The Sun.
London, England, 1808-05-10 00:00:00

:.upon to stand forward in his own defence, where
-didtg was no po,-011)1o,ground of charge.„rams. int.
..le-Jilid moved 14,1 Lettertfrolikthe U".7ttiAlalt)net
ty, 44,1;ich c mi rah y ItOd never
re,c4y‘ ed. It, Boni verkinat*ial. to ha 4an op-
' - - voile' R. - iffej

in partitular. Tie .t..tialiony of Sir Richard and of
the other Officers he could name, would, if al-
lowed,, establish the fads and the ground of censure
beyond all question. But it was not necessary to
hate all this strictness of proof to gronnd a censure

. ..
,001.-fitity Of titTiriot: li-0.t.., ~sti--Adir- _ him- against the Acienirafty. -If a .British Squadron
1f; whether he had ever wrote hitch ':f Letter: The was not in a situation to maintain its vat on, or
Ach had no inforniation as to Sir It. Strachan to pursue the euetny,• that alone was ow the thee
htving -ra lye/ r tirF,,isi on h A,r7vrtterfrrltvr-rheirrnrdmn '' 6f' -it itirgerar :grouund of.' cliarge, a bid
.eye n
ott ;Ferrel, , .fie hal. i eason •to ;thin -slial-sepplies I tit 'eLn4ure.. If the'-House was -not yet prepared-
had been taken, awl he wished to be ably toasceztain j to come to a judgment
on the' vote of ceie:aire, die
the taut from the gallant Admiral ; but WrieirvaS would reserve that till there should be ati,opportunitY
obliged to .confine nirrfsell to-the mnttdrs proved in.. Of examining t.vntiesses. He if:ld-OWN gone- brief
' the Papers on tie table, he was obliged to leave' ever the'subjeti, which he' had -purposely. avoided
these thinga out of his charges. He assured the: ineumbering with foreign matter. ,do did nest thick. •
'House: that be had not brought forward, on:light the supplies sent by the Mettiator .suilit:ieuit to dear
' grounds, an inquiry so import-reit to' the interests. of - the Admiralty of blame. tar Ilse continued negleCt.of
the country and the Character of the Administration, the squadron blockading 'Rochefort. The Conquerdt
and that he had received sttbstaotial nnormation, was ordered by Lord Gardner to prtx:eed :AI Roche-
which induced him to bring the matter befere the. I fort in Wither, but .had received a different destine- .
Hotise. The Papers before the House had not been, i tion. The Defiance was also ordered to that station,-
presented till March t 5 ; they had taketra long timO i but. having been crdore-d to take •in water on the ~
to print, and frdm the intervention ot the recess, it way, bad _never reached, this •squadron, ' which was
• was not 'praaicable•tia bring the -matter under dis always to he disappointed. Possibly the lion. Gen-
cession befere. this
.6y. He assumed, that •in a i tieman could account for her non-arrival The Ce-
, blockade two things wore .to be amply provided for ; ! lossus,joioed with the. Mediator on the 6th of Jan•
first, the means' of enabling the blockading squadron i and the Cumberland did riot join till the emit. Ho
to maintain its ,station; and .secondly, the means of • ! allowed Sir It
,Strachatv wrote a-lett,n- of thanks•to
' enabling it,tb pursue the ettenty'S force, supposing it ! the Admiralty for their prompt attention to his letter,
to escape, as it never could be in all cases absolutely i and (he 11 *M supply .sent to consequence. Tice ,
' debarred from doing,. to any part 'of the world to ! gallant Admiral was not aware of the urgent appli
which it may direct its course. He therefore con-' i cations made by Lord Gardner, when ,he considered
tended, that if the Squadron ofillochefort, beinn '' the supplies that came ton weeks after the •know-
Wani afs.,,,,,lies three months before the sailing of The ' ledge of his urgent wants, as . seet io infmetliate
enemy, had received none; gross and criminal ne-
_eoruphance withihis own requisition. Wli.it fhe. •
glut had . been committed. Lord Gardner had; in (he' Gallant Admiral considered as a 114ral supply; would
. month of OCtober, with that foresight which became ' be best known on the investio ion he proposed to •
a skilful and experienced. COMbaancler itt a situation institute. It iappeared to him to be itinspcnsiblf,'.
