The royal gazette — [Charleston] S.C., 1782-05-29 00:00:00, page 1

From the LONDON GAZETTE of March 12.
Admiralty-Office, March 11, 1782.
Extraß of a letter from the Hon. Captain Seymour Finch,
of his Majfly's Jhip Monjieur, dated Dartmouth Range, the
7th of March, 1782.
" IT WAVING compleated my water, I left Falmouth the
Kg 4th, and on the 6th, we took La Fencible French
& privateer brig of 16 guns, and 76 men. And not
being able to fetch a port farther to the Westward, I have put
may prisoners on shore at this place, and will proceed immedi
ately on my cruize."
Admiralty-Office, March 12, 1782.
This morning Capt. Henry Edwin Stanhope, late of his Ma
jesty's ship the Rufftl, arrived here from Rear-Admiral Sir
Samuel Hood, Bart, with aletter to Mr. Stephens, dated Bar
fleur, Basseterre Road, the 7th of last month, of which the fol
lowing is an extract:
The design of the Count de Grade was most undoubtedly
against Barbadoes, could he have got to windward; but fail
ing of that, owing to strong Easterly winds, and a lee current,
he bent his course to this island.
The moment his views were made known to me, I quitted
Carlifle Bay, and got off English harbour, with all the hade in
my power; where I could only hear of a formidable attack be
ing made upon St. Christopher's without any Certain informa
tion either of the enemy's lea or land force. I anchored in St.
John's Road, and the Prudent having joined me, I tailed on
the 23d in the evening with 22 fail of the line, and was close off
the South-East end of Nevis, at day-light next morning, when
I direded the squadron to be formed in order of battle, with a
design of attacking the enemy at anchor, if 1 saw it practicable
to any advantage; but the signal for the line a-head was no
sooner thrown out than Rear-Admiral Drake made that^ for
speaking with me, and brought to; I did the fame, and soon
learnt he only repeated the signal of the Alfred in the rear; and
that that ship had run on board the Nymphe, and almost cut
her asunder. It was reported to me, each had received so
much damage as to be unable to keep the sea. I immediately
ordered a survey on both, and was happy to find the Allred
could be put in a state for present service in the course of the
day and following night; but that the Nymphe could not. I
therefore fhifted the troops, the had on board, to another fri
gate, and ordered her to English harbour, where fho arrived
fafe. This misfortune to the Alfred, obliged me to remove her
from being the leading ship, into the center of my line, and to
place the St. Alban's in her room. That morning the look out
frigate a-head fell in with and took a very large King's cutter
of 16 fix-pofinders, but seven months old, and commanded by
a Knight of Malta; She is named L'Efpwn; fne came from
Martinique about thirty hours before, and was full of shells
and other ordnance stores. In the afternoon the Count de
Graffe quitted this road, and kept a few miles to leeward of
me the whole night.
At day light we plainly difeovered 33 fail of the enemy's
flips, 29 of which of two decks formed in a line a-head. I
made every appearance of an attack, which threw the Count
de Grade a little from the shore; and as I thought I had a fair
prdfped of gaining the anchorage he left, and well knowing it
was the only chance I had of saving the island, if it was to be
saved, I pushed for it, and succeeded, by having my rear and
part of the center engaged.
The enemy gave a preference to Commodore Affleck; but
he kept up so noble a fire, and was so supported by his seconds,
Captain Cornwallis and Lord Robert Manners, that the loss
and damages fnftained in those Rips were very triflng, and
thev very much preferred the other fbips in the' rear. The
Prudent had the misfortune to have her wheel shot to pieces
the firth broadside, which occasioned her lot's to exceed that of
any other ship.
Would the event of a battle hare determined the fate of the
if nd, I would, without hesitation, have attacked the enemy,
from my knowledge how much was to be expected from an
English squadron, commanded by men, amongst whom is no
other contention than who should be most forward in render
ing Services to his King and country: Herein I placed the ut
most confidence, and should not, I fully trull, have been dis
appointed.
I anchored his Majesty's squadron in aelefe line a-head ; but
Commodore Affleck having acquainted me that the Bedford
had driven off the bank, I ordered her into the van.
Next morning, about eight o'clock, I was attacked from
I van to rear, with the whole force of the enemy (29 fail) for
I ne±ly two hours, without having the least viable imprc ffion
trade upon my line. The French flops then wore, and flood
off again, and in the afternoon began a second attack upon my
center and rear, with no better success than before: Since
which the Count de Graffe has kept at a fafe diffance. Many
of the French ships muff have fuffered very considerably, and
the Ville de Paris was upon the heel all the next day, covering
her shot holes.
