Page 545 - INDIANNAVYV1
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HISTORY OP THE INDIAN NAVY.          513

   shown privately to Sir John ^Vlalcohn, and I heard he was much
   pleased with my determination, and the reply  I had  written.
   During all this period, from the end of July, I was without pay,
   and latterly without any resources whatever; but I was averse
   to make any direct application for pecuniary assistance  to Sir
   Charles, as I expected to have everything finally settled to my
   satisfaction."
     Commander Hawkins was arraigned before the Supreme
   Court presided over by Sir John Awdry, on Monday, the 2Hth
   of March, 1831, and the  trial lasted on that and the two fol-
   lowing  days.  The Counsel  for  tbe prosecution  were  the
   Advocate-General, Mr. Le Mesurier, and Mr. H. Morgan; and
   for the defence, Mr. Morley and Mr. Hill.  Eighteen true bills
   were found by the Grand Jury, and  the indictment containi^d
   four counts.  The crime charged  in the  first count  was, for
   conveying from a certain place  off the island of Zanzibar to
   Bombay, certain persons—here were given the Christian names
   and surnames of the thirty boys Commander Hawkins received on
   board the  ' Clive  ' at Lindey, and the four brought to Zanzibar
   in the launch, of which total, one died and one was drowned
   on the voyage.  The second count was the same as the  first,
   only stating that the names of the persons conveyed were un-
   known.   The  third  and  fourth  counts  were  the same
   respectively, as the  first and  second, only  stating  that the
   conveying was for  the jnirpose of the persons conveyed being
   treated as slaves.
     Commander Hawkins   pleaded " not  guilty," and,  the  da3'
   being far advanced, the Court was adjourned  until Tuesday,
   when the trial commenced before a dense throng of excited
   and attentive  spectators.  After  the opening address by the
   Advocate-General, Lieutenant  C. Sharp,  first of the  ' Clive/

   verbatim, that j'oii may consider  it and write me by return of post, that I may
   lose no time in communicatins; the tciiour of your reply to him."
    (b) " Of course Mr. Morley gives me such advice as he tliinks best, and in so
   far does his duty by me, for whicli I return liim mytlianks; but I must now
   inform  liim, tlu'ough you, that  if ho cannot defend my cause  strictly on  tiio
   grounds of my own innocence, without tin-owing even the shadow of blame on
   either Sir C'iiurlcs Malcolm or Government, lie cannot do me tliesliglitcst service,
   and I would sooner plead my own cause, with your assistance in the examination
   of witnesses.  I iiave no secret instructions, nor have  I any private conversation
   to swear to, or to have cvitlenco.  I must stand on tiu'  ))lain meiits of the case,
   whicli never  as' yet  have  been fairly  inquired  into.  Morh'y  befordiand
   a]ipears to have decided my case as gone, witliout such aid as I have not to
   produce.
     " Sir Charles did not see the boys  till after the disturbance in the Supremo
   Court,, at least if he did, not in my presence.  Neither did  I receive ajiprovnl or
   censure, except in taking some of tlie l)oys youiiircr lliiin  I was ordi'red.  I cannot
   for a moment admit that I believed I was obey nig tlio uiders of Government in
   doing that of which I am accused, and  wliicli accusjition I repel and defy.  Tiic
   only report I sent him was a ]irivnte journal, which  wa.* before  tlie Grand Jury,
   and whicli merely mentioned I liad engaged thirty-four at a bounty of liiirly-fivo
   and a-half doUars each."
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