The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1783-07-02 00:00:00, page 1

THE [Numb.2Bß.]
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE^
From the LONDON GAZETTE.
Admiralty-Office, April 15, 1 783.
Extra&s of letters from vice-admiral fir Edward
Hughes, K. B. and commander in chief of his
majesty's (hips in the East-Indies, to Mr. Ste
phens, received the sixth inst. by the honoura
ble captain Carpenter, who came passenger to
Ireland in the Rodney Packet.
Superb, off Negapatam, July 15, 1782.
I SAILED from Trincomale 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 surren
dered before to their land forces ; and, that his
majesty's armed transports, the Resolution and
Raikes, on their passage to join me at Irincomale,
with stores and ammunition, had very unfortunately
been fallen in with by the French squadron and
captured; and the Don Carlos, another of his ma
jesty's armed transports, with the Rodney brig,
were chafed and very narrowly escaped being alio
captured, and had returned to Madras road.
I continued with the squadron at an anchor in
Negapatam road till the sth of this month, when
the French squadron of eighteen fail came in fight.
On the 6th, at day-light, the enemy's squadron at
anchor about 7 or 8 leagues distant, wind S. W. I
made the signal for the line of battle abreast, and
bore away towards the enemy. At fix, observing
the enemy getting under fail and Landing to the
westward, made a signal for the line ahead at two
cables length distance. At ten minutes past seven,
our line being well formed, made the signal to bear
down on the enemy; each Grip in our line against:
§he (hip opposed to her in the enemy's line. At 40
minutes past ten the enemy's line began to fire on
our's. At 45 minutes past ten I made the signal
for battle, and at the fame time the signal for a
close engagement.
From 10 minutes after eleven till 35 minutes past
noon, the engagement was general from van to rear
in both lines, and mostly very clcfe; the enemy's
Flip's appeared to have fuffered very severely both
in hulls and masts ; tne van Hip had bore away out
of the line; and the Brilliant, the French admiral's
second Hip ahead, had loft her mainmast. At this
time the sea breeze set in at S. S. E. very freffi,
and several of the ships in our van and centre were
taken aback 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 heads to the
westward ; the admiral's second ahead in particular,
which I supposed to be the Ajax, but afterwards
proved to be the. Severe, fell along fide the Sultan
and ftiUCK .to her; but, whilst the Sultan was wear
ing to join me, made what fail he could, fired on
and raked the Sultan, without showing any colours,
and then got in amongst his own Hips. At 50 mi
nates past noon, finding the Worcester, Fade, and
Burford, still 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 geneial chace; but the captain of the Monarca
having hailed, and informed me that all his Hand
^ rigging was ffiot away, and the ship otherwise
much disabled as to be ungovernable; and the
Hero on the contrary tack hauling in with the land
with the signal of distress out; and the enemy's
Hips naving wore and come too on the larboard
""' those least disabled forming to windward to
'_, r disabled Hips, and endeavouring to cut
the Eagle, I made the signal to wear, and Hood
to the westward, the engagement still continuing
Further Advices- by the foip Brothers,
Captain Hathorn, from Briflot.
WEDNESDAY, July 2, 1783.
I am extremely happy to inform their lordffiips,
that in this engagement his majesty's squadron un
der my command gained a decided superiority over
that of the enemy; and had not the wind fhifted,
and thrown his majesty's squadron out of action, 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 rea
son to believe it would have ended in the capture
of several of their line of battle Hips. I am-also
happy to inform their lordihips, that the officers
and men of the squadron behaved to my fatisfadi
on,and have great merit for their bravery and Hea
dy condud: the captains, Gell of the Monarca,
Rainer of the Burford, and Watt of the Sultan,
eminently diftinguiHed themselves by a ftrift at
tention to my signals, and the utmoH exertion of
courage and conduct against the enemy.
fam also obliged to colonel Fullarton cf the
98th regiment, who has been my companion in the
Superb, since I left Madras road in Marell lalt,
preferring to serve with his corps on board to liv
10g inathve on Hore. The officers and men of this
regiment have behaved with great regularity on
boara the Hip of the squadron, and dene their du
ty well on all occasions. Major Grattan, an offi
cer late of general Meadows's Haff, and a captain
in the 160th regiment, has also served with great
ciedit on board the Superb on this occasion, in the
absence of his corps now on the Malabar coast.
Ihe death of captan Maclellan of the Superb,
who Was Hot through the heart with a grape Hot
early in the engagement, is universally regretted
by ail who knew him. I had experienced in him
an excellent officer in every department of the ser
vice.
Officers killed and wounded on board of the follow
ing Hips/
At half past four I hauled down the signal for
the line of battle ahead, and made the signal to pre
pare to anchor; and at half past five I anchored
with the Superb in 6 fathom water, between Nega
patam and Negoree; the other Hips of the squa
dron anchoring as they came in with the land, and
the Worcester next day. The enemy having col
lided their Hips into a close body, anchored at
fix, P. Ml about three leagues to leeward of our
Hips; during the remainder of the day, and all
night, our Hips were closely employed in securing
their lower masts, almost all their Handing rigging
being Hot away; splicing the old and reeving new
rigging, and getting serviceable fails to the yards; .
