The Sun.
London, England, 1801-01-22 00:00:00

CORK, JAN. 15.

Fits Majestras-Ship, P babe, has been appoint-
ed by Lord GARDNER, as convoy for Gibraltar ;
and his Lordship has intimated to the President
of the Committee of Merchants, that she will also
take the Trade bound to Portugal, under her pro-
teaion.
The West India Fleet is still detained at Cove,
by contrary winds.

The Trarveller, French Privateer of 14 guns,
taken by the Evuouritt Sloop of War, aud

sent into, YartnoElth. She had been out tour days
from Ostend, and had taken one light,Brig, which
was re-taken, and sent into the Humber.

A Letter from. Capt. \'S'ARI), of the Ship Fish.
barn, detained at Riga, to his Owner, in New
castle, dated at Dorpat in Livonia, Dec. 18, 1800,
says—" I take this opportunity of informing you
of our situation : we were marched from Riga on
the ist December, and arrived at this place on
the itth, after being at the expence of my own
and thirteen of my Ship's Company's baggage,
and at the same time supporting` theirs with money
on the road, or they must have starved. I
received. eighteen dollars from Messrs. CUMMINS
and Ft N-roN, and our expellees amounted to sixty_
four rubles during the time we were on the road.
We are allowed twelve and a halt' copecks, sub-
sistence money, and that is no more than will
provide us with bread, for beef is seven or eight
copecks per pound. If I and my people do not
meet with a supply before the winter is over, we
must starve, as we are at this present time bare-
foot, and the cold is. so intense that we cannot
stir out of doors. We are at liberty to walk
aboUt, and lay out what money we have, which
is soon done, as every thing is double the price
it was last, year. lam quartered upon the estate
of a General Bocit ; bur the people, on that of an
old widow Lady, who is totally divested of hu-
manity."

'The press for Seamen on the river and on
shore, is at this time more brisk than at any pre-
ceding period of the War.

The following is an account of the number of
Men raised since the commencement of the War,
fbr the :,ervice of the Navy, distinguishing such
as have been raised in the Ports of Newcastle
and Sunderland :

Nov. 1800. SEAMEN. L.-htEN. By the Tot.
Volunteers. Pressed. , ,Civil Power
Newcastle 1273 1892 173 32 3373
Sunderland 324 • SS9 4x: 39 1292

/597, 273 t 213
7 4662
By Act of Parliament, 1795. - - 224

Total . - 4886
•
Number of Men raised, since the Commence-
' menu of the War, for the Service of the Navy, 134,968

To-morrow Hilary Term ethumences, and the
Courts of taw'rneet in Westminster Hall for the
dispatch of business, •
At the Corn Exchange yeiterday, Wheat still
kept up its price ;' fine samples were offered for
i6os. and sold not lower than 1575. the quarter.
Fine Flour appeared to be fixed at isos.
It is a fat that Rotyssr.i.Lr, one of the names
lately marked down for deportation in the First
Cons'ul's proscription list, was in London about
six years since, confined for debt, in the Fleet
Prison, and during that time was mostly sup
ported by' the London Corresponding Society.
A Publican of Nottingham last Week paid the"
penalty of 51. for. receiving of a Soldier in the
Royal Oxford Blues, a pair of regimental shoes,
in payment of an ale-score, contrary to the pro-
visions of the Mutiny Art.
A CIVIL AcTION.—A few nights ago, as Mr.
was sitting in- his study, reading some
papers, on which he was requested to give an
opinion, the Servant announced an unknoWn
Gentleman, with some papers, which he bad
brought from a Client of Mr. —7- for his
perusal. By the time that the stranger had
drawl'd out his pretended message, the servant
had retired. When instantly the bundle of law
was changed for more forcible arguments, and a
pistol presented at Mr. --'s
,head, extorted
from him his money. The Sharper was civil and
prepared to take his leave, prudently walking off
with one of the silver candlesticks to light him-
self down stairs.. No- sooner was he: out of the
room, when the Gentleman rang the bell violent-
ly, •and a servant running up to answer it, met
the Impostor, who, with infinite presence of
chin, told him that'it was only. to let 'him out,
but that to save him (the Servant) trouble, he had
taken the candle to let, himself out. There was
no faither occasion for it, and he would, there.
fore, lay it down. The Servant let him pass,
and he escaped.
The Nancy, Sullivan, from Naples to Lyndon,
is captured on the Coast of Barbary by a Spanish
Privateer.
The Mininister 'Van Struensel, Meeres, from
Embden to Batavia and China, has put into
Limerick in distress, and seized there.

