Virginia Argus. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1796-1816, 1813-07-01
CONSTITUTION & JAVA.
From the W Y. Com. .daOcr.iser.

The English official account of the OCT;
on between the shove vessels, has at Jen,,b
reached this country in the form of n letf,.,
stated to be from lieutenant Chads to Iohn
wilson Crocker. But theSpalpable misre-
presentations with which the letter ab,pu,Is
create belief, that it was not written bv
lieutenant Ihads; for, as a seaman. i, 10
to be presumed he never would have ror,
mItted himself in the manner mar Ictter
does Commit him. 1t is therefore. :, G,i,. :,
terence, that The letter was written by oh,,
Wilson Croker-to hiMselE INV order of
the Admiralty. But be it frcm either =
carries its own refutation and needs oply
to be read, to show the absurdity and falsi,y
OF its statements. When, however. spcb, ..
Vldent marks or the want of mapnaninitv
on the part OF an enemy, who had proof of
ms beIng well fought by his foe, and certain.
y experienced generous treatment after
MS capture, are exhibited to the public. il
.neh becomes an act OF but Common justice
20 expose such iiliberality in its proper CO.
lors' ana 20 sSate facts which deIicacy alone.
towards a vanquished foe, had suppressed.
shall notice in succession the obssrva,;. '
ons IT. the letter alluded to.
The first assertion, that the Const;t,t;o,
I" was made out to be a large fripatf.,, &c II,
correct, and is disproved by the f,ct thu
she was supposed by the officers oftbe I,
va, to be the Essex, which they were inform
ed mad sailed from ST. Jago but foun. davo
previous to the arrival of the Java AZ th,t
place. ms all the officers OF the lava ar,d
lieutenant Chads himself, admitted vh;is.
on board the Constitution and tbev ~
pressed their astonishment at her a1no,,.
ing SO very small, which appearance ,uas
IN consequence OF her being d.rnised -
paint. win
The seconl assertion states. that ,ha r.
stltuton tackled and made all sail a,,,e,, 80"
on tie zvind +; and at the same t;nns 80 ~
ons the Java being 10 .qyindzyard. The ah
surdity and conIraaictiou of this een,eno,,
must be palpable to the mind of eyerv .aa
man. S'y sea
Inc third assertion, that the C9nstitnt;o,
opened her hre at one half mile tlistance
winch was not returned until the lava w.
cf2se upon her 7oeather bogv, is followed Nv
!. declaration ct the same ignorant ryri9o,.
ma. they could not bring her 70 close ac
sion, although they were close upon he,
'',.l.. cog ana 10 z9indward Z! And ne
aul,'ts t'iat the Constitution was living too
ty in sailing. ''or''
Our ohhoneHt apoided close aef;o1 o,,,
fred high." 1.-THE writer Of thar Ia,,a'.S TX
been there and spoken the truth he ,go Ia
have acknowledged. that the Const;tn,io',
eOen exposed herself 10 raking f;re. -
get the position of close action. and tbat,hs
Java, believing the Cons titutitn to Le ~
r. Essex with carronadss, made every possi-
o,e Inan@nvre to prevent the Constitutes
Siosi'ig win her. This was, however. ef
lectcd ~ spite OF all the exertion ON board
.ne 'a'a; ana so close a position was n
Aen' mat it was presumed The action wonld |
nay oeen decided without further marc.u
VreinS both vessels laying within n;otoI
shot' inc Java to wiDdward, so that eocb |
vessel could bring all herguus tobear ON The |
Dther' but to the great astonishment nj |
III on board the Constitution, the Java mn
ler hcim up and wore round. 10 get Glen
u the excessively heavy fire from The Con.
'titutIon, thereby exposing herself to q ra
slhg nre' II u had been the Inclination or
mention OF captain Lambert to have bo,rd-
~ WHICH that writer asserts 70 be the case
&c certainly could have taken a Dosit;on g..
.oraOie to such an at empt. But lieutcnan.
'haus told he Commodore, they never had
NY intention of boarding, and observeI
or against such crew as yours r. ,v,,,i,,
ave been impossible to have succeeded -
nc Acknowledgements OF the writer 1" ri
aVi7S' a great fa,T ofher creIg kfYeI ami
6ozVsiirit and fhyee mar.
o'ic----seOcrdL guns KseIess----,,,o,,,, 81
leV mateS and midshihDlen kRLed oud fS.
'euSeT HaTf Soundcd," is n sufficient com
'e"' upon the assertion that the Constitn
Oh urea htgh as the masts 1t proves y,
'"S'' 0iat inc hull, as well as the masts &