On the 7th in the morning the damages sustained
by the several Hips of the squadron appeared to me
so great, that I gave^p all thoughts of pursuing
the enemy; and at nine, A. M. the French squa
dron got under fail, and returned to Cuddalore
road, their disabled ships ahead, and those less so,
covering their retreat in the rear.
At ten, A. M. I set captain James Watt, of
his majesty's Hip the Sultan, in the Rodney brig
disarmed, with a flag of truce, and a letter to mon
sieur Suffrein, containing a demand of the furrendcr
of the French king's ship the Ajax. Captain Watt
came up with the French squadron the fame even
ing. and my letter was forwarded to monsieur
SuHrein, who returned an evasive answer, faying it
was the French ship Severe who had tire halliards
of his ensign Hot away, as frequently happens in
action, by which means it came down, but was ne
ver intended to be struck.
partially whereever our Hips were near the enemy's,
and the Eagle pressed by two of the enemy's Hip's.
At halt pail one 1 made the signal for the line of
battle ahead on the larboard tack, and made the
Exeter's signal to come within hail, and directed
her to take her Ration astern of the Sultan. At
two, P. M. the enemy's squadron were Handing
in Hore, and collecting their ships, which I was
allo endeavouring to do, as our squadron was very
much dispersed, and continued on different tacks,
the Hips being greatly disabled, and in general un
governable.
„ , Superb, Madras road, August 12, 1782.
FI N D ING it impossible to repair the loss of
top-masts, and the other damages the Hips of the
squadron had sustained in the engagement with the
French squadron, withbwt a supply of spars, fillies
and cordage, and the ammunition of the squadron.
as well as its provisions, being nearly exhaled,' I
was under the necessity to proceed with the f^
dron to tnis road, where our fthr^ -^ pic,mons
are deposited, and arrived here the 20th of last
month. When 1 left the windward station off Ne
gapatam, the French squadron was at an anchor off
Cuddalore repairing their damages.
On my arrival in this road, I learned that his
majesty's Hip 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 majesty's armed transport San Car
los 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 Bickerton's squadron
soon after it left the channel, had been at Rio |a
nerio, where he met the Medea frigate, and in the
course of their pafiage to India, they captured a
large French Hip laden with naval stores, in charge
of which captain Graves left the Medea, and pro
ceeded on in the Sceptre to join me.
On the gift I dispatched his majesty's Hips
Monmouth and Sceptre to Trincomale, with a re
inforcement of troops, and a supply of provisions
and stores, under the command of Captain Alms
and I have the fatisfa&ion to inform their lord-
Hips, that service has been very completely per
formed, and the two Hips rejoined me here on the
10th of this month.
As the Hips of the squadron are now nearly fit
ted I hope to be able to proceed to sea in a few
days to cover the arrival of the expe&ed reinfotee
ments under fir Rd. Bickerton, and oppose the
enemy's squadron.
Superb, in Madras road, August 16, 1782.
SINCE closing my last letter, dated the 12th
of this month, his majesty's frigate the Medea,
Capt. Gower, arrived and joined me here the 13th,
and his majesty's frigate the Conventry this day
from Bembay, where He has been completely
repaired.
The Medea brought in with her a French Hip
about 450 tons burthen, laden with provisions and
Hores bound to the Mauratics, but captured by
the Sceptie and Medea est the cape ofGcod-Hope.
Captain Mitchell, of the Conventry, informs met
that on the 12th of this month, off Friar's Hood,
on the ihand of Ceylon, he fell in with and attat'
ed the Bellona, a French frigate of 40 guu§, A
Superb. Captain Dunbard Maclellan, 6 petty
officers, killed. r '
Hero. Lieutenant Henry Chapman, killed.
Magnanime. Lieutenant Thomas Henry Wil
son, capt. William Adlam of the marines wounded.
Monmouth. Lieut. Sabine Gafcoine, wounded.
Monarca. Mr. Francis Corrie, master, captain
Abbot in the company's service, wounded.
Burford. Captain Vroxhome Jenkinfon, of the
98th regiment, killed; Mr. Edward Derby, master,
wounded.
Eagle; Lieutenant William Wood, wounded.
Exeter. Mr. Ihomas Cribbon, master, wounded.
,§,""' Lieutenant John Drew, lieut. Richard
V iilianis, of the marines, wounded.
W orcefler. Lieutenant Johnston, of the marines,
wounded. 1
Total killed and wounded.
Ships names. K. W. Ship's names. K. W
Superb, 7 j 9 Eagle, 4
Hero, 12 23 Exeter, „ %
Magnanime, 217 Sultan, 16 21
Monmouth, 012 Worcester, 0 q
Monarca, 846 Ifc, o '
Burford, 7 34 9 )
Total. 77 killed; 233 wounded.