The William and Jane, ------, from Cardiff to
London, is captured and carried into Cherbourg.

'The Charming Eliza, -, is condemned at
Surinam.
The Hannah, -, from Bristol to New-
foundland, is taken by a French Privatcer and
burnt.

At the General Quarter Sessions, held at
the New Sessions-house, at Newington, for
the County of Surrey, the following persons
were adjudged to be transported, viz.—Henry
Bonner, for t.. 1. years, for receiving a quantity of
Corn, which he knew to be stolen, the property of.
Messrs. Pagett and Sutton, of St. Saviours, South-
wark. John Morgan and Daniel Druett, for seven
years, for stealing nine .quarterS of • wheat, the
property of Mr. Mesnard, of Lambeth ; George
Noulton, a waterman, for the like term of years,
being aaive in removing the corn in a borrowed
boar. Catharine Rigby, for seven years, for
robbing her ready furnished lodgings ; and Sarah
Kinnerly; for the same term,.for stealing at Rei-
gate, divers articles of household furniture, the
property of Mr. James Alexander, of that place.
Yesterday J. Fisher, who was conviaed •in
December Sessions, was executed in the Old Bai-
ley, pursuant to his Kntence, for stealing 7zo'
} pounds of Havannah sugar from the Dundee
Wharf, Wapping, the property of Mr. J. Brown.
Although he shoved great levity during his.con--
ftnementf he appeared to evince a decent deport-
' rnent on the scaffold, and spent-about ten minutes.
in fervent prayers, and -was-- latinchetLinto ctex.
nity soon alter eisht o'clock, .: •

CORRESPONDENCE
.wiTu THE , 4 .
. . • , • •
lIIENCH GOVERNMENT RELATIVE TO
PRISONERS OF WAR.

CoNtirturf Ji•am PaPor f ;'d .6. • :1'

NUMBER XLVIT.

MY LORDS, Thlvning-street,
I have laid before the King your Lordships'
letter of the 3 tst ult. transmitting the copy of
one from Dr. Johnston and Mr. Serle, repre-
senting that the want of Cloathing has brought
on the French Prisoners the reigning complaints
at this season of the year; and which May be
expected to increase, unless the principal' cause
be removed, and proposing that they may be
supplied with proper Cloathing ; and, fot the fou"r.
ensuing months only, an allowance to every three
men of a quart of rice and barley gruel, to be
taken warm, as soon as they ale turned out in the
morning, as a sustenance which would greatly
contribute to their health. His Majesty's plea-
sure respeaing Cloathing-haying been signified in
my letter of yesterday's date, I have only at
present to inform your Lordship that then pro-
posal for making, during the four ensuing months,
the allowance of rice and barley gruel, suggested
by the Commissioners above-mentioned, has met
with His Majesty's approbation, and,to signify
to you His Majesty's pleasure, chat your Lord_
ships are to give direaions for its being carried
into immediate circa in the manner pointed out
in the said letter. I am, &c.
(Signed) HENRY MNPAS.
To the Lards Commis4kners of the Admiralty, .

NUMBER XLVIII.
Jett. 2, !Sol.