of so tlitlcl,l responsibility, . slit She Conqueror, from -A,he're so .Material an arm of our deteliee vas; ooit-'.
the Fleet ow Brest,' to reinforne.and• supply the squa- . verged, for the House to mark their sense of the in-,
drop under Sir IL Strachan. The Conqueror, how- attealtioo And gross nsgleet-of duty, which, lit Coo-
-1 ever,' had to put iota Cawsand Ray .on her.%ray, and tended;. bad been. evinced by tic Admiralty. in-the
1, was detaiiied and diverted so, that she never reached proceeding that he.hud just rlescrinad. Attar sevcr2l
the squadron off Rochefort ; 'aid the impetueux, other Obseniations, the Honourable Gentleman coa-
-1 which she was to relieve, having been four months eluded with _moving a string of, Resolutions, cum-
; at sea, was obliged- to continue longer. ;pot .though i prising a statement of tat which lie had as*ateci in
Lord Gardner thought this relief-necessary in Qe.to-- . his speech, and intimated his Mention, should the
her, the Admiralty, acquainted with that faCf, did House agree trithese Resolution;, to prope)se a float
not think of sending any till December follow- i Resolution of Censure on the Board of Admiralty.
ing. On the 11111 November, the squadron had ' The Hon. WELLEsLaY PILE made a most was-
but three months provisions; on December Ii th but terly and 'animated reply. He began by, declarit,,
I two months; and Lord Gardner at that time called, that be ceitainly had teltconsiderable surprise when
. the attention of the Admiralty to- the propriety of be found that-after the production of the. Papers M .
-keeping up the stock on board. Thirletter was,re- i which the Hon. Gentleman had moved, the Hon'
ceived at the Admiralty on Dec. 18, and a subsequent Gentleman still persevered. -in bringing forward tlio
letter stated the further diminution of the stock, and Motion of which he had given notice before the pro-
the necessity of a supply. On the 3d of Dec. a du tion of those Papers'; for in -his opinion the P;.1••
considerable supply was dispatched, but it did not pers-Contained'evidence sufficient to convince any fail
get into the Sound Jill the 12th of December, and i and rational mind, not only that the Board of Adrui=
did not reach thesqliadron till the ad of January.-7-
The proper way of furnishing the Squadron was ralty•h4.not been
.gnitty of any neglea --Of city;
h
by but that they had. paid all poe;ible attention -to
sending out relieving Ships, by which mode the cle-. every requisition and representatien-- oti the dub,. •
. lays and uncertainty, to which vi6tuall,....rs were sub--
jea was avoided. ' The Superb and Spencer were ..
•je6t. The -Hon. -Gentleman had expressed hifl stir-,
prise that there wete7no, documents to prove his as-
ordered by Lord Gardner to proceed off Rochefort
21st December. The Superb sailed on 4th sertion on the fOrrner opening of the subject, with re-
onto the-reasons which induced Sir It. •Strasehatt
January, and .did not reach the station till the tinb. to quit his-station ; the fad was that no flitch docu-
Such was. the distress to which Sir •R. Strachan's merit existed; 'and the Admiralty (lid imot think it
Squadron was reduced by the departure from the necessary to tUrnish any .eitraneous. tnatser on that
usual routine of relief,- that he at limit :t,ine felt part of the aubjt....6t. He wiaii,sure. that. 'the lion.
himself, called upon to send to the Admiralty 'a j (4entleman was too much of a patriot not to bo
duplicate of the letter Inc had'
.sen't to Ilk! coin- glad it -it could.besishewn totirn titattte-Roett efort •
/winder of the Channel Fled. . 1* AdwiraltY `grotadron bad not been-10.in a-State_-0-i destitution;
bad had many prevfous warnings , from. Lord land that it never did quit its station for the ptifoose
Gardner, but had not attended to one of that'll.. The of 'looking out fin. victuallers I.w could prove.
manifold calls upon the attentiOn•of the Admiralty,. that foam the 23d .of December to the 29 It of ;• '
and the diffused employment of the British Navy, January (with the exception of the time het vceea. t.
