Sir:
We beg you will be pleased to give the inclosed Report and Resolve of
a number of Masters of American Vessels, a place in your next
Newspaper, for the information of the public. In order to undeceive
numbers of our countrymen without the British lines, who have not had
an opportunity of seeing the state and situation of the prisoners of
New York as we have done. We are, Sir,
yr most obdt, hble srvts,
Robert Harris, Captain of the sloop Industry
John Chace
Charles Collins, Captain of the Sword-fish
Philemon Haskell
Jonathan Carnes
REPORT
We whose names are hereunto subscribed, late Masters of American
vessels, which have been captured by the British cruisers and brought
into this port, having obtained the enlargement of our paroles from
Admiral Digby, to return to our respective homes, being anxious before
our departure to know the true state and situation of the prisoners
confined on board the prison ships and hospital ships for that
purpose, have requested and appointed six of our number, viz,
R. Harris, J. Chace, Ch. Collins, P. Haskell, J. Carnes and
Christopher Smith, to go on board the said prison ships for that
purpose and the said six officers aforesaid having gone on board five
of the vessels, attended by Mr. D. Sproat, Com. Gen. for Naval
Prisoners, and Mr. George Rutherford, Surgeon to the hospital ships,
do report to us that they have found them in as comfortable a
situation as it is possible for prisoners to be on board of ships at
this season of the year, and much more so than they had any idea of,
and that anything said to the contrary is false and without
foundation.
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