the Clifton,
Monarch, and Alice. from this tsland, bound to
London. As all the circumstances which occurred
are minutely narrated, we have the hope That it
may ultimately lead to the capture of the pirate vet.
sel, and of bringing the Captain and crew to justice.
" The Clifton sailed from Black River on the
4th of June, and had • fine wind through 'the
Gulf. On the 17th, off the Pan of Matanzas,
she was brought to. by the General Arismencl;,
Venezuelan privateer, winch only hailed, and alter
ascertaining where from, and whither she was
bound, directed her to proceed. On the 28th,
lat. 34. 11. N. long. 68. '23. W. at about six p.
the Clifton observod three brigs lying to, to the S.E. ;
at about a quarter to seven, our of the brigs bore
up and made ; a second made sail and hauled
Inwards the Chong the third remained lying to.
At half-plat seven the brig. which .trod towards the
Clifton, appeared an armed vessel, and when nearly
%Ohm hail, tired two shots through her rixiging, and
ordered her to heave to, lower her hurt down, and
that the Certain must come on board with his pa-
pers. This Capt. Shand complied with, when they
ordered three of the Clifton's men out of the boat,
and sent them forward with a sentry over them.
They then manned the boat with an officer named
Harris, with six Men, all armed with nistols,•words,
Ste. and proceeded on board the C/Ylon to overhaul
and plunder her. They first demanded sugar, runt,
and coffee, and whatever Itve stitek they could get.
•I'he Mate of the Clifton replied. that they could
get neither sugar nor rum, as there were none ; triey
said they must have something else. They detain-
ed Captain Shand on board the brig for about two
hours, during which the brig Monarch, of Whitby,
front Old Harbour to London, appeared standing
towards the Clifton, and, as war stlerweth 11113Cer•
twined. with the intention of giving inftirmation re-
specting the pirate, as she had been previously plun-
dered by her. At the time the Monarch was pass-
ing near the pirate, the acting Captain ordered all
hands to quarters to • fire into her and sink her.
They fired five guns at the Monarch, viz. the long
tom twice, and three gnus from the larboard side.
A general cry was then made to fire into her and
sink her.

" After the illonnrch had passed, the pirate wore
after her; the Captain theta ordered has people to
load the lireig tom with round and grape, and the
gulls no the larboard side, sod to be ready to give
her a broadside as soon as the guns would bear,
and sink her and send her to hell. Another cry
was then made to sink the —, tire into her, end
mend her to hell, and then they won't tell any tales.
The Monarch at this this time was not more than
pistol-shut off from the pirate. a little from the lar-
hoard bow, and they ready with inatclwa liglittal to
lire into her. Fortunately the until at the helm of
the pirate by mistake !rut it to starboard instead of
port, and brought the Monarch on her starboard
bow ; unit being too near to shear across her stern
again, they were disappointed in not being able to
lire into her. The Captain then ordered them to
get the long tont to bear upon the starboard side,
and to have the starboard guns ready to tire into
her, but the y appeared to be in such confusion, and
a number of them nearly drunk, that they were
alongside of the brig, before they had the guns
prepared.
" The Captain of the pirate hailed the Menarch,
ordered him to haul down his stew-sails, lower has
boat down, and conic ma board directly, or lie would
tire into and sink him. So eager did most of the
crew of the pirate appear for mischief, that, when
they were disappointed in not having tired at the
Monarch, they wished to fire at the Clifton, but
were prevented by a few, observing that they might
kill sonar or their own shipmates, who were no hoard
the Clifton overhauling her. hhrre appeared
to he very little control or command over the crew
of the pirate, mast Of them having something toady
to u hutever was to be aloue. 'There were four or
live leading turn. whom they termed officers, who,
it appeared, took their turn ill boarding anal plots-
tiering vessels. The name% of those mentioned on
board were, Mr. Harris who boarded the
Mr. Brown, and a Mr. Itoss. A story was pre-
valent on board the pirate, that they had latterly
bad au action with a Spanish squadron, when they
had 3:: men killed, and several wounded. It was
also stated, that the Captain and chief of the Offi-
cers had been kiileil, told that thesommand hail
been taken by one of the inferior Officers, and the
crew would not go into port until the cruise was
out. They now called the pirate the N'eneznela
brig Cho, Captain Rene Bradford, commission-
ed by General Bolivar. It was observed to the
people on board her, that it was mat a good
cruising ground for Spaniards, an the middle
of the IVestern Ocean, when one of them said it
was not for Spaniards that they were in search, but
it was for West lodiainen, unit that they would
do fur some of thern. I ter crew consisted of about
from 30 to 40 turn, Foglish, Scotch, Iri.ll, and
A rin ricuns. Soon utter they hail ordered the Monarch
ta heave to, amid the Captain to come nu lowa, one
of the crew came fortvacd, :.tad observed to the
Captain of this pirate. that lie hail better wear Will
stand towards the Cliftotl, for le,ir of any thing
happening no board of her, wiacii nas immediately

