The highest commendations are given to the good conduct, bravery, and refolution, of the officers and men, both of regulars and militia. an officer as Capt. Campbell of the 83d highlanders; and to Capt. Campbell, of regiment, who had before remarkably the Glasgow volunteers, or 83d, not to diftinguished himself, was the next to fire a fhot, but lay down their arms, as take the command, after the lofs of Ma- he had figned a capitulation. This order jor Pierson. they determined not to obey. The Baron next infifted that the Governor should go with him in perfon to the caftle, in order to endeavour to prevail upon Capt. Mulcafter; and took a party of 100 or 150 men to accompany them. They no fooner came within reach, than the brave Mulcafter fired at them, and carried off the leg of one of the French officers. - Mr d'Auvergne, the overfeer of the works, went to the caftle, and told them, he feared, if they did not furrender, the French would hang the Governor, and burn the town. Mulcafter answered, Let them begin to hang, burn, and be d-d, for he would not furrender the caftle, or the British flag, fo long as he had a man to defend it, to fave any body. The following is a return of the killed and wounded of his Majefty's troops, and militia of the island, on the 6th of January." The corps engaged were, Regulars, the 78th, 83d, and 95th regiments; and Militia, South-weft regiment, St Helier's and St Laurence's battalions, North-west and Eaft regiments.-There were killed, of the Regulars, Maj. Pierfon, of the 95th, and 11 rank and file; and wounded, Capt. Charlton, of the artillery, (wounded while prifoner), 1 ferjeant, and 35 rank and file :- and of the Militia there were killed 4 rank and file; and wounded Lieut. Godfrey, Lieut. Aubin, Enf. Poingnant, Mr Thomas Lempriere aid-de-camp, Mr James Amice Lempriere merchant, and 26 rank and file. Lond. Gaz. Jan. 16. - A letter, dated, Jerfey, Jan. 1o. contains the following particulars. Laft Saturday, to the great surprise of every body, we beheld 800 French, commanded by a Baron de Rullecourt, in the very heart of the town of St Hillery, without a fingle fhot being fired. The Lieutenant-Governor was acquainted of their arrival whilft in bed: he got up, and, on his coming down, found his houfe furrounded. On his appearing, they took him prifoner, and led him to the marketplace, where he found about 500 drawn up. They took every body prifoners they could lay their hands upon, and obliged them to go into the court-house, where they forced the Governor to fign a capitulation. The French commander endeavoured to prevail on the King's Advocate to fign, and many others; but they refufed: he then fuffered them to retire to their houfes on their paroles; and centries were placed in different parts to prevent their joining the troops that were affembling upon the Gallows-hill, on the weft fide of the town. The Baron then obliged the Governor to write to Capt. Mulcafter, the engineer, who had fortunately got fafe into Elifabeth caftle; to Major Pierfon, of the 95th; to Capt. Lumfdale, commanding the 78th, or Major Pierfon came down from the hill with a flag of truce into the town, to demand the Lieutenant-Governor from the enemy; which was refused, and he returned. The French commandant then obliged the Lieutenant-Governor to go with a flag to Major Pierfon, to endea vour to prevail upon him, and the rest of the troops, to furrender, in confequence of the capitulation he had figned. But the Major, Capt. Lumfdale of the 78th, and all the officers of the militia, refused: the latter affured the two commanders of the regulars, that if they would not capitulate, they would fupport them to the laft. Major Pierfon antwered the Governor, that he looked upon him as a prifoner, therefore could obey no orders that he fhould give out. The flag then required half an hour to retire: it was refufed, and the Major pulled out his watch, and told them, he would give them ten minutes, and no more, when he would be at their heels, and attack them. In the mean time the Major obferved, that the French had neglected to occupy the Town-hill to the east of the town. He detached Capt. Fraser of the 78th, with his and the light company of the 95th, and two companies of the militia, to make a detour round the town, and take poffeffion of it; which service he performed like an able officer, and without the lofs of a man. They no fooner had poffeffion of that hill, than the troops under Major Pierfon attacked the French in the town, with the courage and intrepidity of British troops, fupported fupported with equal ardour by the militia. Capt. Frafer, with his detachment, came down the hill, and attacked them on the other fide of the market-place; for there they had made their stand, placing cannon at each avenue. The fire was heavy whilft it lafted: but the French were fo preffed on all fides, that they were foon beat. Their commander, the Baron, had his lower jaw broke by a mufket-fhot, one fhot through his neck, and one or two through the thigh; he died that night of his wounds. He was buried with military honours. The Baron held our Governor by the arm, and kept him in the fire the whole time. Several of their officers were wounded; -no other killed there;-they had near Too privates killed, and about 80 wounded, and 280 prisoners. On our fide, we fuffered the irreparable lofs of poor Major Pierfon, who was shot through the heart just as Victory declared herself for him, to the regret of every body: no other officer killed or wounded; very few privates killed or wounded. The Major was interred this afternoon about three a'clock, in the parish-church of St Hillery, with all the military funeral pomp poffible: every regiment attended, with the Lieutenant-Governor, the states of the island, and all the militia officers; in fhort, no man could be more loved or respected when alive, than he was, or more lamented than he is. The king and the country have loft a finifhed gentleman, and a very promifing brave young foldier. He died in the arms of victory, aged twenty-three.' [41.275.] "Orders. Head-quarters, F an. 7. 