Star.
London, England, 1818-07-01 00:00:00

COVRT.OF CIIANCERY. JUNE 30.

Sir a Ririt'ltciao* moved that the OJice of the
Asconntaitt-General should be shut after the 19th
dq of August : that no monies whatever should be
pod out 4 the afice after that day ; and slat any
notce of applications fOr money should be lodged
with the Atcountant-General on or before the 16th
of that month. The °Ace to be °pert on the first
seal before Term.
The LORD CHANCZLLOR.-.—Be it SO.
. ADMIRALTY-COURT. JCXE
•Viriut DR VARSOVIE.

Sir WILLIAM SCOTT.—This is a question of head-.
money, arising from the destruction of five Franch
ships in Basque Roads in the year 1809. The French
feet lay there blockaded by the English squadron,
and it was the ohject of the Board of Admiralty to.
destroy theni I; fire. ships, or any other means that
would be likely to be effectual. The service was
perfornred, and head-money svas claimed on the part
of Lord G.iinbier far the fleet. It was decreed to
him, but distribution of it was prevented by a notice
delivered to Lord Gambier's agent, on the pert of
Lord Cochrane, claiming the whole head'-money for
the ships actually engaged in performing the service.
a has been the constant practice of these Courts to
restrain the distribution of heal-money within much
narrower bounds than that of prize, and it has al-
ways been considered as a re•.zsard for -real actual
service, and a meritorious personal exertion. A mere
honest wish to share in the dange- of an ernerprise,
however praise-worthy, is insufficient to entitle a
party to share in the reward ; but in cases oftmited
force for a general purpose, it is considered as a con-
flict of all with all ; for it would be hardly possible,
in the confusion of a general action, to distinguish
the particular combats of individual ships, removed
as they must be by the extent of the line of battle.
for mere elongation will not break the unity of a
joint transaction. The present must be. cs• isidered
either as a combined or a separate attack. It might
happen, that the use of the whole force under Lord
Gambier might be improper ; that other descriptions
of force might be more efficient ; or that the Com-
mander of the armament might think it necessary to
assign particular stations to particular vessels. The
questi.m to be considered is, was it the transaction of
a fleet associAted for ore common purpose, or was
there a dissociation ? It is evident that it must have
been the wish of the Lords of the Admiralty to de-
stroy the ships of the enemy \vhich were blockaded
by the British fleet. Lord Gan-.l,ler's letter to Lord
nulgrave, c.aed the 11th of Mash, 1809, shews
that it had been the suhject of cenvessation before
Lord Coch•rane was applied to :

" 33r isr.aa Loan—The advanced work between the Isles of
Aix and °l.ran, whic!. I ir.etrioned in m 7 last letter, I find
was injured in L, founciltion; and Is in no state of progress;
tact it is, therefor:, no Cl:Lt.:clew to our bombarding the enemy's
tee:. if you E.h.:111.:1 be diT....ted to make an attempt to destroy
it. The enenly's sips 1r; very much exposed to the operation,
of fi:.:-ships: it is a 113:1.13'.e mode of warfare, and the attempt
very h•_:;arjr.us, if not o.sreratE; but we should have plenty
tLe eer,ice. If ,pm mean to do any thing of
tit Lind, it shaulf. be with tccrecy a•Td quickly, and the ships
ussd should :7ot be kai, than taco buLt for the purpose, at least
dozer., and senne sma!!tr cr.es."

Notice is also given on the 19th to Lord Gambier
of the preparation:, with a view to enable him to
make an attack on the enemy, either conjointly with
the line-of-battle ships, or separately, by what other
means he should think fit to employ, and also direc-
t/ens to him to employ Lord Cochrane in the service.
T.t appears, therefore, from the documents mentioned,
that the general command of the whole enterprize
yeas given to Lord Gambier. Here is a blockade,
and what service can be more of a combined nature
than that cf blockade ? The fire ships formed a part
of it ; they were fitted out from the fleet, and were
manned by volunteers from Lord Gambier's vessels;
the ships that came from England formed a part of
the general fleet : and whatever Lord Cochrane's
merits may be, they are not of a nature to destroy
the rights of Lord Gambier. The service is connected
in its very origin, and it will be difficult to shew how
it was dissociated. It is true that it was effected by
tae fire-ships, but the in-shore squadron was ad-
vanced to receive the men- from the fire-ships. On
the next morning the combined operations were con-
tinued. Whether the whole, o: only a part of the
fleet engaged, is of no sort cf consequence. Lord
Cochrane made signal for further assistance, acknow-
ledging thereby dint the fleet was in a situation to
atlord it. Some censures are throWn in the act on
petition on Lord Gambier; but the conusance of
complaints of that nature, although it formerly be-
longed to this Court, is now happily transferred to
another and more competent tribunal : but still the
very charge of neglect implies an admission on the
part of. Lord Coe-Irene, that Lord Gambier com-
manded the enterprize; how else could he be con-
sidered as answerable for the consequences? In the
Clnt case, the fleet is not removed by elongation,,
iet wan not above five miles from the scene of'
action. The operation is•not•by detachment, for all
mere emPloyed. There was no separate controul,
for the Wholetalces its orders from Lord Gambier.
Atl contributed to produce the effect, but with dif-.
-*rent degrees of activity. The whole service, whe-
ther principal or auxiliary, was confided to, and
directed by Lord Gamble. :

" Servatur ad imum

" Qualis ab inceixo."

If I am wrong in the principles I have laid down,
I am wrong altogether; but my preseLt impression
ti tat the whole fleet is cntided to share in the
Le.1.1-money.
The Court suspended the question of costs.

Yesterday,. as the men employed in pulling down
the work.;hop of Mr. Wit.sou, situate on the west side
sf the Waterloo Bridge, near the Strand, were pro-
ceedingin their avocations, a heavy chimney fell
down with a kireadful crash, broke through the roof
beneath, and had well nigh proved fatal to several of,
the labourers ; fortunately only one of them was se-I
siensly injured, his leg being fractured by one of the
tst ams falling on it. the accident occurred through
s -..triar• away the joist ,xhich supported the chimney,)
which circumstance the men were not aware.