The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-06-24 00:00:00, page 1

Further Advices by the ship Brothers,
Captain Hathorn, from Bristol.
From the LON D 0 N GAZETTE.
Admiralty-Office, April 15/178?.
ExtraHsof letters from vice admiral fir Edward Hughes,
K : 8. and commander in chief of his majesty's ship&
in the East Indies, to Mr. Stephens, received the 6th
inst. by the honorable captain Carpenter, who came
paifenger to Ireland in the Rodney Packet.
Superb, off Negapatam, July 15, 1782.
I SAILED from Trincemale bay on the 24th of last
month, and anchored in Negapatam road on the
day following- At this place I was informed that
the French squadron was then at anchor off Cuddalore,
which had Surrendered before to their land forces; and,
that his majefiy's armed transports, the Resolution and
Raikes, on their passage to join me at Trincomale, with
flores and ammunition, had very unfortunately been
fallen in with by the French squadron and captured ;
and the Don Carlos, another of his majesty's armed
transports, with the Rodney brig, were chafed and
very narrowly escaped being alio captured, and had re
turned to Madras road<
I continued with the squadron at an anchor in Ne
gapatam road till the sth of this month, when the French
squadron of 18 fail came in fight.—Op the 6th at day
light the enemy's squadron at anchor about 7 or 8
leagues diflant, wind S. W. 1 made the signal for the
line of battle a-breast, and bore away towards the ene
my. At fix, observing the enemy getting under fail
and flahding to the westward, made a signal for the
line a-head at two cables length distance. At ten mi
nutes pad seven, our line being well formed, made the
signal to bear down on the enemy ; each ship in our
fine agaioft the ship opposed to h r in the enemy's line.
At 40 miaa es pad ten the enemy's line began to are
on our's. At 45 minutes pad .en I made the signal
for battle, and at the fame time the signal for a close
engagement.
From ten minutes after eleven till 35 minutes past
noon, the engagement was general from van to rear in
both lines, and mofily very close ; the enemies ships
appeared to have fuffered very severely both in hulls
and masts; the van ship had bore away out of the line;
and the Brilliant, the French admiral's second ship a
head, had loft her mainmaH, At this time the sea
breeze set in at 3. S. E. very frefh, and fever'll of the
'lhipa in our van and centre were taken a-back and paid
round with their heads to the westward, while others
of our ships, those in the rear in particular, which
had fuffered less in their rigging, paid off and continued
on their former tack. Some of the enemy's ships
were also paid round by the sea breeze with their
beads to the westward ; the admiral's second a head
in particular, which I supposed to be the Ajax, but
afterwards proved to be the Severe, fell along fide the
Sultan and flruck to her; but, whilfl the Sultan was
wearing to join me, made what fail he could, fired on
and raked the Sultan, without fllowing any colours,
and then got in amongfl his own ships. At 50 minutes
past noon, finding the Worcester, Eagle, and Burford,
fill continuing on their former tack, and nearing the
body of the enemy's squadron very faft, I made the
signal to wear, and hauled down the signal for the line,
proposing to make the signal for a general chace; but
the captain of the Monarca having hailed, and inform
ed me that all his landing rigging was shot away, and
the ship otherwise so much disabled as to be ungovern
able ; and the Hero on the contrary tack hauling in
with the land with the signal of distress out; and the
enemy's ships having wore and come to on the larboard
tack, those least disabled forming to windward to co
ver their disabled ships, and endeavouring to cut off the
Bagle,l made signal to wear, and flood to the weft ward,
the engagement still continuing partially whereever
our ships were near the enemy's, and the Eagle pressed
by two of the enemy's ships. At half past one I made
the signal for the line of battle a-head on the larboard
tack, and made the Exeter's signal to come within
hail, and direded her to take her station a-stern of the
Sultan. At two P. M. the enemy's squadron were
flanding in shore, and collecting their ships, which I
was also endeavouring to do, as our squadron was very
much dispersed, and continued on different tacks, the
ships being greatly difabled,and in general ungovernable.
At half past four I hauled down the signal for the
line of battle a-head, and made the signal to prepare
to anchor; and at half past five I anchored with the
Superb in 6 fathom water, between Negapatam and
Nagoree ; the other ships of the squadron anchoring as
they came in with the land, and the Worcester next
day. The enemy having collected their ships into a
close body, anchored at fix P. M. about three leagues
to leeward of our ships; during the remainder of the
day, and all night, our fllips were closely emp oyed in
securing their lower masts, almost all their standing
timing being shot away ; splicing the old and reeving
^^^^^^^^'
O R, THE
GENERAL ADVERTISER.