Having received your letter of the 24. th ult.
signifying to 'us the direetions of the Right Ho.
nourable the Lords Commissioners of the Admi-
ralty, that we should repair forthwith t; Staple-
ton Prison, in order to inquire into the dream-
stances stated in a letter addressed by Messrs.
Thomas Batchelor and 'Thomas Andrews to the-
Mayor of Bristol, and transmitted by him to:Mr.,
Rose, Secretary to the Treasury ; and that we
would take such Measures as may be necessary, •
immediately, for alleviating the distresses of such
of the Prisoners whose situations may
.require it,
reporting to you, for their Lordships' informa-
tion, a full and particular account of our proceed.
ings, and suggesting whether any, and what
means should be used for the further relief of the
Prisoners ; we kir no time in repairing to Staple..
ton, where we arrived on Saturday last the aoth
ult. totally unexpected by the several Officers•of:,
the Prison and 'Hospital. We had therefore
view of the whole state of things, as, in
probability, they are generally traniaaed.
Upon examination of the beef, both in and out
of the coppers, We folltlti it, agreeably to contraft,
good and wholesome meat." • The Prisoners,.
upon inquiry, alsO acknowledged that their sup.:
ply was tatially of the same kind, and that, when'
it appeared to them to be otherwise,' the A. eat, •
Lieutenant Ormsby, caused it to be ianne.,liately
returned ; Ad at the same time declaring, thatalie
occasionally. returned meat with which they^:eould
haVe been perfealy satisfied. The bread also ap_
peared to be good in its kind, though it was aset-.:-,
mitted, that the supply was • sometimes
en-
tirely equal to the sample laid before' 'us, ;md•
would occasionally have been returned, had there-
been a possibility of procuring a', auflieient cosan—
tity in the course of the day,' which the distance
of the Prison, being about three Wiles, from
Bristol' Market-place, entirely precluded. ; We
therefore direCted the Agent, that, inamy future
occurrence of this leindelte shduld order-the Con-
traetor to supply two ounces extraordinary be-
yond the pound of bread, in, the daily rittiot;,
without charge to Government, to each Prisoner
on the next 'ensuing day, as•'n ,compensatiors to,
him, and as a mut& upon the Contraaor ; and,
that in case of the Contraelor'a refusal, the Agent
should immediately acquaint the Transport Board,'
in order that such deduCtion may; he made in the
account as may be deemed reasonable... .
Instead of greens the 'Prisoners were served
with the quantity of peas allowed by the contract s;
in lieu : this, they declared-to na, was their own
option.
Its walking throogh the Prisoo.Yards, we found
them far advanced in the levelling, steening,omd
throwing theM up into 'a convex fano,- as Itipit.
lated by the Contrati with the Pavior.
The ereelion of new- beildings has :naturally
made inequalities on the-surface of the adjoining
grounds, which are reducing every day-4 and all
the yards, belonging both to the 'Prisms acid to
the Hospital, will shortly be in good repair.
The Prisoners themselves are, for the most
part, but ill accommodated wish Cloaths, nor hav-
ing received any since the French Government
desisted to supply them. Some few, who have
had remittances through the French Agent, are
in better condition., Those, who are 'not quite
ragged and half naked, are generally very dirty ,
in their scanty apparel, and snake a worse up.
penance, as to health, than they would do,
had they the power, in such a dress, of beiug •
clean. Profligacy and gaming add to the di.itfe,i
of many, as is the case in- the other depilits ;
it is perhaps impossible to prevent or restrain this •
spirit, 'which can exercise itself in camel :a, and
sport away the rations of a week together, with
the remnant of their Cloaths and ;thereby expose
the unfortunate losers to nakedness and famine.
We have ordered, however, a quantity of
Cloathing, of .the sort proper for Prisoners of
War, to be immediately prepared, and issued by
the Agent, beginning with such as are the most
destitute, and distributing partially the jackets,
shirts, shoes, stockings, &c. where such partial
supply will suffice. Of those'who are in almost
an entire want of Cloathing, the Agent reports
the number to be ebout 4.50 ; and of those who
need partial assistance, about odo. 'I hose who
have remittances fermi the French Agent, and
may amount t 0 about i+o or t so, at this del
HlTlAtuially assist vhetus.-Iyes with these
'apd.peres6Ary

