The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1807-01-20
FRENCH CORRESPONDENCE.
fCSsinu"n..si.d .js,. .te !nahii. LrJge-.
IRAN
Ds.cdMc Havanra. 80.

- "a
= MIR LORD,
Informed you of my intended departure from Mar.
Unique on the s9sh June, but was obliged 70 devote
two days Tor the further accommodation of the VET
fels not ready for lea meanwhiiel hurried ihc
repairs of the Valeureue irgate, and ie along with
the other fix hip, of the fquAdron ready to put 10
Tea the 10 July.
The enemy well Informed Of the arrival Of our
iquadron OIL the windward Hands rapidly orpeared
Oft Dominique, where they well G,ua,ed by
their neighbourhood to ST. Chrtopher's.
was well aware that Eng lifh convoys of Wei In.
da trade would be ready to aTen,ble before the
Ii of Auguh 1T Tortoa, and after the departure of
the French fquadron. In the night of July the Sd I
captured in my panage three merchant v.les-a
fleet OF merchantmen at anchor off St. Chrnopher's
cut their cables and joined convoy under admiral
Coehrane-they were in number SO llps | failed
along the eoait of this iland within half cannon mot
but found could effect important fervice, for I
preiumed the fleet from ST. Chrinophers had been
thence eicor,ed to form jun elon 18th the merchant
men at Tortola formed the deGgnr of going in
there, but nay Martinique pilo, was capable Of
carrying in the iquadrcn /; therefore refolved go
to st, Martins, and proceeded with my prizes to-
wards that fland
On the 18th in the morning, being at the entrance
of Tortoia had already taken the Fly inal v.ilel
belonging to the EngIa, aimiral which fcnt to re.
eonnoitrr, and by her was informed there were no
veilels in the road. During the day the enemy hav-
ing paled out, refoived the next morning to pur-
fue the convoy through the traits of ST. Thomas de
ST. Croix. In the courie of thefe laf "a hours the
quadron repaired the damage had fufiered in the
night. In the morning faw right TO windward l2
fail, about leagues off, conf(ing of fail of the line,
frgates, and corvettes and briggs, not doubling il
was admiral Cochranes fquadron, winch were COM
ing to collect the convoy. ! lay by for him till
o'clock in the morning, being able to give chace
he hp
loiing time. But formed my fquadron in two co.
iumns, under toPias, only keeping the gate AHEAD
and in this order paned the traits. Admiral Coch-
rane followed ME at a comfortable dfanee, carefully
preiervng the weather gage. About three quarters
pat one, | was before the Danifh iland of ST. Tho
mas now hoiited my colours and my flag, and
the enemy by o'clock not more than ,tree leagues
of, lay to, at the mouth of the pafage. I likewifr
hove to, fent the Pratique to Martinique in the
Mouehe. (the fly and waited for the enemy but he
Rood to the iouthward, and proceeded to feek the
convoy. Indeed, my lord, expected TO have feen
mention of my name in the details of this affair, of
which the Englh newspaper, rendered very neor-
re4 account
On the 9th boarded brig of the convoy, which
had been eparaed from the ref at leaving the land
made digent fearch, but without fuccels, during
feveral days, for the body OF the fleet of merchantmen
until found myfelf in the latitude Of 49, 80, without
feeling fail, therefore CONC uded this little CONVOY
had proceeded unite isfelf with the grand Jamaica
convoy, towards which repaired, in the hope that by
cruiiing in the Bahama fraits lhould eventually
fall in with the Jamaica fleet or about the 1T of
Augu the faid feet generally fails for England at
two periods. BY thus fanding to the weaward,
fnered the coniequeucs of this proceeding for heavy
gales OF wind came on, and my fhips were feveral
times Hruck with lightning, and my fails being all
fPt blown away, did not loon enough get into
the longitude of rs degrees. On July 10Th I found
=. - l.. l. 4
week afterwards, that nearly this time the fri con-
voy had paled me the eatward, at the dftauce of
10 leagues, and that the econd convoy could not have
been far from failing lkewife but jutf at this time
heard that admiral Sir John B. Warren had arrived
in the Wet-lndies, and only eight days after my fra
failing. cenjectured that admiral Warren would
proceed to Newfoundland where meant to let him
go quietly July 2Sth, at fun fet, azv large Gp
10 zvind4Oard, and t4co Lrigs furpofed however
thefe mig ht be Sir John, and made the fgnal to
cloie the fquadron and keep wiBdward, intending
next day to engage this admiral advantage A
fehooner however, which belonged to thefe vefes to
windward, and which, boarded at midnight, after
wards informed me that it was part of a convoy of
Americans, coniilling Of fall under the eieor. of
two fmsll frgates, bound to New-York, laden with
coffee, &c. Be- by the revolted negroes Of St. Do
mingo, This news not being diclofed to me by the
matter OF the iohOoner till iohe days after the con-
voy had time to elcape to the Observation-Disclosures
at the condua of the Americans, Immediately put
the matter of the chooner in irons, and all his people
and mase fail in iearch of faid convoy, determined to
hang the yard the captains and lpercargoes in
the face of their countrymen,a New York--but be-
ing nearly off Cape Hatteras, the weather changed,
and the gathering aorm left hope of arriving
off NewYork in time to intercept theie pirates; and
on arriving off the Cape gale of wind obliged me TO
haul to windward, and wait till IT was PsfIed, which
when it was over, enabled to fpeak veIel, by
which was informed that the iaid convoy had put
into the Chelapeake and Delaware. BY thu. time 4
had arrived within 10 leagues of Long Iland. q
then made fail for my rendezvous in lat 81, and 81
long. which might prove the route If admiral Corh.
rane, proceeding from the Wnd~ard Hands with his
convoy for Europe in the courfe perhaps OF the fra
fifteen days of AuguR. On the Oh of Augun being
nearly in the propofcd rendezvous, ( invited on
board my Zip all the captains celebrate Napoleon
the lirt and learning the condition Of their hps
coulented from the dfabled lae OF al the veGes to
proceed on the 2Oth to ST. Jean Porte Rico, from
whence propelled falling the n of Sober.
My defgn was TO proceed drea to Newfoundland
to detroy the Engtih Fihery, &c. making my
rendezvous afterwards off TIE fae bank diGant 100
leagues T. aud IN the latitude 81 ~ to letr for fome
port IN France, whsre hoped to arrive by the end
Of October but this plan dhconcerted by an hor-
rible tempef which overlook us OF the l9th aud
goth AugaR. The Veteran which vas milling,
hope me, better fortune than the re of my lquadron.
any veels of the enemy perhed others were great
ly damaged aud their conway dperied. rot down
my toP-gallapt-maOs and all my ihjPs in eight by