By information from the shore, the French ships have font
1 to St. Euftatius upwards of 1000 wounded men.
I Ithink my situation perfectly secure here against the enemy's
present force, superior as it is; and am happy to find, by a
Iletter! have received from Governour Shirley, that Brimstone
Hill, to which his Excellency retired, is in the mod perfed
security. I have not a thought of moving, and think the Count
de Graffe will not venture to attack me again, unless he should
attempt something by fire vefiels, which lam prepared against
as much as possible: Jf therefore Brimstone Hill canhold out,
which I have not a doubt of, the Marquis de Bouille, (who
landed with 8000 men upon the island) as well as the Count de
Graffe, will, I think, be glad to retire. When I sent an officer
to Brimstone Hill, he was accompanied by one from General
Brefcott, (who embarked with the 28th regiment, and two
companies ofthe 13th, from Antigua, at my request, knowing
'vell Brimstone Hill and every part of the island) who brought
the following message from that brave old soldier General Fra
ser: “ That as he had taken the trouble to come with troops
to his assistance, he should doubtless be glad of the honour
of feeing him; but that he was in no want of him or his
T troeps." Upon my being made acquainted with this ipirited
m essage from General Fraser, I proposed to General Pref-
Icott his taking a post on shore in the vicinity of Basseterre,
I and offered to land two battalions of marines, of 700 each,
EUROPEAN INTELLIGENCE.
ROYAL
From WEDNESDAY, May 29,
SOUTH-CAROLINA: Printed by R. WELLS & SON, Printers to the King's Most Excellent Majesty.
Vol. 11.
On that day the Tifiphone joined me, and I prdpofe shall re
turn to England with an account of the fitnation of things
here, which I think of importance their Lordships should know.
I fend the copy of the killed and wounded. 1 have much
pkafure in telling you his Majesty's ships under my com
mand are very immaterially injured in their malts and yards,
perfectly healthy, and the people in the highest spirits.
The Count de Graffe appears one day with 32 two-decked
flips (the whole of the present force in this country) and ano
ther with only 29, so that I imagine two or three are constant
ly watering at Old Road.
Return of hilled aud bounded on hoard his Maje/ly's fbips un
der-mentioned, in action with the French fleet on the o.3th and
16th cf January, 1782.
Ships Names. Kill. Wound. Ships Names. Kill. Wound.
St. Albarn's 0 0 Bclliqueux 5 7
Alcide 2 4 Centaur 0 12
Intrepid 2 0 Alfred 2 20
Torbay 0 0 Ruficl 8 29
Princeffa 2 4 Refidution 5 11
Prince George 1 3 Bedford 2 15
Ajax £ 12 Canada 1 12
Prince William 0 3 Prudent 18 36
Shrewfbury 3 7 Montague 7 23
Invincible 0 2 America 1 17
BarHeur 9 24 Champion r 1
Monarch 2 2
„ Total ,2 244
Officers Killed.
Mt Charles Martin, Matter of the Resolution.
Mr. John Chartes, Matter of the Prudent.
Officers /Founded.
Lieutenant Elliot, ofthe Ajax:
Lieutenant Forster, of Marines, Centaur.
Lieutenant Patey, ofthe Montagu.
_ Mr. Raven, Matter of the Montagu.
Captain Strickland, of Marines, Prudent.
Lieutenant Griffiths, of Marines, Prudent.
SAM. HOOD.
Return of hilled and wounded of his Maiedfs 69th regiment, on
the i3th of January, 1782.
Killed. Captain Ross. 1 Serjeant, 6 rank and file.
Wound'd. Captain Cunningham, Lieutenants Brown and
Clark, Ensign Chambers, 1 Serjeant, 21 rank and file.
SAM.HOOD.
London, March 13. One of the transports which failed from
Brest in September lal, under convoy of the Argonaute and
La Naide,. with troops to Strengthen Mons. Suffrein, was over
fet in a tornado near the Cape of Good Hope, and all her crew,
with a body of 300 soldiery, perished.
March 1,. The negociation for a peace with America,
which has occasioned so much conversation of late, both in
and out of Parliament, hangs by a very Bender thread indeed.
An Emissary came from Dr. Franklin to Mr. Laurens, who
brought advices which induced that Gentleman to mention to
some Members of the Opposition, that England might have
peace with America, if she would take the proper steps to se
cure it, but without adding what those steps were. Mr. Burke
had letters to the fame purport; and he certainly waited both
on Lord George Germaine and Mr. Ellis, for the purpose of
communicating the intelligence. He was very well received —
thanked for his trouble, and afliired that every step, confident
with the dignity of Great-Britain, should be taken to effuft a
peace.
