Alexandria daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1803-1808, 1808-06-17

Introducing then among the sPee iheatFsa =.
The change Of fhesLeopMd's course was
produced By the same circumstances, Waleh
caused the Chesapeake to brace SHARP, 70 Nlfs
The change Of wand; she had belore peen
sfaasirp to the S. e. and the wind condhg
from that euarter, she, OF necessity, changed
her course, and stood to the north eastward,
The coincidence OF movements, IN the two
ships, was a matter ofnecesslty On me part
of the Leopard, and therefore WarfaRteo no
inference that she was watching my move move.
ments-Neither did it Indicate any change %
her original intentions to stand TO the SOUTH
ward; because being near the shore, ths
course which she afterwards tooi, was the
only one by which she could get Oh the land.
1t is somewhat remarkable that 1t should
be assigned as am indication Of hostility that
she manauvred to keep the wind OF the
Chesapeake; when 1t appears that her gam
ing the wind arose from its accidental change.
If 1t had continued at the point at which 1t
was when she passed close round Cape Henry,
or, on changing, had came from different
quarter than E.. S. e, she would have been to
leeward of the Chesapeake.
g When the Chesapeake had gained an oitlng
of 5 leagues fson, the land, she tackled and
stood in shore to wait for the pilot boat--the
leopard tllereupon also tacked ana stood In.
If the United STATES had been at war, such
movement in an unknown snip would certain
Iy have excited suspicion In the mind OF a
vigilant officer. 1t would not then indeed
have lusdhed the inference stated IN the
charge, that Z" an engagement was probable,
but it ought to have made him Wgslant III ex-
aiming his future movements. But surely
it cannot he expected that such movement
in ship known TO belong to nation IN araity
with us, snip which had left our port within
my view, ought TO have excited the same
suspicion. Her subsequent maneuvres we're
however calculated 60 Gllsslpate every suspl-
cion which such q movement could have ex-
cited in the most cautious mind. We stood
in for the land, under easy sail, Tor halt an
hour if an attack was designed we were no
longer within the limits of the United States,
and no respect for our jurisdiction restrained
her operations Instead OF making sail 10
oYertake us, before we had got near the land,
she continued to follow us under easy sail. I
have taken the statements of the lieutenants
to be correct in relation to the man9uvres
and movements of the two ships, for the pnr-
pose of showing that their own representa-
tons OF these maneuvies and movements,
warranted no inference of hostility. You
will find, however, that the pilot gives very
different account of the number, nature, and
courses Of these eyoiutions, and his particular
situation gave him the best means OF being.
correct. If you regard MS statements, then
it will necessarily follow that The inference OF
the lieutenants is incorrect.
I will rot descend to reply to the imputa-
ton that am guilty of misconduct, in not
iatsrring the. probability of an engagement
from the circumstance Of the Leopard's
ieequar9er of the Ches 4pealSe. That mind
must be already determined on my conYlc-
ton wilich can draw an inference against me
from thai circumstance-All that the most
scrnpuous observer Of nautical etiquette
could Infer would be the rudeness OF captain
Hamp.lries, and the personal application even
Of this charge would have been diminished
by the consideration that this, like many
other sea honoys, have been long arrogantly
claimed by British ships
AS TO her ports being trcied up, | affirm, in
contradiction to what has beer said by some
OF the witnesses, that this, SO far from being
unusual in two decked ships, is constantly
the case in warm climates when the weather
permits Ii is essential to the health and COM
fort Of the crew. All the SHIPS lying at an
Choir, when the Leopard got under weigh,
were IN the same situation--It ought not TO
have excited my suTprize that the Leopard
being at anchor with her portsup, should not
have taken then, down Immediately ON quit
ting the Capes, as there was no necessity to
dot Is is somewhat remarkable hat altho'
so much Importance is now attached to this