done. %Viten within bail of the Clifton, Harris said
that he untended to send the boat nit hoard the Cho,
for some keys which Mr. Shand had along with him;
when he was permitted by the Captain in lake them
himself. On Captain Shand's return on board the
Clifton, Harris sleineuded the state room to be opeord,
when himself and his people ransacked the same, and
took away whatever they had a Wiry for. Harris then
demanded Capt. Shawl's writiag-ilelik to be open-
ed, examined ull the papers, and said they might
discover from them *hat Money was on board. He
also opened, and took out of Capt. Shand's pocket.
book 321. iii Bank of England notes, one's and two's ;
he put them our a table, and deliberately counted thew
over;, at which time Capt. Shand iittemplei to take
them away, when two of the pirate's crew presented
two loaded pistols, ready cocked, at his head, and
told him, if he attempted to resist, he was a dead
man, aa they hid come for plunder. Harris then
called for • piece of paper and carefully wrapped
the notes up, and gave them across the table to oue
or his lien (us stout Irishman) to tate care of. This
roan ionmeted to Harris that there was another part
(tithe writing-desk which he bed not Izainined, when
they immediately opeued H, and Capt. Shand took
out a small p acid containing nine doubloons and a
half, two pistoles, and three two-dollar pieces.
Harris and occur the crew directly demanded it, pre-
senting a pistol to Capt. Shand, and telling him, if he
did not immediately give it up, he was a deed man,
when he accordingly complied. The whole of the
outer taken from Capt. Shand were flunked on the
back of the figure of Britannia with the initials
J. S. When Capt. Shand expostulated with them
on taking away the property of a British subject ;
they replied in a imeering tune, (het they came out
for that purpose, that it was ell right, and that he
might think himself Well off that they had left
the ship in his possession. The only excuse that
Harris mode was, that he was acting under orders.
The crew, they said, came purposely to plunder
all they could get. One of them remarked, that
he supposed some of them would be maktng a
thew in Long Reach some day or other. Harrissaid
he was well acquainted iii Jamaica, and that lie hod
served some time in a dragger ill that island. At the
time that Harris and hie ruffian Clew returned on
board of their vessel, Mr. Bristow, the Chief Mate
of the Clifion, went in the same boat to represent
to their Commander the impropriety of taking away
property front • British vessel ; also to get hack
the three men of the ship, who had been detained
on board the brig. As soon as they got on board,
Harris mid the duel of the crew went down into the
cabin, placed themselves round a table with liquor,
and began to divide the plunder, drinking better
success to the next overhaul. They were then order-
ed to their quarters, to make sail after the Monarch,
swearing they would goon board, hang the Captain,
sick the brig, and rend them all to hell. Mr.
Bristow now got permission to return in his boat
with his people ; but they told urns had they been
disposed to eider they would have kept them. The
two brigs by this time were out of sight ; as they
had made sail, and the night was quite dark arid
hazy, the pirate did not fall iu with them again.
'fire Clifiats's boat returned at about half-past
ten p.m. when she continued her course. The
following morning the Clifton passed within hail
of the Monarch. Friiiiklaud, and Alice, Hodgson,
both from Old Harbour to London. Captain
Frankland stated that the pirate had detained his
vessel from mid-day until they saw the Clifton.
They had taken a watch and some gold rings from
his,and kept two of his crew. The Alice had
supplied the pirate with some rum, sugar, teas
a sheep, ;old other articles. Captain Hodgson had
been on board of the 'Mate, and understood from
her Continatider, that his name was Rene Brad-
ford, and his vessel called the Clio. They had or-
dered Captain Hodgson's crew out of his boat, and
manned her with an officer and some of their own
people, all armed, who declared they were o:•iiig
to see themselves righted, and to search for "Spa-
nisi' property, saying, their Captain had been
bribed, and had not properly overhauled the yes.'
ails they had fallen iu with. On board the Alice
they haul pillaged and rummaged every place,
arid look twenty-three doubloopi •belotiging to
Mr. Mason, a passenger, as also his watch.—
The mareitulerr, ou returning to their brig, ordered
Captain Hodgeon into his boat, to be off imme-
diately ; but, turtling one of his crew detained, lie
persisted that he should see the man before lie
would depart, when they presented pistols at hint,
and observed they would shoot lain if he did riot
leave the brig, but he still reniaitical resolute, arid
the man was brought forward, who declared that he
had entered, and would not return to the Alice.—
Capt. Hodgson then proceeded to his vessel, and
made all soil. Before his departure f the pirate,
three letters were given Jinn to forward on his urrival
iu England. One from a hay named Patrick Hynes, to
hau father, addressed ' J 4111t5 I lyitesi, Esq. suerch
Galway, Ireland.' I'llis boy, it appeared, had
been employed on hoard the brig Philippa, Capt.
Lyell, which used to trade front Baltituore to King-
aton ; another from W. Harris, addressed to 'Alta.
Barris, care of Mrs. Capper, No. 28, Ely-glace,
Holborn, London;' and a third from James Rose,
Ohs Robot M'Garvey, directed to Mr. John
vry, boot and slue-maker, Glasford-street.
Glasgow, North-Britain.' The pirate brig was
painted all black, pierced for ten guns, mounted
tole six-pounder, and a long traversing burr anti•l-
ehipa ; her figure was an Indian, with warlike arms
about lam, and she was without doubt an luso r,ur.ent
brig, Called the India Libre, formerly commandedaled
by one J runes Black, an Englialtatan, but now by
Thomas Killlll, all Iritlitalla. _ . .

