Alexandria gazette & daily advertiser. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1817-1822, 1819-04-13

next details will bring US the complete pa
ti6cation of that last retreat of Instruction.
CHINA SEAS.
The annexed letter was left by 1t. Dan.
ie Ross, in The Office Of the American Con-
snI at Canton, for the peru al OF the Ameri-
can commanders, with request that it
might be published in the United States.---
Lieut.. r. who is surveying the China Seas
by order of the British government, was
accused by the officers Of the Alceste frigate
Of having mis!ed them, they having been
wrecked in the very track he has laid down.
The following is his reply, which has been
hanled to the editor OF the Patriot, by
Cant. Pawson, OF the North Point.
Copy of letter addressed to the Editors Of
public papers at the different residences
10 India, by Lieut.. Daniel Ross.
On my return to this port, after a long
absence on The duties Of my survey, found
in the Asatic Journal for September, 1917,
a s,atemen. respecting the loss ofhis Majes-
ty's ship A!ceste so derogatory to my pro-
tessional character, and injurious to the in.
terest Of commerce and navigation, by the
misrepresentation in point Of fact which it
Conveys, mat feel persuaded you will do
Inc the justice ofgiving all equal degree of
publicity, through your paper, to my ex-
PLANTATION az to the elimination it conveys,
a measure, the more necessary for me to re-
quire at your hands, that the injurious and
unfounded assertions, (ior 50 must call
tbem) are in the work SO blended with the
narrative respecting Capt. Maxwelps court
martial, that il must appear to every reader
(although not so expressed) that they had
been brought forward as evidence, ard ad-
mitted as proof, upon the occasion.
Ertract.-"The ship had no more sail
on her than enabled her TO withstand an up.
favorable strong current, and the very track
she was pursuing was laid down for the
ship by Lieut.. Ross, Of the Bombay marine,
who had been surveying the China Sea for
ten years.
When Captain Maxwell, in the end of
January, 1917, and Immediately previous
10 his quitting China, acquainted me with
his purpose to take the passage by Gaspar
Straits, had not surveyed them, having
only now returned from completing that
duty. In reply to the reference for my ad.
vice which he honored me with, coulG
not speak from my own experience and in
vestiga,ion, but respecting the sunken
Rock four miles to the westward of Pulo
Leaf, that being the only point which had
examined in 1918, furnished him with
the best and latest charts of those straits,
captain Lestock Wilson's; and besides that,
plan BY Mr.. H. Hall, master Of his males.
tvs ship Orlando, of the west side of Pulo
Leaf, on which is clearly delineated the 81.
tuation of wreck Of the Portuguese ship
Amelia, lost there ia the spring Of 1885,
What | farther said, was to impress him
with the necessity Of care, when entering
Gaspar Straits from the northward, because
fthe UNEMPLOYED Magdalen shoal 10 offer
to him my advice, If Tue weather was thick,
togst a sight OF St. Barbes Island, and 10 re-
gulate the ships way, SO as 10 discover Gas.
! par Island during the day time, and to pass
| to tie eastward Of it; guarding him, when
| shaping his course for the straits against a
rapid curren, described BY all accounts 10
set down on the N. w. point Of Pulo Leaf,
to which current The loss Of the Amelia was
attributed. further mentioned the having
once, in the Fl. c. S. discovery, passed a.
long the west side Of Pulo Leaf, in track
distant about three miles from that Island,
when had met with no danger.
Such was my communication TO Captain
Maxwell. Capt. Wilson's chart marks a
three pronged reef. extending one and a
quarter nile OF the north point Of Pulo LIE.
az, with dangers on the west side to nile