Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1812-10-02

81. pr...n, moment and under the pc.
euliar circumstances of the case 1t Is not
in my power to do so.
In the first place, ] have not yet re-
ceived those Instructions from my 81
vernmept which l consider necessary
for the guidance of my conduc1 IN re- :;
spect TO any such arrangement a''u III
the next. the officer whom you cha'sea
with the British prisoners, has oniy ae
livered to me LIST of their names'"''"
out producing any of their persons ao-
ouainting me that they had taken the aes >.
sci from him, and put into another Po''
of this island. ..I
can only therefore assure you that l
sball rcport the matter fully to his ma
iesty's government, Transmitting copy
Of Your letter, and of the list OF brlash
prisoners by which it is accompanied.
have had the pleasure of forwarding
to Halifax the young gentleman whom
YOU sent to me; an opportunity having
already occurred-And have written
to the commander in chief on that sta
ton, requesting that lie Will endea'of ~
provide the means Of his conveyance 10
the United States.
have the honor to be, Sir,
Your most obedient humble servant
(Siened) IT. DUCKWORlH.
TO CAPT. Porter, =.
Com,nandant Of the u. States frigate
the Essex.
Extract of letter from admiral Sir J.
r. Duckyor,h, TO the Honorable Se-
eretary Of the Navy Of the United
States, dated
81. JOHNS, Newfoundland,
august 81, 1912.
"A vessel captured, as the Alert has
been, could not have been vested with the
character Of cartel, until she had enter
ed a port of the nation by which she had
been captured, and been regularly FITTED
out from thence. For every prize might
otherwise be provided with Gag OF
truce, and proposals for an exchange OF
prisoners, and rendereHthus eftctuaiIy
secure against the possibility of recap
ture; while the cruising ship would be
enabled to keep to sea with an undimi-
nishcd crew the cartels being always
na.igated by the prisoners of war.
1t is utterly inconsistent with the
laws of war to recognize the principle
upon which this arrangement has been
made.
Nevertheless / am willing to give
proof at once of my respect for the Ilbe-
rality with which the Capt. of the Essex
has acted, in more than one instance to-
wards the British subjects who have fall
len into his hands; of The sacred obliga-
ton that is always felt, to fulfil the en-
gagements of British officer and of
nv confidence in the disposition ct bis
royal highncss the Prince Regent, to al!
Law the violence of war by encouraging
a reciprocatIon ofthat courtesy by which
lis pressure upon individuals may be 50
essentially diminished.
"On the 4.h Of this month, Midshp-
man of the Essex arrived, and present
ed to me letter frcm his captain, pro-
posing an exchange for Sc British pri-
soners. The midshipman had however
been placed alone in the charge of one
of the captured vessels, with IS prison
ers, to conduct them to this port. A list
of 40 prisoners OK the same description,
disposed of in the same manner, has
been sent to me by the commander ct
the American private armed schr. the
Rosie.
1T is incumbent upon me to protest
IN the strongest manner against the prac-
tice of conducting exchanges upon terms
like these; and to signify to you that 1t
vii! be utterly impossible for me to i'll
cur, i'll future, the responsibility OF as-
sentlng to them"