The Statesman.
London, England, 1809-10-31 00:00:00

On the Bth, the pleadings and all the foresail.
tics prescribed by the Imperial Decree of the 124
of July, 1800, Art. 70, being gone through, the
President inquired whether the •Members of the
• rt wished to make any observations ? Thep
Istaninsously answered in the negative; upon
Which/ the spectators and the Advocate for the
prisoners withdrew, at the request of the Presi.
dent, and the prisoners were conveyed back to the
place from whilh they had been brought.
• JusomENT.—The Centel, after deliberatine with
closed doors, set the _rotes being collected ac-
lording to Art. 66, section 4, title 3d, of the
'k/mentioned decree, in presence of the Gea.a.
ral Rapportersr, unanimously declared, that the
peoccedings were regularly conducted, and found
by a majority of eight voices to one, that the pri.
'toner, Nicholas Clement de la Honciere, was not
guilty of the loss of the ship Toustere, arlskb he
eomtnanded in the action or the 12th of April last.
They therefore acqnitted him of the charge
brought against him, and ordered his sword to be
restored to him by the President.
With respect to Jean Bsptiste, Laren. the
Court, by a majority of five voices to four, found
him guilty of having, in• a cowardly manner,
abandoned the Calcutta, in the presence of the
-mealy, on the 12th of April. They, therefore,'
adjudged him to suffer death, pursuant to Arti'3NP -
e2d of the Marine Penal Code, of dm •101:61.. .
;August, 1790, which was read by the Preethoet.
With regard to Guillaume Marcelin Pretesu,
the Court unseimously acquitted him of the charge
brought against him ; but by a majority` of Rye
voices to fear, sentenced him to three mouths con-
' finement in hie own chamber, for having set fire
to the la lies with Lou much precipitation, and
without perriously advising the Admiral; and this
in ponstastee of the law of the 20th September,
1796, authorising recourse to the Military Code,
with regard to offences not provided fur in the •
!Marine Code. The Court ordered Captain Pre-
'
teee's sword to be reethred.
As to the prisoner, Charles Nicolas Lacaille,
the Court having taken into consideration and
found by a majority of six voices to three, that
he did nut lose the Tourville, which he command.
ed; that he spcmtaneously returned en board, two
hours after quitting her, defended her against the
enemy, and brought her into port; adjudged him,
far•having momentarily quittged his vessel, to the
punishment of two years' i'nprisonment wherever
the Government thinks ft ; and further to have
his name struck 'out of '..he list of Marine Officers,
and tee he degraded from the Legion of Honour.
The prisoners PP. uteau and Lacaille were found
liable in expencee of process.
. The sentence was read to the Plirpuett at half..
put two o'clock un the 9tfr; and intenddiettly ef.
ter, the President retired to an a.ljolning cabin,
where lie causer' Lac:idle to be brought before hie.•.
The President then said to him, that having b •en a
Member of the Legion, and being fennel-guilty of
a breach of honour, it uas ltis duty to declare to
hint, pursuant to Art. 6, of the law of 95 Yea.
toss, year 12, in the name of the Legion, that he
`•thenceforth ceased t, se a member thereof.
On the 9th bf September, at fun; in the after-
, noon, the eristiner Lanni underwent his sentence,
• on boat( the !Irdmira':‘ ship the Occur:.

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