of the launch (from whofe carronade much was expected in the plan for attack) having not been able to keep up with the other boats, and being diftant when they were difcovered and fired on by a French privateer fchooner that had come in unfeen by us in the night, and was placed to flank the fhip, and gave the alarm, on which the barge and two cutters immediately pulled to the fhip and boarded. I am convinced more determined bravery could not have been difplayed than has been flown by Lieutenants Beaufort and Huifh, Lieutenant Duncan Campbell of the marines, Mefirs. Hamilton and Santon, midshipmen, and Mr. Deagon the gunner, and the boat's crew employed upon the fervice; and it is with extreme concern I add, that one feaman was killed coming alongfide, and that their very gallant leader (in whom I have ever found a moft capable and zealous affiftant) was firft wounded in the head, and afterwards received feveral flugs through his left arm and body: Lieutenant Campbell received feveral flight fabre wounds; Mr. Auguftus Barrington Hamilton was fhot, while in the boat, through the thigh, notwithstanding which he boarded, and his conduct is highly fpoken of; and John Wells, a feaman, fhot through the thigh. The lofs of the enemy appears to have been thirteen wounded, fix badly, and fome are fuppofed to have been wounded and driven overboard. I give your Lordflip the detail of this fervice, feeling it incumbent on me to do fo, to do justice to the parties employed upon it, humbly hoping that Mr. Beaufort's conduct and wounds will entitle him to the protection given in the prefent war to officers of diftinguifhed merit; and I regret exceedingly that Mr. Hamilton wants fome confiderable part of his fervitude, as he is of an age and in all refpects well qualified for a lieu tenant. Towards daylight the fignal being made to me that our people were in full poffeflion of the prize, I chafed a veffel that had paffed us an hour before, and brought her to, under a battery, in Cape Moleno. She proves a light polacre, from Ceuta, bound for Malaga. Afterwards, running down to pick up our boats and people, we' were carried fo far to leeward, that the French schooner (which we had not feen from the fhip) paffed to windward along thore to Malaga, quite out of our reach. Vice-admiral Lord Keith, JAMES N. MORRIS. Letter from the Earl of St. Vincent to Fran Nepean, Efq.; dated Torbay, the 12th infant. I ENCLOSE, for the information of the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, a letter which I have received from Captain Crawford, of his Majefty's floop Childers, giving an account of his having captured a Spanish ingger privateer. ST. VINCENT, His Majefty's Slop Childers, at Sea, October 24. YESTERDAY at noon his Majefty's floop under my command cap tured a Spanith lugger privateer naraed Diligente, mounting two fourpounders, four fwivels, and having on board 30 men: had been out two days from Vigo, and had made no prize. I have the honour to be, &c. Right Hon. the Earl of St. Vincent. From From the LONDON GAZETTE, November 25, 1800. Admiralty Office, November 25. Copy of a Letter from Mr. Thomas Alti, Commander of the Hawke privat Ship of War, to Evan Nepean, Efq.; dated at Viana in Portugal, t 22d of October. Sir, YOU will be pleased to acquaint my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, I yesterday afternoon fell in with and captured the Spanin latine privateer, called the Atalante, of Ponte Vedra, Captain Don Bernardo Lopes, of 10 guns and 56 mem, having come out of the port of Arofa the day before, and was just on the point of capturing a British veffel when I fell in with her. In running from me fhe threw fix of her guns overboard; the four I found on board were long fixes and nines. · I brought her in here, and delivered the 50 men to his Britannic Majesty's Conful. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c. THOMAS ALTI. From the LONDON GAZETTE, November 29, 1800. Admiralty Office, November 29. Epy of a Letter from Captain Frederick Watkins, Commander of his Majefty's Ship Nereide, to Evan Nepean, Efq.; dated in Curaçao, 15th October. Sir, BE pleafed to inform my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty that I have thought it indipenfably neceffary to lead these dispatches to England by my first officer, Lieutenant Paul, to acquaint their Lordships of the furrender of the valuable itland of Curaçao to his Majefty's frigate under my command. I beg leave to tranfmit duplicates of all my letters to the Right Honourable Lord Hugh Seymour, and the articles of capitulation agreed between his Excellency Johan Rudolph Lauffer and myself; as alfo inventories of warlike ftores, fhipping, &c. I hope their Lordships will fanction my conduct in taking poffeffion of this centrical and valuable inland in his Majesty's name. Lieutenant Paul I cannot recommend in too strong language to their Lord hips, for his zealous exertions during the whole of the fiege; and for any further