t is Wit

trlk

vitisfa&ion we inform

Lordships,' that, though the deaths in•the
pital have lately been many, no contagious I
has existed among the Prisoners.; and, not:,
eitiastanding the opinion of seine, that die Inor'
tality which has oc,:orred its owing to a defit•ictut
in the allowance of Provisions, we are convinced'
that the real and sole cause is the want of Cloat,lit'
iog, We should not think it right to form out;
opinion upon abstraci theories, or hypothetic-.
speculations, respecting the -quantity of food
cessary the nourishment and preservation of
health in the human body, but on. the ,uncrring
.basis of confirmed eNperiencc. The following,
taus will speak fbr - themseives. On the sad o
December 1799; the French Government. ab'
done& the care of their Prisoners to this Count.
at which time they were put opon the present,
ration of Provisions: .About- a mouth previous
to the ,above--period, they were all-comolet
With • this • warm and comfbrtai ,
cloa thing they contimied through. the stitgecding
winter, which was trying:mid scvere, in a state,
of health almost beyond' example: The some,
state of. health reinamed with them through the,;:
spring ; and during the heat of the last quIMI,
their doodling being .threadbare. anti worn ott
the deficiency_ was not felt till. the month.
September, when the "knot
to be frequent,;
and have }progressively inerea,ed to the prtsqnti
time, according to the coWinct tk weat4eri
and the decay or want of Cloachs:. •

_ .
Previous to the 22d of Deceinher abovernene,'-'
tioned, the 'rations furnished by ,the FreeCh'.
Agents to Prisoners, were much greater, tharf:',
could be fairly consnme.d; but although the trait- ','
sition from this super-abundant diet to • -the -.
present ration was. sudden, it had no area up' t '
their health so long as the Cloathing remait
Another proof,which we can offer,. that not thei,,,
want of food,. but want of raiment, has occaeion-.e
ed the present mortality, is, the, nature of the,
diseases which have ptevailed. These are,• with'
few -exceptions, of the, pulmonary kind, with.'
diarthwas and dysenteries ; disorders oscasioned,e.
-by the exposures of bodies without Cloathing to :
the damp anti cold winters of this climate. 6
diseases, it is obvious, thus occasioned, no d
'could prevent ; nor can any means secure the
'tients from sutTering under, therm without watintiv..
derived either loom .the state of. the air, or from
proper Cloathse: .i , ,-. ,;- , •
~'
Another proof of this fa4.AnAy also be found;
among the Dutch Prisoners, ~),rltese have exaaly
the &tine rations as the French ; but being cloath-e,
ed for .the most part by ,their ,own Povernriteit
and retaining their d,loaths,-.,:tvithout- sporting;;
them away by vices', they have co,ntinued. um- e
formlyin a state oflood-healih. ; , t,
We do not mean to say, that none of the Frenche
have divel.from a deficioney of foci-A as well as,t
Cloathiiigi .but thiove can venture tq assert bc...i.,
yond denial,. that. the, want'of food has been occa„.
