Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1801-1806, 1806-06-05
STEPHEN coTTRELL.

GfHIfsW0H az ne cape y C021 f10pe
dated, Mareb 1915, 1896.
&C All the American veflels that
put in at this place fince its capture
by the Britilh, underwent a long and
tedious examination, before the fever
al Commanders of the different fhips
of war, competing his Britannia Ma
jeliy's fquadron in the Bay, who, by
appointment of the commandant Sir
Home PoPham, formed rhemfelves
into committee of enquiry, or prize
committee. Thele characters, being
apparently unacquainted with mercan-
tile laws and culioms, were totally
unqualified for the talk of invelfigat-
ing commercial traHia6tions, and diff
charged the truf in the mott awkward
manner, utterly void of every fpecies
of regularity and with fuperciious
indifference, whereby many Ameri-
cans fuffered infamous infults and a.
bufe. The interrogatories put to fe-
veral matters and fupeTcargoes of a.
merican vefels, were prepoferous and
infignifcant, and their impertinence
is in many inltances infuferabIe. The
pocket book was taken from the pock-
ct of fupercargo from Philadelphia !;
the captain of whole vefel, for inde-
pendently fpeaking in behalf of his
property was abruptly told that |" the
americans r0ere all a Jet Of q0orfbieG
damned ra/caLs." Officers were fent
on board fome of the American vef-
fels, with orders from their command
er to take charge, without coninlting
or giving any information to the
agents of the property, why or where
fore upon applications to the COM
mittee, no latisfadion was given; one
faying, for initance, the fhip was to
be fent to England for adjudication,
the other contradiding it, turning to
fome frivolous fubjed, going out of
the room and leaving the enquirer a.
lone amazed at their faltidious impu.
dence. In this triAing manner, many
of the Americans have been ridicu-
louny treated their property left in
the mott dangerous fate Of fufpence,
TO encounter the impetuofity of the
ealtern gales that daily threatened the
fhips with imminent danger, without
being looked after either by the own
ers or captains, and as though 2 or 900
thoufand dollars was not worth their
notice. BY reprefenting this precari-
Gus fituation, the fuferer runs haz-
ard-of being egregioufly infulted with
the mott approbious language. An
elderly matter of "a lhip, Of Philadel-
phia. whole apparent age alone com.
manded re(peet, when complaining
of the perilous fituation of his fhip,
was harlhly told TO cote bsH No re-
drels for their grievances could be OBJ.
tanned the fquadron was frequently
abient, and the fecretary to the com.
mittee, who was LETT on lhore, &C.
knowledged he knew nothing The
fhip Union of Philadelphia, immedi-
ately on her arrival was taken poiIef-
fion of by order of the commander of
his majefy's fhiPs, and an officer ifa-
toned on board. Mr.. Robinfon, the
fupercargo, repeatedly applied for the
plea of this proceeding, obtained no
fatisfaaory anfwer; he waited on the
commandant, as the creator of this
committee, who replied 6 you might
as yell an the King a gusqion regard
ing the court Of admiralty :" After
which he addrefTed note TO the CON-
mittee, demanding a determined and
decifve anfwer, whether the ihip was
to go to England, and upon what
pretext few days after the fecreta-
ry informed Mr.. r. oAicially,t that the
fhip was to be fent to England fer
adjudication. The only fuppolsd
caufe of the detention of the lhip, is,