The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-05-10 00:00:00, page 2

Supplement a la GAZETTE de FRANCE.
Tuesday, January 14th, 1783.
Subflhnce of the crpetaiorfe of the king's squadron in
India.
Y^ 'HEN the English declared waragainfl Holland,
the firft objects of the king were the preferva
non of the Cape of Good Hope, and the island of
Ceylon.
To secure those two important settlements, and to
p"vThe way fbrthe fuc efs of the operations which his
majefly had projected in India, a frigate was dtfpatch
ed in the month of January, (1781) to all the Dutch
poifeffions tn Asia, to announce the war, and to fix
withthe fevera governments of the Dutch settlements
and those of his majefly, and with the commander of the
king's squadron at the isle of France, the operations,
fr which preparations were making in Europe.
On the 21st of March, 1784, in consequence of these
arrangements, two flrong Squadrons and two convoys
filled with troops, failed from Brest, which were not
to fepa ate until they made the latitude of Madeira,
in order to leave the English in fufpehfe reSpeXing the
quarter, in which the king intended to make his great
est efforts; and to secure, by this uncertainty, a Suf
ficient superiority in America and Asia, to determine
the revolutions which were to procure independence
to those twoextenfije countries.
The departure of Johnftone's squadron from the
English p rts, had preceded by a few days, that which
toe Bailli de Suffren condoled to the Cape. The
fitfular circurn stances which brought on the action at
Praya, to which the preservation of the Cape was ow
ing, is ^irady known.
On the 7th of December, 1781, after the two Squad
rons of his majefly had been united and refitted at the
isle of France, they failed under the comte d'Orves
for the coast of Coromandel.
The 22(1 of January, 1782, they saw a fail, and the
general gave the signal to chafe. The Heros, (74 guns)
commandedtby the Bailli de Suffren Saint-Tropez,
came up with the chafe and took her. It was an En
gidh snip, the Hannibal of 50 guns.
Tne 3 ! of February,' the comte d'Orves finding his
health waiting daily, resigned the command of the
squadron to the Bailli de Suffren.
Tue 4th, they tock a prize from Ganjam.
The sth, Saw land, and took several prizes loaded with
provisions for Madrafs.
Tie 9th, the comte d'Orves died.
The 14th, the squadron came in fight of Madrafs
and anchored three leagues to the northward of that
place.
At day break (the 15th,) the Bailli de Suffren flood
in for the English squadron, which was moored very
near the shore. The calms and the position of the ene
my, not permitting him to attempt an attack with
any appearance of success, the king's squadron an
chored at the distance of a league from the English.
At one o'clock the general made signal for failing,
and directed his course towards Pondicherry.
At half pas lfour, the English squadron set fail.
At sunset, they were landing N. N. W. with wind
ar east north east, the Bailli de Suffren made the signal
to fail in two columns, and to keep the w^nd to pre
vent falling to leeward.
At day break, (the 16th) it was perceived that the
convoy had separated from the king's fleet, and at
the fame time a signal was made of eleven fail in the
weft south * est, the king's squadron made fail for
them. It was soon known that it was the English Squad
ron, of which some detached ships chafed the convoy,
and had already taken some of them.
At half pall five, the English admiral lay to, and
made the signal to recall his chacing ships. The van
of the king's squadron was then 2 1-2 leagues from the
enemy, and the rear five leagues. It was observed in
the night that the enemy were going on the larboard
tack ; the Bailli de Suffren ranged his squadron on the
fame tack.
At day break (the 17th) he found himfelf to wind
ward of the enemy's rear, but baffling winds prevent
ed him from engaging until half past three.
At half pift five, he was obliged to cease battle on
account of the fog, and rainy and stormy weather,
so extraordinary on these coasts. The enemy took ad
vantage of them to move off. These different obflacles
put a flop to a victory which would have decided the
fate of India.
On the 19th, the king's squadron anchored at Pon
dicherry.