'• During the Cfifiutt's passage, she fell in with
the American brig 'limits, of Savanisa, from that
port to Liverpool ; the .Itisster of winch stated, that
lie had al,a been Worth(' and robbed, on the `2'Jtit
of June, by a brig► answering the above &scriptoria,
which the crew said was named the Deana. 'Try
took front him %tater, provision., bread, live stock,
&c. and from the passengers weariug apparel, two
watches, money, and saildry other articles that

suited their purpose, So t';e amount r.f 500 doll irs,
and treated them very roughly. On the 20th of
July, lat. 47 N. 141.4 YI. 1.0. W. loogitiitle, the
on fell in wiili the Atnetiesit shill /'=lorry,
from Greenock, tint 1-2 days, with about 50 pa.-
sengers, bound. to *New Yurk, when Captain Slr•A
proceeded on board of her, and gave account of
all the piratical acts committed in his ship, as well
us on the other vessels.
" The Wort remained in company with the Mo-
narch and Alice during the remainder of the pas.
sage, having very hue weather. She anchored in
the Dowyo. on the :TA) of July, and reached the
West Win Docks on the ittl of August.
" On the 6th of A ugust, Captain ['eat, Captain
Hodgson, Captain Frankland, and Captain Shand,
waited upon the Admiralty, to communicate thug
acts of piracy which had been committed as above
described, and to endeavour, if possible. to get the
property stolen refumfed from the Chief of the Go.
vertunent, under' whose Rag the vessel.s.iileil. Sir
Thor. Graham, Sft Jua. Cockburn, and John Wilson
Croker, [2.q. rib-Served that they could do nothing.
this cane, as it Appeared the vessels had been
plundered by a pirate; but that they would send
in quest of her ; that if she had been a Vettetuel.iii
cruiser, they would have taken steps to have the
atolen property refunded from that government."

FOIMIGN INTELLIGENCE.