Star.
London, England, 1807-05-08 00:00:00

COURT MARTIAL.

The Proceedings of a Board of Enquiry on board of his Majefty's
Ship Canopus, by order of Vice-Admiral Sir John Thomas
Duckworth, K. B. and a Court Martial held on board his Ma-
jefty's fhip Royal Sovereign, per order of the Right Honourable
Lord Collingwood.
At a Court Martial held on board his Majefly's
Ship Canopus, by order of Vice-Admiral Sir John
Thomas Duckworth, K. B. dated the t 6th February,
1807, and dire/Led to Rear-Admiral SirThornas Louis,
Bart. for enquiring into the caufe, and firidly invel
tigating the circumftances of the fire, by which his
Majefly's Ship Ajax was entirely dentoyed, on the
night of the 14. th inftant.
PRESENT.
Rear-Admiral Thomas Louis, Bart. Pr, fidcnt.
Rear Admiral Sir William Sidney Smith.•
Captain Charles Bowles.
_ Honourable Captain A. K. Legge.
Captain Richard Dacres.
Read the order cf the Vice-Admiral Sir John
Thomas Duckworth for the inquiry.
'the Honourable Captain Blackwood, of his Ma.
f2te Ship Ajax, appeared before the Court, and
dreffed them as follows : •
" •beg leave to (late to the Court,: that. from an
carnet defire to have the fullelt and earliefi` poffible
information of the caufe of the loft of his Majefty's
late (hip Ajax, under my command, as well at the
means tried to fave her, and that evidence Should be
heard cn oath, mid as conclufive a lenience given as
poflible, fo that in the event (which I truft would he
the cafe), cf myfelf, officers and crew, being arguitted,
I might again be placed in aftive fervice, from which
at prefent we are neceffatily withdrawn, I have car-
nal! folicited Vice Admiral Sir Jnhn Thos. Duck-
worth, K. B. to order a Court Martial; and finding
from the Right Hon. Lord Collingwood's 'orders to
him, that he is not authorized to dire& a Court Mar."
tial to be held on the officers and crews of fhips 1011,
but to fend them to join the fquadron with the faid
Commander in Chief for trial, which I confider fo
contrary to the cuftom of the fervice and the Ad of
Parliament, that for the following reafons 1 confider
myfelf, my officers and (hip's company, moll Severely
• aggrieved, as it deprives us utterly of the advantage
which we Should odic wife have derived from the full
effed in the claufe of the Aft of Parliament 22d of
Geo. 11. as follows : And it is hereby further enac-
oed, that from and after the 25th day of December,
1749, in cafe any Commander in Chief of any fleet
or fquadron of His Majefty's (hips or veffels of war,
in foreign parts, (hall detach any part of Such fleet
or fquadron, every Commander in Chief (ball, and
is hereby authorized and required, by writing under
his hand, to empower the Chief Commander of the
fquadron or detachment Co ordered on feparate fer-
vice, and in cafe of his death or removal, the officer
to whom the command of Inch feparate fquadroa
or detachment (hall belong, to hold Court Martial
dining the time of Such feparate fervice, or until the
Commander of the laid fquadron or detachment, for
etc time being, than come under the command of
any of his fuperior officers, or return to Great Britain
or Ireland.'
Becaufe it is an open and diredt violation
of the foregoing Ad of Parliament.
" 2dly. Becaufe from the fervice the Commander
in Chief is upon, watching an enemy's fquadron, it
is probable he may not be found off Cadiz, conic
quently the fervice is much protraded, and myfelf,
officers, and (hip's company, thrown out of it, for an
indefinite period.
3.ily. Becaufe the Commander of the fquadron,
Vice-Admiral Sir John Thos. Duckworth, has the
fullell means, by a fufficiency of (hips, to comply
with the At of Parliament, departing from which
becomes a molt cruel hardibip to individuals, and
extremely injurious to the ferviee.
4thly. That were it nos for the fenfe that Vice-•
Admiral Sir John Thomas Ditsckworth has of the
peculiarity of the cafe, being kindly pleated to adopt
a Middle comic, by crdering a Court to inquire into
the caufe of the lots of his Majefly's late Ship the
Ajax, it would be impoffible for us to volunteer our
fervice: oe the expedition before us, which 1 now do

