The National Register.
London, England, 1812-12-20 00:00:00

A DMIRJLTY SESSIONS.

TM!, OF THE MARQUIS OF SIACM.
DEFOIIR SID W. SCOIT, LORD EI.LENBODOUGII, AND MR. lIAV.OR

111011PSON•
Wednesday the Court was crowded at an early boor by Noblemen
and Gentlemen anxious to hear the proceedings in this case. On the
Bench we observed the Duke of Cr..% asNCE, Lord Diq,ART,
"101). Dist,: xis Bnows:E, Col. Di Lt.() , Sze. The Noble Dcfmlnt
sat amongst the Council, immediately under the Bench.
ill:uquis stood indicted for seducing seamen belonging to a shin
of war of his Majesty, and taking men un board a pleasure yacht a
his own, on the lti!i seas.
His Counsel, Mr. DA trs v, submitted to the Court that the De.
fondant was desirous of pleading, guilty to some of the counts of the
indictment, and not guilty to others. This proposition was rejTeted by
the Court, after several observations from the Advocate-General,
a reply from Mr. Scarlet, another of the council for the Noble lld'ea•

dant,
Dr. RonnesoN stated the case. The Defendant is a Nobleman of1,:!1;
rank and fortune, and while on his travels, he arrived at AltOt!. He
was there introduced to Captain Spranger, of his Majesty's ship t\-arrite,
and Commanding Meer in that part. As he wished to make a
age through through the Mediterranean, he there purchased a vessel, t;tf, l'y.
lades, in fitting up which he was assisted by Capt.Sprdnger, and fir eot
or three weeks, he was conveyed to and from the vessel iii the Warriet's,
gig which was manned by picked sailors. It happened during the ti ,'.
the repairs were making that two he the:.e men who where of tried tide
lily prior to that period were missing.—tt would be seen, that the,e
two persons and 13 other,, who had deserted from ditiere:.t viescis;a
the port of Malta, were on board the Pylades.—lt appeared that
en
the 12di of May certain seamen belonging to the Nlontamte obL.iii,a
leave of absence for twenty-four hours at Malta- —that whle on shore
they were plied with liquor by the Defendant's servants, and pat ea
hoard his vessel in ft state of intoxication—and, when they tOleoeird)
requested to be sent to their ship, it was refused. On the 13th of 11ar
the }glades saikd to Palermo, and from thence to Mosina, at Whit
which places a sort of restraint was imposed on the English seamen,
a.
ban centinels being placed over them. In proceeding no the lleaiterr.
1 neon, two Officers of the Active, who had received intelligence of t',e
deserters, b.arded and searched Defendant's vessel, but itielfecitee,,
as the men were in a place under Defendant's cabin. Defendant
veita
sailed to Patmos where a number of the seameo went on sho,e, h iti:
been ittfurmed that the vessel would remain some days, but she sailed
the same eyen..o!,, leaving them behind. Thr .e.... of them were afteivas
taken on board by the Defendant at Ceo—the remainder wvre "
by the British Consul to Sturvint---bad been tried by a Court-M.:l'6j—
and from them some of tie witnesses .were selected.
Capt. Spranger, of the Warrior, was the first witness called,he rot.
rnhorated part of Dr. Rubilison's rant emeot. doril
A letter was put in, wt en by Lard Sligo to Capt. Spraneer, to
Constantinople, 10th of Nov. 1810, nekom%ledging Owl solve la t
men were oil board Ids (Defendant's) ship, hat that th, y got oil L'llp
..
without his knowledge; but that nevettbeless he admitted hula' t,
m
be amenable to the 11111'.
William Elden was called : he is a seaman, WAS in the tray`, ne,airic.,
13 vears, and at the time mentioned w;i:i on board the M-finvAil
.71
Malta, and had a ticket of leave to g' a-shore there en the 1",1'1,,,r
May, and on the Pith of that month in the morning, he "" u'':,,,,,:
seaman belongio, to the Montague, four of them in :ill, were ui:.,
goih,,,, hack to their ship, when thee were accosted by two mc10,.,
were in ti very, and another who was dressed Ott ,t, whorl
acket:llo
men *to livery were servants of the Marquis cf Slio,, awl the "th,`,8„,1
the second mate of his Lordship's vessel.
se intoxieuted hint, that he knew not how lte..rghte?t ognalbeouhfidnitidie

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