information he is perfectly able to describe every thing their Lordships may be defirous of knowing refpecting Curaçao. I have the honour to be, &c. FRED. WATKINS. His Majefty's Ship Nereide, off Amfterdam, Island of Curaçao, 11th September. My Lord, I WISH not to lose a moment in fending a fast-failing vessel to inform your Lordship, that the iiland of Curaçao has claimed the protection of his Britannic Majefty. I have in confequence felt it my duty to take poffeffion of it in his name. I am now running for the harbour, as it is abfolutely neceffary to lofe no time to fave the island from the enemy, who threaten to storm the principal fort to-night; but I trust the Nereide's affiftance will be the means of fruftrating the enemy's views, and faving a moft valuable colony for his Majelty. I compute the force of the French to be about fifteen hundred now in poffeffion of the west part of the island, but no ftrong pott of any confequence to prevent my holding the forts commanding Amfterdam, until I am honoured with an anfwer from your Lordship. There is great property afloat belonging to the Spaniards. Lieutenant Paul will have the honour of delivering this difpatch to your Lordship, of whofe exertions and zeal for the fervice I cannot speak in too ftrong terms. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c. The Right Hon. Lord Hugh Seymour, &c. &c. &c. My Lord, (Signed). F. WATKINS. His Majefty's Ship Nereide, off Amfterdam, Sept. 14. SINCE fending my last dispatch of the 11th inftant, Governor Johan Rudolph Lauffer has finally furrendered the island of Curaçao and its dependencies to his Majefty's arms. Enclofed I have the honour of tranfmitting to your Lordship a copy of the terms of capitulation. I have the honour to be, &c. The Right Hon. Lord Hugh Seymour, &c. &c. &c. FRED. WATKINS. Articles of Capitulation agreed between Frederick Watkins, Efq. Captain of his Britannic Majefty's Ship Nereide, now lying off the Harbour of Curaçao, and Johan Rudolph Lauffer, Governor (interim) of the faid Island, and its Dependencies, and Commander in Chief of all the armed Force of the faid Iland; namely, that the faid Island of Curaçao and its Dependencies fhall Jurrender, and be placed under the immediate Protection of his Britannic Majefty, in Conformity to the following Articles, viz. ART. I. The island of Curaçao and its dependencies shall be placed under the protection of his Britannic Majefty, and fhall peaceably and quietly fubmit to the government of his faid Majefty. Anfwer.-Agreed to. Art. II. The inhabitants of this island and its dependencies fhall enjoy perfect security in their perfons and properties, and the full exercise of their religion, except fuch as fhall appear to belong to the subjects of the powers now actually at war with Great Britain; fuch property only excepted as was on board the vessels in the harbour on the ioth inftant. Answer.-Agreed to. Art. III. All fhips and veffels of war that may be in the harbour, and all artillery, warlike stores, ammunition, &c. that may be found in the forts and public magazines, and all property, of whatsoever nature it may be, belonging to the Batavian republic, fhall be delivered up to his Britannic Majefty in the state in which they now are, and officers fliall be appointed on each fide by the joint parties to take inventories thereof. Anfwer.-Agreed to. Art. IV. All debts due by the government of this island shall be punctually paid out of the revenue of the said island. Anfwer.-Agreed to. Art. V. No alteration fhall be made in the established laws of the faid ifland, except that in future fuch might be found neceffary for mutual benefit or fafety, and which must be regulated by the concurrence of both parties. VOL. X. L Answer. Art. VI. During the time this ifland may remain under the protection of his Britannic Majefty, or, in cafe this ifland and its dependencies fhould, at the conclufion of the war, remain in the poffeffion of Great Britain, the inhabitants of the faid ifland and its dependencies fhall enjoy the fame rights and privileges as his Majefty's fubjects in the Weft Indies, Anfwer. Agreed to. Art. VII. The laws heretofore obferved refpecting property fhall remain in full force. Private.-As it is impoffible for the inhabitants of the said island and its dependencies to fubfift without a free intercourfe with the Spanish main, the ports of Curaçao and its dependencies fhall be open to all Spanish veffels. Anfwer.