for myfelf and officerr, hoping that the fervice at
large, from the inquiry that has taken place this day,
before five fuch highly diftinguithed and refpeClable
Members, will, in tiro event of our falling in battle,
confider the opinion given as conclufive. that not
only the fire was Poch as it was (Cartel), poflible to
guard again% but alfo that it was more rapid than
any ever witneffed, and that every exertion was ufed
to extinguifh itohnugh without effeCt.
At nine o'clock, P. M. on the 14th Feb. 1807,
at anchor off the mouth of the Dardanelles, in com-
pany with the fquadron under Vice-Admiral Sir J.
T. Duckworth, K. B. jun as I had gone to bed, the
officer of the watch ran into my cabin, and acquainted
me there was a great alarm of fire in the after-part
of the (hip ; I immediately ordered the drummer to
beat to quarters, which was effected ; and inflantly
as I came out of my cabin, I direEled the fignal No.
tz, to be made, which was made, and repeatedly en-
forced by guns at. intervals ; I called tome of the
Senior Officers of the (hip, who went down with me
to the after cockpit and the lower deck, from whence
the fmoke iffued, I immediately ordered as much
water as poffible to be thrown down, and the cock
to be turned, which I found had been previoufly
done. When I made the fignal No. h, I ordered a
koat with Lieutenant Wood, a Miclatipman, and a
boats' crew, to go and inform all the fhios near us
of the unfortunate fituation of the Ajax. I had
fcarcely been three minutes on the lower deck, when
I found the impoflibility of any Officer or man re-
maining in the cockpit, to endeavour to extinguifh
the fire, perceiving from the quantity and thicknefs
of the fmoke, that fever al men fell down with buckets
in their hands, from fuffecation.
" To obviate this, I &fired the lower deck ports
to be hauled up, to give air ; but very loon finding
the harm it produced, I direeled them to be lowered
down, and the after hatchway to be covered up, in
order to gain time, by flopping the vent of the
fmoke, for the boats to be hoifted out ; which
meafure I was induced to adopt, finding that the
fire was of that nature, that the flip molt loon be
in flames. Owing to their not being any cock
leading to the after magazine, I ordered the car-
penter, with his crew, to fcuttle the after-part of the
(hip ; but by this time (a period from the commence-
ment of not more than ten minutes, as near as I can
judge) the fmoke, though endeavoured to be Rifled,
had gained fu much, that, though it was bright
moonlight, we could only dillinguifh each other even
on deck, by fpeaking or feeling ; confequently all
attempt to hoitt the boats out, were ineffeCtual, ex-
cept in the cafe of the jolly boat, which began to
take up the men who had jumped overboard. Im-
mediately, as the flames burl up the main hatchway,
which divided the fore from the after-part of the (hip,
I called to every body to get to the foremoft part of
the (hip ; as all hopes were at an end of laving her,
I defired everyone to rave himfelf as fail as he could.
I had fcarcely reached the forecallle, when I law all
parts from the centre of the booms aft in a raging
flame. When the fire had reached the other part of
the forecallle, after exhorting the officers and (hip's
company, to the amount of 4co, who were on the
forecallle and about the bovrfpi it, to be cool, and de.
pend on the boats ; and alfu feting all hopes of raving
the (hip were vain, I jumped overboard, from the
fpinfail yard, and being about half an hour in the
water, I was picked up by one of the boats of the
Canopus, and taken on board that flip, much ex-
hau fled.

" In the execution of the duty, which devolved on
me as Captain cf the (hip in fuch a fituation, I de.
lived much Alliance from all the officers, but parti-
cularly from Lieutenants Proltor, Brown, Mitchell,
and Sibthorp, as alfo the Mailer and Captain of
Marines; and with refpet9 to the (hip's company,
under fuch circumfiances of fire, more rapid than I
believe ever before known, with hammocks below,
ruder the impreflion of terror, which fire at any
time creates, but particularly when men were jirft
out of their beds, no people could have behaved with
more coolnefs or perfeverance than they did.
" In purfuance of the (landing orders, I had re•
ceived the report from the Firil Lieutenant, of his
having vilited all parts of the (hip, with the Warrant
Officers and Mailer at Arms, which he had found
clear and fide: I had alfo received the particular re-
port of the Mailer at Arms, but not that of the
Lieutenant of the Marine Guard, who was accullom-
ed to vdit all below, and report to me at nine o'clock,
at which hour this unfortunate event took place."
Captain Blackwood's narrative here doled, and
feverat evidences being called into Court, were exa-
mined ; the Court having deliberated on the fame,
formed their opinion -accordingly, which was, una.
nimoufly acquitting Captain Blackwood, his Officers,
and Crew.

A fimilar honourable acquittal was pronounced by
the Members of a Court Martial held off Cadiz by
order of Lord Collingwood.

A provifion of moot. to each of his five daugh-
ters, for a marriage portion, was the judicious difpo-
fal, a few months fince, of a gentleman near town,
who had gained a quarter of a zo,ocol. Prize in the
Lottery. This was providing for a family at a (mall
expence, and never was a Lottery Wheel more richly
calculated than the prefent one for fig laudable an,aim.
Capital Prizes, to nearly the amount of too,cool. are
All forthcoming, though but few days drawing
more remain. The Prize to the very fiat drawn
Ticket on Tuefday next, is alone fufficient to provide
handfomely for twenty children.

A journeymin baker, named Wilfon, was yefler•
day committed from Hatton. Garden Office, for de-
coying a girl aged eleven, belonging to the Charity
School in Hatton Garden, to the back of St. Pancras
Church, and there affaultieg her with intent to com-
mit a rape, which intent would have been completed
but fur the interference of fume Rerfons whom her
cries brought to her affiftance.
A horrid murder was committed yellerday mnr-
ning in the neighbourhood of Farhion ftreet, Spital-
acids, in the houfe of one Jackfon, a weaver ; notice
having been fent to the Public Office, Worlhip-ftreet,
fome r.f the officers went to the houfe, and found two
children, one five, and the other (even years old,both
girls, drowned in a water calk with their heads down-
wards, perpetrated by their mother, Mary Jackfon,
who was with much difficulty fecured after making
a great refinance ; use was at length taken to the
workhoofe till a Coronet's Ingo& (hall fit on the,
bodies of the deceafed.

