The Sun.
London, England, 1829-07-14 00:00:00

ADMIRALTY SESSIONS-(THIS DAY,

The General Sessions of Oyer and Terminer and
Gaol Delivery of the Admiralty of England was
held this day at Justice Hall, Old Bailey, before
Sir CHRISTOPHER ROBINSON, Lord Chief Justice
TINDAL, Mr. Justice BAYLEY, and several Civilians.
The Grand Jury having been sworn, Sir C. RO-
BINSON addressed them at considerable length, arid
took a review of the different cases in the calendar.
The first that would be brought under their notice
was that of a person charged with gross piracy,
as long since as the year 1822. He was tried
in the year 1823 on other charges of piracy,
but the evidence then was not sufficiently strong,
and he was acquitted, since which time he
had been at large. On the present occasion
the master of a Dutch ship would give evidence
before them, and if the facts as stated in the depo-
sitions were proved, there could be no doubt of the
offence being piracy. The next charge was
against a person named Brown, for feloniously killing
a lad under his command. This case did not call
for any particular observations, the Jury would
judge from the evidence of the propriety of return-
ing a true bill. The third: case in the calendar was
one of a much deeper dye, it was that of murder.
Captain Bragge and his first Mate were accused of
the wilful murder of a seaman. This charge was
one which required their most serious attention, as
experience had proved that charges of this kind
were sometimes made from bad and malicious
motives, before they returned a bill they would
satisfy themselves the, evidence was sufficient to
prove malice prepense, for which purpose he hoped
they would examine it with the greatest care.
The next case was one of a more doubtful nature,
it was a charge against an individual of being found
on board a vessel engaged in the slave trade. Ac-
cording to the present state of the law, any British
subject being found on board a ship engaged in that
illegsl traffic was guilty or a felony. The difficulty
in the present case was, that the person charged was
a fore►gner, arid before the late alteration in the
law it was not considered an offence to be found
under such circumstances. The last case for their
consideration was a charge against the master of a
vessel for enticing a lad from his Majesty's service.
If this was proved, it was a misdemeanour at com-
mon law.

The Grand Jury then retired, and after a short
absence returned into Court with a true bill against
Aaron Smith for piracy.
Aaron Smith (a most respectably dressed man),
who had been admitted to bail, then surrendered to
take his trial.
The KING'S ADVOCATE applied to the Court to

