Star.
London, England, 1823-10-11 00:00:00

BLOCKADE OF TARRAGONA.

CAPTURE OF A BRITISH EssF.L 01: THE FRENCH.
" Maryut Kres-Cossousle, mktinAcialu, Sr, 4.
" Sltt,-1 beg leave tp inform you, that on the 7th
l'ostatit I dispatched the English brit; Merchants' I.'renti,
tarn Andrew M'Cullock, for Palma, ics the island of
Mar rca, in ballast and passengers. Ty great
prise, I have this morning received an express from Al r.
Aliro, Vice-donsul at Villanueva, informing me that the
said brig had been detained by the French sismatiron, '
and carried.into Sitges as a prize. The hi ig sailed from
Tarragona at five r. it. on the 7th; at eight P. sr. she
fell in with the blockadin.g fleet, a brig, a schooner,
xebec, and a felucca:. The schooner ordered Atenl-
lock out board, and alrAt an hour afterwards senoback
the boat without the Captain, oath ort'ered the brig to
follow the schooner, which she did 'all riight;
.and the
next day, afternoon, they spolie.the 'squadron .which
blockades your port, and Al•Cullock war:p.isied over to
one of those vessels, and signals made for the schooner
to carry the brig tai Sitges, whe:c they .anchored at
10 A at. of the 9111. The passengcrs were sent on shore,
passports examined, and found in order, m-hich the Au-
thorities offered to indorse ittimediawly, for any place
in possession
,of the French troops, - but not to any one
under the Spanishciovernment.
"'Tae passengers all began to land their- effects with-
out the least•hindrance,,and to schooner sent on boitrd,
took away the brigruißlee, unbent all; her sails,. and.
placed her close..under a battery.
" The schooner then sailed towards your port. -The
French, it seems, -want to. make a prize of her; on the
plea of her having sailed from a hlockaded port.—l atn;
(Piped) ."
J. W. SIMMONS, Vice-Cnitsul.
" M. F. Baker, Esq. in charge of tae British Consulate, I?ar:via:la."
" Joseph Miro, his BritannicM*sfy's Vice-C'nsul fOr the roes of
Villanueva :cad Sitge., appointed by, and actin; on he half of P.
C. Tuppi r, Esq. Majesty's Coltsul-General for the Prmir ze
of Catalonia,
"-Do hereby certify, to al to whom it may concern,
that on this 114.11 day of September, IS`23, came and
appeared, Captain Andrew AFCrillock, of the liritisfi
brig Merchants' Friend, belanging to the port of Sim-
dcrland, burden 101 tons, who b•eing duly sworn, did
declare and depose to me to the puiportfollowing; viz.
On Sunday, the 7th instant, I sailed froraTarraguna,
bound to Palma, in the island of Majorca, with passen-
gers, consisting of the English Vice-Consul's,
likewise the American Vice-Consul's family, and several
Spanish Gentlemen, with their luggage. At seven r. 7+r.
I was detained by, a French schooner of war, the Com-
mander whereof ordered me to go on board. I told him •
that as my :coats were all in, I would thank him to sen 4
his boat alongside my brig, as my going on board the
schooner would subject me to perform quarantine on. •
my arrival at Palma. Ile replied, he had no boat. I
then got out mine and went alongside, in case he should
wish to look at my papers, with a light, it not beiag pru-
dent to go on hoard a strange vessel- at that hour of the
night. Ile utterly refused so doing, and ordered his
people in my boat to take me by for ce; at-the same time
i.rderesl to fire in my boat when 1 was on board of her,
I was led to the cabin, whenl presented my bill of
health to the commander, and told him that my custom.
house clearances being on board, if he thought proper, .
I would bring them for his inspection, but h e told me
that there was no need thereof. He made me under-
stand by one of his people, that I ought to* go on board
of a French brig of war, and to speak with the Com-
modore, there being no person on board that could read
the bill of healtl3„. I was then sent in the schooner's
boat on board the brig, the .Captain whereof told' me
that my vessel was a. prize, and that I should be sent
to France. I then told him I would take no further
charge of my vessel. I .was then ordered into the boat,
and conveyed again on board. the schooner. On my
arrival alongside, I advised my mate that I had no fur-
ther charge of the vessel. As soon as I arrived on board
the schooner, I was put both legs in irons ; they then
bundled me down. between. decks, and slapped me,
withoiit anything to lay on except the planks. At eight
A. M. I requested to s:o on deck, which was complied
with ; but shortly afterwards f was slapped down again.
I desired the citnitnander of.the, schooner_to send his
boat on board. my brig, for 'a few clean clothes
and other stores, but he refused doing so. At noon,
on deck, my. .brig .in company. with the schooner.
—Tuesday, the 9th, -from noon till seven POI. on deck;
I was then taken below, and the icons put ort
The remainder of tl.e night nothing strange occurred.
• At eight A.st. the Commander of the schooner went on
board the Gazelle French brig of war, and shortly after-
wards returned, when lie. ordered the irons off. I was
then sent :on board the aforesaid brig, the Lieutenant"
whereof told me that I was at liberty to walk upon deck,
and to remain en board the Gazelle waiting orders from
the FrenCh Admiral c.l; Barcelona.. Wednesday, the
the.Wliole of these 24. hours on board the
.brig
Gazelle, I inquired of a person on board the name of
the schooner chat detaiced my vessel, and found her to
be the French schooner Javet.. Mks morning, at seven,
I obtained permis•sipn front the CaVtitiA of the Gazelle
to sendnne of his boats for some necessaries that 1
wanted. mate came alongside, but I was not al-
lowed:tb.speak with..him,.and.had a note from him in,
forming me the crew. had refused to do their duty, con-
sidering the vessel wis a prize.
inlay, the 12.h—Nothing particular happened
thete.24lOurs en board the Gazelle. Saturday,. the
13th, the foie.p.ah'eUtliele-24'hOuts'nothing particular
. •, .• .

occurred. At eight PM. came to for a French frigate,
and the Captain of the Gazelle went on board; about
half an hour afterwards he returned, and informed.
=se I could take charge of my vessels•take my pas-
sengers on board, and go where I thought proper. At
wine ♦.ll. waspt on board. The Mate informed me
they had unbent the sails, cut my ropes, all season that
came in their way, my cableruined for want of service,
• about fifty fathoms from the end, and they behaved
with the utmost rudeness to my passengers and ship's
company. Wherefore he, said Master, has desire&
this minute of protest to be noted against such an in-
sult, and for all damages sustained, to serve and avail.
for the purpose required, in time and place convenient.
(Signed) ANDREW Id' CU LLOCK:
" Thus sworn, declared, and protested before me, in
Villanueva, the day, month, and year before written,
which I hereby attest under my hand and seal of office,
(Signed) " JOSEPH MIRO, British Vice-C.onsuL"