dolled by the. Pris'oners: parting with the rations l'-'
of severaLdays. tagetlzrelay•ganiing, in; teell as
the4.•cloativie sod ;bus have„hrought •Upon t Lein-,e'
sel ve4;and:without pity feein . t heir (onnt t v men) -,
the :coMpLieate4 ,m iseiiet? of_ltunge t -,,.1,:k.ca1cf, 110,;..
der. whiely:many lave- wlc. into, their grave.
FrOril. :a Thar m..,;.!. ,I.; no tv and see, we ilave 1.16;
hesitation, to conelode, that .the proportion of,:
fent allowed is fully skint:lent for like and. Itualth,„
if properly received,. atid not shamefully lost, by:.
the qqestiou is materially niter: ; for. it -is not,'-:
fair. to. conclude, from their present stale of debi.e
lity, oetasioned by the
,w,antenf, cloathi,, agaiost,'.,
the stifficieney Of the'tt food, ifeCloaths were daly ~,'
sup•plietre.. We must repent it,. thaa,, in their con.,-.,:-:
dition; destitutc in many instances of the tuxes.
nary warnule of sot' ring, tip diet, %ulnae v tty pia!
preserve health.;..and theeefore,. in order to re.
storeeit, we, hay 4 dircatlioiin.. conformity with
their 44)raships' insto-dtjetts, tint the naked
i''.,Lntliilt:llg] }').°g.tei°otihriv i',sel,.vi ti tt itler it'l' ino9t')‘i'srt,al'•idtil .:
rrobably in ietin, for theeexereiee. at French Inn.,
ianity to that end. . . .
i 1 •
~. -,i 0 411;6 iTicasta c: w a also think proper, in c0n-
.;.„,, ..
~.. .
sitterittion of the. pt,..,,,, w...tchonc,..s. of twiny,
through the .cause ;:i 1341.ementioned,, to. adopt
another,. whiclt.v.:e hope aheir Lordships will up.
prole. ,We mean tlett the Jettlents who may, be,.
di.chargetlefrom the _liospital, anti, those. wilt) are
in a convalescent state out of it, who may, in the, ~...
Surgeon's,opinion,.:tiestkenme additional itonrishel,
melt rather than ;medical assistance, 'shall 6.1:a1e.;
towedto:liaire a.mess of rice. and barley gruel in:,
the morning'', of about a ,pint fbr each mart, ,inhale
.the return of springe This will, prob,,E,, sat e,
nmt,,from coming into the Hospital at all, anal
others from returning to it again, 'which is- 164
frequently the case ar present, on account of their.: i
being ol'ilited tole disehargeei at .iiWeady pocio47j,
t. ~ i
Vai
of tneirq.7ooleAteitC:!, in order, to make room lor4
others. Upon maturti.trvter,4o,l3,!A consideration ':(7.
of all circums,trenses, aride, from the 'inforttertion
we ha-ve recciyed here, of tie„ opines of mOney
through M. Otto,. from Fr:.;:ice, weekly. tiiir rt_
buind by our NgZtft; and ot the'carnings t. 4 some
by their little manufataurese we do not intend a •
ovnentl dist6htttion .pf this morning allowa e .
et .. n.:.t.,
as-we, suggested incur Letter to you of the loth'
oft. but only to 54i m are in a coe:valseent
state, :atria have no in,':.:ani of relief; le tettitlt -
where health shall appear lobe reeestiliii:ihe..l„ `t; -:
haee direeTted that this indulgence shall th,:n be
diseonlinee,,l inenediately, and t 1 the !tlefee
convaltecencs b the end of Mare% or .'torn.
-,4, • - 1
Throtignont tne ritrptral every, thi.,t icppti-ated

