The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1780-08-07 00:00:00, page 2

^ sbi, D^a^ % H^M% ^h
a rived here lay fridn ^ 8 4^ from
London, we have the following Advices, v,^.
be Londow Gazette Extraordinary.
Admiralty -Office, May 2fo 1700.
Captain Uvedate, late Commander of his
/[jota's Quo Ajax, and Captain dazely, of
ns Mijerty's lhip Fegafus, arrived late lall
^ht with'difpatches flora Admiral Sir Geo.
Trudges Rodney, Birr. Commander in Chief
yf'iris &lajely's 'lhip^ at the Leeward Inlands,
0 Mr. Stephens, giving the following account
>fihe defeat of the French fleet under the com
mand of the Count de Guichen.
E.^racl fa Letter from Sir George Bridges Red
my, to Mr, Sietow, dated Sandwich, off Fort
R f yd 3ip Mutt'.tque, April ,?), 176 >.
S:NCE acquainting their Lurdihips of my
arrival at Burbadoes and St. Lucia, and ;ik:ng
upon me the command of his Majcity s Ihips
on this Nation, the enemy who had paraded
for several days before St. Lucia with 25 Ihips
of the line, arid 8 frigates full of troops, and
were in hopes of furprizing the Island, were dis
appointed in their views by the good difpofiti
<% made of the troops by Gen. Vaughan, and of
the ships by Rear- Admiral Parker. They retired
into Fort Royal Bay, a few hours before my
arrival at Gros [flee Bay on the 27th of March.
A> soon as the Fleet c^ld possibly be got
ready, 1 determined to return their visit, and
offer them battle; and accordingly on the zd
of April proceeded with the whole fleet off
Fort Royal Bay, where, for two days, I offer
ed the enemy battle; the fleet being near
enough to count all their guns, and at times
wi", random foot of some of their forts.
Monheur de Guichen, notwithstanding his su
perior number, chose to remain in port. [
thought it mod proper for his Majesty's fervice^
to leave a squadron of copper bottomed ships
to watch the motions of the enemy, and to give
me timely notice, should they attempt to fail.
With the other I anchored in Gros Islet Bay,
ready at a moment's warning to cut or flip, in
order to pursue or engage the enemy, should
tley leave Fort Royal Bay.
In this Situation both fleets remained till the
15th init int, when the enemy with their whole
force put to sea in the middle of the night;
immediate notice of which being given me, I
fallowed them, and having looked into Port
Royal Bay, and the Road of St. Pierre's, on
the 16th we got fight of them about 8 leagues
to leeward of the Pearl Rock. A general chace
to the north-well followed ; and at 5 in the
^veiling we plainly difeovered that they confid
ed of 23 fail of the line, one <0 gun ship, three
frigates, a lugger, and cutter. When night
came on, I formed the fleet in a line of battle
ahead, and ordered the Venus and Greyhound
frigates to keep between his Majesty's and the
enemy's fleets, to watch their motions, which
was admirably well attended to by that good
and veteran officer Capt, Ferguson.
The manoeuvres the enemy made during the
niget indicated a wish to avoid battle, which
I was determined they fliould not, and there
fore counteracted all their motions.
At day light in the morning of the 17th, we
saw the enemv didindly beginning to form the
line ahead : 1 made the signal for the line ahead
at two cables length dillance. At 4.5 minutes
after 6, I gave notice by publick signal, that
my intention was to attack the enemy's rear
with my whole force; which signal was answer
ed by every ship in the fleet. At 7 A. M. per
ceiving the fleet too much extended, I made a
signal for the line of battler at one cable's
length afundcr only. At 30 minutes after 8,
A. M. I made a signal for a line of battle a
breall, each ship bearing from the other N.
by W. and S. by E. and bore down upon the
enemy. This signal was penetrated by them,
who difeovered my intention, wore, and form
ed a line of battle on the other tack ; I imme
diately made the signal to haul the wind, and
form the line of battle ahead. At nine A. M.
made the signal for the line of battle ahead,
at two cables length on the larboard tack.
The different movements of the enemy
obliged me to be very attentive, and watch
every opportunity that offered of attacking
them to advantage.