Teillof March, the Bellone, commanded by the
fieur de Beaulieu, arrived at Pondicherry, with the
Fnglifh sloop, the Chaffeur, of 18 fix pounders, which
she had taken after a flight engagement. The fieur
de Beaulieu, had destroyed in his cruize, fifteen large
vessels, loaded with provisions for Madrafs, and reta
ken one of the vessels of the convoy, taken by the ene
my on the 161 b of February.
The nth of March, the Bailli de Suffren landed the
troopsand warlike floras which were on board the
transports.
On the 22d, this operation was finished.
On the 23d, the squadron set fail to go in quest of
the enemy.
On the Bth of April, the cap'ain of the Briffac gave
notice, that he had discovered fourteen fail landing to
t e north north east ; the Bailli de Suffren immediate,
ly made the signal for the squadron to stand north by
east, the wind was then at east south east.
The 9th, fourteen vessels were seen to the northward •
it was then calm.
At Seven o'clock, a breeze from the north east Sprung
up; the English squadron were then on the larboard
tack. The king's squadron flood on the oppoffte tack
Until eleven, when the general made the signal fcr the
line of battle in putting about upon the enemy. The
English continued to hug the wjnd, and took flight.
At five in the evening, our best failing ships had
considerably neared them, but cur rear was yet at a
great diflance.
The idrh, we continued the chafe. The Fine took
a vefftl from Trinquemale, on board of which was the
fieur Boyd, whom lord Macartney had (ent as ambaf
lador to the king of Candy.
The lit)-, the king's squadron kept conflantly in
chafe of the enemy, notwithstanding the efforts which
the English admiral made to Shun battle. The Bailli de
Suffren believed he discovered that the intention of ad
miral Hughes was to get ahead of the squadron in or
der to gain Trinquemale. This determined the gene
ral to run large south south east
The 12th, the English fleet which had flood away
large wefre three leagues to the S, S. E.
At (even in the morning, the general made the sig
nal for the squadron to croud fail for the enemy, who
were, fleering to the south weft, flying before the wind
all fail set.
At nine, the English squadron cramped by the land,
at last tdok the resolution to fight. The general made
the signal to form the line of battle on the fame tack
with the enemy; but as many of bur ships were at a
great diflance, it was not formed until noon. A lit
tle time after, he made the signal for the whole squa
dron to bear away, and for the rear to carry a press
of fail. The Baifarre (64 guns) was ordered to lie on
the quarter of the rearmost (hip of the enemy's line,
which was composed of eleven fail, and even to dou
ble it.
At a quarter past due, the van of the enemy's squa
dron began to fire on the Venguer (64 guns) which
led our line, and on the Arteffen (64 guns) which fol
lowed.
At forty minutes pafl one, the Heros (74) the ge
neral's ship, opened her fire within musket fllot of the
English admiral. The intension of the Bailli de Suf
fren was to lay along fide of the admiral, but the run
ning rigging of his ship being much cut, he forereach
ed him, in spite of all his efforts; and then engaged,
within half musket shot, the ship a-head of him #
At forty minutes past two, the English ship, wh'ch
the general lay along fide of, loft her main and mizea
mails. The mafls, yards, Handing and running rig
ging of the Heros were in fetch a wretched Bate, that
they could no longer work the ship. The Bailli de
Suffren, nevertheless, Bill fought against the flips of
the van, until the Orient (74) and the Brilliant (64)
came up and passed to leeward of him. The English
admiral bore away at the fame time, and palled to
leeward of the difmafted ship, to rejoin his vanguard.
At four, the English having put about, the general
made the signal to execute the fame movement ; he
hoped to seize the difmafted ship ; but one of the'Fn
gliffi ships took her in tow, and concluded her into
their line, before we could come up with her. After
putting about, Several of the ships continued the en
gagement.
At a quarter pafl five, the Heros loft her fore top
rnaft, and the general went on board the Ajax (64]
which was very near him. He continued to bear down
on the enemy.
At fix o'clock, he made the signal to chafe bat
tle.