March t 6. It isimagined, and with some degree of proba
bility, that Stanton's regiment, which failed some time since
under convov of the Cerberus and Appolo, are gone to at
tempt the re-capture of the settlements we have lately loft on
the river Scnegambia.
The whole of the military forte, which capitulated at Ma
hon, were 2,6)0 men, including seamen, which are reckoned
as follows:
British, part of two regiments 1100. Hanoverian Legions,
820. Seamen 410. Corsicans, Greeks, &c. attendant on the
garrison serving as volunteers 330. Total 2,650.
Extract of a letter from Vienna, dated deb, 24, 1782.
“ Every face here in the military department wears the ap
pearance of warlike preparations. Magazines, containing all
manner of Bores, are, it is said, already fitted, in Rationed
places; to supply the Imperial army in the different routs in
tended to open the ensuing campaign. It is reported the nu
merous armaments are to be divided into three grand divisions;
that the commanders in chief are already appointed, and that
the Emperor in person will occasionally direct the whole ope
rations, as time, place, and opportunity may render his 1m
perial presence teceffary. The number of volunteers daily
crowding to this metropolis, convey no small hopes of the
success of the great objects determined upon in the virtuous
breast of the heroic Joseph. The volunteers, it is reported,
are to be commanded by Knights of Malta, who have already
distinguished themselves for conduct, courage, and bravery. A
military order, it is also added, is eftablifced, to reward (with-
rank and file, with the 69th regiment, which, with the 28th
regiment, and the two companies ofthe 13th, would make a
body of 2400 men: His answer was, he did not think it practi
cable to maintain a post, but was sanguine in his wishes to be
put on shore, with his Antigua troops and the 69th regiment.
They were accordingly landed on the 28th, immediately got
into affion, and drove the enemy with considerable loss. He
remained on shore all night, and next morning the Marquis de
Bouille appeared at the head of upwards of 4000 men ; but not
caring to attack General Prescott on a hill he possessed just to
the Eastward ofFrigate Bay, where he landed, led his troops
back to his encampment under Brimstone Hill: And as it then
appeared to me, that no solid purpose could be answered by
the continuance of our troops on shore, I submitted it to the
General's consideration, whether it would not be advifeable to
reimbark, and he readily concurring, all were taken off that
evening without the loss of a man. The General had about
forty killed and wounded in bis fleirmifh with the Irish brigade.
General Skeene landed with the 69th regiment, arid had his
full share in putting the enemy to the rout.
All communication being now cut off with Brim ft one-Hill,
I thought it expedient, as did the General also, to fend him
and the Antigua troops bar' , and they failed in the Convert
and Fortunee on theist instant.
|L^^M^&^^^^
THE
GAZETTE.
to SATUR DAY, June I, 1782.
Extra? of a letter from Rome, February 26.
“ Our good and venerable Pontiff set out this morning for
Vienna ; his suite is confined only to servants neceflary for his
personal attendance on the journey; his Ilolinefs has declared,
that this being ah apostolic one, it would not be either neces
sary or proper to have his retinue increased by Cardinals, or
any of the nobility. The Grand Duke and Duchess of Russia,
hearing at Naples of the Pope's intended journey, revisited
this capital sooner than, they had proposed, in order to take
leave of his Holiness, which they did in the church of St. Peter,
meeting him there as if by accident. Immediately niter afliort
prayer he proceeded on his journey.",
March 26. The Captain of the Russel, of 74 guns, now with
Sir Samuel Hood, tried in the lats engagement with great suc
cess an experiment, of which he was the inventor ; it was to
fix two of his lower deckers in iimilar grooves, and with two
port holes in one, for firing by signal at the fame moment,
loaded with a new fort of chain shot, each gun having her
usual ball, but chained together, with a very flout chain'; be
t^veen the two an eye level for taking aim, and both fired by
gunner's mates. Few deflroying rigging this is found to be the
moll effectual, cutting it in pieces, infinitely more than com
mon chain shot.
The Emperor of Germany is certainly going to war with the
Ottoman Porte ; but it is not certain that the Empress of
Ruflia will assist him, otherwise than by the loan of 40,000
troops, chiefly cavalry, for which a negotiation is now nearly
concluded between the two powers ; that the Turks will con
fider this as an infringement pf the peace on the part of Ruflia
there is not a doubt; but it is believed the Ottoman Emperor
will have too powerful an enemy in the Emperor, to provoke
the Ruffian Empress to add her whole force to that of the
Austrian and Hungarian armies.