The manoeuvres made by his Majesty, fleet
will appear to their Lord Ships by the minutes
of the signals made before and during the ac
tion. At eleven A. M. Imade the signal to
prepare for battle, to convince the whole fleet
I was determined to bring the enemy to an en
gacement. At 3° minutes after eleven A. M.
I made the signal for every Blip to bear down
and fleer for her opposite in the enemy's line,
agreeable to the 21k article of the additional
fighting inftrudtions. At 55 minutes past ele
ven A. M. I made the signal for battle. A
few minuses after, the signal that it was my
intention to engage close, and, of course, the
Admiral's ship to be the example. A few
minutes before one P. M. one of the headmoft
ships began the aftion. At one P. M. # the
Sandwich in the centre, after having received
several fires from the enemy, began to engage.
Perceiving several of our trips engaging at a
distance, I repeated the signal for a close ac
tion. The adjon in the centre continued till
j; minutes after four P. M. when Monsieur
Guichen in the Couronne, in which they had
mounted 90 guns, the Triumphant and Fen
dant, after engaging the Sandwich for an hour
and an half, bore away. The superiority of
the fire from the Sandwich, and the gallant
be haviour of her officers and men, enabled her
to fullain so unequal a 'combat; though before
attacked by them, she had beat three Ihips out
of their line of battle, had entirely broke it,
and was to leeward of the wake of the French
A imiral.
At trie conclusion of the battle the enemy
might be said to be completely beat; but such
As I found it was in vain to follow them
with his Majelly's fleet in the condition they
weie in, and every motion of the enemy indi
cating their intention of getting to Fort Royal
Bay, Martinique, where alone they could re
pair their Mattered fleet, I thought the only
chance we had of bringing them again to action
was to be off Fort Royal before them : where
the fleet under my command now is, in daily
expectation oftheir arrival. I have dispatched
frigates to windward and to leeward of every
island, to give me notice of their approach.
Admiral Parker acquaints me, that several
ships of the enemy 's van were greatly disabled,
and forced to bear away; his own ship was
damaged, and the main-mail in great danger.
I cannot conclude without acquainting their
Lordships, that the French Admiral, who ap
peared to me to be a brave and gallant officer,
had the honour to be nobly supported curing
the whole action.
Capt. Uvedale, of his Majesty's ship Ajax,
whole health won't permit him to remain in
this country, and Capt. Bazely of the Pegasus,
are charged with my dispatches, and will ac
quaint their Lordships with every particular
they may wish to know. Inclofed I fend a
lift of the killed and wounded.
LINE OF BATTLE.
On the day of action, April 17, 17^0.
The Sterling Castle to lead with the Par
board tack, and the Magnificent with
the larboard tack.
Rear Admiral Barker's division.
Guns. Men.
Sterling Castle, Capt. Carkett 64 500
Ajax, Capt. Uvedale - 74 6co
Elizabeth, Hoc. Capt. Maitland 74 600
Princess Royal, Rear Admiral Parker (
Capt. Harmood, §94 77°
Albion, Capt. Bowyer - 74 600
Terrible, Capt. Douglas - 74 6°°
Trident, Capt. Molloy - 64 500
Greyhound frigate.
Sir George Brydges Rodney, Bart. Commander
in Chief, his division.
Grafton, - Com. Collinwood ^_, 617
Capt. Newnham j"
Yarmouth, Capt. Bateman 64 500
Cornwall, Capt. Edwards, 74 too
Sandwich, Sir George Brydges]
Rodney, Bart. ^9O 732
Capt. Young, J
Suffolk, Capt. Crefpin, 74 600
Boyne, Capt. Cotton. 68 520
Vigilant, Capt. Sir G. Home, 64 500
Venus, (to repeat Signals) Deal Castle, Pega
sus, frigates.
Rear Admiral Rowley's division.
Vengeance, Com. Hotham )-
Capt. Holloway ,'
Medway, Capt. Affleck 60 420
Montagu, Capt. Houlton 74 600
Conquerer, Rear Adm. Rowley }_ _
Capt. Watson j "
Intrepid, Hon. Capt H. St. John 64 500
Magnificent, Capt. Elphinfton 74 600
Andromeda frigate, Centurion to assist the
rear in case of need.
G. B. RODNEY.
Lift of killed and wounded in the engagement with
the French fleet, on the 17th of April, 1780.
Ships. Kided. Wounded.