to be io exc.!;lenl o;.ler ; the Wards were neat
and clean, as 'IA .!s' the Biding'-and Cloitthing,
and the Sick 'tc,c,..,tnaloilated in the mutt coinfort-
able manner. The, provit.ions, ‘vere tiv very
best lttality, and the IVine, porter, and every-
oiher nectssary are Eupplied by the Contrattor
in the most liberal tnaurm. Tilere are two
Dispensvrs, and MO-," sms ant Surged
,s
who have _been and -fouad quail.
tle,l upon examityr inn. 'To these are added oe.
inny French Assistant Surge9:3
and Dispensers a the :er.vice roav require. All
tlwx .are resident on or near the. SpOt.
Surgeon, Mr, Skutt., of .Pr.stoi,
is a Gentleman of great professional abiliti4itLanA
r-!.11; a vcri terPive private pladicc.

however, r prevents him from deringiekhe rabic 1
serviCethat- justice; by his attendance, which so-
infportant 'a trust, and especially at this time,
absolutely reietiires. 2 His visits ,to the. Hospital'
have been only every;seconddity; ,and frequently",
not so often, and then only for very short. spaces
of tinie-: By-this mode of carryingeon the .ser..
vice, Nearly three -hundred P.atieuts are left too.
much to the care of the Assistants. It being,
therefore a point 'of duty to represent to Mr.
Shute that his daily attendance could not be, dis. -
pe•nseci with, and that to,do-justice to the Patients
uridEr hiS superintentlance, ar-least three or four
hours in every day ought: to' be' devoted 'to this
duty ; he observed, that,- as it was 'impossible
for him to :Ave up so largo a:portion of his time, ,
from his other avocations, he must beg -leave to.
decline his appointment,' ard .has given in' his.
reSignation accordingly, 'which is -herewith- in—
. •
closed.
The Prisoriat Stapleton having:been' solar en.
larked as to contain 3ooce Prisoners, upon which'
11COUTIt it was necessary 'to enlarge- -the Ifospi:.
tel. in proportion, for the atirnistioncif those-sick
who now, principally frorrethe. wani of Cloath-
int is aboveznentioned,-amount to about 306 ;
weconCeive that, under these circumstances, the
principal
.Surgeon should not Only be of approved
Professional abilities, but also should devote the
whole of Atioc and atteptiurt to the dUties of
his charge, and for that purpose should be re_
silent as nearly as
.possible to the • Hospital,
without interruptions from private prattice,
• Which may render his-public duty but a second.
ary consideration.
We' took the earliest opportunity, after our
arrival, of calling upon the Msyor of Bristol,
• reespeCting his letter to the Treasury, and the,
letter therein inclosed from,Messrs. Ba tchelor and
Andrews:. Heagreetieupon our request, to meet
n 1 With these persons on Tuesday the 3oth.
'Peeetriber, in the Council House of the City, in'
order to 'inquire into' the truth of these extraor_
dinary assertions with which they ,had alarmed
the' Public ; at the time. appointed, we were
geo.rdingly convened in the' Council Chamber'
aitong some very-respedable Gentlernen, both in
and out of thee Corporationewhose names will ap.
Fear at-the head of the Minutes of the Proceed-
: At's, -which we have' now the honburto inclose.
Every one present seemed perfealy•satiSfied as to
the Want of truth, revaling the allegations
made' by the parties above-mentioned, both in
their jointletter to the Mayor, andeia the one
which appeared: afterwards in the Bristeri Papers,
signed- Thottlii 'Batchelor. The 'eMayer has .
sined been plea4ed' to transmit his opinion more
fupy, by a letter dated the let inst. which is
herewith iiicldsed.
We would 'Wish to express our respea. for the
*Cry handsoine manner in which .Sir Surnuel.Flud.
and Ciytaiti Clarke carte forward, and roe.
ltititarilyr gave their' testimony, upon: the subject-.'
Other' Officers present,` we havesincteunderstood,
were also ready to concur in .the same testimony,
if they had been appealed to. The evidence of
these Getitlernen had the more *eight with the
whole of theaSsembly, as the Miyot and• Messrs.
Ilatehelor and' Andrews in their respettive letters
had ventured' to say, that a number of the.Mili.
taiy Peofessirrewere ready to support-the charge ;
'they not, hOw ever, think it proper to appt4al
to, oreprodnee one of then, nor indeed any other
• otlyson who dOtticitive • evidence on the occasion.
Weereist •alF.o tipress out obligation to Mr. Ai.
denim Daubeey for his Useful informations.. It
is als6 *a justice' due to the Agent at. Stapleton,
Lietitenant Orrnslly, to observe to their Lord-
' ships,' that, as well in the course of the proceed.
frig 6,, 'es from' the tieeoutle we have 'receivedfromfro
several persons of respe.dAbility, and parricalarly.
froen LieUti.Liant.Gerteral Itooke, he appears to
Have conduded Ilito:`,elf with great propriety, and
With every humane attention to the Prisoners ita
the diseharge of his duty.' •,
Since this affair was overilVleatre. Batchelor
and Andrews Nye repeatedly 'calted, upon us, and
eXpressed their concern 'for the treat mistakes'
3r to which they had fallen; and which they pro-
,/ fessed were made with no ill intentions, but only
frorn motives of compassion: • They have since
• published their rettietiotiih the public Prints of
this city.. ".
Believing that their: Lordships may wish to
knoW the potrees :of our`i)roceedingsp.ort have
hastened tint Report
.with' its Iticlosures ; but
must deter any farther accoiint
.till we .have h.
iaihed f.orne *arrangements which we have yet in
view' at Stapleton.

;Vie are, &c.
(Signed)

AMIIROSI SEALE
JAMBS JOHNSTON

tor 14601 Eq. are.
4- (To be •rwstivtried.)

OLI) JL4ILEY.