Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1816-10-16
BosToN, October5.
SEIZURES AT SIERRA LEONE.

Ertrsct Of a letter 10 gentleman in This
to7vn dated,
SIERRA LEONE, July 81.
For your information beg leave to
state the proc sedings here against several
vessels of the United States, which appear
to us to have been lawfully trading on this
coast.
ION the 18Th of My two vessels were
Observed off the Cape and on the 18th the
governor despatched the collector of the
Customs with two armed boats. who seized,
and brought them both into this port The
one proved to be the schooner Hiram, of
Newport, which was under way when seiz-
ed, d slant from tine Cape about leagues,
endeavoring to get round the Shoals of ST.
Ann, but Gains and contrary winds had
prevented her for two or three days The
other proved to be the brig Frances. Of
New York, which was at anchor, when
seized, waiting for an anchor, the captain
had purchased from a merchant here.
without which he could not with safety
proceed to the leeward. The dcpositions Of
the principal officers of both vess Is being
taken, it was Judged exped;ent to release
the Frances, although, i'll my opinion, both
were guilty of an equal otf-noe, # any. -
The Hiram being now ceteinsd for adIudi
cation. the next aud most aifficult point was
to fad evidence suifi lent to condemn her
for which purpose people were sent along
the coast as far as the Banana Islands,
where the vessel had previously been ira
ding distance up wards of thirty ailes,
and without doubt beyond the jurisdiction
OF this court, consequently they had no au-
thority whatever to enquire into any trans
actions the captain might have had there
they however took the dispositions Of sevc-
raj negroes to whom the captain had given
a few heads OF tobacco, fer little wood
and water. With the above evidences,
and her transactions at Goree. il was con-
cuded they had sufficient grounds to effect
the desired purpose. The trial came on the
9Th June, when she was condemned Few
vessels are tried at this court and rele ased)
as good and lawful coafiscaton and forfeit
ture to his majesty.
" At the trial it was stated BY the learned
Judge, that the vessels transactions at the
Island of Goreo were alone quite sufficient
to condemn hsr, it being a dependency
Of this colony, and that all foreign vessels
anchorng there were liable and subject to
condemnation. This is some Thing new, as
it never was before considered, and in fact
it is ths opinion OF most people here, that it
is not a dependency Of this colony, being
mercy SSlLlSUeNL taken lfOlIl the T6nCn
and coded to them by the last treaty. But
allowing it were dependency, the captain
had permission from the Governor for the
business he did there, which was merely
the selling and landing of few provisions
to himself, for the use Of MS M ajesty's
troops stationed there and in the riT, Gaul-
bia consequ ntly one wound imagine lie
was perfectly safe---i am however very
sorry to find it otherwise.
The next vessel that arrived here was
the slip General Lincoln. capt Swan, from
Boston, who cleared cut for Sierra Leone, 4
very Considerable part of her cargo being
for the governor, which was verbally con-
tracted for when Mr.. Swan was here, about
six months ago; but no sooner was TIE
vessel at anchor, han to the great aston
! ishment of capt. S~an, she was seized for
SO doing however, n consequence Of the
| contract, it was considered rather unjust to
| Condemn her; she was therefore, after a
| few days detention, set at liberty, with spe-
cial orders to the captain to get under
weigh and depart from the colony immcdi-
ately. ] Conclude by giving you my mos:
candid advice, that should you be inclined
TO fit out vessel for this coast, do not upon
any account whatever allow her to come
even in sight Of Sierra Leone"
Oc,ober7.
Il has been observed here for several
days past that tie atmosphere has been
| filed with smoke. 1t proceeds from We
ry extensive and destructive FIRE in the