The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-04-10 00:00:00, page 2

Above all he had ,railed the valor and conduct of Earl
Cornwallis, and in truth, said Me. Fox, they arc deferring
of the very highest prailes ; but he would not join in any
general or particular praises of them co his Majesty, because
he condemned die cause in which they were exerted. 'lt had'
Been said the address did not bind down any man that agreed
to it co any f,;cific mode of co id a&. It was true there was no
Mention in the address, as in til it ofche other House, of an in
tention to continue the American war. The Minister did
not venture co infers any thing of this kind, and he was hap
py to find chat recognition of a difference between the House
of Peers and the House Commons. But though the address
now moved did no: absolutely pledge the House for the pro
locution ofthe American war, the prosecution of the war
was implied in it, though not Specified ; for according to the
disposition ofche paragraphs in the address, the congratula
tions ofche House on the reduction of Carolina and Georgia,
immediately preceded the arfurances of Supporting every
measure that might be necessary for the preservation of our
cffential iacerefts.
Mr. Fox rejected the address, and argued against it from
another topic. It intended to encourage a system of govern
ment that had been Solemnly condemned by the last Parlia
ment, which had voted chat the influence of the crown had
intreafed, was increasing, and chat it ought to be deminish
ed. This was the last speech and dying confe flion and words
of che Parliament, who, like all other tinners, and particu
larly death bed penitents, found it cafier to make confedion
than refticution.
In the course of the recess, that over-grown influence,
which threatened our liberty, did not appear to have been
diminished, but was, on the contrary, increasing. He cal
led cothe recollection ofche House, now he could do it with
lafecy,che orders chat were given co the military, on the oc
caiion ofche late riots, throughout all England, and which
had not been taken off during the general election.—Me af
firmed that Ministry prosecuted the war merely in order to
Support themselves in power. He opposed the war as a
friend to liberty, both in America and Great-Britain. His
Majesty in every thing almost seemed to be ill advised, and
that with a malicious design to prevent him from being po
pular among his fubjeds. Of tnis there really seemed to be
a jealousy : whether his, her, or their jealousy he could not
ray. This fame jealousy, whether his, hers, or theirs, had
didited the promotion ofSir Hugh Pallifer, the malicious
Neufer of his superior officer, a measure which had given
universal disgust to the gentlemen ofche navy. For his pre
ferment, he presumed, he was indebted to his merit, not on,
but after, the famous a,ch of July.
Hiving dwelt on the fubie& for some time, with much fe
''.'"/' Mr* Fox fummonea up the demerit of the prefect Ad
ministration in a brief and forcible manner. They had torn
America from Great-Britain to feck prote&ion from a po
pish and arbitrary monarch, the enemy of their religion,
and the 1 worn foe to their mother country. They had in
some measure even reversed the order of nature, having turn
ed Groat-Britain) into a continental power profecuiing a
continental war; and given France all the advantages of an
illand, &c. He concluded, with heartily acquiefeing in the
proposed amendment.
_____ (The Remainder in our next.)
^ the COURT at St. JAME S's the
20th of December, 1780.
„ PRESEN T,
KIN G's Most Excellent Majefl, in council.
HIS Majesty having taken into consideration the many
injurious Proceedings of the States General of the U
aited Provinces, and oftheir fubjeds, as set forth in his Royal
Manifefto of this date, and being determined te take such
measures as arc necessary for vindicating the honour of his
frown, and for procuring reparation and fatisfa&ion is
pleased, by and with the advice of his privy council, to order,
aud it is hereby ordered, that general reprisals be granted
"fi"" '^ '^ip s , goods and fubje&s, ofche States General
of the United Provinces, so that as well his Majesty's fleet
and ships, as also all other ships and vessels that shall be
commimoned by letters of marque on general reprizals, or
otherwise, by his Majesty's Coramiffioners for executing the
office of Lord High Admiral of Great-Britain, shall and may
lawfully seize all ships, vessels and goods belonging to the
States General of the United Provinces, or their fubjeds, or
others inhabiting within any of the territories of the afore
faid States General, and bring the fame to judgment in any
of the courts of admiralty within his Majesty's dominions :
And to the end his Majesty's advocate general, with the ad
vocate ofche admiralty, are forthwith to prepare the draught
a commission, and present the fame to his Mhjefty at this
board, authorizing the commilfoners for executing the office
of Lord High Admiral, or anyperfon or peifons by them im
powered and appointed, to ifTue forth and grant letters of
marque and reprisal to any of his Majesty's fubjeds, or ethers
Whom die said Commissioners shall deem fitly qualified in
that behalf, for the apprehending, seizing and taking the
ships, yerfels and goods belonging to the States General of
the United Provinces, and their vassals and fubjeds, or any
