The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1783-07-02 00:00:00, page 2

Supe;b, in Madras road, Sept. 30, 1782.
On the 20th of last month, the squadron having
completed its prorifions, and being in a tolerable
Condition for service, 1 left the road with the iqua
dron under my command, and used all diligence
polhble to get to the foutliward of I iincomale,
being apprehcnfive that the enemy would endea
vour to make themselves matters of that harbour in
the absence of the squadron; but the wind blow
ing Strong from the southward, I did not arrive
w^h the squadron off FrincomJe till the night of
the.fecond of this month; and in the morning fol
lowing I discovered the French colours on the
forts,°and their squadron reinforced by the illuftre,
° f 74 - guns, the $L Michael, of 64, and rhe Eliza
beth, formerly a company's Snip, of 50 guns, with
Several transports, in all 3° fail, at anchor in the
several bays there.
On the appearance of his majesty's squadron
on the morning of the 3d, the frencn Squadron,
confuting of 14 line of battle ships, the Elizabeth,
three frigates, and a fire ship got under fail and
about fix A. M. Rood out of Back Bay to the
S. Eastward, the wind blowing strong at S. W. off
the shore, which placed them to windward of his
majesty's squadron. At ten minutes path fix A. M.
i made figrial for the line of battle ahead at two
cables length distance, shortened fait, and edged
away from° the wind, that the ships to form the van
of cur line might more speedily get into their Acti
ons. At 20 minutes pall 8, the enemy's squadron
be^an to edge down on our line, then formed 111
cood order.' From that time till half past elfven
A. M. I steered under top-fails in the line E. S. E.
with the wind blowing strong at b. W. in order to
few the enemy's squadron as far as possible from
the port or c\: CT o,\ m f te , they sometimes edging
down, sometimes bringing to, and in no regular
order, as if undetermined what to do. At noon
the enemy's squadron appeared to have an intenti
on to engage. At half past two P. M. the French
line begin to fire on our's, and I made the Signal
for battle: At five minutes after, the engagement
was general from our van to our rear, the two ad
ditional thips of the enemy's line falling furioufly
oh our rearmost ship the Worcester, were bravely
lefifted by that ship and the Monmouth, her se
cond ahead, which backed all her fails to affile
her. About the fame time, the van of the enemy's
line, to which five of their ships had crouded, bore
down on the Exeter and ills, the two headmoil
ships of our line, and by an exerted fire on them,
forced the Exeter, much disabled, out of the line;
then tacked, keeping their wind, and firing on the
Isis, and other ships of our van, as they puffed.
In the mean time the centers of the two lines were
warmly engaged, ship to ship. At 28 minutes past
three, the mizen-maft of the French admiral's fe
cund astern was shot or cut away, and at the fame
time, his second ahead loft her fore and mizen
top-mafts.
At 23 minutes past fix, the French admiral's
main-mail was shot away by the board, and soon
after, his mizen-maft: and about the fame time,
the Worcester, one of our line of battle ships, loft
her main-top-mast. About seven P. M. the body
of the French squadron hauled their wind to the
southward, the ships in our rear continuing a se
vere fire on them till 20 minutes past seven, when the
engagement ceased; and the ships of our squadron
had apparently fuffered so much, as to be in no
condition to pursue them. About eight P. M.
made the night Signal for the line of battle ahead
on the larboard tack; but the night being dark,
and several ships not being seen, at 12 P. M. I
made the signal for the squadron to bring to and
to lay by on the larboard tack. At day light nb
part of the enemy's squadron was in fight: and the
Eagle, Monmouth, Burford, Superb, and several
other fliips making much water from shot holes, so
very low down in the bottom as not to come at, to
be effectually flopped; and the whole having fuffer
ed severely in their masts and rigging; under these
circumstances, and Trincomale being in the ene
my's possession, and the other parts of the weft
after a severe engagement of two hours and a half,
the Bellona Sheered off, and made fail to join the
French fleet, confiding of 23 fail, which Captain
Mitchell few at anchor in the Battacalo road, and
was chaced by two of their line of battle ships; in
the engagement the Conventry had 15 men killed
and 29 wounded. Captain Mitchell Speaks highly
of the courage and good conduct of the Coventry s
officers and men ; and I trust their lordships will
give him his full Share of merit, for having so gal
lantly attacked and beaten an enemy's ship so supe
rior in force to his own.
