The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1810-11-02
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New YoRx, October IS.
NEUTRAL RIG HTS.

We OIRdL X IG HTS.
~ CASE OF THE SCHOONER LAuRA.ANs.
On the 18th December, 1909, the Laura Ann
sailed from the port of New York, loaded with
cotton, bound to st. sebsstians Being d;smas
ted IN gale OF wind, SHE put into Lisbon on the
10th January last, to refit. When ready for sea,
fhe captain was notified by Admiral Berkeley that
all the ports IN Spain, from Suyon to the French
coast, were, by an order in council Of the oath
FEBRUARY last, declared in a state of rigorous
blockade, The Laura then proceeded for
sle portof Tonningen On the entrance of the
channel, and during her passage, she was fire.
quently boarded, strictly examined by the Bril-
Ash crulxers, and suffered to pass. On the Oath
April the Laura-Ann arrived in the Eyder, and
on the S0th she reached Tonningen.
:. The Commissioners appointed by the King Of
Denmark to examine the papers of neutral ships,
having ordered tue vessei away. in consequence
OF having beenin The port OF Lisbon, the Laura
Ann was forced to seek another port for the dis
charge OF her cargo.--On the 18th of May she
sat,eu itoII io''',r's;eu port
IN Swedish Pomerania On the 9Th June, then
in the Baltic, she was brought too by the British
frgate Pyramus, commanded by captain Dash
wood, in company with several other ships Of war.
Captain d boarded the Laura Ann himself, ex-
ahmed her papers, and not hiding a British Ii
cence, demanded where it was, Upon being
informed that II was paper which the Americs an
government did not acknowledge; he replied
oN'tt~ yOu NuOW uUdNS no light 10 trade win
any foreign power without first gong into Eng
land and paying your duties However" added
he, |" as aHairs arc in good tram between the
.two governments, may as well let you 60" Cap.
cain Dasbwood then quilted the schooner but
had not proceeded far before he hailed from his
boat the soop ofwar Promethens, saying here
Is an American who has been to Lisbon, Tonnin-
gen and five or six more places, aud now wants
, to go to Stralsund, and as many more. Take him
TO the Mnotaur tell captain Barrett Think him
a good prize. Damn him he oughtto be sent
in Send him in" TIE 'Prometheus sent her
boat TO the Laura Ann, and took the captain on
board the Minotaur. A boat from the Mino.
aaur was sent to the LAURA Ann, with prize
master andtwelye men, and returned with the Sc
cond mate and ten men of the schooner, on board
the Minotaur. The captain of the LAURA Ann
was then sent back to the schooner, and ON the
day following the prize master received his in
etructons to proceed TOR London for adjudication
During the voyage the vessel experienced very
heavy gales of wind and, from the Ignorance
and unskiifui. management OF the prize master,
was so strained as TO make nearly five feet water
in the hold. On the 2Slh June, the Laura Ann
arrived at Blackwell eyessel and cargo in mos,
deplorablc state) and being hbelIed, was tried on
the I'd August, before Sir VIM. Scott, who after
a very short statement of the cause, restored the
whole property, ordering, howeser the claimants
30 pay costs, Justice so requiring )" these are
che very words of Sir VIM. Scott
Ontaking possession of the vessel the captain
called survey, which was sppointed at Lloyd's
Coffee House. The surveyors reported that the
schooner was much strained; that the foremost
was sprung and that to repair the damages she
had sustained, II was necessary to discharge the
cargo, which was done by this order. On land.
ing Tie cargo it WAS found in damaged a state,
nv reason OF the sea water in the vessels hold.
render it not only nhiig TO be reshipped, but
necessary 10 max immediate sale off on the best
possible terms; order to prevent total loss OF
ahe property
County ard CITY or Netu1IsyS. IS.
Jacob w Hams, seaman, depOseth and sayeth,
shat he the dsponent sailed on a voyage from N.
Work 70 Europe as second mate on board tile sch
Laura Ann That tie said schooner being dis
znssted put into Lisbon to refit from whence she
sailed for Tcpnipgen That on the 18th May the
aald schooner was taken possession of by the Mi
-,o.:u- Pratis,. shin al war. commanded bv cap
cain John Barrett That this deponent together
with ten of The crew belonging 10 the Laura. Ann
were removed to the Minotaur, where they were
detained six days upon prisoners allow ance--
That on the 11th day of June the master Of arms
applied to this deponent and the other men to
Ger into the British service. to which proposal
ahey all refused their consent on which they
were told to be ready TO go on shore the next
morning at four O'clock. On the 18th of June
che said deponent, together with the said 10 men,
were ordered into the boat. That this deponent
represented to the commanding officer, that ne.
cher he nor his companions had had any thing to
eat that day that they had no money TO buy pro-
visions, and were ignorant OF the language of the
eountry. To which the officer replied, they must
either go on shore then, or they would be Kept on
board altogether This deponent further sayeth,
ahst ne, together with the said ten men, were
landed at a small place called Carlshsm, about
IS miles to the westward Of Carscron and that
shey renamed there without any provisions until
six O'Clock that evening, when the brig Matilda
of Boston, happened to stop for water, and the
captain, 49, Lee, hurnaneiy took him the said
deponent, aud four others on board his vessel /;
and by his exeriions the remaining seven men
were put on board other vessels then laying in
port. That tbs deponent, together with two o.
thers, took passage on board Lubec ship for
Sherness, from whence he rejored the said schr.
l. suta Ann in The river TEsmes-F Further this
deponoHt siyetF not
JACOB UILLI1NS.
Ssvorn before me October %, 1910
G,HAS. LHRIS9IaN
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