Sterling Caille - - 4 34
Ajax - - 4 13
Elizabeth - - 9 I§
Princess Royal - 5 14
Albion - 3 2
Terrible - - ——
Trident - - 14 26
Grafton - - 2 30
Yarmouth, - * 5 L S
Cornwal - - 21 ,9
Sandwich - - 18 51
Suffolk , - 12
Boyne - - 2 —
Vigilant - - — 2
Vengeance - - 1 6
Medway - - 2 3
Montagu - - 9 2 6
Conqueror - - 13 36
Intrepid - - 7 9
Magnificent - 1 io
Total 120 333
Officers killed.
Hon. Capt. St. John, of the Intrepid.
Lieut. Deacon, ill Lieut, of ditto.
Lieut# Hooper, 2d Lieut, of ditto.
Mr. Dam, aDanifh Lieut, cf ditto.
Lieut. Mackton, of the Sandwich.
Lieut. Wigmore, of the Medway.
Officers wounded.
Capt. Houlton, of the Montagu.
Hon. Alexander Cockrane, 4th Lieut, of ditto.
Capt. Carey, of the marines.
Capt. Ogle, of the 87th regiment, doing
duty on board.
Capt. Newnham, of the Grafton.
Lieut. Stewart, 3d Lieut, of ditto.
Lieut. James Smith, sth Lieut, cf ditto.
Lieut. Edward Smith, of the Sandwich,
Lieut. Harriott, (marines) of the Elizabeth.
Gunner of the Intrepid. G. B. RODNEY.
was the distance of the van and the rear from
the centre, and the crippled condition of se
veral ships, particularly the Sandwich, who,
for twenty-four hours; was with difficulty kept
above water, that it was impoflibleto pursue
them that night without the greatest disadvan
tage ; however, every endeavour was used to
put the fleet in order, and I have the pleasure
to acquaint their Lordships, that on the 20th
we got in light of the enemy's fleet, and for
three successive days pursued them, but with
out e^ba, they using every endeavour pof
fib'e to avoid a second action ; and endeavour
ed co puth for Fort Royal, Martinique. We
cut them off: To prevent the rifque of another
action, they took Shelter under Guadaloupe.
Ship's. Troops^
La Venus 300
La Vigilant 300
La foire 280
La Compteffe de
Noailles 250
Le Baron d'.,rros 25©
Le Lion 230
Le St. Esprit 250
Le Patrocle 230
La Cibelle 200
Le Preffigny 200
Le Doyard 160
May 27. His Majerty arrived yefterdav from
Kew at St, James's at twelve o'clock, and
soon afterwards he had a numerous levee, at
which the following Nobility, &c. were pre
sent; Dukes of Montagu, Ancarter, and Dor
set; Marquis of Grantham ; -Lords Percy,
Stormont, Le Defpenfer, and Faucenberg;
the Lords in Administration, &c. ..
Yerterday Vice Admiral Sir Hugh Pallifer
was present at the levee at St. Jatries 'sfind
mod graciourty received; Sir Hugh .acc^repa'
nied his gallant Captair and faithful officer,
Bazely, to the levee, and cachhad the honour
of a conference with his Majerty.
Extract of a tetter from Waterford, May lz.
" The sth ult. th # brig King George, of
Waterford, John O'Brian, Matter, was cap- *
tured by a neivateer, called the Duke de Mor
timer, of St. Maloes, commanded by'Mbn
lieur du Manuir de Pelly. The mailer and
crew of the brig were brought into St. Mafaes.
The urparalelled hum: jty of the Captain of
the privateer to the prisoners merits all due
praise He not only visited them in prison,
and furrilhed them with comfortable tiedeffa
ries, but generously adilted them with calh out
of his purie, on their going int 6 the cartel ;
and when on board, told his crew, if any of
them should attempt to plunder the prifonews,
or deprive them of any of their apparel or
things, he would have them rertored, and
make examples of them"
she Mars privateer ofLondon, which failed
from the Downs in lad July, has taken and
carried into Leghorn a very valuable bpanifh
prize; the Minorca people fay worth 38,0001.
Yesterday L rd Amherst had a long confer
ence with his Majerty after the Levee broke up.•
Her Majerty i- ,said to be upwards of three
months advanced in her pregnancy.