',Rbicin£ within the countries, territories, or dominions of
States General; and thatfuch powers audclaufes
be inferred in the said commission as have been usual, and
arc according to former precedents : And his Majesty's said
Advocate General, with the Advocate of the Admiralty, are
also forthwith to prepare the draught of a commission, and
'"'ll' the fame to his Majesty at this board, authorizing
Hie laid Commissioners for executing the office of Lord High
Admiral to will and require the High Court of Admiralty of
Great-Britain, and the Lieutenant and Judge ofthe said Court,
his furroga,, as also the fevers! Courts of Admiralty within
his Majesty's dominions, to take cognizance of, and judici
eufly proceed upon all and all manner of captures, seizures,
prize and reprisals of all ships and goods that are or shall be
taken, and to hear and determine the fame ; and according'
to the course of Admiralty, and the laws of Nations, to ad
judge and condemn all such ships, vcffels and goods, as shal
belong to the States General ofthe United Provinces, or theirl
vaflals and fubje&s, or to any others inhabiting within any
of the countries, territories and dominions of the aforesaid
States General ; and chat such powers and clauses be inferred
h the commission as have been usual, and are according to
former precedents : And they are likewise to prepare, 'and
lay before his Maiefty atthis board, a draught of such in
frAicns as may be proper to be sent to the Courts of Admi-
On the Bth of March, in the evening, the fleet
got under way ; the contrary winds drove it the
following days to the south-east ; however, they
took advantage of the variety of the winds, ap
proached the coast, and on the 14th in the morn
ing difeovered Cape Charles in Chefapeak Bay.
The south winds which blew very hard did not
allow them to rife in the wind so as to go into
Cape Henry ; on the contrary they were drove
northward,and tacked about two whole days. On
the 16th, at day break, the wind still continuing
to blow from the fame quarter, but with lets
force, and the weather foggy, the fleet having
their larboard tacks aboard, a frigate was difeo
vered two gun ihot to windward ; the Admiral
made signal for chafing, but a short time after,
many large ships appearing through the fog, he
did not in the least doubt but the British fleet had
got intelligence, by sonic enemy to America, of
his going out, and that ths weft and north-well
winds having made them run more large than the
French fleet, they were arrived almost as soon as
the French fleet on the coast of Virginia. In
consequence ofthat reflexion he called back the
chafe, and the wind fhifting to the north-call in
the fame instant, he made signal to form the line,
with the larboard tacks aboard. The British fleet
werethen two leagues off to the southward, fleer
ing the fame course. At nine o'clock, the French
fleet wore round a-head by the counter march ;
half an hour after the British did the fame. At
half after ten, the Admiral feeing that the wind
increased, and that he was approaching the
Fallows on the north coast of Virginia, made
signal to take the larboard tacks aboard, and to
wear round before the wind by the counter
march. The Chevalier Deftouches was con
feious that not having got into Chefapeak before
the enemy, his expedition could not take place ;
he knew it was impoflible to land his troops, even
from the men of war, under the fire ofa superior
fleet; his only care was for the glory of the
arms of his King, without endangering his fleet.
The enemy taking advantage of their superio
rity in failing and force, continued to rife in the
wind, crowding a great deal of fail, and having
their flarboard tacks aboard. At noon they wore
in the French fleet's wake ; a little before one
their van approached within half a league of the
rear of the French line, and they seemed to have
a mind to attack to the leeward. Till then, the
Chevalier Deftouches had worked his ships so as
neither to avoid nor seek the engagement, be
caule he was sure that even the happiest issue of
it would hinder him from fulfilling his principal
object, but the honor of the King's arms, which
he mull luftain before America, would not let
him give room to the British to boast that they
N E WPORT, March 31.
A relation of the going out, and of the sea en
gagement between the French fleet, command
ed by the Chevalier Debouches, and the Bri
tish, commanded by Admiral Arbuthnot, on
the 16th instant.
I'HE gale of wind on the 21st of January,
l having had consequences which put some
equality in the naval forces of France and Great-
Britain, in North-America, the Chevalier Def
touches took advantage of this circumstance to
flop the depradations and plunders of the enemy
on the coalt of Virginia. For that purpose he
sent with the greateil speed a 64 gun (hip and
two frigates, under the orders of Monf.De Tilly,
Captain of the navy ; his orders were to go to
Chefapeak Bay, and to endeavor to destroy the
little British fleet there, and the frigates which
protested it. The enemy having taken the pre
caution to put their veflels out of danger in the
small river of Elizabeth, Mons. De Tilly could
not completely fill the object of his mission ; his
expedition, however, was not fruitlefs, he took
or destroyed ten ships belonging to the enemy,
and brought to Newport the Romulus of 44 guns,
which he had taken at the entrance of the Bay.
