Copy Saint Vincent
Before the Honorable Thos Hackshaw Esquire one of His Majestys Council for Said Island —
Personally appeared Thomas Warner of the Said Island Esquire who being duly Sworn on the Holy Evangelists of Almighty God, deposeth and saith, that on the 15th and 16th or 17th of June last past He this Deponent was shewn in the public Prison at St Pierre at Martinico, a great Number of Prisoners being English Sailors and who one Bingham employed as and styling himself the Agent of the American Congress, told Him this Deponent were seventy two or seventy three in Number and Said they Should not be released untill the Americans should be discharged by the English from their Prisons and said He the said Bingham would send them over to America in a Brigantine called the Sturdy Beggar: This Deponent further Saith that the Sailors spoke to Him and Said that they were Starving and dying each meal there. But as he the Said Deponent was the only English Gentleman present and all the People at St Pierres appeared to be violent friends to the American He this Deponent thought it not prudent to hold any further Conversation with them.
Signed / Thomas Warner
Sworn before me this 19th of Augt 1777 Signed/ Thomas Hackshaw Vera Copia Valentine Morris
1. AMAE, Correspondance Politique, Angleterre, vol. 526, 207, LC Photocopy.
