Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-06-17
FR0M The NORFOLK LEDtiEa.
COMMODORE BARRoN'S DEFENCE.
IcoNTIauED.


csasion by signal from one ofthe British squad
rex; the Geographic comEn,anioatlou between I.
th Il ship and another anss the LeoPafu :
gestin;s uader weigh. These appearances,
says tae accusation, Indicated nostiiity
person unaccusroined TO naval affairs, Wouid
Cerainiy infer, from the solemnity with " hicil
THESE eircum stances. arc urged as indications
Of an in,snded attack that signals were rare
1 ased between ships OF the same squadron
a Il when used, that they Could be perfectly
Understood by all obseryersand the latter
eonslnsioa wouid derive great support from
the testimony of Mr. Crane, who, probably
frona inatlvertsncc, has stated, that the Leo
pard got hnsier way by signal. What would
be the surprixea of such a person to De eold,
that the communication by signal Is the ordi-
nary mode of Intercourse between distant YES
Seis ofthe same squadron; and that scarcely
al hour passes In which various signals are
not made from the ship in which We now are
to some OF the numerous gun boats In our
harbor! How much more would he be as
tonished when informed, that these signals
are as incomp rehensibie without book OF etx-
plantations, asseventae hieroglyphicks of Col.
iEsrr, without. the aid of Gen WilNnson'st
key 2--ali that could be inferred from the
signal was, that something was 10 he conl-s
municated. Eat it seems, that, as the Leo
pard got under weigh after the signal, ought
To have inferred In the words OF the charge,
I" the probability Of an engagement --Why
so 8 IF / had been permitted 70 conjecture
tae meaning OF a signal which you, sirs, as
naval officers, know it was impossible for me
to comprehend, should certainly have In
ferrel that the signal WAS designed, not for
tie Leopard, which did get under weigh, but
for the Meiampus which remained at anchor.
For,h Leopard is not represented to have
mcde an answering signal, which is siways,
done in our service, and believe In all
Others, by the ship TO which the signal is adj
dressed, while the Melampns did answer the
signal, and engaged in a Geographic COM
municaIion with the commodore.
On this subject ! will make but one more
remark. There are very many reasons why
the witnesses, viewing this circumstance In
connection with the attack, should, at this
day, attach more importance TO that occur
renee, than they did before the engagements
There ate no reasons why they should attach
less. Some oltlsem, it viii be remembered,
siSWcN llEilk INC
OF anticipated attack. Yet what do they now
say! Captain Gordon, Lieutenant Allen,
Lieutenant Smith, the Master Brooke, and
ali the Mldshipmen saw the signals; yet all
ackn owiedge that they excited no suspicious.
Mr. Crane and NJ. Creighton alone deemed
them indications of hostility.
But the Leopard it seems got under weigh
when no vessel but the Chesapeake was III
sight carried but little sail discovered no
disposition speedily to leave the land and
the charge supposes that should have infer
red the probability of an engagement from
those appearances Go this charge it would
be a sufficient reply in the language of po-
ct:
/" Triaes Light as air. are to the Jealous
confirmation strong
g As holy writ .
Nothing could have given these circun7-
stances any importance, brit q previous sus-
picion II is notorious that, Cor many months
ansecedcnt TO the sailing of the Chesapeake,
a British squadron had rendezyoused in the
Chesapeake Bay, watching the movements
of certain FreEch ships Of war within our wa
tiers. Ii is also admitted that some one or
other of these vessels were in the almost dali
ly habit OF quitting their anchorage, and CO.
Tag Just without the Capes, as the most CON-
yenient place for iaserccrting vessels inward
bound. It is universally known, that many
inward bound vessels had been actually capts--
red about this tine, within sight of the shore.
With these facts I was perfectly acquainted.
Did they not furnish a much more reasona-
BE and natural solution of these appearances,
rhan the extravaganf superstition that the
ships Of nation, with whom we were In the
strictest amitY, which for many months had