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HAVANA, _November 18, 1798_.
SIR: Agreeably to your request, we now commit to writing
the best account we are able to give you of the conduct of
Captain Loring, Commodore of the British squadron which was
lately off the Moro, towards the United States ship
Baltimore. We must observe, however, that all we can say of
it is from the information of Captain Phillips, as we were
not on board the Baltimore when she was visited by Captain
L.'s officers.
In the morning of the 16th instant, we discovered this
squadron when we were in sight of the Moro, and afterwards
found it was composed of Captain Loring's ship, the
Carnatic, of 74 guns; Captain ----'s ship, the Thunderer,
of the same force; Captain Dobson's ship, the Queen, of 98
guns; Captain Donnelly's frigate, the Maidstone, of 32
guns; and Captain Hardy's frigate the Greyhound, of the
same force. We were passengers in the brig Norfolk, Captain
Butler, which, together with the ship Eliza, Captain Baas,
and the brig Friendship, Captain Fuller, were cut off from
their entrance into port, and were all made prizes within
gunshot of the Moro. We obtained leave to go on board the
Baltimore with our baggage, and did so. When Captain
Phillips discovered they were English ships, (which was
before we were taken,) he stood towards them, and spoke the
Commodore. After we got on board the Baltimore, the Captain
informed us that he had been on board the Carnatic, and the
Commodore told him he should take out of the Baltimore all
such men as had not American protections; that he had
remonstrated with him against showing such an indignity to
our flag; that to do so would leave his ship in a very
defenceless state, and would deprive him of nearly all his
men, as not even those who were really Americans, or at
least very few of them, could show protections, because it
was always thought that our flag on board of a Government
ship, was a sufficient protection. All this, however, was
urged in vain. Captain P. returned to his ship, and the
Commodore sent an officer on board the Baltimore, who
carried away fifty-five of her men to the Carnatic. Captain
Phillips remained in expectation that nearly all the rest
would be taken from him; but whether the Commodore, upon
reflection, thought better of it, or whatever else might
have been his motive, he sent back fifty, and kept five,
among whom was the ship's boatswain. Captain Loring
proposed to give up a number of American seamen, who, he
said, were in his fleet, if Captain P. would give him
English subjects for them. Captain P. refused this offer,
and the American seamen were not delivered to him. Before
any of the men were returned, he sent a message to Captain
P. to let him know if he, or one of his officers, would go
on board of him, and point out who were Americans and who
were not, he would return all the Americans; but this was
declined also. After we got on board the Baltimore, he sent
a letter to Captain P. which he showed to us, in which the
Commodore "demanded" that he would give up all the British
subjects on board the Baltimore. To this, Captain P.
replied that he could not know any of his men as British
subjects, nor could he, as commander of a ship, in the
service of the United States, voluntarily give up any of
his men; but if he thought fit to send an officer on board,
with orders to take any number of his men, he should not
oppose it. In this answer, Captain P. mentioned he should
lay before the Executive of the United States a full
account of the occurrences of the day. Shortly after
sending this reply, the squadron set sail, and left the
Baltimore. Commodore L. was very polite to us, and was so
to Captain P. when he went on board; but Captain P.
complained of indecent behavior from the inferior officers.
LEWIS TREZEVANT,
WM. TIMMONS.
G. C. MORTON, Esq., _Vice Consul of the U. S. at Havana_.
The Message and documents were read, and ordered to lie on the table.
MONDAY, January 14.
EDWARD LIVINGSTON, from New York, appeared, and took his seat.
MONDAY, January 21.
_Intercourse with France, and her Islands._