New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1842-08-29
Reported for The New.yors Tr.sGne.


Wike. received from Lieut. PcckHey Tbs letter was tn
original of one which Lieut., Pinckney alluded to in ls
testimony and which lie produced imperfect copy o. ~
The Court
This letter was 20 application for boaswans mate, ard
to have changed who were ae1ged 70 be ply
sicay unequal the work beard the schooner II was
actecd tha, Lieut., Wilkes verbally and not ia
writing.
Dr. Palmer reealei-Jndss idvseste State siF, N the
Court if you make representation 10 Lieut. huds'H
tha, the health Lieut. Pincney was suffering from he
effects Of confinement.
wsnes: / did Stale Lieut. Hudson that the health OF
Lieut. Pnckney was su ring from confinement and Lieut.
Hudson did give unequivocaJ 10 understand ia' Lieut.
Pinckney was confined by the orders o Lieut. Wilkes
Thsanswer objected 10, and the Coa' cielrea VI
our re-admson the Judge Advocate stated lsat the an
ruled rot 10 &c tSrtaence.'
The Judge Advocate stated ia: he held in his hands tue
articles OF enlistment for Samuel Pensy which dated
lah October. 1885, and were for four yea, unless
discharged. Babb was enlisted the 18th November
1886; George Smii was enlisted the 18Th November
1855 D;nsman was enlisted the 2lst of November 1856
all OF them for four years.
The Judge Adyocn,s here slated Aa with respect 10 the
First Specification o. ire iath Charge he should niea
or to shew that Lieut. Alden and Lieut. Wilkes had some
conversation together deck 10 Certain appearances OF
land but that Lent Wilkes disregarde, il at that time he
shorld also endeavsr show the following facts:
First The relative positions of the Vncennes and Pea.
cock on tie 18th Of January.
Second That LAM, was not seen at ali board the Vim
cennes nj that date.
Third That when the officer Of the deck reported TO Lit
Wilkes that he thought he had land he treated with
80 much Indifference that wes soon after forgotten
Fourth. That Leu,. Wilkes neycr ,hoaght of claiming
this discovery Of land the ]a until alter his his arrival
at Sidney when he found that another nation had claimed
10 have made such discovery on tie afternoon OF the 9
Fift! That lie with another vessel OF the Squadron
the 10th AID conversed With an olcer OF board her re-
spec,ng The discoveries of the Squadron yet men,
toned this discovery of the l9tb.
Strth That he aersard congcrsed with this 9th
Ger at Newzealani the subject which officer then ex
pressed his surprse Lieut. Wilkes had not me ntonel
this discovery the interview or the 2eth.
SevenM. That the Commander OF the Peacock or the eve
ming OF 18th, houysthe saw land, buto further exam
naon was convinced had been Mistaken and that
iceberg, and he accordingly ordered the ot'certo
tue entry that lard had been seem from tn. ooook
and substitute tia, it was an iceberg.
Eight That Gland seen by the Peacock on that day
i. was until the afternoon.
Ea,y He proposed 10 show that land was discovered
by Two officers of the Peacock, hd 10th January 1916
but their report such discovery treated with neglect
Having shown these things he should leave it 70 the Court
TO say whether the specification charging that the Conna
der ofhe ynceanes uttered faehood IN asserting that he
had discovered land on the l9th made out or not
Lieut.. Alden recalled and eIaalined
On the monin OF the 18th January lSiO Lieut. Case was
the officer watch from TO Il O'Clock never heard
any thing said the discovery Of land thai day nor
of any claim up it, until after arrival at Sydney
soon after our arrival Sydney heard That the French
had discovered land on the afternoon Of the 9th Lieut.
Wilkes was then shore when lie returned on board re-
ceived him the gangway and remarked THAT nc French
were head OF u.s. OH no., said he dont you recoi'ec'
reporting appearances OF and the morning OF the
18th told him that could mol call il to ny slnd then,
but would refer the 10y wic convinced me, al o. &C.
of the fact that had the morning watch II DeinS othaay
and tina, inct with other circumstances, convinced me that
ca lied his attention 10 something that looked Ike iaad
occurred thus it quite iosgy that morning little
after o'clock heard the SURF 5satng on an ce9yfI III
that such the he caHe on deck, anu Tue 10y
having lifted little, that we could see the 'cs md II
something about managing the ship was at the tine
looking to southwark and as be was about going below
said to him There is something out there (poInns 10
m that looks like land" He made no reply and seemed
to treat the report with neglect and went below That Is
| all know about it, SIR ,b,,v, 90 nv.
\ witness, and he was asked W no made them -, a.,
Witness With the exception OF the printing and the
Topography, made them both Tho charts were both
commenced before arrival Sydney The largest OF
two wa. finished at hG a rne wa,
was out in by Lieut. Wikes in pencil
Question by the Court You say you called Lieut. wilkes
attention an appearance in the southern quarter on the
morning of the lg, 10 what looked like land Do yo" be-
| eye it was laud! 80,
Question: Did you believe H. them at the time you re-
ported II!
o., i u,
the Log Book If had had aSy confidence at all IN it.
| Question Was tha, appearance afte,w verified!
Anser Yes we are very certain hat we sd saw s lana
before could satisfy ourselves we were driven ou! oy
gale OF wine. We were at tis n.'e long way 10 'ne
degrees or about 400 miles, farther west on the 10Th
Question How FAR is the land as laid down or the large
chart from your position on the 18th
Ansuer Fory-eght miles to the nearest point on both
charts. is laid down he small Chart AT about the same
distance. On the 2St il is II miles .
Could land seen Win til,n9 IKE
certainty at that distance
ny any means
Question Can you not see iant iutef III hIsh atituoes
l than n low!
Question. Are you cnndden; nov that the appearances
were in truth land
Question Are You confident Of the reverse!
.insrer No, sir. we means OF Judging.
Question. How ard in wha, words dis! you report those
ap peararcrs Lieut. Wilkes on The morning OF the 18th
1ns.ser called him by name, raised my hand SAID there
| is something there thai looks like land, sur
| Cues Were you often deceived by the appearance Of
| land about that time!
Ans. Not more than cruizsrs generally Up the 18th
WIS scepcal TO the existence OF land In those
said he positive there land 10 the southwark and
westward. We then further 10 The westward by about
| 800 miles from position on the 18Th
Que Was any Attempt made 10 get soundings or TO get
| nearer to the land on The 18th!
I'M, On the contrary ordered TO keep the ship off,
and 40 soundngs taken thai know of In The
Ing think nearer TO the southwark and westward
than in The morning, and on The evening we saw
the Peacock bearing the south and west The distance
between the position the Yncennes and the Peacock
noon OF the 18th laid down The chat is 10 niles.
Q<s. Was the atmosphere clearer the 25ta and 18th
than the 10th
4ns. The 25th was delightful day-as clear as bell
On the 29h discovered land wba 10 the act reelg The
topsa. reported it to Lieut.. Wilkes He looked at ii
for time, aud said there's mistake about -that
is land" Before had finished reefng oPssils had 10
ship gale wind and heavy storm cameop
My remarks in the Log Book area, ~ discovered land
al the :. S. e OF that which bore decided appear
Of very high land covered with AT u very
thiSk-handcd down jib and set .oP-sa stay sails
Quss. Fou the Peacock the 18th at I2
miles distause-eould you see her hull that distance!
4nS did say said her position the char!
about that distance Oh ours.
Ques. Did you the Peacock At noon.
dnr dave