All who are witnefles to the facility, spirit
and dispatch wi^h which Lord Mansfield con
ducts the business of the House of Lords, dur
ing the indisposition of the Lord Chancellor,
are struck with admiration at his Lordihip's
powers, who, at the very advanced age of 67
can preserve the full force of his abilities.
Extras fa Letter from Falmouth, May 20.
" Yesterday a King's cutter appeared off
this harbour, and sent a boat on shore with a
midshipman, and then lay too for her return :
when the officer landed, he went immediately
to the Poss office with some letters to be fen
to the Admiral commanding at Plymouth, b
express ; the wind being fair for their going t<
sea, on his going back to the boat several peo
pie asked him many queffions, such as, What
Extract &f a letter from the Hon. Major General
VaughtA, Commander in Chief vs lps Ma
jelly's Forces in the Leeward and Charibhee
islands, to Lord George Germaine, dated
St. Lucia, April 25, 1780.
" Intelligence having been received of the
French fleet moving from Purr Royal, Sir
George Rodney immediately put to sea ; and
as openings might other of viewing the enemy's
islands, affording the troops such Support as
they might require, or of contributing in any
mcafure to the Service, I accompanied him in
the Sandwich,which bore the mull distinguish'd
share in the action that happened on the 17th
intt. No ship could have been led on with more
gallantry, or do the annals of the navy record
a greater charael r than S^r George supported
in setting the noblest of example: ; but to at
tempt his praise would be detracting from his
merit, which furpafles applause.
Lieut. Colonel Mufgrave's very ill state of
health, has induced him to apply for leave to
go to Europe for its recovery : As he has been
long in this country, intimately acquainted
with every tranfaclion that has happened, and
can give yous Lordihip the fulled information,
l beg to refer to him for other particulars ; he
has ached as quarter-mailer-general,and always
distinguished himself in every line of ferv ce so
highly, that 1 sincerely regret the occasion cf
his quitting this island.
Your Lordihip will allow me to add,that the
height of my ambition will be .he opportunity
of promoting his Majesty's Service, to which
all my endeavours ihall be exerted.
May 23. Tuesday morning a messenger ar
riged at Kew fiom Portsmouth to acquaint
their Majelties of the fafe arrival of the Prince
at Portsmouth, in good health.
Notwithstanding that the wind and weather
were equally favourable for their departure,
the Spaniih naval armaments had not quitted
Cadiz on the 21st of fall month. The politi
cians of that kingdom are puzzled to account
for the occasion of such delays. In this Bota
are 12 fail of the line, five frigates and Hoops,
and 83 transports, on board of which (exclu
sive of a large train of artillery, and many
military stores) were t 1,660 troops. Of the
convoy are 42 register and merchant ships, of
which 13 are bound to the Havannah, 16 to
Vera Cruz, 5 to Montevida, 3 to La Guyara,
2 to Carthagena, 2 to Louisiana, and one to
Lima, The cargoes of the whole are estima
ted at more than twenty millions of piastres.
The following is a lift of the convoy under
Monsieur de Ternay, and of the troop, on
board.
Ships. Troops.
L'Aventure 130
Le Marquis de
Livis, 1)0
La Felicite 120
L'Amazone 100
La Cafa Major 100
Le Mars ioo
Le Pere de Famille 100
IJHarmonie 100
Le Drake 60
In all 4986
re °s? 'Vh^e be came from? &c. F e toH
them ne ta L ci< < m Breit, where the cuc-r n^u
been cruising for a fortnight past; th.it on the
17th, the win.lbeing fair to lay in and out into
Breit Water, they made bold to take a peep
and See what Ships weie lying there; they
counted eight fail of the line and fame ft igutes,
and got fafe back. A Dutch Captain lying in
.ur harbour to repair his man-m ft, which
he sprung in the Bay on his passage from Brett,-
being told the above, said it was ve y true,
for tnat he saw them on the 13th inttatt, and
numbered as many line of battle Ships, and be
lieves there were three frigates.
Copy °f a letter received from an officer on hoard
• his Majesty's foip Sandwich, dated at fea§
April 20.
" In my last I finished at Gibraltar-Bay ;
since which we had good luck, for on the 22d
of March we perceived two fail to windward;
at half past one, A. M. came up within gun-
Ihot of the fternmoft, when she hoisted Spanish
colours, and we Engliih; at three, A. M.
