The Sun.
London, England, 1807-12-29 00:00:00

of May last past, and hoisted his broad pendant on •
-board the Chesapeake, the"firat tittle be came on
board of her after her' arrival ire liainptan.Roada, to
wit, on or about the 6th-day of :Nee last-rash- •
. 3. Itappeats to the Court; 'that Construidore Bar-
ron visited the ,Chesapeake only twice' liiiik the
period she remained in Hampton Reads,! a'oll'hefore
lie came on board to proceed to sea ;" dini neither of
which occasio did he exatuine partitularly itsta her
state'and condition. .•
4. -It -appears to the Court that the kups of the
Chesapeake were never examined beißre•she pro-
ceeded to 60.1 that her crew were qeattered but a
'few days previous to that time, and b.lttl never been
called to quarters more than three times Prior
,to her
sailing for sea.
5. It appears to the Court that the Ship was re•
ported to Commoderit pitripu to be ready for sea on
the 17th day ofitme ; that be canteen board on the
21st, and that the Ship sailed en the.morning of the
22d of June last past.
6.' It appeare to the Court, that antecedent to the
sailing of the Chesapeake there had be 6 received
oti boded of lief seine persona who had been Claimed
by the British Government 4is deserters from their
service, but who were not Ordered to be delivered op
by the American Officers..-ehat there was. also a re-
port in circulation, and getterally known on board
the Chesapeake, that a threat had been used by the
Captain of th 4 British Shill of War Melarnpus to
take these 'men from the Chesapeake.-:ehat Com-
modore Barron had full' knowledge of the farts that
such men were on board hid Ship, that. they had
been demanded by the British Government, and had
hot beets delivered up, the Court are .perfatly sa-.
but no positive evidence habuen'addmed
to prove, that the report of the threat above riwo-
timed was communicated to him before his•ship
sailed:

7. It appears to the Court, that the Chesapeake,
in proceeding from Hampton•-Roads to sea, passed,
a British Squadron at anchor' in Lynhaveu Bay, who
at the time of her pas Sing them wete.nutkingiigsatals
to each other, Which was not only reported to Com..
modore Barron by one of his Officers, .but.zetually
observed by himself.
H; It appears to the Court, that the British Ship.
of War Leopard, ofbo guns, one a the Squadron
then at anchor ivithiti the limits of the United States,'.
weighed immediately after these signals were thrown
cut, and stood to sea.
9. It does. not appear to the Court that at this:
time there was any Vessel in sight, or any other ob •
jea to induce .her togo to sea, but the Chesapeake.
20, It appears to the Court, that at.the time the
leopard got under weigh, the wind was at S.S.W.
and therefore 1134- for her to' proceed to sea; but
that instead of availing herself of stns to clear the
Lfids sire battled_ by..the wind. clolT`r6tind -Cape
Henry, and stoon,io the.southward undtr easy sail 5,
thereby strewing that it was not her iiitentitui to get
the land speedily.

11. It appears to the Court, that after the wind
became light and balling, and likely to Alitt, and
came out from the, eastwuid that when this hap-
pened the 'Leopard shortened sail, and stood,to the
auto/4W. '
It appears to the Court,' that after this the
wind came out from abotiksouth sOuth-ust, and that
the Leo,•arti tfien haOng got the weather-gage; pre-
served it, by taking irrsl ore when the. Chesapeake did
so, in order to get
,otf her pilot, and after theebrellav-
Peak'e againstood ea.stwarA, ,that th 1
e .40-.
paid wore and bore dowo upon her.
13. It appears to, tbp',C;purt, that when the Leo.
pard tacked and stood in-shore, on the same tack
with the Chesapeake, that her lower d4Olt.pots,were
alt trie ,red up.
14._ It appears' to the Court, that when the Leo-
Ord•rtin down for the chesaptake, she rout.ded to on.
her starboard quarter and to .windw Ird of her, and
. that, at this Jime. Eer tumpioni were• out of her guns.;
15. tt appears to the Court, `t!)lat Controwlo;e
Bwrron tv:tsupoil deck, ohserving the Leopard, dur-
ing the time these rnano,ntvres were praaisitrg,•and
app-arancs eslibited,
• Hi. The Court 'IS O'f opinion, that theCrr tl n
stances abovestated were in themselves.p suspicious
. as to,lia,i,e furnished 'snfficient,warningto a prudent,
discreet, and at t entire Officer, of the, probable designs
or a ship of war vuu 1u ac cl in th:it way,. and ought
to have induced Conuntidiore Barron. to 4,lave pre-
pared hTi Ship for i.ietiOn especially. kttit.. the. infer-
niation he pui.iessed, of the iltuatiooßof )414 .crew,
generally, of those who had been demanded by the
Biitfsh Gnvernment particularly; ancluf,t44.zeueral
state of the ship at that time.
17. It appears to the .Conyt,„ that, 0,-irsittiodore
Ilrrtan neyeitliehi.ss did not erdir.his:.:Wp, to ho
cleared for Alen, and that :tte bis wit
.to quarters.
18. It appears to Elie Courts, that the Leo- •
yard Caine alongside of the Chesapeake,. an Unieer
wai sent. from tier, with a ..eotbrnipieation from
Captain flumPhries,„ the Captain of the Leopard, to
Counneilore Barron, whicb,the haw .cult4tflPi..lll.o.
xlid not misunderstand, bur very comely p0ne44.4..
to bea demand with.whitth he ought:notald epttl4
not 'comply, .and One v:Yteh, i t rettgeda,T4PO4 be;
enforced it-possible.
to, It 'apptith to Court, tllt•tiltftough, sues
was the situation and impm iuu
.Cornapodpre
Barron at thus ,$O. slot he
ins Ship to prepirectilar, aa)ert; although ttr ple;
time was allowel.4.4o44.tpurpcise, the Stoittsh 0111:-/
cer being detaineit Xinartfth4.che.stipeaktvtrom 34
to 45 minutes.
' The' Court is opinion, that the neglect of,
Commodore
,Bacron to, prepare '1114110p.-foi:: 96-tion
under NO rocs,, is a rlineadtreach' of the
fourth; Article of, t .ttules aeganiigit for„ the,
.Governmetit of tlac Na vy of the VoitadPBritteit,latippt
by!,ln Aft of thy Cougrc:sa of t4e United StOtes,.
;wiled tbo Z.:ld day wt u 4 ii, IRon, ent tied
.4,15 t fot',thq „bet ter tioyernment ,t heNavy, of the,
United Stales."' ' •