1781. THE Governor cannot fufficiently exprefs his thanks to the regulars for their diftinguished behaviour on Saturday, by which, and the countenance and affiftance of the militia, he was released, and the country faved. The death of Major Pierfon is a ferious lofs in every fenfe. He loft his life exerting himself at the head of a fet of brave men. The garrifon of Elifabeth's castle, under the command of Capt. Edwards, are equally comprehended, and moft juftly intitled to the fame; and Capt. Mulcafter's repairing to that garrifon fo early as he did, was a ferious affiftance to thofe troops, that gave proofs of their intentions. Capt. Legeyt, of the Wiltshire militia, who is now on this ifland, deferves my beft thanks for his readiness and afftance. The troops, &c. to return to their different pofts. M. CORBET, Lieutenant-Governor." George Lord Macartney, lately appointed by the Eaft-India company Governor of Madrass, fet out from London, Jan. 15. attended by his fecretaries and fuite, for Ireland, in order to embark there for Madrats. A committee of proprietors of EaftIndia ftock appointed to inquire into the ftate of the company's affairs at home and abroad, made their report, Dec, 20. by which there appeared on the debtorfide of the account, 9,708.6261. and on the creditor fide 13.458,877 1. fo that the balance in favour of the company appears to be 3,750,2511; but as they have not included in the creditor-fide the stores at Bengal, Fort St George, Bombay, &c. &c. the committee think that 7,038,889 1. is the proper fum to ftand at the foot of the creditor fide of the account. On the 20th of January the purfers of eleven East Indiamen arrived at the India houfe, with the news of the arrival of thefe hips at Crookhaven on the 9th, viz. General Barker, Todd; Ganges, Richardson; Talbot, Hindman; Norfolk, Bonham; Calcutta, Thompson ; and Ceres, Saow, from Coast and Bay; - Hawke, Cotton; Morfe, Kent; and Royal Henry, Dundas, from Bombay; Worcester, Cook, from China;- and Alfred, Brown, from Bombay and China. This fleet came home under convoy of the Afia, Belleifle, Rippon, Prothée, and Hannibal. They failed from Madrafs the 7th of April, and from St Helena the 5th of November. The diftrets of our Weft-India islands by the late dreadful calamities [42. 652. ] is not overlooked. A privy council was held, Jan. 5. for taking into confideration the most effectual and speedy method of fending fome relief to the inhabitants. A meeting of gentlemen was held on that subject in the London tavern, Jan. 12. the Lord Mayor in the chair. It was first propofed to enter into an immediate fubfcription: but this was objected to; and it was refolved, first to petition parliament. - The Lord Mayor acquainted a court of common council held Jan. 19. that he had called them at the request of fome of the the firft characters in the city, to confider of a mode of co-operating with the merchants, traders, and others, in purfuance of certain refolutions agreed to at a refpectable meeting held at the London tavern on Friday the 12th, with regard to an application to parliament for the relief of our unhappy fellow fubje&ts in the Weft Indies; and, on a motion by Mr Dunage, it was refolved unanimoufly, to prefent a petition to the Houfe of Commons fimilar to that agreed on by the West India merchants. A petition was accordingly prepared; and it was prefented on the 23d, viz. "To the Honourable the Commons of Great Britain in Parliament allembled, The Humble Petition of the Lord Mayor, Aldermen, and Commons of the City of London, in Common Council al mbled, Sheweth, THAT your petitioners must ever be fenfibly affected by every event which concerns the interests of any part of their fellow-fubje&ts, and cannot therefore be indifferent fpectators of thofe dreadful calamities with which it has pleafed Divine Providence lately to vifit the British Weft-India islands, at a time when this nation is engaged in a war, the principal feat of which has been in that quarter of, the British dominions. Your petitioners are not infenfible of the univerfal and unbounded benevolence of the individuals of this country, which fo eminently marks the national character, and makes Britons the object of admiration of all foreigners. But Loffes of fuch magnitude, and which require immediate reparation to the fufferers, in order to prevent their total ruin, muft far exceed the powers of private benefactions, and (as your petitioners humbly conceive) claim immediate relief from the hand of Parliament. Your petitioners, therefore, in behalf of their fuffering fellow-fubjects in the Weft Indies, humbly fupplicate the