The Sun.
London, England, 1801-01-27 00:00:00

To- rpot-Offiep, D. 341, Oa.

4-1 R)

We inclose, for the information of the Righ
Honourable the Lords Commissioners of the Ad
miralty, a copy of a deposition made by live per
sons, late masters of captured British merchan
vessels, relative to the treatment received by
them while detained as Prisoners of War it

Franee • and we beg yon will inform their Lord.
ships that, although we judged it. necessary to
take the deposition of-these five persons only,
yet fifteen other persons of the same description,
who arrived with them from France, gave a
milar account in all respeds of the manner in
which British Prisoners are treated at Boulogne.
We think it proper to add, that 411 the persons
abbve.mentioned were entitled to parole, agree.
ably to the terms of the Cartel.
We are,c.
4

(Signed)

RUPERT GEORGE
JOHN HANK.
J. HUNT.

Evan Neteant Esq. 4c. &c.

NUMBER MIL

COPY' OF A DEl'o',llloN NIA6E AY FIVE MAS.
TELLS OF CAPIUKED IsItITIsH MERCHANT.
MEk, SWORN BEFORE WILLIAM ADDING.
TON, ESQUIRE, ON THE Z2D DECEMBER,
1800.

Robert Dixon, late Master of the Mary and
Margaret, Merchantship ol,Sunderland i Cuth_
bert Ranson; late Master of the Pope, Merchant-
ship of Sunderland; Peter Armour, late Master,
of the Free Briton, Mercha tship Of Ne,wcastle ;
Thomas tkidley, late Master of the Nile, Mer-
Chantship of Newcastle ; and. Robert Corth, late
Master of the Success, Meichainship of Ply.'
Mouth, make oath and say ; -and first, this De-
ponent Robert Dixon, for himself, saith, that he
was captured on the eth day of November last,
about eight or nine ,miles off Boulogne,. by the
L'impromptu Lugger, of 14 guns, Captain. Cor-
nie ; and this . Deponent further saith, that all
his cloaths, and those of his Crew, except what
they had on, Were taken, and also their Hammy ;
and this. Deponent was, with his aforesaid Crew,
carried into Boulogne, and put into a. Cachot
there ;*and this Deponent further saith, that for
the first twenty-four hours, he, this Deponent,.
with his aforesaid Crew,,,had no provistons of
any kind.:. And the several Deponents, Cuthbei t
.Manson, Peter Armour, , 'and Thomas Ridley;
severally make -oath andlay, that they.were all.
captured,on the loth day of 'November last, off
the Dogsng Light, seven leagues from Cromer,
,by the Chasseur, Snow Privateer, of r.. guns,
Captain Blackman. and further say, that they
were carried into Blackman;
and with. their Crewl
put
,into the Cachot above described,. where the)/
'had no provisions tor 'the'first twenty-four hoursi
as descrilnd by the first Deponent.R. Dixon. And
these Deponents also further'severidly say, they
sianred greatly from the nature of their confines
ment, the Cachot being twenty-seven steps iin
der ground; without any other light than , who
was: received through two stnall..gratingS ; and
further severally say, that they had no beds of
any sort, but were compelled to lay on a small
quantity of loose straw, and were not permitted
to go to the Necessary belonging to the Prison,
but were forced to use one tub, which was 'ket4
in the room of their confinement,and so small, as
. '
••
to' require emptying morning and evening, ana
Were not permitted to: empty Thesaid tub but at
stated periods.;' and further say, that the Cachot
was exceedingly damp, and Deponents were only
permitted to ,go out into the air Once in the-dayo
and that for one hour only ; and these Deponentti
'also-further severally say, that during their coo-
`fineinent, a Mr. 'Tone, Master of the Williait
and Betser'of Sunderland, who was also if Fri_.
'saner in the said Prison with these Deporicntl,
was exceedingly ill, and applied to the Womail
who had the principal' are of.the Prison for M 4,
flical 'Assistance, but :Was only visited once by ah
Apothecary, who ordered .him to be placed ovtir
a tub. of hot water for the behefit of the steamk;
and further say; that _a French. Soldier, who sv4s
stationed at the Prison, offered to let him have .the
use.!ofhis room, :where there was a bed and a fire;
but the Keeper Of the Prison refused this offer 4f
the said Soldier to the said Mr. Tone being'cOm. •
plied with ; and each of theSe Deponents sev-eral,
ly say, . they Condoned in the above.mentioried
plaee Of confinement till they were bailed out biy
a Shopkeeper at Boulogne; after which, the e,
Deponents had liberty toga about the Town, b t
rihad no allowance from the French Governme .
And this Depooent, Robert Ceith, for himself',
saith, that- lie 'was captured .on the twenty-fi t
day Of NoveMber last, between Folkstont
add
i
Dover, by the Pamphile Lugger, of ten guns,
Captain Illuptlell, awl carried intoßoulogne, and
was put into a Prison with his Crew, 4ogether
with sonic Soldiers ; but this Deponent complain.
log of his situation in such Prison, was removt4
into the cachot mentioned in the former part of
this aposition. And these Deponents, Robert'
Dixon, Cuthbett Ranson, Peter Airtiour, Tliotdas
Ridley, and Robert Corth, each for theinielves;
further saith, that their daily food, except daft_.,
log the first twenty-fiini hours before spoken of;
consisted of bullocks liver, lights, shins 'and
'neck of beef, the-liver of.'which was freqUi:ntly
very bad.' and the meat was sent into the Pri am
in a tub, but had no separate bowl or platters,
and without vegetables-; - and further severally,
say, that each of these Deponents had abOut
three quarters of a pound of Bread a day, and the
small Beer suffieient:

{Signed)

Ron ERT DIXO2,T.
CUTHIit'RT.RANSOM.
PETER ARMfiI:R.
TiOM V, RIDLEY.,
ROU ERI COR i H.

Mid flrlevy to -wit. •
hdo-e ttlt Mr 32d Der. Igno.

W, ADDINGTow