: may be alledged. by the Admiralty in excuse for its '
negleet of the Squadron off', Rochefort, but- it Was the` Itith of January and the 'lBth of Janteit.,v),
the Weather bad been such as not to permit the gai -
not an excuse to be alloWed. If a blockade was to:
be kept up,'hint ,Admiral .to remain on his -stetion. He
,coull
supplied, the- means,of maintaining it Must bti
and the . enemy sitonld not be allowed to • also prove, that notwithstandiog the insinuation of
the •Iliglit ' Hon, Gentleman, bir„liiehard Sri 4diacl
escape by the neglea of sending subsistence to, the Lehnot been under the necessity 'ol taking provi-
bleckading -Squadron. The Hon. •Oentletutm had stow; from the Ferrel Squadron. l'o.prove this lien
some time 'since triumphantly boasted', "that the would read an, extraa. runt Sir Richly.] Straelmusq,-.,
Rochefort Squadron waS in the. Mediterranean, but Journal, sifter he proceetleul in pursuit at the Freud;
except that loose information, the Hon. Gentle- Squadron, by, which it 'would'appear that -46 far tikau
man was, lie Was sure; still ;without any know- thud:nig it necessary to take provisiona trout the • i
ledge of its proceedings. How different was this Ferrol Squadron, be-- •
stateof things from what.rnight have been expensed, •s! i
~..r. '.i.stiirsNaY spoke to order. He obsewi that ...
if Sir II Strachan had been - enabled to form that ' all the Papas moved for by In's Honourable Irrietid,
close purhuit, whieh'the insufficiency of his :applies Lall the Papers moved for.in justification of `th-cir. ..
prevented-hilts from doing. On the 4th of January, ! conduct by the Gentlenien Opposite, were on. f;l'4
by. Sir It. Strachan's .own Letters, it appeared the ' table. He conceived it wouldbe produaive of great
SqusdrOn bad only three weeks provisions. .On she 1 inconvenience were the practice to be continued Of
12th of January, when the, supplies, arrived, there allowing a Member to dials', from his pocket a pa-
were,only provisions for 13, days left-. Thus cir-
per not tegUlarly before the House, and to read ;ruin',
cernstaneed; Sir . Strachan,
if" he 1)4 got sight of it such portions as he might adult conducive to Ids
-, ' •
it'
the Enemy at that moment, would not dare to ex,-
object.
.. _
The SPEAKER sand, that certainly much had- late-
ose the lives of his men to destradion 'by to -.
P
mine, by pursuing, them out of sight of land.- • .One i -Iy-passed upon -this-subject in 'line House. , He did'
not however feel authorie'd to 'suite that any pre- i
solitary Vidturiller, the Mediator, arrived .on the
'orb, with the Colossus, - butt from the state of cise orposttive rule of order existed with regard tO
the weather,. it was not till the ipth that
,the . ii. It appeared-tohim to rest wholly with the dis-,
IVlediatot, was- cleared, and the . provisions distri. cretion Of the Menahere- and of the House; who
billed, and on the I7th (Sunday), the Enemy's would of cant-se pronounce their judgment accopittit.