A Lift of the English and French squadrons.
Superb 74 Hero (coppered) 74
Hero (coppered) 74 Illußre (ditto) 74
Sultan (ditto) 74 L'Orient 74
Burford 70 Hannibal 74
Monarca 68 Vengeur (coppered) 64
Exeter 64 Artelien (ditto) 64
Worcester 64 Sphynx (ditto) 64
Monmouth (copp'd) 64 Brilliant 64.
Eagle 64 Severe 64
Magnanime (copp'd)64 Bizarre 64
Sceptre (ditto) 64 Ajax 64
Isis (ditto) 50 ; St. Michael (copp'd) 64
Frigates. Eng. Hannibal (ditto) 50
San Carlos (copp'd) 44 Flamand 50
Adive (ditto) 32 Confolante 50
Conventry (ditto) 28 Frigates.
Medea (ditto) 28 Pourvoyeufe 36; Bello-
Seahorse (ditto) 24 na,la Fine, 34; Sylphide,
Combustion Eirefhip Chafer, 18; Diligence
I and I firefhip.
Superb, in Madras road, Od. 16, 1782.
In continuation of my letter of the 20th of last
month, I beg you will plcafe to acquaint their lord
ffiips, that the weather is growing very threatning
and Squally, so that several of tite ships of the
squadron have parted their cables, and loft their
anchors alieady, I am preparing to fail with the
line of battle fliips for Bombay, leaving all the fri
coast of Ceylon unfafe to anchor on, at this late
season of the year, when the N. E. winds often
blow strong there. I was under the necessity 0i
fleering with the squadron for this coalt, to get
anchoring ground, in order to flop the shot holes
under water; and from the disabled Slate H the se
veral ships, I fell in with the land a very tew
leagues only to windward of this port, on the btli
of tnis month, and anchored in this road on the
9th, and am now closely employed in repairing the
damages the several ships have received.
By the account of the killed and wounded, their
lordships will observe, that althougli we have been
fortunate in losing few of our men, we have fuffer
ed most severely in officers. 3he honourable capt.
Lumley of the Isis, a very good officer, and pro
mising young man; captain James Watt of the
Sultan, a most worthy officer died of his wounds ;
and captain Charles Wood of the Worcester, a
most deserving officer, dangerously wounded, with
little hopes of his recovery.
is the change of the monsoon is new near at
hand, and the line of battle ffiips in their present
Hate cannot remain on this coast; and as the late
ness of tile season may have induced fir Richard
Bickerton to remain at Bombay, in hopes of join
ing me there; lam preparing the fhips.of the
squadron for fetvice, and as loon as they are in a
condition, I Shall proceed to fca with them and
make the belt of my way to Bombay, and there
uie every polhble diligence to get the squadron in a
condition to come early on this coast.
I have not been able to procure the lead intelli
gence of the French squadron iince the engagement
of the 3d of this month, but fuppole they are re
fitting at Tiincomale.
Included is the account of the killed and wound
ed in the late engagement; and a lift of the xng
lifh and trench naval force in these leas, as they
were on the third of this month.
Lift of officers killed and wounded.
Superb. Lieutenant Murru, lieutenant Orr, of
the marines, lieut. fhompfog of the 98th regi
ment, wounded.
sultan, captain Watt (fierce dead) lieutenants
Bartholomew and Stewart of the 78th regiment,
wounded.
Magnanime. Lieut. Stevenson, wounded.
Monarca. Captain Robert Clugftone; lieute
nant Barret, of the marines, killed ; hon. captain
Maitland, of the 78th regiment, hon. lieutenant
Sandilands, lieutenant Armstrong, wounded.
Exeter. Lieutenant Atkins, wounded.
Worcester. Lieutenant Edwards of the marines,
killed; capt. Charles Wood (dangerously) wound
ed.
ills. Hon. captain Lumley, Mr. Bell matter's
mate, killed.
Total number killed and wounded.
Ship's names. K. W. Ship's names. K. W.
