Santa Fe new Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1898-1951, 1899-11-14

~ SEhA1t
ship and the capture of the rest. TIL,
English fleet lost two men killed ant
half a dozen wounded. The Spaniard,
lost nearly the whole of one ship,
company, besides about 100 killed ant
wounded on the other vessels. The1
Spain declared war.
But King, knowing nothing of thit
and feeling very wroth with Mr.. Camp
bell, called upon him to furnish salts
factory replies to the following queries
First. Whether he had any knowl
edge of war with Spain at the time o.
capture?
Second.-Where were the two prize.
he had taken7
Third.-What letters of marque die
he possess?
To the questions Campbell replied
that he had been informed by an Amer
lean whaler that England and Spai1
were at war; that he had sent hi'
prizes off on their way to India after
refreshing at Norfolk island, and thai
his authority to privateer was his com
mission in the East India company as
captain Of marines.
Governor King said he did not con
slider this satisfactory, and after taking
counsel with other officers of the settle.
ment decided to detain the Harrington
until the home government could be
communicated with. So Campbell was
ordered to unbend his sails, strike hi
topmasts and lower yards and unshil
his rudder.
Campbell protested, saying that hi
case had been considered without call,
ing upon him to be present. This, as a
matter of fact, was correct, for while
some of his sailors gave evidence at the
inquiry he was not allowed to meet
them in open court. His protest is very
properly worded, and he undoubtedly
has the best of the argument: II was
not apprised of the intention of the
governor to hold an inquiry. Such
method is irregular and calculated to
prejudice my case. No adverse evil
dence should be taken without giving
me an opportunity to refute it. Fur
Their, the detention of my ship is a seri-
GUS loss to my owners, who will have no
redress if eve later on my innocence is
proved, and my commission in the East
India company's service makes me an
swerable to them for any improper con-
duct. Anyhow, according to British
jurisprudence, you ought to hold me
innocent until you can prove the on
trary. Yet you seize my ship"
King CURLY answered that an East
India company's commission did not
authorize people to seize the vessels of
friendly powers; that there was no evil
dence of war existing between England
and Spain, and even if war did exist,
since the Harrington had no proper let
ter of~~marque, the prizes must become
q droit of admiralty.
Poor Campbell had to submit, though
he manfully resented Kings action, but
the latter was acting conscientiously.
So when Campbell offered substantial
security and some leading Sydney mer-
chants backed him with money Cover
nor King consented to the Harrington's
cargo being discharged and to her cap
tain proceeding on his voyage to Mad
ras. But, alas for Campbell, just as the
affair was on the point of being settled
in this way the San Francisco y San
Paulo and Estremina were discovered
lowering about the coast of New South
Wales, apparently waiting for Camp
bell. The two ships were at once cap
tured by the government brig and
brought into Port jackson.
Naturally King lost his temper, and
again placed Campbell under detention.
Meanwhile dispatches had gone home,
and all parties resigned themselves for
the long, weary wait that was to follow
before an answering dispatch came from
the home government.
At last, however, it came, in the
early months of 1906, when Viscount
Castlereagh wrote, telling King to in
stantly release Campbell, the ship and
crew and the prize crews of the two
Spanish vessels, which could be sold as
lawful prizes. This snub for the good
hearted and conscientious governor was
softened by the profoundly wise OBJ
s%ervation that ''the spirit and principle
(sic) on which you acted is approved"
the which, considering the affair of
the Spanish treasure ships off Cape St.
Vincent, is very pretty. Pail Mall
Magazine.