The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-11-20

oiateS, isi,ed from Hampton Roads, an Intended
cruize in the Mediterranean fea, on the morning of
the gid June lsii paG, having IN board a crew con-
hitting OF more than three hundred and feven,y men,
and completely equipped with every thing neceGary
Tor iueh hip OF war, falling on foeh eruie.
z. IL appears Go the court, chat captain Barron
was appointed commodore of the fips and veiI-s def
tined for the Mediterranean fervce on the 9Th day
OF May lat Paa, and hoiled his broad pendant on
board the Chefapeake the Firm time he came on board
OF her alter her arrival in Hampton Roads, to wit; on
or about the 9th day of June Ian pan. 81
81 .. IL appears TO the court, that commodore Bar
ron vited the Chefapeake only twice during the pc
rod The remained in Hampton Roads, and before he
came on board to proceed fea on neither of which
&c eaiions, did ne examine particularly uto her Gate
and condition. y s
T. 1t appears TO the court, .ha, tie guns of the
Che'speake were never exercifed before e proceed
ed to Tea; that her crew chartered but a few
days previous TO that tne and had never been called
to quarters more than three times prior her failing
for iea ,'-'
3. ltappears to the eourc, thar the Chip was re-
ported TO commodore Barron to be ready for fca ON
the 1th day Of June, that he on board on the
2ltt, and that the nip failed on the morning of ,he
ED Of June lat pan
o. 1t appears TO the court, that autecedent to the
failing OF the Cheapeake, there had been received on
board OF her Tome perons who had been claimed by
the brsh government delerters from their fervice
bu who were not ordered be delivered up BY the
American ohcers-Thas there was ALTO report in cir
CITATION, and generally known board the Chefa-
pease, that hrea, had beer ufed by the captain OF
the Brit'h ihp of war Melampus take tn. fe men
from tho Chelapeake- That commodore Barron mad
iuii knowledge of the facts that iuch men were OF
board his Chip, thar they had been demanded by the
HritLh government, and had not been delivered IN
the court are perfectly iari.hed; but TO poheive ey
dente has been addueed prove, that the report Of
IN cd
before his ihip failed, -
u IL appears TO the court, that the Chefapesk in
proceeding from Hampton Roads to fea, pafed Bril-
tiih iquadron anchor in Iynhaven Bay who at the
time oil her pang them were making iignas to ea Oh
other, which was not only reported to comn1ndore
barron by ono OF his officers, bur actually oblervcd
by himfeif
ltappesrs TO the court, that the Britiih Cnip O,
war Leopard OF nifty guns, OF the fquairon then
at anchor within the limits of the u States weighed
immediately alter thete gnals thrown out, and
Rood GO fea --.,
y it does not appear to the court that at thi.
'ie thefe any vehel III fight, any other obea
to induce her to 90 to lea, but the Chefapeake
TO- it appears to the court, that at the time the
Leopard got under weigh, the wind was at fouth-
iout.wet and therefore fair for her to proceed to
lea but that inead OF awaiting herfef of this TO clear
the land, The hauled by the wind cofe round Cane
tienrY and Rood to the lourhward. under eafy fail;
'neTe0y ihe"lnS fhat it her intention to per
OF the land fpeedly.
III. appears to the court, that after this the wind
became ghs and balisg and likely TO hi!t aud came
out from the eattward; that when this happened the
Leopard faortened fail, and food ia the eaiivard
IL. IL appears to the court, that after This the
WIND did come out from about fourth fcutb eat,
and that the Leopard then having thus got the ~ea.
'ner.suage, preierved it by tacking in ihore when
the Chs. apeak. did 10 in order 10 get off her n,or
q r N u
that the Leopard wore, and bore down for her.
IS i appears To the court that when the Ieo
Pard tacked and ood III fhore, the fame tack with
the CheiaPeake, that her lower deck ports were all
trced up.
a. itaPpears to the court, that when the Leo
Pard run down for the Cheapeake ihe rounded to OH
hef hdrboard quarter, and windward of her, and
that at this time her compton. were out of her
Is ltappears to the court, thar commodore Bar
ron was upon deck, obiervng the Leopard Gurina
the time 'heie nlan9uvres were praGing, and theft
appearances exhibited.
10. The court is Of opinion, that the circumftan-
ces above ttated, in themelves 70 f,|picious "a
TO nave iurnhed !uttieent warning prudent dif
Greet and attentive officer of the probable degn, of
a fhiP OF war conducted in that way, and ought 20
nave induced commodore Barron to have prepared
his ihp for action Especially with the information he
poileec OF the ttuaton OF his generally of thoie
who had been demanded By the Eritiih government,
anu Oh Tie general tate OF the ihp ar that
time.
~. Itappears to the court that commodore Bar
ron nevertheless did order his flip to b.. cleared
Tor action, and that he did call his men TO quar-
ters.
10. 1t appears to the court, tina: when the Leo
pard came along hide of the Chelaprske an officer was
lent from her with a communication from Capt Hum
phres, the captain OF tine Leopard, commodore Bar
ron, which the latter could and did not niiuuder
Rand, but very correctly concluded to be a demand
with which he ought not and could not comply and
one which, ii reiuied would be enforced if poib,e
10. 1t appears TO the court, that although luch
was the htuston and irpreiion of Commodore Bar.
ron at this time, Yet that he did ill order mis- lp
TO be prepared for actoD, although ample time wa.
allowed Tor that purPoe, the Britiih officer being de-
tsined on board the Cheiapeake from SIS 20 as mi
nutes.
20. The court is of opinion, that the neqlea of
commodore Barron to prepare his hIp for action un
der iuch cireumitances is direct breach of the 9TH
article OF the rules and regulations for the government,
OF the Navy OF the United States, adopted by an ACT
OF the Congreis Of the u. States, paed on the $50
day ot April 1900, entitled An aci for the better
government OF the Navy OF the United States"
2t' IL appears to the court, that after the BritG,
oieer lett the Cheapeske, bearing poGtive refnlal
from commodore Barron to the demand which had |
oeen made by Capt. HumPhries, & alter commodore |
Barron was himelf iaisfied that an attack upon bis
IMP would be made, he did take prompt neeels
ry aod eh!-ient means to prepare his lhp for battle
has ms rit order was merely to clear his gun deck
and the iee0nd given after the lapfe of fome time was
TO get his men to quarters eersy without the beat
OF Drum although with luch crew as he had on |