Independent Journal, Or, The General Advertiser

The repeated eulogiums that are daily seen in the French papers, and likewise in ours, on the conduct of the late commander in chief of a foreign squadron in India, induces a correspondent to declare, that however great his abilities may have been, in his nautical profession, how much he has added to the honor of his country by the war in India, or how greatly his courage should be estimated; yet he appears to want that virtue which alone can throw a lustre upon the greatest abilities, and without which, the most eminent bear a shade that rank or high fortune can never unveil, namely, a want of humanity.

The loss of liberty and property, the greatest and most necessary blessings of life, a mind capable of feeling would think it the time to tender relief, though they may have accrued through the chance of war. This officer's ideas are (or at least were) totally different. His treatment of the officers and seamen of an English frigate, which his whole squadron captured in 1783, fully evinces the truth of the above assertion.

The most ungenerous idea that could stimulate any breast is alleged in his defence: For his inhuman behaviour, which is, that by those means he should oblige the ship's company to enter into his country's service. Was there humanity, or the thought of a man of honor in the motive?

As an evincing truth there is subjoined to this paragraph an extract of a letter from good authority in Madras authenticating what is above alleged. The officers and part of the frigate's hands being removed aboard the commander's own ship, the former were closely confined in the gun-room, and the latter put in irons under hatches; excessive heats, want of air, and even provisions, were sufficient stimulatives to a remonstrance made by Mr. A. the first lieutenant of the frigate, to the foreign Admiral, complaining of the severe usage that his Britannic Majesty's officers and men suffered, and stating their distress; this application was treated with contempt, a second followed from this officer, whose aim was (in more pointed terms) for relief for his brother officers and seamen.

These generous and noble efforts, with his captor, proved fatal to him, the French officer thinking those applications troublesome, found that the method to put a stop to them was to remove, not the cause but the asserter of his cruelty; for this purpose, the above unfortunate officer with a few more persons were sent the night of the last application in a crazy vessel to the Mauritius, the foreign squadron lying then in Trincomalee road; the event was as expected--impossible for such a boat to reach her destination,--she foundered at sea! Perhaps their fate was better than what was intended, viz, being sent to Hyder Ally.

The rest of the crew the following extract will fully show their sufferings, especially when we think they were Englishmen. "Madras 1783, Certain advices are received of the --- being taken by the --- fleet the tenth of January. Her men from excessive ill usage, have entered into the service as the only possible means of alleviating their great distress."

The foreign commander is a man of high rank, great fortune, and in his line abilities: yet those combined, even in these days, afford too slight a covering to veil a countenance, of which the most striking feature is inhumanity.