Star.
London, England, 1805-04-05 00:00:00

WEST INDIES.

FROM THE BARBADOES MERCURY, TUESDAY, FEB. 26.

" A fuddcn depretlion was occ.stioned here on
Sunday last nn the arrival of a neutral from Lee-
ward, with the unexpeaed intaigence of the appear-
ance in there feas, of a powerful French naval force ;
and yellerday morning the account was fully con.
firmed ; but, as is ton cultomary, with many exag-
gerated additions which could only tend to heighten
the alarm. Without following the varying and
vague accounts which have been induflrioutly dilre-
minated, we (hall confine our report on this gene-
rally intcretling cubic& to that which feems moll au-
thentic.

" On Wednefday laft a fmall veffel, in her courfe
from Dominica to St. Lucia, difcovered feveral fail
of large veifels (landing towards Maitinique, and
having afcertained them to be an enemy's fquadron,
and clearly dillinguifhed their force, bore up for this
ifland and communicated her nbfervations, juftly
deeming it of the higheft importance to be immedi-
ately known here. The confirmation of this account
was yenerday morning officially received in dif-
patches from St. Vincent, with the addition that the
enemy had fallen in with a fmall convoy bound here,
and had captured the Prince of Militias tranfport.
It appears•that his Najdly's (hip Alligator, having
a (hip and 'pig under convoy, fell in with the ene-
my's fquadron on Wednefday morning ; that they
endeavoured to decoy her by /milting Englifh colours
and one of them a Rear-Admiral's blue flag : but
the Alligator finding that they conld not anfwer her
fignals, difcovered the cheat and flood dire& fur St.
Lucia ; the enemy, giving chace, cut off the (hip,
and captured her.
" The real force of the enemy, according to the
moR correet account that has been received, and
which is giver, by an American fchoorer that paffed
through their fleet on Wednefday, after their cep-
ture of the tranfport, confills of one three decker,
fuppofed of t to wins, two So's, two 74's, and five
frigates, evidently full of troops. This force, In fu-
perior to any thing we have at prefent afloat in the
Well: Indies, certainly threatens fume danger to our
Colonial prikilions ; not, however, to that extent
which the too timid haltily apprehend ; for our gar-
.rifons throughout the iflands are in general well
ftrengthened, admirably appointed, and in high
health and difcipline. On our own internal refources
the moll implicit confidence car be placed, and we
might even defy the whole concentrated force of the
enemy ; all languor and inactivity, however, muff be
thrown off ; and the zeal, aelivity, and vigour of
our Commander., both civil and military, be fecond-
ed with promptnefs and alacrity. The meafures al
ready adopted, and aiu purloins, arc fuch as mark

a Orong determination of obninate refinance ; and
judging from thole eminent talents which we (hall
have to guide and dire,ft us in the hour of danger,
lbould it ever arrive, we anticipate a glorious reult
to the honour and reputati .n of our country.
" While we are naturally felicitous for the fafery
and defence of this country, the pt eftrvation of our
filler colonies (hares our equal willies and anxiety, e/-
pecially as their local flotations lay them more op< n
to. the attacks of the enemy, who, a&ive and cuter-
prifina, we already find invelling one of them. Thus
have the accounts of the arrival of t'le enemy's forces
at Martinique been immtd ately followed up with
that of their attack on the ifland of Dominica. On
Friday fall their fquadron appeared off Roleau, an
immediate attack commenced, and a debarkation of
troops attempted ; a fpirited defence was made, and
the landing refilled ; twice was the enemy replied,
and obliged to retire ; they threw off t. Point L\l
chelle, a creek about three leagues further tl the
fouthward, whither Brigadier General Pasvosr was
marching to meet them ; and from thence mould pro-
bably proceed to Prince Rupert's, where a more eifee.
tual Rand may be made. The lateß accounts from
Dominica are of Sunday right, when the enemy had
not made any material progrefs, and the moll aftive
and vigorous defence was continued. Let the fate
of this ifland be what it may—whether fitbdued by
a too powerful enemy, or rearing in triumph the Bri-
tifh flandard over her vanquifhed affailants, we alike
mull bear teliimony to the gallant fpirit of its Colo-
nial Militia and regular Gartifon, led on by an offi-
cer,than whom (in the perfon of Brigadier-General
PRI von), the Britifh army has not a prouder boa&
" In addition to thefe particulars, we have to add,
that further appearances of danger threaten thefe co-
lonies, unlefs by the timely arrival of an adequate na-
val force, the enemy's career be checked. It is con.
fidently Rated, that a veffel from Martinique, board
cd by the Unicorn frigate, which has jut} arrived, not
only confirmed to her the &env)) of the enemy al-
ready arrived, but adds that a reinforcement of (even
fail of the line, with frigates and tranfports, was mo-
mentarily expeCted there from the Mediterranean, with
the exprefs tbje& of co-operating in a general attack
on all our Viands. This veffel further Rated, that
an expedition of four thoufand men was on the point
of failing from Martinique againit Sr. Lucia.
" It is, perhaps, ton juftly apprehended, that fume
trails which yelterday were defcried off our coati,
are part of this reinforcement ; and tilde fuipicions
are arengthened by an American which fell in with
them yetterday morning; and from their manceuvring
concludes they were French fhips. Two r f them have
approached fo near as to be perceived to be line of
battle fhips, and it is added that five brigs Wel e feen
in company with them:—many veffels have certainly
been feen from the heights to windward, but none inch
as defcribed have arrived.

" The enemy's forces already arrived, are com-
manded by Gen. LE GRANDE, and Admiral MENTZ' j
thole expelled from the Mediterranean are under Ad-
mital VILLENEVF."