Ihe,ftruck her colours, and we boarded her,,
found her to be the Notre Dame, Capt. Alonza
de Pedro Arcadece, bound from the Havannah
to Cadiz loaded with silver in bars and gold
dull, with 38 chells of dollars, besides two
large bowls of solid gold, and a gold cruci
fix, set with small diamonds; rhe other Blip
took to her heels, and escaped us ; at five, P.
M. we failed with cur prize, and on the 29^
saw fourteen fail of transports, which proved
to be ours. We took rhem under our Care to
Barbados, where our gallant Admiral Rodney
hoisted his flag on board the Chatham, Capt.
William Allen being very ill, and we were
fenfod a cruise.
" On the 20th of April, half after five P.M.
saw several Sail on our larboard tack, to whom
we gave chace, but had the mortification to
lose all but two small frigates of 24 fix and
nine pounders, which attacked one of our 40
gun ships, but they focn flopped one of their
mouths from roaring, for a lucky ball entered
between wind and water; and if she had not
llruck, and got assistance she mutt have gore to
the bottom diredly ; the other, feeing her part
ner's condition, struck to the English. From
her we learned that the rest were transports,
with arms, ammunition and provision for Pic
quet's squadron ; and these were part of her
convoy, &c."
A letter from Amrterdam dated May 13,
fays, " I have alrnoft finifhed my business, and
do not find that I shall have so much trouble
as I imagined. I expew to be in London about
the last day of this month. I would fend you
some news from hence, but politics is not the
conversation of Dutchmen ; they employ their
time in a better manner. Speaking the lan
guage very fluently, I have converted with
some of the principal merchants at 'Change
hours. I asked then their opinions of the
present dispute between the States and Great,
Britain, and whether they thought there would
be a rupture between them: Their answer was
that the Dutch should never go to war on any
punctilio of honour; they were a nation cf
merchants, and their proper business was com
merce, ard net fighting; they should be forty
to lee a war declared, and were very sure that
they should have the worse of it."
After the vicissitudes of fortune which the
brave Admiral Rodney has undergone, no man
need exclude hope from the system of his
thoughts, nor indulge despair under any dir
cumftances. The dirticui'ae, which have en
compafFed this gallant seaman for years part
are almost innumerable, and what is very sin
gular, the^ accompanied him even to the very
ladder of the veffd by which he was to mount
to such an extraordinary height of profeffional
splendor. When he had got as far as Ports
mouth, on his recent appointment, he was
there, after having waded through an infinite
number of other impediments laid under an
arrell by a wealthy Baronet in the county of
Cumberland, for the valffum of sixteen ih?u
fand pounds. 'This mart have proved an un
surmountable obftruaion bat for the gener
ous interposition of his son, whose 1 berality
and filial affection dn this occasion, cannot be
fufficieutly ettecmed nor admired. Sir George's
eldest son had 16.c001, fettled from his mo
ther's fortune, which was to be his own sole
and exclusive property on his attainment of
twenty one. This young gentleman, how
ever, had been for some time in the service of
his country in the Well Indies, and was re
turning to the enjoyment of this handsome
ptyvifion, when he unfortunately died.—The
fortune then devolved to his second brother
as heir at law, who, on this emergency of his
father, readily facrimced his new heroditance,
and for the releafement of a Parent, gladiv
reduced himfelf to his original poverty, with
out a reasonable hope in reservation that a
restitution would ever take place.—-If gEn.eas
received the appellation of pious for bearly
conveying Anchifes fom a burning town,
surely this youth, who could bear his father
through the gates of an Engliih prison, de
serves an apotheosis for the service.
POUGHKEEPSIE, July 10.
Lift of Aas sassed by the Legijteure of the State of
NeW-Yorh, during the lart fating in their third
Seffon, at Kingfon between the 14th of June
and if o f July, 1780.
AN ACT to revive the laws appointing
Commissioners for detecting and de
feating conspiracies.
2. An act grafting a further reprieve of Jo
nah Wood, convicted of murder.
3. An ad approving of the aft of Congress,
f the iSth day of March, 1780, relative to
he finances of the United States, and m king,
provision for redeeming the proportion of thi?