postpone the trial, on account of the absence of a
material witness.
Mr. BRODERICK who appeared for the prisoner,
asked him whether he wished the application
opposed ?
Prisoner—Most undoubtedly.
The Learned Counsel then stated, that the charge
against the gentleman at the bar was alleged to
have been committed seven years since, arid now
that the Grand Jury had returned a true bill, it
ought not any longer to hang over his head.
The COURT, after a short consultation, ordered
the trial to proceed.
The indictment was then read. It charged the
prisoner with piratically and feloniously boarding
and entering, on the 14th July, 1822, near the
island of Cuba, a Dutch vessel, called the " Bri-
vonate," plundering her of certain stores, and assault-
ing the master and crew.
The prisoner pleaded Not Guilty.
The King's ADVOCATE stated the case for the
prosecution.
Jacob Langtree, a native of Antwerp, stated that
he was Master of the ship Brivonatc. He sailed
from Antwerp in 1822, the ship was laden with
butter, sugar, Lc., and bound for the Havannah.
When they arrived at Cape Antonio, three
leagues from the Island of Cuba, on the 14th July,
about two or three o'clock in the afternoon, they saw
two schooners coming towards them, English
colours were flying on the maintop. lie hoisted
Dutch colours, and waited for the Vessels to
come up. The Captain of one of the schooners
then ordered him to come on board, which he
did with four of his crew. When he got on board
he saw a man sitting with a large hat on, that
man was the prisoner ; after he had looked at the
papers, a black man took possession of witness's
boat with eight of his crew, and went to the ship ;
during their absence he was ill-used, and robbed of
his watch. Witness could see from the schooner
that the black man, and those that were with
him, were ill-using his crew. The pirates after-
wards took possession of his vessel. The pri•
sorer went with those who thus took possession
The black man asked where the money was ?
Witness told him he had none. They then put a
rope round his neck, and the black mart repeated
the question, and the same answer was re-
turned. They then fastened one end of the rope
to an anchor, and threw it overboard into the sea.
He would have been drowned, had not his second
mate caught him by the leg, and drawn him
into the vessel. This violence killed him.—
(Laughter.)—What he meant by being killed was,
rendered insensible. He was so very weak that he
fell into the forecastle ; the next morning he found
his son had been wounded in the lees The prisoner
gave orders during all this time. On the next day
the black man ordered them to weigh anchor; as
they were about to sail, Smith struck witness with
a rope's end. The pirate vessels came alongside
his ship, and by orders of the black man and the
prisoner, her cargo was discharged into them.
The pirates plundered him of liner), butter,
cheese, and other stores On the morning
of the 17th, he steered his course eastward.
The next day another schooner came along side
and plundered him of more stores; they left him
again on the 20th. The prisoner did not give any
orders on the 17th, 19th, or 20th. When the cargo
was being discharged, from the 20th to the 25th,
the witness did not see them, but on the latter day
they again came along side and discharged the re-
mainder of his cargo. On the 27th a sloop ap-
peared in sight, when the prisoner went aloft, and
cried out—" Here's a good prize for us." The
schooner made sail and captured the sloop in the
night. Two or three days after this, Smith
told witness there had been two English ships taken,
and that the black man was killed. The prisoner
did not ill treat them during this time; the pirates
remained until the 30th, when witness and his
companions were taken to another ship, called the
Victoria, and his own vessel was burnt by the
pirates, who gave him his ship's register and docu-
ments; they also gave him a paper, which they
called an indemnity, to prevent him from loss.
Cross-examined by Mr. BRODERICK—The crew
of the pirate ship was more numerous and stronger
than the crew of witness's ship. The prisoner ap-
peared to have the management of navigating the
pirate vessel. He told him (witness) some days
after they had been captured, that he (Smith) was
the mate of an English vessel, and that he was
compelled to all that he saw him do. Witness
said, " If it had not been for you, my vessel
would not have been captured." Smith asked
wiry ? Witness said, "My glasses are so good,
1 should have escaped your ship." Smith after-
wards advised him (at the time they put on
board another vessel) not to go to the Havanna)), or
they would probably be murdered by the pirates.—
The prisoner did not tell him his name was Aaron
Smith.
This was the whole of the evidence in support of
the prosecution.
The prisoner, on being called on for his defence,
began to read a narrative of his life and misfortunes,
from a book publisheeta few years since by himself,
entitled " Smith's Narrative," &c. lie complained
bitterly of the manner in which he was prosecuted,
this being the fourth time lie had been tried for the
same offence. He described, in a very impassioned
manner, his sailing for England, in 1822, as Com-
mander of the Harsington, and being captured by
a pirate vessel, and the cruelties the pirates ex-
ercised to make him work in the navigation of their
vessel. On one occasion he was bound to the mast
and twelve men ordered to discharge muskets at
him, the balls of some of which cut the hair
off his head ; this was done for the purpose
of intimidation. At another time he was placed on
a quantity of gunpowder, and a part of his flesh
actually blown off his bones. Whilst labouring under
the most excruciating. torture, and seeing some of
the crew brought before him, who for their disobe-
dience of orders, had had their hands and legs cut off;
under, as ire before said, the most excruciating tor-
ture, and threat of being skinned alive, he gave his
consent to assist in the navigation.
The prisoner then went on to detail various Other
acts of the most barbarous cruelty, which appeared
to make a strong impression on the sympathies of a
crowded Court, and concluded by declaring that the
part he took in the transaction was the most re-
pulsive to his feelings, and being compelled to it
by the pirates.
After several witnesses had deposed to the cruelty
used towards the prisoner, and the horror he ex-
pressed in being compelled to work for the pirates,
Tire Jury intimated they were quite satisfied of
his innocence.
Chief Justice TINDAL—I suppose, gentlemen,
you consider the prisoner was not a free agent, but
that he was under continual compulsion.
Foreman of the Jury—Exactly so, my Lord.
A verdict of Not Guilty was returned, and the
prisoner was discharged.
The Grand Jury have found a True Bill against
Captain Brugge, charged with the murder of a sea-
man named Sinclair.

