The Sun.
London, England, 1805-04-25 00:00:00

EXTR ACT

•
PrtoM THE PAPqst,ALD ntroßtt ?Tit HOUSE 'or
itllfirtCTlNG SIR HOME POPHAM.

(Cowin:ie./iron cur Pater of neatly.),

Copy of a Letter from Sir H. POPHAM to the Navy
'Lard.. ll.atea 3d Aug. 1803.
To the Principal ()firers end Commit.
of Hit Majesty's Navy, Loudon.
GENTLEMEN,

As I lave reason to suppose the copy of my
letter to the Lott& Commissioners of the Admiralty,
tinier dint the 26th ult. has been transmitted to
y-►u, requesting that Mr. Spearman's accounts, who
aced as Naval Ofiker in the Red Sea for tke Stria.
►iron I commanded, under the precedent established
by the late Admiral Blankett, as well as any ac.
counts that can be considered as relating to me,
troy be taken into immediate consideration ; anti
as I am anxious for the acceierati ►n of your. Report, I
think irtnity-not altogether be supererogating on my
part to transmit some documents which m satisfy
your minds that I took even more than common
precautions to guard the.public Interest.
The particular examination at Chatham of some
Officers and pe►►ple chosen for that purpose from the
Romney, the difficulty I had in obtaining permission
to be present, the objelion to put one question
from me, (4 To know whether, if the repairs, which
were done, had not been done, and recolieaing the
weather we had experienced afterwards, the Romney
would not have foundered i' have induced me, as
the Court was formed by your order, and composed
of Members of your Board, to trouble you on this
occasion.

The result of the examination while I was pre.
sent, went, in a few words, to these points, " That
the repairs which were done to the Romney were
absolutely necessary, and none were done but what
were so ; that I took every care of the King's
Stores, and never made any wanton expence of
them,"

That I consider to be eoncluiive in regard to the
Romney, and have some satistaCtion iir knowing,
that no ship under suclycircumstances ever had so
little repair ; and if it was necessary to make refer..
ences, it would he found that cne repairs of other
ships were nearly double, and the justice that witi
done the Romney in such repairs has been publicly
evinced, by her having been re.cdtomis.sioned within
a few (Lys after my pendant was ordered to bo hauled
down, and I am not aware that a precedent of such
a circumstance exists.

My care in regard to the Excicinge is manifested
by the BM' drawn when I was sti Calcutta, which
never exeeedea 61. The sairFie restri,!tion
nhserved in the Red Sea, which was nor the case
before,

The Naval Officer's Letter (No. I.) will prove
this assertion, and when there was a demur about
granting more money from the Treasury, I abso.
lutely ►old the Vice-President that the Romney
might swamp at her moorings, and the Ctimpany's
interest go unprotetled, if it was not issued at 25.
6d. for her repairs.
The Letter (No. II.) will chew, that I did not
omit reproving Mr. Louis when it was necessary.
The order to Capt. Saute (No. III.) must be sa.
tisfattury as to the precautions I took with regard
to the Sensible before I sailed from Calcutta.
I believe no 13111 i were drawn by me after Nov.
!Sot, which can he ascertained by reference, and a
comparative statement made between the Exchange
of the Bills drawn under my approbation in the Red
Sea, and chose of other Oftieer,

I have the Honour to he,
Gentlemen,
Your most obedient humble Servant,
iloms PoPttAht.

York Platt, August 3, 1803.

No. I.—Copy of a Letter from MATTHEW Louts,
Eq. Deputy Naval °facer at Calcutta, to Sir
HOMe POPHAM, K. NI, dated Oct. 29, xSor.

BIR.

Not having been able to obtain cash for Bills on
the Commissioners of his Majesty's Navy, on the
terms offered to the foblic, and as you have posi.
avely direeted that I should not deviate from those
proposed by the Hon. Company, under a cont•iEtion
of its being attended with consequences equally in.
jurious to both Governments, I request you will he
pleased to apply to the Hon. the Vire.l'resident in
Council, for an advance of a .I.ack of Rupees in
Treasury Bills for His Majesty's Naval Service at
this port, viz. Fifty Thomand towards providing
the stores anti supplies ordered for the use Of fits
Majesty's ships Sheerness, Wilhelmina, and Vitfior,
in the Red Sea, and Fifty Thousand moir on ac.
count of His 'Majesty's ships "golfing and refitting
at this Purr.

1 have the honour to be,
(Signed) MATTHEW Louis,
Pep. Naval Officer.
No. 11,—From MATTHPW Louis, Egg. Sce. to
Sir Home POPHAM, k. 2vl, datctt 20111 NuYCM.
ber, 1801.

I conclude my reply to the Letter I had the ho.
!nit 10 receive of the 17th itl3olllt, could not have
reached you when you left town, and therefore
embrace the opportunity your arrival now affotds
me of replying to it, with a view to !move those
intl►ressions which the representai hint mentioned in
your Letter appear to have excited so much to my
di,advantage.

I am not aware that Hui Majesty's service has
suircred the snilliest disgrace from my conduct, in
the discl,arge ut my duty as the Naval Officer a the
port of Calcutta ; on the contrary, I am conscious
of having exercised every exertion in my power for
the good of the service. No demand, were.ever
brought me, bearing your signature, tlia 1 did nut
directly accept for payment ; and in the particular
instance to which your Letter immediately applies,
the required advance for the tow.boats lot His Ma.
jetty's ship Romney was made many days before
she left Mayapour. The day I left town Mr, Shore
informed me a further advance was necessary, and
told him the money should be paid the moment a
receipt was tent fur the required amount ; but no
such receipt bad been sent when I left town ; print
to which I had accepted all the bills fot pilotage,