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fine myself to this-that what captain Broke states in the first part of his letter, above quoted, proves the falsehood of that which is asserted in the other part of the extract. Observe the position of the two ships; the Shannon's fore rigging locking into the Chesapeake's mizen channels. How then was it possible for one in the Shannon's fore-top to get into the Chesapeake's fore-top? Evidently in no other manner than by stepping, with a most huge stride, over the Chesapeake's top-gallant-yards, top-gallant-sails being set, and thence into her fore-top; a distance I will not undertake to measure how great, but a distance certainly far greater than was possible to be effected. I do not know if my language clearly conveys the impossibility; but any one by referring in his own mind to the position of the two ships, the after part of one entangled in the forward part of the other, will clearly establish in his own mind the falsehood of the statement. Nor is this the only falsehood contained in this official letter. "The loss of the enemy," says captain Broke, "was about seventy killed, and one hundred wounded. Among the former were the four lieutenants, a lieutenant of marines, the master, and many other officers." This letter was dated on board the Shannon, and yet, at its very date, were two of those four lieutenants actually on board the Shannon as prisoners. The Chesapeake had only two commissioned lieutenants, Ludlow and Budd, and two acting lieutenants, Cox and Ballard. Ballard was killed, and Ludlow died of his wounds at Halifax, some time after the date of captain Broke's letter. Budd and Cox returned from Halifax, and are both now living, and no doubt, Mr. Editor, they themselves would be willing to furnish a certificate that they were not killed. As lieutenant Budd, was the surviving commanding officer, and wrote the official letter of the capture of the Chesapeake, and which was published in all our papers, perhaps a certificate from him may not be required. Here we have convicted the commander of another British frigate of a false statement in his official letter. It seems that when a British captain is defeated, he has recourse

VOL. VIII.

to falsehood to hide and to palliate his disgrace; and that where a British captain is successful, he descends to the same means for the purpose of puffing up and overrating his success.

A court martial was assembled in June, 1815, at Halifax, on board his Britannic majesty's ship Akbar, for the trial of the officers and crew of the Cyane, for their capture, when in company with his Britannic majesty's ship Levant, by the Constitution frigate, and the following is extracted from their decision: "The court having most minutely inquired into the whole of the circumstances connected therewith, and maturely and deliberately weighed and considered the same, is of opinion, that the capture of the Cyane is to be attributed to the very superior force of the enemy's ship, aided by her superior sailing, which enabled her to take such a position that the carronades of the Cyane were of little effect, while the enemy was enabled to keep up a constant fire from seventeen long twenty-four pounders. It also appears to the court that no blame whatever is ascribable to captain Falcon, the officers, and crew of the Cyane for the capture of that ship; but on the contrary, that during an unequal contest of above two hours close action, they evinced the greatest skill and intrepidity, and defended the ship in a manner highly honourable to them, &c." In these proceedings there is a contradiction not to be reconciled, and where one part of the decision being true, the other part must necessarily be false. It is stated, at first, that the Constitution kept at such a distance that the carronades (the only guns she had) of the Cyane were of little effect; and subsequently it is stated that the Cyane had sustained an unequal contest of above two hours close action! The motives for each of these statements are very manifest. It was necessary, in order to account for the capture, to state that the Constitution had kept without the range of the Cyane's guns; thus taking advantage of her seventeen long twenty-four pounders. It was necessary to state, in order to bring in the customary compliment to British valour and skill, that the Cyane had sustained a long and close action. But it is really disgusting

to see proceedings, ushered into the world under the sanctity of an oath, and which should be characterized with the most scrupulous accuracy, betraying an utter disregard to truth, and showing upon the face of them the most palpable and disreputable falsehoods.

My means, at present, of referring to official papers is so limited, that I am unable to pursue the subject further. Enough, however, has been said to expose the vulnerability of the British, and to show that more can be proven if more should be required. The iniquitous and illegal orders under which the British officers have frequently acted for their government cannot have failed, I think, to deprave and vitiate their minds, and have rendered them regardless of the rights and the feelings of other nations. Unfortunately they have become accustomed to regulate their conduct, not by any principles of justice or of honour, but by the practicability of accomplishing that which best serves the interests or passions of themselves or their rulers. Their cupidity has often decided the fate of the unarmed neutral that has had the misfortune to fall within their power. Can it be expected that such men, thus familiarized to violence and outrage, should in other parts of their conduct be honourable and high-minded? Can it be expected of such men, that they should be in any way scrupulous of their character for veracity, when falsehood will suit their purposes better than truth? I should think not; and the facts I have disclosed fully prove that I think rightly. Surely then Great Britain deserves the "patent."

Albany, 25th May, 1816.

AN AMERICAN.

to falsehood to hide and to palliate his disgrace; and that when a British captain is successful, he descends to the same means for the purpose of puffing up and overrating his success.

A court martial was assembled in June, 1815, at Halifax, on board his Britannic majesty's ship Akbar, for the trial of the officers and crew of the Cyane, for their capture, when in company with his Britannic majesty's ship Levant, by the Constitution frigate, and the following is extracted from their decision: "The court having most minutely inquired into the whole of the circumstances connected therewith, and maturely and deliberately weighed and considered the same, is of opinion, that the capture of the Cyane is to be attributed to the very superior force of the enemy's ship, aided by her superior sailing, which enabled her to take such a position that the carronades of the Cyane were of little effect, while the enemy was enabled to keep up a constant fire from seventeen long twenty-four pounders. It also appears to the court that no blame whatever is ascribable to captain Falcon, the officers, and crew of the Cyane for the capture of that ship; but on the contrary, that during an unequal contest of above two hours close action, they evinced the greatest skill and intrepidity, and defended the ship in a manner highly honourable to them, &c." In these proceedings there is a contradiction not to be reconciled, and where one part of the decision being true, the other part must necessarily be false. It is stated, at first, that the Constitution kept at such a distance that the carronades (the only guns she had) of the Cyane were of little effect; and subsequently it is stated that the Cyane had sustained an un equal contest of above two hours close action! The motive: for each of these statements are very manifest. It was neces sary, in order to account for the capture, to state that the Con stitution had kept without the range of the Cyane's guns; thu taking advantage of her seventeen long twenty-four pounders It was necessary to state, in order to in the customar compliment to British valour an Sustained a long and close act

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