STEAM-BOAT.—This morning an ingenious
model of a steam-boat, made by a mechanic of the name
of WoonwAnn, of Duke-street, Westminster, was tried
on the Thames, and went a quarter of a mile in eleven
minutes. It measures only twenty-two inches long and
eleven wide.

It appears from a Quebec Paper of the 13th
ult., which has been received to-day, that the mine of
quicksilver which had been supposed to exist near Three
Rivers tas not answered the expectations which its late
discovery had raised. One of the scientific gentlemen
who went up to examine the mine reports, that although
on the spot where the Indian found the quicksilver a few
drops more of the mineral were found, there was nothing
to indicate that it had rolled down the side of the hill, and
no cinnabar or other mineral substance was to be found.
The conclusion is therefore, that the quicksilver must have
dropped on the spot from the instrument of some surveyor,
while crossing the portage, at the end of which the metal
was found..

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

FROM LLOYD'S.

DEAL, JULYI3.--Wind W. S. W .—Arri ved
the Lively, Allen, from Riga. Arrived from Lon-
don, the Janet, Thompson, for Dpnerara. Ar-
rived the Magnet, from the Coast of Africa.
PORTSMOUTH, JULY 13.-WiA
V.S.W.-Ar-
rived the Indemnity, Lodge, from Miramichi.
PLYMOUTH, JULY 12.—Arrived the Bolivar,
Henzell, from Tatamagouche.
FALMOUTH, JULY 12.—Wind W.S.W.—Arrived
the Paul Pry, Cooper, from Constantinople. Sailed
the Jean, Currie, for Hamburg.
GREENOCK, JULY 11.-Arrived the Belmont,
Paul, from Trinidad.
CoRK, JULY U.—Arrived the Albion, Isaac,
from Quebec.
PHILADELPHIA, JUNE 21.—1 t is stated in the
Milledgeville Journals that the tops of the mountains
in Rubein County, in that State, were covered with
snow on the 10th of May.

The Bonne Mere, from Demerara, is supposed to
be arrived off the Start.

THE MARKETS.-(TIHS DAY).

HAY MARKETS.—(At per Load cf 30 Trusses.) -
ST. JAMES'S.
Coarse heavy Lowland Meadow Hay £2 15 to £3 0
'ew Meadow Hay
Useful Meadow Hay :1 5 3 15
Fine Upland Meadow and lye-grass Hay 4 5 5 0
Clover Hay 3 15 5 20
Oat 5traw......£2 oto .£2 2I Wheat Straw 2 2 2 5
The best Old Clover Hay ss. per load higher than last quoted ;
in prices of of Hay. with those of Straw, no alteration. A
moderate supply, and a somewhat brisk trade.

SMITHFIELD.
Coarse heavy Lowland Meadow Hay £2 4 to £2 15
New Meadow Hay 2 13 2 18
Useful McAmy Hay 3 3 3 10
Fine Upland Meadow and Rye-grass Hay .... 310 415
Clover Hay (extra fine)....-05 5... Generally ... 3 0 410
Oat Straw XI hi to £1 IS I Wheat Straw 1 IS 2 2
Supply good, trade dull, and prices as last quoted.

CITY MARKETS.—(TWO O'CLOCK.)
SUGAR.-The deliveries of Plantation Sugars last week
was above 3000 casks, and the stock yesterday was 28,573
hogsheads and 1293 tierces. The market is rather more
firm, hut prices are not improving.
The INDIGO SALE began this morning at the East India
House ; prices are if any thing a shade lower.
SALTPETRE.-The demand was pretty brisk, at from
245. to 255. per cwt. The delivery is large.
Rum.—The delivery last week was about 640 pun-
cheons, of which 412 were for exportation. The stock
is 18,351 puncheons and 1600 hogsheads. The market
continues heavy ; prices unaltered.
. , .

