APPENDIX tothe CHKONICLE. 503 



whose good conduct and valour I 

 had every thing to hope, I feel that 

 my duty left me no other course 

 than to close nij' operations here ; 

 and it will always be a satisfaction 

 to rae to think, that I have not been 

 induced lightly to commit the safety 

 of the army confided to me, or the 

 reputation of his majesty's arms. — 

 It was an additional satisfaction to 

 me to find that the unanimous opi- 

 nion of the lieutenant-generals of 

 this army, whom I thought it right 

 to consult, more out of respect to 

 them, than that I thought a doubt 

 could be entertained on the subject, 

 concurred entirelyin thesentiments 

 I have submitted to your lordship. 



I am concerned to say, that the 

 efFectof the climate at this unhealthy 

 period of the year, is felt most seri- 

 ously, and that the numbers of sick 

 already is little short of 3,000 men. 



It it my intention to withdraw 

 gradually from the advanced posi- 

 tion in this island, and sending into 

 Walcheren such an additional force, 

 as may be necessary to secure that 

 important possession, to embark the 

 remainder of the troops, and to hold 

 them in readiness to await his ma- 

 jesty's further commands, which I 

 shall most anxiously expect. 



I have the honour to be, &c. 

 (Signed) Chatham. 



British Deserters Case of the 



men arrested as deserters from 

 the frigate L' Africaine, bu John 

 Hunter, esq. Sheriff" of Baltimore , 

 at the request of fVUliam Wood, 

 esq. British Consul for the Port 

 of Baltimore. 



An Habeas Corpus was applied 

 for, to Judge Scott, late on Thurs- 

 day evening, on behalf of seven 

 men, arrested and held in custody 



by the Sheriff, at the request, and on 

 the statement of the British Consul 

 that they vvere deserters, by their 

 counsel. The Habeas Corpus was 

 issued as prayed for, returnable the 

 next morning at nine o'clock. Ac- 

 cordingly, this morning, the men 

 were brought up amidst an im- 

 mense concourse of citizens, who 

 filled the court-house and the 

 neighbouring street, and the Sheriff 

 made return that he had arrested 

 and detained the men in custody, 

 in virtue of the following, from the 

 British consul : 



British Consul's Office, 

 Baltimore, Sept. 6, 1809. 



Sir — Having received informa- 

 tion that 13 seamen have deserted 

 from L' Africaine frigate, and are 

 now in this city, I have to request 

 that you will be pleased to secure 

 them till they can be sent on board. 

 — I am, &c. Wm. Wood. 



John Hunter Esq. 



By virtue of this authority,! have 

 arrested and put in prison the fol- 

 lowing persons, to wit : John Now- 

 land, William Whokes, Denis Mur- 

 phy, Richard Hewes, John Earp, 

 John Burwell, and Jacob Lamb. — 

 The Judge said, that he had con- 

 ceived it his duty to give notice to 

 Mr. Wood, (the British Consul) of 

 the application, so that he might 

 appear and show cause, if any he 

 had, why the men should be de- 

 tained. 



In the course of a few mmutes 

 Mr. Wood came into court, and the 

 counsel for the prisoners, Messrs 

 Glenn and J. L. Donaldson, moved 

 the court that the men be discharg- 

 ed, sufficient cause for tiieir deten- 

 tion not appearing on the return.— 

 Mr. W'ood's counsel, Mr. Walter 

 Dorsey, requested to be allowed 

 time to inquire into the law ; and 



•aid 