Extras of a letter from Amjierdam, March 16.
“ Admiral S. Dekker is appointed to command the squadron
under orders for the Weft-Indies, to consist as follows : Ad
miral Tromp, 50 guns; Blois, 44; Phoenix, 4 e ; Medem
biigk, 36 ; Zwallonc, 28, and Venus, 24 ; these ships are to
take troops to garrison the island of Euftatius, which is to be
delivered up in consequence of an agreement with France;
The grand squadron will fee them part of the way."
Extract of a letter from Edinburgh, March 19.
“ The ground is now Purveying for a camp near this city,
Which is to consist in part of cavalry, and will be formed next
month.
“ The Argyle privateer, of 14 guns, is returned to Leith,
after having engaged and taken a Dutch cutter of sixteen guns,
which they were obliged to fink after taking her stores and
men out. She is the fame vessel that has been so long on the
coast, but had no ranfotners."
March 27. Mr. Burke's plan of reformation and economy
is to be immediately enforced, as i; is expected the saving to
the nation will amount to a sum fufficient to supply the place
of Lord North's two most obnoxious taxes, that upon publick
places of entertainment, and the tax on land and water car
riage. So popular a stroke will no doubt tend very much to
gain the national flipport to the new Administration Mr.
Burke's plan is not to extend to his Majesty's houfhold.
Among those Crown Officers who go cut in consequence of
the new ministerial arrangement, none retires with a better
character than Lord Townfhend. His Lordship, while in office,
has, on several occasions, voted against the Court, and evinced
those Whig principles for which his family have always been
eminent. To his principles of freedom this country owes her
militia, and Ireland owes her septennial parliaments. His
Lordihip's resignation, it is said, is but a preparatory step to
his being appointed Viceroy to our sister kingdom—a Station
of honour and trust to which his Lordship is in every tefpeft
competent.
March 30. Fifteen new Peers, it is said, will be forthwith
created ; among other members of the House of Commons
talked of for this promotion, we hear Mr. Crewe, Mr. T. Pitt,
Mr. Coke, of Norfolk, Sir Harbord Harbord, Sir James Low
ther, Sir George Savile, Mr. Weddell, and Mr. W. Ellis
named. Sir Fletcher Norton is already created.
Extract of a letter from Lieut. Hinfon, of the La Nymphe mare
of <war, dated St. Chri/topher's, February 19, 1782.
“ I have the mortification to tell you, that the garrison of
this Island surrendered yesterday to the Marquis de Bouille
on the 17th. The Marquis forced their advanced guard at
Brimstone Hill, put the forces there to flight, and took
about 30 prisoners. Early the next morning by an unfortu
nate accident a magazine of our's blew up, by which 76 men
were killed and a great many wounded. A little after Gen.
Frazer hung out a white flag, and proposed a capitulation."
Lord Shelburne is to att as Secretary of State for the
home department, which is to include the csrrefpondence
with the Eaß and Weft-Indies, Gibraltar, &c.
Mr. Fox's department will include the business of Holland,
and the whole of the Continent, where if peace should be
established with America, the whole Tug of War, must ne
cessarily lie.
On Tburfday last the King was pleased to sign a grant of
the Wardenfhip of the Cinque Ports to Lord North during
his Lordship's life ; which office till then, he only held during
the Royal pleasure."
out entitlements of rank, interest, or other recommendation)
the! heroes who may fortunately signalize themselves in the
conflicts of the war. The enfuirig election of a King of the
Romans does by no means impede the military preparations ;
but quite the reverse, as the magnificence and splendor of
that dignified Aflembly must add no small spirits to the fouls of
the warriors enlisted in our truly modernized crusade."
Marchal. A letter from Amsterdam has the following arti
cle: "We have received advice from Madrid, that the Court
of France has again endeavoured to borrow a considerable fun
of money, in order to enable them to continue the war, but
the Ambassador has been assured, that the carrying on the war
with England, the liege of Gibraltar and Mahon, and other
operations, have been attended with such expence that they
cannot comply with their request."
A letter from Toulon by the Flanders mail brings advice,
that two frigates are order ed to be got, ready for sea as soon as
possible, and four transports, on board of which is to be Ihipped.
some large pieces of brass cannon and warlike stores, which are
for a present to the Ottoman Emperor, and on board the fri
gates are to embark some experienced officers and engineers
who are going volunteers into the Turkilh service.
NuMßtjgi;