TUESDAY,
VOL. XII.]
JOSHED EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY and SATURDAY.—Price Six-Pence.
Superb, Madras-road, August 12, 1782.
FINDING it impossible to repair the loss of top
masts, and the other damages the ships of the fqua
dron, had sustained in the engagement with the French
squadron, without a supply of (pars, fifhes and cor
dage, and the ammunition of the squadron, as well as
its provisions, being nearly exhausted, I was under
the necessity to proceed with the squadron to this
road, where our stores and provisions are deposited,
and arrived here the 20th of last month.— When I left
the windward station off Negapatam, the French
squadron was at an anchor off Cuddalore repairing their
damages.
On my arrival in this road, I learned that his majes
ty's ship Sceptre, captain Samuel Graves, one of fir
Richard Bickerton's squadron, had arrived here on the
13th of last month, and had again failed with his ma-
new rigging, and getting ferviceabfe fails to the yards.
On the 7th in the morning the damages sustained by
the several ships of the squadron appeared to me so
great, that I gave up all thoughts of pursuing the ene
my; and at nine A. M the French squadron got un
der fail, and returned to Cuddalore road, their disabled
ships a-head, and those less so, covering their retreat
in the rear.
At ten A. M. I lent captain James Watt, of his
majesty's ship the Sultan, in the Rodney brig disarmed,
with a flag of truce, and a letter to monsieur Suff ein,
containing a demand of the surrender of the French
king's ship the Ajax. Captain Watt came up with the
French squadron the fame evening, and my letter was
forwarded to monsieur Suffrein, who returned an era
five answer, faying it was the*French ship Severe who
had the halliards of his ensign shot away, as frequent
ly happens in action ; by which means it came down,
but was never intended to be flruck.
Jam extremely happy to inform their lordships, that
in this engagement his majesty's squadron under my
command gained a decided superiority over that of the
enemy; and had not the wind fhifted, and thrown his
majesty's fpuadron out of aajon, at the very time
when some of the enemy's ships had broken their line
and were running away, and others of them greatly
disabled, I have good reason to believe it would have
ended in the capture of several of their line of battle*
ships. lam also happy to inform their lordships, that
the officers and men of the squadron behaved to my fa
tisfaaibn, and have great merit for their bravery and
Heady conduct: the captains, Gell of the Monarca,
F. • 'r of the Burford, and Watt of the Sultan, emi
" ^7 diflingu died themselves by a ft^d attention to
rc./ tignats, and the u:moft exertion of courage and
CQfldp£t against the enemy.
lam also obliged to colonel FuHarton of the ggrh
regiment, who has been my companion in the ^/erb,
iince I left Meiras road in March last, preferring to
serve with his corps on board to Jiving inactive on shore.
Ihe officers nd men of this regiment have behaved
with great regularity on board the ship of the fqnad
ron, and done their duty well on all occasions. Major
Grattan, an officer late of general Meadows's ftaff,
and a captain in the tooth regiment, has also served
with great credit on board the Superb on this occa
flan, in the absence of his corps now 011 the Malabar
coast.
The death of captain Maclellan of the Superb, who
was shot through the heart with a grape shot early in
the engagement, is universally regretted by a'l who
knew him. I had experienced in him an excellent
officer in every department of the service.
Officers killed and wounded on board of the following
ships.
Superb, captain Dunbard Maclellan, 6 petty offi
cers, killed. Hero, lieutenant Henry Chapman,
killed.'
Magnanime. lieutenant Thoroas Henry Wilson,
captain William A'dlam, of the marines wounded.
Monmouth, lieutenant Sabine Gafcoine, wounded.
Monarca. Mr. Francis Corrie, master, captain Ab
bot in the company's service, wounded.
Burford. Captain Vroxholme Jenkinfon, of the 98th
regiment,killed; Mr. Edward Derby,mafter, wounded.
Eagle. Lieut. William Wood, wounded.
Exeter. Mr. Thomas Cribbon, master, wounded.
Sultan. Lieut. John Drew, Ijeut. Richard Williams of
the marines, wounded.
Worcester. Lieut. Johnston of the marines, wound
ed.
Ship's Names. K. W.
Superb 7 19
Hero 12 23
Magnanime 2 17
Monmouth 0 12
Monarca 8 46
Burford 7 34
Total. 77 killed; 233 wounded.
Total killed and wounded.
THE
Ship's Names. K. W.