immediate attention of Parliament to a fubject of fo great importance to the commercial interefts of this kingdom; and humbly pray, that this Honourable Houfe will grant the fufferers fuch immediate and effectual relief as to them in their great wisdom shall seem meet." Towards the end of the month an ad. vertisement appeared from a committee appointed for receiving fubfcriptions for relief of the unhappy fufferers by the late dreadful calamities in the Weft Indies; of which committee Sir Watkin Lewes, Lord Mayor, was prefident. They "give notice to all bodies corporate, focieties, and the public in general, that fubfcriptions will be received by the feveral bankers in London and Weftminfter for this benevolent purpose and it is requested, that all subscriptions in any other part of G. Britain, or in Ireland, be paid into the hands of any bankers in or near the places of collection, to be by them remitted to their correfponding baukers in London." Lord North, immediately after mentioning the Dutch war in the Houfe of Commons, Jan. 23. the first federunt after the receis [9.], prefented two petitions, one from the fufferers in Jamaica, the other from the fufferers in Barbadoes; and the London petition was prefented immediately after; which were all referred to the committee of fupply and his Lordship made a motion in the supply-committee, next day, That 80,000 1. be granted to his Majefty, to be difpofed of as to his wifdom thall feem beft, for the relief of the island of Barbadoes; and, 40,000l. for the relief of the island of Jamaica: which motions were agreed to unanimously. When Lisbon was deftroyed by a dreadful earthquake, Nov. 1. 1755, 100,000l. was granted by the British parliament for the relief of the fufferers, in pursuance of a mellage from the King, Nov. 28.; and a war-fhip of 70 guns, failed from Portsmouth for Lifbon, Dec. 5. with 50,000l. on board in specie, and the value of the other half of the fum granted in goods, [17.557-] In the London gazette of Jan. 13. we have an addrefs of the city of Edinburgh, which was prefented to the King by Thomas Dundas, Efq; member for Stirlingshire, and received very graciously, viz. "To the King's Moft Excellent Majefty, The Humble Address of the Rt Hon. the Lord Provoft, Magiftrates, and Council, of the City of Edinburgh, in Common Council affembled. . perfon, family, and government, by which we have uniformly been actuated. The lenient measures your Majefty has purfued with regard to the States-Gene. ral of the United Provinces, muft convince the world of the benignity and juftice of your Majefty's conduct toward them, and of your unwillingness to interrupt the friendship and good understanding which have fo long fubfifted between the two nations, and proved fo effential to the true interests of both. Should your Majefty, though contrary to your known difpofition, be obliged to continue hoftilities against the StatesGeneral, we will zealously unite with our fellow-fubjects in feconding the powerful efforts of your fleets and armies, and in fupporting the honour and dignity of your Majesty's crown and government. That your Majefty's reign may be long and profperous, is the conftant and ardent with of, May it please your Majesty, Your Majefty's most dutiful and loyal fubjects, The Lord Provost, Magistrates, and Council, of your ancient City of Edinburgh. Signed in our name, and by our appointment, in our prefence, the feal of the city being affixed, this ift day of January 1781, DAVID STEUART, Provost." [The preceding addrefs was refolved on in the town council of Edinburgh unanimously; but there was a divifion with refpect to the perfon by whom it fhould be prefented, Bailie Cleghorn moving for Sir Laurence Dundas, (the member chofen by those of his fide), and Old-Bailie Leflie naming Mr Miller, (the fitting member for the city); but it carried for Sir Laurence, 14 to 6.- Sir Laurence being indifpofed, the addrefs was prefented by his fon.] The preceding is the only addrefs to the King that has appeared in the gazette fince the commencement of hoftilities against the Dutch. By an order of council of Aug. 18. 1780 [42. 441.], an embargo was laid on all veffels laden in the ports of G. Britain, with black cattle and hogs, beef, pork, butter, and cheese, or any fort of provifions, except fish, corn, or grain of any kind, or pulfe; but it was declared, that the embargo should not extend to veffels carrying provifions to any of the ports in Europe, except the ports be longing to France or Spain; - and by an order of council of Jan. 1. 1781, this exception is extended to the ports be longing to the States-General of the U. nited Provinces; and the embargo is to continue till further orders: fo that no provifions can at prefent be exported hence to any of the ports of the United Provinces. Vice-Adm. Evans, naval commander in chief in the Downs, acquaints the Admiralty, in a letter dated Dec. 31. that he having learnt, that there was a Dutch fhip of war at the back of the Goodwin, and the Marlborough and Belona Britifh war-fhips appearing in fight, he immediately ordered them to go in queft of the Dutch fhip; and that they returned to the Downs in the afternoon of Dec. 31. with the Dutch fhip, which the Bellona took after an action of about half an hour, in which the Dutch fhip had four men killed and twelve wounded, and the Bellona had one man