-Agreed to be allowed the fame free trade as the inland of Jamaica. Signed, fealed, and ratified in the prefence of Cornelius Spencer and E. A. Van Eck, on the part of Johan Rudolph Lauffer; and in the prefence of John Lewis March, on the part of Frederick Watkins; at the port of Amfterdam in the island of Curaçao, this 13th of September 1800. (Signed) JOH. RUD. LAUFFER. Here follows alfo a lift of the exifting guns, ammunition, &c. delivered in fome months ago, and which were really exifting before the prefent hege, viz. two brafs 24-pounders and two brafs 18-pounders, with four defective, five iron 24-pounders, 98 iron 18-pounders, 46 12-pounders, 44 eight-pounders, 24 fix-pounders, two four pounders, 20 three-pounders, and two two-pounders, befides 38 of different calibre defective. On the batteries, not including Fort Pifcadera, Fort St. Michael, the Hill St. Michael, and Falfe Bay, five 24 pounders, 63 18-pounders, many of their fhips' guns, 28 12-pounders, 26 eight-pounders, and 27 of lefs calibre; upwards of 26,000lb. of powder, befides a powder magazine at the Creek Battery, and a variety of other ftores. My Lord, His Majefty's Ship Nereide, Curaçao Harbour, 238 Sept. I HAVE now the fatisfaction to inform your Lordship that the English colours are flying in this ifland, and that I have entered this barbour in confequence of the total evacuation of the French forces laft night. I am now arranging affairs in fuch a manner as to tranquillize the minds of the inhabitants, and restore perfect peace in the name of his Majefty in this valuable island, I have been received with great faith, and will do my utmost in establishing the fecurity of the principal fortrefs till I receive your Lordship's aufwer for my further conduct. Enclofed I have the honour of tranfmitting to you an inventory of warlike ftores, ammunition, &c. in the garrifon, except thofe lately in poffeffion of the enemy, which I have not yet received the regular returns of, but have given the neceffary orders. It was my intention to have fent any farther dif patch to your Lordship by the remaining lieutenant, Mr. James Hodgfon; but, as I do not exactly conceive myself in a perfect ftate of fafety, without having perfect poffeffion of the principal fortrefs which commands the town, I have appointed him, with a party of my own men, to that command; his zeal, bravery, and univerfal fteady conduct in any fervice he Is ordered on, makes my mind perfectly eafy in doing fo: he has been of the utmost service in a new erected battery in annoying the enemy, and indeed may be confidered the principal caufe of their retreat. Lieutenant Fitton, commanding the Active tender, I have much pleasure in recommending to your Lordship's notice, from his activity and fpirited conduc fince he has joined me. From him, my Lord, you will receive material information as to all fituations of the ifland and its valuable harbour. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c. (Signed) F. WATKINS. The Right Hon. Lord Hugh Seymour, &c. Sc. St. Here follows a lift of the veffels lying in the harbour of Curaçao, 44 in number; confifting of 8 Dutch, 8 Danes, 7 American, 11 French, 7 Spanish, and 3 English prize ships. Downing Street, November 29. Extract of a Letter from Mr. Penrofe, his Majefty's Chargé d'Affaires at Florence, to Lord Grenville; dated Monte Varchi, near Florence, October 16. IT is with the greatest fatisfaction that I acquaint your Lordship, that the property of his Majefty's fubjects at Leghorn has been, as well as circumftances would permit, prevented from falling into the hands of the enemy, under the protection of his Majefty's fhips of war ftationed at that port, off which a frigate will still remain, to prevent any vessels from going in. From the LONDON GAZETTE, December 2, 1800. Admiralty Office, December 2. Letter from Captain Sir Richard Strachan to the Earl of St. Vincent. My Lord, Captain, at Sea, November 18.. YOUR Lordship will perceive in the narrative of my proceedings, that a convoy of the enemy had got through the Teignoufe paffage yefter. day, and that I was endeavouring to intercept them from the Morbihan, or paffage along the coaft; I had the mortification in the morning to perceive that the greater part had got into the Morbihan; and the others at the entrance were only waiting the tide, protected by the batteries on each fide, and a fhip corvette of 20 guns, the commodore of the convoy By the skilful management of the Nile cutter, the first vessel up, under the command of Lieutenant Argles, the corvette was kept from the north fhore; and foon after, upon the Magicienne getting near her, fhe run into Port Navale, where fhe took the ground, and her people began to quit her, and her colours were ftruck; the boats of the Magicienne, under Lieutenants Skottowe and Rodney, attempted to board, but the corvette fired upon them, having rehoifted her colours, and making fail, ran farther into the port: the Magicienne recalled her boats; but Lieutenant Rodney gallantly took a merchant-veffel from under one of the batteries as he was returning. As foon as I could get the boats out, I fent them all to be under the orders of Captain Oglivy, with directions for them to be fent under the orders of the fenior officer of this fhip, Lieutenant Hennah, to destroy the corvette, having under his orders Lieutenant Clyde of this fhip, and Lieutenant Clark of the Marlborough; and the boats were manned by the Captain and Marlborough's men. The enterprife was L 2 conducted |