Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-06-16
80 y I'VE NORFOLK LEDGER.
COMMODORE BARRoN'S DhFENe g.
TcoNTISuBp.l

ever CorreCl Ia Liz SAco sASNj -, - -.
ssss partiealas inssaacs. as these sas 70 80
SRA sui the Chesapeake under my conla''a1a
TIE reply is obvious My DUTY ana aaeao1.t5
as commodore were the result OF ihae ia,iA Z
and sin;nsemt, and did not depend on the
,,,s,,,ls..r ol ships In nay squadron- II Will oS
60, xsir., ff,o--fronn the Instructions thFaa-
s.yvrss: TRAIT the wasp was designed 90 az
x,r, ..ny me; and On my arrival an saae Ne
.,,s,.,,,,,s.a,. several vessels were to be undef
) nv command 1t will reQssiis wonderful
snsr.e pton to discover, that my dunes, do
corr, odove, wulid have been lever, on Iay
sr,sya. In the Mediterranean, than they were
hascre we sailed. Yet thss must be tue case,
ca sne supposition that, While tRe Sacsa--
c@ske alone was under my command Was 90
Perform the duties of the captain from
Which on taking csn.aand OF the squadron
1nere. I'sholla nave been discharged. he
tr.as IS, that the. nature OF powers and du-
,ies would, IN both cases have bsca tho same
aleaoughs after my arrival IN that sea, theec
were ,aosc objects on which they were to O.
peratc than while | hid the Chesapeake
alone under nay command,
have been thus particular In examining
the relative duties OF Capt. G. and myself,
npt because feel sse pressure Of this charge
The subsequent disaster was however very
materially eonnectsa with the want OF preyi-.
Gus enlargement and discipline in the slap
!, was essential to thar part OF my defence
that the enquiry should DC made that 4
might be knowa whose province 1t vas TO
see that The ship g was at all times prepared
for i'm me diate action =
IF ] have been correct in my remarks, the
assumed principle on which the SPECIFICATIONS
OF the first chargs are bottomed Is incorrect
ard the barge nsnst TALL
Il wiki NOT escape your observation, sTs-
that the court of enquiry have entirely over
looked this important branch OF your exashlila-
tic0. Ii cannot DC even inferred from saelr
report, that such an ofscsr as Capt an Cor
don was on board the ship Tie eHee- winch
this consideration, alone IF it had been pre-
sented TO them, would have produced on their
report, must be OBVIOUS 20 every lntes,lSeRt
mind The decision on this prineiple i'll my
iayoA acquits me OF many oi tie inputatlons,
which they attribute 10 me.
ed. II appears that, between the 9th q June
and the sist, tthe DAY on which 6nal,y went
on boardj l paid two visits 10 the ship. Ad-
&
have cited from the chapter prescribing the
duties OF s commander IN chief; it made ne
the Judge of the frequency of visits necessary
TO be made. Was II necessary should have
cone more frequently Isay nothing OF the
pressure of tnose domestic arrangements, es-
3 xential to meaitated absence oi two or three
years ought ] to have supposed that ship,
equipped under the sIperiutenIance of cap
tain OF the navy !; al pubilc yard; under the
ss.ery eyes Of the government and for distant
voyage, could have been deficient in any Of
the material arrangements essential to her de-
fence. Yet / did not entirely conade III this,
On nv FIRST visit, the crew we're mustered and
reviewed; which was all that the regulation
required of me: did mores--I examined
her decks, and into the state of her store
rooms made such enquiries into her STA e
AMI condition as doomed essential. and gave
such instructions as seemed proper. / appeal
sirs to your canlor, could 1 have done nore,
consistently with the respect and confidence
due to Captain Gordon Would it not have
displayed a suspicion either of his intelligence
or attention suspicion Justly offensive TO his
feelings, to have pryed into his most minute
details will not condescend to answer the
allegation tina. did not examine the rigging:
The proof of this neg lect is that I did not ham
die the ropes, or Chamber OH the yards. A
nautical eye could as well decide from the
deck as by any other mode, found nothing
in her rigging to complain of; nor has my
Judgment, IN that particular, been disproved,
by subsequent events.
Ny secoEd visit was shorter thai. / design
ed. TIE reason | will state: found that
Captain Gordon expected party on board TO
ball, and ! was unwilling 10 interrupt his
arrangements; although had previously ex
pressed my ,lisapprobation. Gentlemen, you