Superb 4 52 Burford 4 38
Hero 1 17 Sceptre 2 23
Sultan 4 43 Eagle 8 14
Magpanime 3 17 Exeter 6 19
Monmouth 0 3 Worcester 6 16
Monarca 6 22 Isis 7 10
Total, 51 killed; 283 wounded,
gates to cruize between Point Palmirls and the
Road, for the protection of the merchant fliips and
vessels failing between Bengal and this port. I
have not to this hour received any intelligence
where fir Richard Bickerton, with is majesty's ships
and convoy under his command, now is,
TRENTO N, July 2.
House of AfTembly, June 19, 1783,
WHEREAS the several barracks in this Rate
are much impaired and continually receiv
ing damage for want of proper persons being ap
pointed to rent out and keep the fame in repair;
arid as there are belonging to the said barracks
some articles that it would be for the advantage of
the publick to dispose of,
Resolved, That the following named persons be,
and they hereby are, appointed commissioners to
take charge of the several barracks and such arti
cles as belong thereto, in this state, viz. for the
county of Burlington, Samuel Howe, Esq. fur
the county of Hunterdon, Charles oxford, jun.
for the county of Middlesex, Joleph Vickers tor
the barracks at New-Biuniwick, and John Griggs
for thole at Perth-.rimboy, tor the county of Eflex,
William Harriman. And the said commissioners
are hereby authorifed and directed to take charge
of, put into tenantable repair, and lease out all the
said barracks, boules and lands belonging thereto,
except so much of the barracks at New-Bruniwick
as may be appropriated by the justices and free
holdeisof the county of Middlesex for the purpose
of a-court and gaol, provided that the expence of
repairs Shall not exceed the amount of rent that
may be railed upon said barracks and land; and
that the laid commissioners do, as soon as conveni
ent, difpole of all the publick furniture belonging
to laid barracks ; and in the county of EfTex, of
all the materials that have not been destroyed by
the five when the fame were burnt; and that they
the said commifiioneis keep a regular account of
monies by them raised and expended in the execu
tion of the business herein before Specified, and lay
an account thereof, together with an account of
their expellees and trouble, before the Legislature
annually, for allowance and Settlement.
Extract from the minutes,
MabKELL EWING, jun. Clerk.
List of acts pafied at Burlington the second fit
ting of the seventh leffion.
1. An adt to ratify and confirm an agreement
made between commissioners appointed by the Le
gifiature of the state of Pennsylvania and commif-
Sioners appointed by the Legislature of the Slate of
New-jerley, for the purpose of fettling the jurif
di&ion of the river Delaware and islands within
the lame,
2. An ad for the promotion and encouragement
of literatue.
3. An aft to empower the inhabitants of the
township of Newton, in the county of Gloucester,
to repair their publick highways by hire, and to
raiie money for that purpose.
4. An ad to enable Jacob Fries, surviving exe
cutor of the lall will and testament of John Jar
inan, deccafed, to fulfil the purposes of the said
will.
9. An ad to release Abraham Hendricks from
the payment of a sum of publick money taken by
robbers.
10, Anad for incorporating sundry persons as trus
tees of the second Presbyterian Church in Newark.
11. An ad more effedually to prevent the waste
of timber in this Slate, and to repeal the former ad
for that purpose.
12. An a& to remedy certain defers in the tes
tament and last will of Thomas Shreve, late of the
county of Salem, deceased, and to establish and con
firm the said testament and last will.
13. An ad to alter the place of holding the Ifr
ferior Court of Common Pleas and Courts of Ge
neral Quarter-Sessions of the Peace in arid for the
county of Bergen.
14. An ad to release Thomas Fenimore frora
5. An ad to dissolve the marriage of Aaron
Chew, with Elizabeth his wife.
6. An ad to confirm the charter of the reformed
Protestant Dutch Church of New-Shannick, in
Hillfborough, in the county of Somerset.
7. An ad for incorporating Sundry persons as
trustees of the Presbyterian congregation at Fair
field, in the county of Cumberland.
8. An ad to authorize the United States in
Congress assembled to levy a duty on certain goods
and merchandize imported into this state from any
foreign port, island or plantation, and for the ap
propriation of the fame.