The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-02-19
5ts-GCoPY.1
ROYAL Wfiziam, a. Stithead.

sFGSE'
80 -CcopY.l
| Royal bfiihan, at Sfithead
- 51st of July, 1907.
SIR-Having, agreeably to the directions
OF the lords commissioners of the admiralty.
caused the deserters from the u S. sloop of
war Wasp, under, your command, to be
strictly examined and interrogated by cart.
the honorable G. Boyle, of his majesty's shin
Royal William, herewith inciose you Co
Ply of his report for your information.
! am, SIR,
Your most ob't humble serv't,
(Slgned) ISAAC COFFIN.
Rear admirai, &c.
JOHN, Smith, Esq. Commander of the
U. s. Stoeh of Var Vast.
[copY.]
- Royal ppitliam, Sfithead,
S1st July, 1907.
.ohn 6onsoT, ! SIR-ln obedience to
Thomas Jones, s your order of this davis
date, to call before me and strictly examine
as to the truth of the men named in the mar
GIN, being British subjects, who have left the
y. B. sioop OF war Wasp, beg leave to i'll
form you that after closely interogating those
men, firmly believe them to be British sub
IJects, seeing no reason whatever to doubt
their assertions, which are as follows.
j. Bonsor said he was born at Retford. in
Nottinghamshire, that he has mother now
living there who keeps the paper-mills, is
| thirty-fve years of age, and was baptised in
the church OF West Retford, is S feet 9 in
ches and Sd In stature, of fresh complexi-
on, left England after being paid off in the
Triton frigate at the expiration of last war,
since which time he has resided in and near
New York, until his entry Oh board the U.
S: slooP Wasp, in or about April last, when
he received four months advance at twelve
dollars per month, the dollar of value in cur
rency eight shillings, having received also
some stops during the time he has been on
board; that when sent on shore with wa
tering party at Cowes, he left that place.
went To Ryde, and called on the officer of the
rendezvous there to protect him as a British
subject.
Thomas Jones states that he was born in
Bristol, his fathers name Edward, his mo-
theirs Mary: He does not know when he wa,
baptised, as he was very young when he LEFT
Bristol. He quilted Liverpool in the year
1901 in the Gen. Kepplc privatcer brig,
which vessel was Captured by the Medea
Spanish trigate and carried to Buenos Ayres,
where he remained prisoner nine months,
then entered himself on board the Oliver Els
worth, a ship belonging to New-York, and
has sailed in American vessels from that
period until his entry on board the Wasp in
April last. He then received neither boun-
~ nor advance, as he could not procure bail
for making his appearance on board when
required, (the ship at that time not being
ready to receive nen) Previous TO his go.
ing out in The Gen. Keppe ne had been nine
years in Newfoundland, working in the en-
ploy of John Butler, of Burien, who was own
of the three fishing boats. He is 81 years
of age, feet7 inches in stature, of fresh
complexion with scar on his right thumb,
marked with ink on both arms, having our
Saviour on the cross on the right, a mermaid
with several other marks, on the left. He left
the Wasp on the same duty that John Bonsor
did, proceeded TO Ryde and claimed the pro-
lection Of the rendezvous Office there. He.was
also supplied with slops during his servit6ae
on board the Wasp. These men further state
that John Henley and John Fauldhor, calling