Hops.—The accounts from the Plantations state no
improvement, and prices have advanced 20 per cent. since
this day se'nnight, speculation being very active. Dut
from 30,0001. to 35,000/.

QUARTER-PAS? TWO o'cLocir.
The Government Contracts have just been concluded
00 Tons of Sugar, at 511. Ss. per Ton ; and 100,000
Gallons of Burn, at ls. qd. and Is. 9 jd. per Gallon ;
being lower than last contract.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

NEWMARKET JULY MEETING.

NEWMAWEET, MONDAY EVENING.
There have been several arrivals since yesterday, and
most of the regular visitors are here.
The Jockey Club dinner last night was attended by
Earl Vernlam, Lord Anson, Lord Lowther, Lord IL Ben-
tinck, Hon. W. Anson, Sir Murk Wood, Colonel Russell,
Christopher Wilson, Esq., Delme Radcliffe, Esq., Scott
Stonehewever, Esq., -- Roberts, Esq., and four other
members.

A case comes before the Jockey Club this week which
forcibly illustrates the old adage, that " there is many a
slip 'twixt the cup and the lip." A horse of Lord Mount-
charles's (Rassclas), named by Mr. Fitzgerald, won the
Great Somersetshire Stakes at Bath, last week, and which
was worth near 9001. After the race, and not till then,
Mr. Day, the owner of Liston (the 2d horse), found out
that Mr. Fitzgerald was dead, and that Rasselas waa not
entitled to start, and that the stakes must he given up to
him. The Stewards, as a matter of course, referred the
case to the Jockey Club. According to the laws of racing,
no horse can start if the party naming him be dead ; but
it is a question whether Rasselas is disqualified, Mr. Day
not having started the objection till after the race. All
bets wait the result, and some anxiety is evinced to know,
in case the decision is in favour of Day, whether Rasselas
must be considered a beaten horse, or as not having statted.
The trainer had backed him to win nearly 5001.
We are happy to state that Conolly is quite recovered
from his accident : he rode trials last week.

The entry for the 501. to he run for to-morrow, closed
this afternoon with the Duke of Grafton's Turquoise and
Lord Exeter's Redgauntlet.
The following were the results of this day's race :
Match for 200 sovs. h. ft. T.Y.C.
Lord Exeter's Redgauntlet
Mr. L. Stephens's Kildare paid
Sweepstakes ,of 10 sovs. each, for 3-yr-olds. New T.Y.C.
I)uke of Graflon's Caradori, by Centaur 1
Mr. Vansittart's Magawiska 2
Eight others started, but were not placed.

The July Stakes of 50 boys. each, 30 ft. for 2-yr-olds.
New T. Y. C.
Sir M. Wood's The Mummer 1
Lord Anson's c. by Morisco—Miniature
Lord Jersey's E by Counts—Cobweb
Five others started, but were not placed.

NEWMARKET, 310NDAY NIGHT.
The following is a statement of the betting this evening

DERBY.
8 to 1 agst The Mummer (taken)
No others backed.
ST. LEGER.

11 to 2 agst Voltaire 6 to 1 agst Forth's two (taken:
S to 1 agst Rowton 1:3 to 1 agst Lady Sarah
9 to 1 agst Sir Hercules (taken) 20 to 1 agst any other.
The following Stakes for to-morrow have just closed :-
Duke of Grafton names Lancastrian
Mr. Rogers names Chiron, by Smolensko
Mr. Forth names f. by Tramp—Prue
Mr. Wilson names c. by Abjer—Pledge
Lord Verulam names Barnardo
Lord Exeter's Goldpin
One subscriber did not name.
Handicap Sweepstakes of 10 sovs. cult.
Mr. Greville's Xarifa, Sst.
Duke of Grafton's Ronald, Bst. 71b.
Lord Orford's Taucreda, Bst. 41b.
Mr. Stephens's f. by Nicol% Bst.
Lord Exeter's Goldpin, Bst. 51b.
General Grosvenor's Shepherdess, Bst.
Mr. Batson's Seraph, Bst. 91b.