RorAL ACADEmr. •

EXHIBITION OW.
No. 161. Portrait of his Royal likeltieft the Pule of
Gloucejer.—J. OP Is, R.. A.—This is a faithful refem-
blame of his Royal Highnefs, painted in that pecu-
liarly bold and clear ftyle for which all the portraits
of this lamented artift are fo diftinguilhable—grace
of attitude is not, however, one of the leadin gcharac
teriftics of his figures.
t 62. Sun rling through Yatour : Fr bert:Jen cleaning and
filling Filh.—J. M, W. Tuasea, R. A.—This is Mr.
Turner's belt pitiure of the prefent leaf n, but it is
not equal to force of his forma; produaions. There
is in it great freedom of defigncbreadth of light and
fhadow, and fobtiety of tint ; but every part of it
appears to have been borrowed front fomething we
have fees before. The (hips and figures are not thofe
of the prefent day, and the general tone of the pißure
is more that of Come old mailer, than of familiar na-
ture.
175. Paul and Barnacle, &c.—R. Wssr, R. A,—
This is the finifhed fithly from which the la, ge piaure
in the chapel at Windfor was painted. The compo-
fition is very grand ; the expreffion in all the charac
ten introduced ftrongly appropriate, and the colouring
rich and varied.

- - - - - -
54. A Girl going to Mariet.—J. NORTH COTE, R. A.
—This is a firmly painted piaure, and well coloured,
but the drawing of the afs on which the girl ri Jes, is
incorre& ; the fore feet of the animal only appearing
to cover a fmall furface.of about a foot fquare. The
face of the girl is interefling, and the back ground of
the piaure Anciful and appropriate.
• •

Bt. Cremhild, the Widow of Sivri/, flew: to .'ropy. is
Prifon, the Head of Gunther, hi: Accromplice in the tiffi!ffina-
tion of her bufband.—H. FVSELI, R. A.—This is the
only produttion which Mr. Fideli has this year ex-
hibited, and had it been withheld from the eye of the
public altogether, his reputation as an artitl would
not have fuffered. We have here the fame diflortion
oflimbs and features, which the perverted imagina-
tion of this painter has, for a reties of years, fubtritu-
ted for ideal dignity and expreffion, wrap' in a gloomy
garb of colouring which, indeed, well fuits fuch
fabliau monftrolit les !

LAZY INT ELL IGENCE.

ADMIRALTY COURT, DOCTORS' COMMONS, MAY 6.
This day the Right Hon. Sir WILLIAM SCOTT,'
proceeded to the adjudication of the following cafeti:l
The Dann (hip —, laden with a cargo of
coffee, fugar, and other metchandize, taken in it 4t.
Übe's, on a voyage to Copenhagen, was cairilenred
the private (hip of war Happy Rcturn, Nicholas Ir.-
win, Commander, and brought to Plymouth. ..This
was a further proof cafe, with refpee to.tite ptot)erty
of the cargo, which the Court held was;finticient *as
to four•feventh parts of it, and direCtell [till filltheg.
proof as to the remainder, and alto gave the cap-
tors' their law expences.
Apollo, Strack mailer ; De Hoop, Dicks mailer;
and Drie Draw J(.hanna, Woude mauler.—Theft
were three Papenburgh veifels, laden with cargoes of
fait. Ihe Court reltored the (hips and cargoes, as
claimed, and condemned the captors' in the expences
of the day's hearing, and obferved, that if any of 1
thefe cafes came before it again, it (hould give ample
demurrage.
Henrick and Cornelia, mailer.—This was a,
further proof cafe as to the cargo, which was pro-
nounced by the Court to belong as claimed, fubjee
to the captors' expences of taking the depoiltions.
Lifette Pater fun mailer.—This DAM& (hip, with
a cargo (:f coffee, attack, and various other articles,,
bound on a voyage from Batavia to Copenhagen, was
captured by the Cullom hottfe rottr Beagle, James
Needs, Commander, and his Majefly's (hip Pluto,
Rich janverin, Commander, and brought to Datt•
mouth. Jr appeared in this cafe, that after the (hip
was brought in, a confidetable time elapfcd before
the captors proceeded to take the neceffary depoil-
ti .ns ; therefore the Court was of opinion (the pro-
perty being clearly proved to be in the perfons claim•
ing the fame) that the captors had fubjeeed them-
felves to a otnight's demurrage, and alto a cm-
penfation to the Mailer and a German paffenger, for
detaining them onboard unneeeffatily,and accordingly
pronounced for fuck demurrage, and a guine.• per
day to each of there persons, during the period of 14

days.
Eendraugh(, Wolbers mailer,—ln this cafe the
property was reflored as claimed, fubjeet to the
captors expences.

To THOS. TAYLOR, Efq. No. 9, New Bridge. ftreet, London
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