The success of this firft undertaking, and the
great desire of the Chevalier Deftouches to give
an efficacious fuccour to the State of Virginia,
made him take the resolution to renew the at
tempt with a greater force. He fitted out his
squadron, armed the Romulus, and to ensure as
much as it was possible the success of the expe
dition, the Count de Rochambeau sent on board
his men of war, and the Fontafque (a Pink) a de
tachment of his army, under the orders of the
Baron de Viomcnil.
ralty in his Majefo's foreign government and plantations
so, their guidance herein ;as also another draught of inflec
tions for lueh ships as shall be commiffionedfor the purposes
aforementioned.
French fleet in order oft English fleet in order of
battle. battle.
The Conquerant, 74, London, 90
The Jason, 64 Royal Oak, 74
The Ardent, 64 Roorift, 74
TheDucde Burgogne,Bo Bedford,. 74
The Neptune, yqEurepe, 74
The Romulus frigate, 44 America, 64
The Eveille, ^Prudent, 64
The Provence, 64 Adamant, §0
Out of line. Out of line
The Hcrmqine, ± 32 1 frigate, supposed 44
The Fantafquc pink, 221 frigate, 28 or 3%
' frigate, 28 or 3 2
TH E fubferibers having some TIMBER in Conn e&rcu
river, marked thus, P. P. one P. one each fide of die
log, take this method to inform the public, that we would
not by any means have any of our logs taken up, ftopt, or
even meddled with (except it be to sheer them off whenthe,
run on meadows or other shores) until they get Below Soubh-
Hadley Falls, then we should be glad to have them taken up,
rafted, and properly fecuredas soon as poflible.—Anv per
son disposed to take up, raft and secure said timber shall be
paid for their Labour by the fubferibers.
JOHN POTTER.
JONATHAN WORTHINGTON-
Weft-Spring field, March ay, 17$;
had pursued him, eren with a superior force, arid
took the resolution pf attacking himfelf, by falling
on their van, wearing round by a counter march,
and fighting them on opposite tacks, to leeward;
that bis ships might with facility make use of
their lower deck guns.
At one o'clock the headmoft fliip of theFrench
line was within gun foot of the headmoft Ihip of
the enemy's, arid a few minutesafter the engaged
ment began. The van ofthe Britih fleet fell to
leeward, and the van of the French fleet did the
fame, to keff up with enemy, so that tbofe two
parts of the fleet fought for some time, running
before the wind ; a little before 2 o'clock, the
Admiral feeing that the manoeuvre ofthe British
van did not allow it to run more to leeward,
made his fleet haul in the wind, with larboard
tacks aboard by a successive motion, which made
his whole line file off upon the van of the enemy.
This manoeuvre had a compleat success '; their
foremoft fliip had scarce bore the fire of the fifth
French fliip when she fell to leeward, took the
wind on his starboard fide, and left the line, ac
companied by a frigate which came to her relief;
however, the rear of the British fleet had kept to
windward,, and was near enough to fight the
French rear while is was making a motion to get
in the wake of the head of the line. This attack
of the enemy's van did very little damage to the
fllips that sustained it; however, the Conque
rant fuffered a great deal, because after having
fought with the British van, she sustained all the
fire oftheir center. She especially fought with
a three-decker, the loss of her main-top-fail-yard
and of a great part of her rigging, compensated
the damage which he had done to the Conquc
rant. A quarter before 3 the fire having ceased
on both sides, and the French fleet being ahead,
and to leeward of the British, the Admiral made
signal to form promiscuously the line, larboard
tacks aboard, in a ihort time this was done, and
the feet ran under small fail, in expectation that
the enemy would attack a second time ; the Ad
miral then proposed to wear round on them, and
fall upon their van, but they had been so ill used
in the firft encounter, that they did not think it
prudent to expose themfclves to a second ; and
during the rest of the day they kept to the wind
ward and a-stern, without taking advantage of
their superiority in failing, to renew the fight.
In the beginning of the night, the enemy's fleet
fell to leeward, and the French fleet continuedte
run to the foutn-eaft, with very little fail, and all
its lights hung out. The next day the enemy
were not to be seen; and the Chevalier
Deftouches, though the advantage was on his
fide, was obliged to renounce his hopes of fuc
couring Virginia, and in consequence fleered to
wards Newport, to repair his ships that hadbeen
damaged, and to put them in a condition of un
dertaking new operations.
Too much praise cannot be given to theintrepid
firmnefs fbewn by the Captains, officers, crews
?".'' t ro °P s - —Their courage has made a compen
sation for the number and superior strength of
the enemy's drips, and the expedition wouldhave
be, fucceisful had it been depending on the su
periority of courage.
The loss of the fleet amounts to Go men killed
or dead of their wounds, and 120 wounded.
Among the firft are sincerely lamented, Mons. de
Cheffontaine, Captain of the navy, and Mons. de
Kergu, Eiifign.