killed and two wounded. The Dutch fhip proves to be the Princess Carolina, of 54 guns and 300 men, from Amfterdam, bound to Lisbon. The Hon. Capt. Keith Elphinstone, of the Warwick, writes to the Admiralty from Spithead, Jan. 7. "I have the honour to inform the Board of the arrival of his Majefty's fhip under my command, and of my having cruifed, in company with the Edgar and Maidftone, on the ftation pointed out by my orders; also that, on the 5th inftant, having parted company from the above fhips, I fell in with, engaged, and took, a two-deck fhip under Dutch colours (after having admonished her commander to furrender without effect), She is the Rotterdam, belonging to the States-General, of 50 guns and 300 men, commanded by Mynland, bound to the Weft Indies. They heer Volbergen, eleven days from Holhad been twice attacked before this period. I had the good fortune to lofe no men; the fails, mafts, and rigging, are cut to picces. I have great fatisfaction in acknowledging the obligation I am under to the officers of each clafs. The fhip's company, notwithstanding their being young in fervice, and reduced in number by the several Dutch veffels we had manned and fent into port, con. ducted themselves with becoming fpirit and activity.” Lond. gaz. Lord Mulgrave, Captain of the Courageux, writes to the Admiralty from Spithead Spithead, Jan. 8." I arrived here this morning, with La Minerve, French frigate, of 32 guns and 316 men, taken by the Courageux, in company with the Valiant, on the 4th of this month, about three in the afternoon, Ufhant bearing eaft, distant fourteen leagues. She had failed from Brett on the 3d, with La Fine, L'Aigrette, and La Diligente, to cruife for a fortnight off Scilly. The Chevalier de Grimouard, who commanded her, did not strike till the had been for about an hour under the fire of our broad fide, within mufquet-fhot. From the fhips being fo near each other, the few shot fired by the frigate in the course of that time neceffarily took place, by which the Courageux had ten men killed and seven wounded. The foremaft, m zenmaft, and bowfprit, are damaged. On board La Minerve, Monf. Andrieu, one of the Lieutenants, and forty-nine men, were killed; and twenty-three wounded; amongft whom it is with great concern that I mention the Chevalier Grimouard, and his nephew Monf. Noffay, both I fear very dangerously. All her mafts were rendered unferviceable, and the hull much damaged. The Valiant parted from us in chace of one of the other frigates. The disabled fituation of the prize made it abfolutely neceffary to tow her into port." Lond. gaz. Frequent mention was made in the papers, in the beginning of January and afterwards, that information had been given to the miniftry, of there being emiffaries, fome of them of rank, in this kingdom, for procuring intelligence to the enemy. Among them was Don Francifco Gorman y Macannon, a Spanish Jefuit, we suppose the priest found on board the Spanish packet which was taken by the Bellona privateer of Glafgow [42. 490, 550.], who was faid to have broke his parole, and gone to Harwich, in order to have gone abroad, but was brought back by a meffenger, and confined. A foreigner who goes by the name of Baron de la Motte, was taken up at his lodgings in Mr Otley's, woollen-draper in Bond-street, on Friday evening, Jan. 5. his papers feized, and himself carried to Lord Hillsborough's office; where having undergone a long exami nation, he was the fame night committed to the Tower. He is faid to be a major in the French service in the Volontiers de Soubife regiment, VOL. XLIII. In confequence, as was faid, of dif coveries made in La Motte's papers, a meffenger was difpatched the fame night at eleven o'clock, to apprehend a Henry Lutterlough, Efq; of Wickham, near Portsmouth. This perfon is a German, and has been in America, an officer in one of the German regiments. The meffenger reached his houfe about feven o'clock next morning, just as he was going to mount his horfe to go a-hunting. He fhewed no figns of fear, but gave the meffenger the keys of his drawers and chefts. His papers were all put into a box, locked up, and fealed, and the key given to himself. He was brought to London on Saturday night, but too late to be examined. On Monday he was carried to Lord Hillsborough's office, and underwent a long examination, and was again delivered into the cuftody of the meffenger. On Monday night, Jan. 8. one Ryder was brought from Plymouth to Lord Hillsborough's office. This perfon is faid to have in the laft war performed fingular fervices by his knowledge of the foundings on the enemy's coaft, for which he was rewarded with a penfion of 2001. a year. He is faid to have been employed by the Admiralty in contriving fignals; and to have traitorously informed the enemy of thofe fignals. He was examined on the 9th, and delivered again into the cuftody of the meffenger. Some news-writers having had the temerity to fay, that the Ruffian ambassador acted as a kind of spy, and was connected with the perfons taken up, the following article appeared in the papers of Jan. 23. We have authority to affure the public, that all the ftories lately propagated to the disadvantage of the Ruffian ambaffador, are wholly without founda tion; no foreign minister having ever be haved more unexceptionably, or in a more friendly manner towards this coun try.' |