At half past seven, the Ajax flruck the ground se
veral times; the Heros, Orient, and Brilliant, which
were greatly damaged, remained in the rear of the
squadron, which engaged the general to make the sig
nal to anchor.
The Heros cast anchor in fix fathom water in the
middle of the English squadron. The weather being
very dark and rainy, hindered the enemy from per
ceiving her Situation. The fieur de Moiffac, who com
mended her in the absence of she general, took advan
tage of a favourable moment to cut his cable, and
come to anchor along fide the Ajax. The Fine which
had been sent to take her in tow, fell on board the
English ship Isis, of goguns, from which she separated
without fighting.
At break of day (the 13th) the king's squadron
found itfelf at anchor two thirds of a league from the
English, each were buffed in repairing their dama
ges.
On the 17th, the king's squadron being in a con
dition to make fail, the Bailli de Suffren put to sea,
and plyed to windward, until the 20th, in presence of
the enemy, who remained at anchor without making
any movement. Their advantagious position did not
permit him to attack them at their anchorage. The
king's squadron flood for Batacolo, in order to take
on board some refrefhments, and to put immediately
after that to sea in search of the English, if they thouid
come out of Trinquemale.
The English ship which was difmafted in the bat
tle of the 12th of April, was the Monmouth of 68
guns.
The squadron hath taken or deflroyed mere than
fifty vessels loaded with provisions for Madrafs. The
enemy hath taken the Lawrillon, loaded with warlike
Bores, and the Tofcan, which Served as hospital ship
to the squadron.
One hundred and thirty-nine men were killed in the
, battle of the 12th of April, and 364 were wounded ;
among the firft, the vifeomte de Bourdeille, lieutenant
de Vaiffeau; the fieurs de l'Annerchienna and de
Bielke, Swedish officers; the baron de Rochemore and
the fieurs de Coutlefs, ensigns de Vaiffeau; Le Vaffeur
de Seligny, lieutenant De Fregate ; Bouffinot, auxi
liary officer, and De Barrance, midshipman. Wound
ed the Sieurs de C Hart and De Gallas, poll captains ;
Paflra fcourt and Gouler, auxiliary officers, and d'Ai-'
gremont, midshipman.
The result of these two engagements are, that the
debarkment of the van guard of the marquis de Buffy
hath been effe^ed without opposition, and hath secur
ed that of the army of that general.
The king's troop' which composed that van guard,
were attended by 5000 feapoys, which Hyder-Ah-Kan
had sent to favour their landing. The English army
came out of Madrafs to oppose it, but having been at
tacked on their route by the Nabob, they we. e oblig
ed to re enter that city.
The fieur Duchemin dispatched immediately two
officers to Hyder-Ali Kan, to inform him of his ar
rival at Porto Novo, and to concert measures for their
junaion.
That prince teflified the most lively fatisfaaion at
the arrival of the king's troops in India. He offered
From the Public Advertiser-
To Lord S HELBURN E.
My Lord,
PERMIT me to present your lordship with th?
following plan, calculated to fettle America in
the most agreeable and everlasting connexion
with England.
It is this, to grant America independence, that is fi<
railar to that of Ireland, but not to the allies of France,
I mean the congress of Philadelphia ; they are the ene
mies of England, rebels to their king and country, and
consequently to be treated as such ; they are also men
of little dr no original property, but usurpers and
men of desperate fortunes and pensioners to France -
their general is also ama refchal of France, and the
whole may be considered as unalterably fixt in the
French interest for ever, and beholden to them and to
faflion for that independence, which our infatuated,
hot-headed party zealots are pursuing every flep,
whether right or wrong, to obtain. Their condud in
so doing is very mifterious indeed, for they must be
sensible that such a measure will for ever cloud and set
the fun of Great-Britain.
