Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1829-05-28


vored us with the following copy Of a commu
nicaiion from Capt. Downes. of the lava, Ia
| Mr.. Brown our Minister at Paris, relative to
the occurrences at Port Mahon, IN the island oil
| Minorca.
UNITED STATES FnIGATE JAVA,
70pion, March 18Th, 1929.
| SIR-Having seen in the Tonlon newspaper
what purports 10 be an account OF the rliray
that occurred at Mahon, between the French
and Americ an sailors. on the evening Of the
18Th of February, in which L.. Mesnard Of the
French brig Faune, was killed, and this account
being altogether incorrect and calculated to re-
| feet dscredit on the character Of the Ameri-
can officers. then ut Mahon. have thought il
duty owed myselfa "a well as he service in
general, 10 give YOU a statement of the circnm-
stances as they have come 10 my kno.ledge,
aud can with confidence appeal te the Go.
vernment of Minorca, and other authorities of
Mahon, las far us they are acquainted with the
crcnmsfances) for the correctness OF my state.
ment. should not make this reference, was
itlnut that in the account published in the
French paper, il is stated. these events have
raised ag ains' them, (the Americans) the indig
aiion of the Mahones. and the inhabitants of
Villa Carlos George TOWN. who assured the
authorities Of the country that in no instance
were the French the aggressors.
On The 25th Of Jan last, about one hnndred
men elon ging TO the Java were on shore. Du
ring The evening there WAS fight between
them aud the French sailors belonging TO the
Corvette Pomone, and br g Fame, in which Sc
voral Of my men were severely wounded, and
two OF them dangerously so.-Upon that occa-
sion the Governor OF Minorca issued an order
dated 26ih Ian 1920 addressed TO the Con-
suls with n request that they would commnnI.
Gate the san,a To the commanders OF public YES
sells in port. directing that nIl seamen on shore
should retire on board nj sunset. In compli
snce with that order the American seamPn were
kent on board their ships until The 18Th Febu-
arv when obtained the consent OF the Go
vernor for them to visit the shore during the
eight succeeding days. The French on the
contrary appeared TO take no notice of the or
der, bat their seamen continued to visit The
shore. constantly at night and generally armed
with swords. Within a week subsequent TO the
affray of the 25th January, above slluded to, at
nv request, (made through our Consul, MIR.
Ladico.) the Governor Of Ninorca proposed 10
the French Consul. residing 81 hlahon, with a
view 10 prevent the sailors of different nations
from meeting on shore, that the French sailors
should be allowed certain pnmo at DAYS
(sav ,en) 10 visit the shore and that afterwards
the Americans should come on shore. and SO
on alternately. The Governor informed me
that the French Consul declined making any
such arrangement, TO which circumstance we
must attribute 'he unior'h"a'e ana" Vi 'he '''''
Feb. last.
viii now stare me circumstances Oh ,"e
case, conhn,ns myse" " 'ne evening u, ,"e
I0th req Lieut. "tsna'u' WV" sr'eI" Vi MS
mon had taken INTO CUSTODY ma" belonging
To this ship, and was dragging him along Castle
street. (the general place of resort for s'ilors)
with the dec Jared object of taking him before
the Governor hui Tor "ha' purpose ! nave "o'
been nbie to learn me NV" was severely
beaten, and his cries OF m"r"e' oro"gn' seFr'"'
oil ms shipma'ps 70 ms reso"e' "'o W '"e "i'"y
when ensneo me rr'hcn L,e"""""t 'eee"eu
n hIow on MS nean, "h'eh 'ae'"'eu h's s0'''
and terminated his existence
man belonging to the Java was passing
peaceah'y along the street \'n urorse'own) a.
lone, when he was mel ov seVeiai rencn sa'i-
ors, one OF whom Drew mas sword anu run h,"'
through the BODY OF whhh ".nnd ne oled the
iollo"ins morning "e P""' 'e'o" s'a'es ''a'
the attack was entirely unexpected as they
did not speak to him several o'ner men be-
longing to the java were f""' alone ana Tor
rIhly maogi'h by we r'e"ch sailors. l NJ"
happy to say however, that only one mas a'ea
OF his wounds
The excitement against the officers and crew
of the Java at this place is very great, and
am sorry to sny, that this hostile spirit does not
sppear 20 be confined to the seamer, but ex-
tends 10 the officers | however do not believe
that the superior officers are so iiiiberal as 10
charge 10 the officers of the Java the acts com
mited ny parcel of ri tous, drunken sailors
on shore, where the officers of course were not
with them and consequently could not prevent,
the riot. The only circumstance which could
lead me 10 suppose that this hostile feeling ex-
tended 10 the snperior Officers is the fact that
the French commanding officer in this port, did
not upon nv arrival send a boat to inquire it
his services, which is always customary even in