Eagle 4 9
Exeter 11 24
Sultan 16 21
Worcefler 9
His 9 19
jefly's armed transport San Carlos on the 17th, with'
intent to join me to the southward ; and on the 28th of
the month they both joined me in this road; captain
Graves had parted company with fir Richard Bicker
ton^fquadron soon after it left tne channel, had been
at Rio Janerio, where he met the Medea frigate, and
in the course of their passage to India, they captured
a large French ship laden with naval Hores, in charge
of which captain Graves left the Medea, and proceeded
on in the Sceptre to join me.
On the 31st I dispatched his ma jefly's ships Monmouth
and Sceptre to Trincomale, with a reinforcement of
troops, and a supply of provisions and stores, under the
command of captain Aims, and I have the Satisfaction
to inform their lordships, that fervid has bzen very
completely performed, and the two ships rejoined me
here on the 10th of this month.
As the ships of the squadron are now nearly fitted £
hope to be able to proceed to .sea in a few days to cover
the arrival of the expeded reinforcements under fir Rd.
Bickerton, and oppose the enemy's squadron.
Superb, in Madras-road, August 16, 1782.
SINCE elofing my lad letter, dated the 12th of this
month, his majefly's frigate the Medea, captain Gow
er, arrived and joined me here the 13th, and his ma
jesty's frigate the Coventry this day from Bombay,
where she has been completely repaired.
The Medea brought in with ner a French ship about
450 tons burthen, laden with provisions aud floret
bound to the Mauraties, but captured by the Sceptre
and Medea off the cape of Good-Hope.
Captain Mitthell, of the Coventry, informs me that
on the 12th of this month, off Friar's Hood, on the iflani
of Ceylon, he fell in wita and attacked the Bellona, a
French frigate of 40 guns, and after a severe engage--
ment of two hours and a half, the Bellona sheered off,
and made fail to join the French' fleet, consisting of 23
fail, which captain Mitchell saw at anchor in the Bat
tacalo road, and was chaced by t wo ofthe : rb:? cfbat
tle H.,s: in the engagement ^z Coveiury ^d 15 Q-ti
killed and 29 wounded. Captain Muchell t/eaks high
ly of the courage and good conduct of the Coventry'^
officers and men; and i trust their lordships wid give
him his full share of merit, for having so gallantly
attacked and beaten an enemy's ship so superior in
force to his own.
Superb, in Madras-road, September 30, 1782. J
ON the 20th of la ft month, the squadron having corn
pleated its provisions, and being in a tolerable condi
tion lor service, I left the road with the squadron un
der my command, and used al! diligence possible to
get to the south ward of Trincomale, being apprehen
sive that the enemy would endeavour to make thernv
selves masters of that harbour in the absence of the
squadron; but the wind blowing irong from the south
ward, I did not arrive with the squadron off Trin
comale till the night of these % ond of this month; and
in the morning following 1 difeovered the French co
lours on the forts, and their squadron reinforced by
the Illuflre, of 74 guns, the St. Michael, of 64, and
the Elizabeth, formerly a company's ship, of 50 guns,
with fevera 1 transports, in all 30 fail, at 'anchor in the
several bays there.
• On the appearance of his majetty's squadron on the
morning of the 3d, the French squadron, confining of
14 line of batte fliips, the Elizabeth, three frigates',
and a fire (hip, got under fail, and abou fix A M. flood
out of Back Bay to the S. Eastward, the wind blowing
firong at S. W. off the shore, which placed them to
windward of his majesty's squadron. At ten minutes
past fix A. M I made signal tor the line of battle a head
at two cables length distance, shortened fail, and edged
away from the wind, that the ships to form the van of
our line might more speedily get into their nations. At
20 minutes past 8, the enemy's squadron began loedee
down on our line, then formed in good order. From tiat
time till half past eleven A. M. I fleered under top fails
in the line E. S.E. with tne wind blowing firong at S.
W. in order to draw the enemy's squadron as far as
possible from the port of Trincomale; they (ometinvs
edging down, sometimes bringing to, and in no regular
order, as if undetermined what to do. At no<n the
enemy's squadron appeared to have an intention to en
gage. At half past two P. M. the French line began to
fire on our's, am; 1 made tl e signal for battle; At five
minutes after, the engagement was gemral from our van
to our rear, the two additional ships of the enemy's
line falling furioufly on our rearmoti ship the Worcester,
were bravely refilled ty that fhipand die M mmouth,
her second a head, which backed all her fails to aflbt
her. About the fame time, the van of tne enemy's
line, to which five of their ships had crowded, bore
down on the Exeter and bis, the two headmof ifhips of
our line, and by an exerted fire on them, forced the
Exeter, much difableu, cuf of the I ne: then tacked,
keeping their wind, acd rriug on the Jfis, and other
fhipsef our van, as they paired. In the 41^ time me
J U N E 24; 1783;
[NUMB. 1058.