Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1805-07-12
NEW HAVEN, Comm JULY ,.
COMMUNICATION

by the way of 81. Thomas with y.laa a'
bic cargo, principally sugars, was cap,us.i
on the 9TH Of April, by British fro
carried into Eortola, and condemneo +.
lawful prize.
I Her sentoNce Of condemnation, ~.
grounded on an order Of the Courl of 4.
James, issued onthe oath Of January lan,
directing tth commanders of their sn,'
Of war, and privateers, not to seize q,
neutral vessels, which, shall be CARVING !.
trade directly between the Colony of The
enemy ard the. neutral Colony to which
the vessel belongs, and laden with ~
property Of the. inhabitants of such nm
trail colony" &c.-!eauing the commao
ders Of the British ships of war and pr,v,
teers to imply an order to capture, and the
Vice Admiralty Court an authority 10
condemn, provided-the neutral 7essel va,
bound to any other neutral colony than
the.one. to which she belonged. -
The evidence exhibited before the Vie
Admiralty Court, TO prove that the Mo-.
hawk WAS bouud IN fact from Mar,nico to
ST. Thomas, with a view of selling her,
sugars. &C.. there, was derived principally
from letters which captain Peek had writ.
ten to his owners, advising them of the
reduced prices Of American produce
Martlnico, and of his intention to leave
his cargo of sugars and proceed to St.
Thomas; and then to return to Martini.
co, receive ,he .avails of his outward bound
| cargo and proceed to New York. These
letters were intercepted by the British
privateers, and lodged in. the hands Of the
agent of the cap:ors at Toftola.
In the mean time the rise Of American
produce at Martinico, and the danger ap.
pretended from the English feet which
was expected soon to hover around the
island, induced captain Peck, to abandon
his former designs, to sell his cargo, re.
Eeeixe its avals, and return to New York.
Ills object In touching at ST. Thomas wa.
merely to settle an account respecting
quantity of corn meal previously depos,sa
| there for sale.
The order Of the British government is
so ex.ravagant in itself, and SO extensively
| Injurious to the mercantile interests Of
| the United States in its consequences
that IT deserves some attention.
The laws OF nations require nothing Of
neutrals, when others are at war, but strict
ly to observe their neutrality. fla neutral
power supplies one of The bellieerent ma.
tons with provisions, aud denies them to
the other, it would plainly be a breach Of
neutrality because the neutral power acts
the part Of an ally in supplying the wants
and strengthening the hands Of the former,
and the part of an enemy in withholdioshe
same aid from the latter.
But the governments OF Great Britain DO
NOT pretend IN their order that the United
States were carrying on trade contrary to
the right enjoyed by ncutraIs. They say
In consideration Of the presen. state Of
commerce, VIZ. are plfasedherebyt ITO direct
Sc. The reason of the order, if there is
any beyond the will audi the power of Those
who conceived it, seems to be founded %
the idea that the expectation of the pro.
dace OF a French island to neutral colo'
ny, ralhsr than the one to which the vessel
belongs, will promote the interests of the
French cation, BY opening wider ma'ss!
forlhe produce Of the French colonies, AMI
consequently by increasing its demand, and
enhancing its prices. But will not the same
reason extend with equal force to the pro-
hlbltlon OF neutrals to trade directly from
an enemy's port, in any ADD every part 0!
the enemy's empire to their owns Ana
have not the government of Great Britain
the same right to prohibit this branch Of
commerce as the other Whenever tney
please ? And if it be ,rne tina, this IS
rtght OF the British government have n0'
the French and Spanish the same right on
the same principles, to pursue the same
course Whenever they please THE con- on
sequence is that the commerce of the "
nised States must be mostly confined ~