The loyalists are the men whose interests are blend
ed with ours, and to whom we owe faith, gratitude,
and protection, for their steady attachment and affefti'.
on to government; they are the families of original
interests and property in that country, and they are
the men with whom we ought to treat, and not the
congress at Philadelphia, by any means: let these gen
tlemen feled and form from among themselves pro
vincial deputations, and a general congress of the
whole to be held at New-York, and in a^ive opposi
tion to that French congress at Philadelphia, to be
entirely independent of the British parliament, but to
acknowledge the king, and receive his viceroy, Riled
the viceroy, or lord lieutenant of America. This of
fice I think fir Guy Carleton would fill very ably,
having lord Cornwallis, general Arnold, and colonel
Tarleton, as principal officers under him, but firft ex
changed. A Supply of money will be the principal af
fifiance they will want; for they must soon rife Supe
rior to the already exhaufled rebel congress; and in a
very little time a most glorious and happy change will
inevitably take place. At the Same time your lordship
can dired aßive operations, under good officers (mind
that, my lord) against the common enemy, both by
sea, among their islands and in the East-Indies. In this
measure, my lord, you will be unanimously Support
ed by the whole country, who now d eteft that mock
patriot, the man of the people, as our eyes are open
ing more and more every day.
This is a plan which I take the liberty to recom
mend to your lordship, and seriously hope your lord
ship will adopt and improve the idea, and as soon as
possible reduceit into practice. The importance, pro
priety, and facility of this plan appearat once ; it
must please both countries, being for the mutual 'in
tereft of both. The congress there, and the leaders of
faction here only excepted, It gives independence tel
America, which, in that plan, it will accept; and af
ter a little druggie, peace everlasting, and a' connec
tion with England, never to be broken, and highly
confident 'with, and descriptive of national faith, ho
nour, and brotherly love.
This plan also evades the treaty connective with
France and the Philadelphia congress. so that the
country will be free from that clog, and no more boafl!
of their great and good ally. The Philadelphia con
gress will likewise find themselves abandoned by the
people, and unable to raise the taxes; both the very
sinews of their exigence. The inhabitants of Ameri
ca will soon flock to the new congress, and Walking
ton's army dwindle away for want of pay, and those
necessaries with which they will be plentifully Supplied
by the loyal congress, who will also employ all the
refugees that are here an expence to the public ; and
the feat of congress may be transferred from New-
York to Philadelphia, when that in the French inte
rest is broken and removed. To effea this great revo
lution, my lord, and thereby entirely exclude the
French appears to me very easy ; for the people there,
oppreffd with taxe-, poverty and unnatural French
connexions, will fly individually to the Support of
that growing power or party, where they will find a
natural and powerful protection, and a liberal Supply,
with legal Security for their property and pretentions
to those estates which the rebels have usurped and con
fifeated, and will leave their provincial assemblies and
to provide them with every thing of which they could
ft 'nd in need ; and he detached from his army a corps
of feapoys and several thousand horse men of his Cei
kar, which he fubj<&ed entirely to the orders of
the fieur Duchemin, who joined them to 3000 feapoys
which had been levied and compleated in a few days.
The fieur Duchemin marched to Gaudelour, which
he took. He proposed to march with his force to re
take Negapatnam, in order to deprive the Eng'ifh
of the resources of provision, which they drew from
Tanjore ; and in fine, that from cape Comorin to
Madrafs, there thould not remain to them a single post
on the coast of Coromandel
The arrival of the king's troops prevented Hyder.
Ali-Kan from making peace with the English, who,
to induce him to it, had off red to cede to him the pro
vince of Madura, and the strong fortrefs of Trichena
pdy, which that prince hath long desired to add to
his possessions. Intelligence was also received, that
the Marrattah court of Poonah, which was on the
point of yielding to the instances and advantageous
offers made them by the supreme council of Galeutta,
had broken off all negociation with them.
The dispositions on the part of Hyder Ali Kan and
the Marrattahs, will certainly have been confirmed,
and put in action, by the two ships of the line, and
a body of troops which the marquis de Buffi sent frora
the isle of France, with a convoy, which ought to ar
rive in July at Ceylon, and b) theadvice that was giv
en them in the month of June of their speedy arrival
in India, with a re-union of force which ought to pre
mise them great success.