Squadron was seen at sea by the Pbotoix, one of .to theeitcuinstances of the case. ' '
Sir R. Straclum's look out Ftigates. , if Sir. Richard .' 4• s sr. $- 13 .O..ONSONBY thought tint if the. House led
Strachan had not beeti obliged to quit his mixing-
ground for want of supplies, the Enemy could not
: never adopted a rule to prevent tins pretties! they •
ought to do so. • Nothing could bo more injurioiss
have escaped. lo his first letter to Lord. Gardner, Sir
Richard described the Squadron tube fixed in Basque
Itoads, the best- station ,for observing Roc ihefort.-
ould be the consequence if -------,-
' .to
w debate, or More.replete wan ab.urdity, tol ~,,1..;:t
, ' The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHLQUEIt sool-.1 le •
On December t, when he was piped by some .heeler,
Transports with an ;impeded -sUpplx„. -he came off :cs hat the Order of the House at present' wa,J, liirt Chasseron to meet theM. He still remained another
in want
,would Observing, that it was one thing to r,!.04-
to consider what it would be .e XrediOt 1-4'
of sails and ,cables, as well-as of water and pro Vi...: ',mike, •it.. . • •#
-siens.• He apprized Lord Gardner that he would ; tilt. rioNsouriy said, ihat if tuna non. GeatiErnau
come off Rocheaboones, to lall in withruit4er-*l=x- ipersistethir reading a docurrretti 'not toratalty beN)P%
petted viddillerit. Oa Jan. 4, his wants beEinne‘inore, ?theHouse, he showd those all 40Liuuncut at thij.
' ' -- '
urgent, and he took a larger offing. lie fell in with.. Debate.'
the Mediator, and having taken the supplies out of ,i , ,
.. , . 11,11 f. W.' NIA?. declared that he had 1.16. intention
her, he used'evety exertion to get back. to his, sta- ' ;. ; '...
; iseastever of being.di,ortierii', nor did lin tv,,;:
tion otTChisseron, , but the eaellly bad escaped in 4'.
+t-:e 'air unfair ' advantage. Without retell-H(1-
hia absence. He meant tO ether to the [joust; certain ta . ; cre7ore; to Sir Richard . Strachatt's -joi_amaf, ad'
Resolritions. of fad (afflicted on tke'doi:tittlea!'s:bt.:fotc... •wOuld .simply .state, its -a Member of that i ioale,
'
the. House, .as to the state in which: the 17iquadroin ' bud ,as .t-.:!,,:ii. entitled .to credit, that. 1,, ki,:tv it :
times, a point on which . there coil& on , niateriMp he a fat, lbai Sir
.Richard, Sir:MI:10 a! ter bw. iii be
difference,' and to: feend en 'there a!Acsoletido of '
:,
cleinie,i tbe..Bay in. puouit of the Enemy,•passed tito ,
cc..n.sure. He sliev,i‘cl pia ,Iletioln!ioni' to: tire non. ~! E,rl-61- tri'd Lisbon blockadifm Squadrons, tO't-l`. -
Gentle:Lieu; ivrioste (Mr. Pole), -who !Lid Them its , 0,,c * ' '... •• c •.1 them 0401 - ty-
. . _ ..,,icy c4.Antnunica lcul 1, 1 . $ ,_,
i,..
bil rim''''S'iO" si'e ,19056 M, ;It .%,v..4, aPr I"cif telege4h, . and.. passed :Gibraltar -: without, rellt'''.,: .
wan hint !lever to bring- fin ward a coarge .tvithout'... ing ' front thPt 'Garrison, any. prOv isious. .fie AA 1.-!''-'l;.'
giving it fair notiee to (bozo .1-rupliCuit.d. - If OA: . thy. -,_;:iiLnot Aciiiii:;:i 1 , ~:,i .s in .t.1)6 Hotac to itatc,oloo.
Idiot, ''Gentletnan nused.any doubt a4'-tp*,-11.1;s:n?.rd '
Straclim hay.hig•heeti driven itool llloSi,stioa .by.,iit4.- :. ioi,,,kfia- -55:iiile,ed two of thtir.o.. 11.01. tiotyjurot,
ilhjt•r; hioiNelf, hilt he had in his eye a pilau; Orfird:.
toistly, ift: --,1,‘1,"1 :ii'tt itichatd -S9'ao:lli to. be-14e- t, UN-it!etTilf, :t'aVerting to- tlio letter- frotn'Sditi; I"..ifrft
;
et/t' 311(1 to giN -" 'own (114441.41:"1" thi6 Pcnnt ' Gardtier tjthe Admiralty,' dated Oa. 3b; statists, t-r° 1-