Martinsburgh gazette. [volume] (Martinsburgh, Va. [W. Va.]) 1810-1825, 1810-07-27

was given by capt. lTIPPe TO the message
which was delivered-eapt. Royce fired a
round shot. which came over the quarter
deck, and penetrated the main boom OF the
Vixen. Captain TripPe Immediately dis
charged the British officer, aud prepared
for action. The English brig slipped her
cable, and got under way, menscing an at
tack on our vessel. SO soon as she ap-
preached within a proper distance, captain
frippe dispatched a boat, with his first
lieutenant, to demand of the British off,
Ger an explanation of his conduct who
sent his lieutenant on board the Vixen,
with various apologies, which were not
understood in a satisfactory manner and
captain Trippe addressed a note to captain
Boyce, requiring a written statement of
the reasons which had induced him tc FIRE
two shot at his vessel. Capt. Boy &C re-
turned for answer, that he recognized with
pleasure, the existing amity between the
two countries, and was extremely sorry
tor having fired at us-that the reasons
which induced him to FIRE were, that he
could not distinguish our %colors, and saw
no preparation Tor taking 10 sail-that he
udQ OtGD lUtUthiNo thah WV Ai$ANh PtiNd-
teers were fitting out in the u. States, and
supposed we might probably be one of
them. He also pledged his honor, that
his shot was not aimed at our vessel. The
explanation was deemed bv capt. Trippe
sufficient to prevent any further conaict;
and we instantly made sail, and proceeded
on our course. I he injury which We sus-
tanned was triHing. Mr.. Rodney's son
was struck by a splinter from the boom,
short time-no other person was touched.
The conduct Of capt. Tsippe in this
affair was highly honorable to himself, to
the American navy, and to his country.
The Vixen was prepared for action with
the greatest promptltude and order, and
the explanation demanded in a manner
which left no doubt as to his determination
to vindicate the honor of the national flag,
or perish in the attempt. The official as
surances of captain Boyce could not be
questioned in an official form, but feel
the most perfect conviction that he knew
the Vixen to be an American man OF war
that he fred the second shot directly at the
with a view OF provoking a return
of the fire, and thereby furnish him with
an excuse for going into action witha YES.
sci cf inferior metal, and then shifting the
responsibility from himself, by declaring
that his shot was fred through mistake, and
without any intention of i%niuring the yes
sci. / was on deck and saw the gun on
the forecsstle Of the Moselle levelled di-
rectly at the Vixen, and was not more than
three feet from the place where the shot
the boom. The insolence of this
transaction is not more remarkable than
the meanness displayed by the British
commander, in forging excuses for his
conduct"
Far the E9Ao,Uing interesting document the
pull C are inde6tedlo Dir. Eliot, late a
member ofthe House ef Representatives..
From the Freeman's Journal.
On the 9th of December, 1905, the fol-
confidential message was received
the president:
The depredations which had been com.
mitted on the commerce of the u. States
the preceding war, by persons On
the authority OF Spain, are sufficiently
known to all. These made it a duty to re-
quire from that government indemnihca.
ton tor our injured citizens. A conven-
ton was accordingly entered into between
the minister of the u. States at Madrid,
and the minister of that government for
affairs, by which it was agreed
that spolia'ions committed by Spanish SUBJ
iects, and carried into ports of Spain,
should be paid for by that nation. and that
committed by French subjects, and
carried into Spanish ports, should remain
for further discussion. Before this COM
.vention was returned to Spain with our ra-