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being on our weather beam, we made fail, keeping up a running fight till a quarter paft four o'clock, when the fternmost hip, finding it impoffible to efcape, put his helm a-port, and endeavoured to rake us; but being fortunately baffled in this effort, afforded us an opporturity of placing ourselves abreast of him within piftolfhot, when a quick and well-directed fire compelled him to furrender to his Ma. jesty's fhip in less than zo minutes. She proved to be the Thames, commanded by Citoyen Fraden, mounting 36 guns and 306 men The hip which the Unicorn continued in choce of, is La Tribune, of 40 guns and 320 men, bearing the broad pendant, Citoyen Moulton, Commander of a Divifion. The other, which made off to windward, is La LeI am gere, of 24 guns and 180 men. glad to obferve, that our lofs is very dif proportionate to the enemy, having only two leamen killed, and the boatswain and two seamen wounded; and he's 32 killed and 19 wounded, and many of the latter have fince died.

It is with extreme pleasure that I feek the prefent opportunity of teitifying my gratitude to the Officers and fhip's company for their active zeal and steady unanimity at all times and in all fituations, but more particularly in the capture of the Thame, on which occafion their cou

rage and exemplary conduct is worthy of the greateft praife. The readiness of Mr. Harrison, the First Lieutenant, and his prompt execution of my orders, did effentially facilitate our fuccels. It is my fincere with to particularize each indivi dual, but where general merit claims the greatelt approbation, to difcriminate be comes a difficult taik. In addition to the Officers and fhip's company, may I alfo be permitted to beg you will offer to the confideration of the Admiralty the meritorious conduct of Capt. Jofeph Bullen, a Mater and Commander in the Navy, ferving in the Santa Margaritta as a volunteer, by permission from Lord Spencer :Ins defire to have fome active employment induced me to beg he would affitt in the management of the main-deck guns, as I well knew that his long fervices and approved courage in various fituations would be a proper example to the younger part of the ship's company.

I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your moit obedient humble fervant,
T. B. MARTIN.

Vice-Admiral Kingsmill, &c. &c.

SIR,

L'Engageante, Cork Harbour,
June 13, Three P.M,

I SEND this exprefs to Cork, hoping it will overtake my letter of this date by the poft from hence, for the purpose of giving to my Lords Commiflioners of the Admiraity, as early as poffible, the agree able intelligence, that his Majefty's fhip Unicorn is now in light, off the harbour, with her prize La Tribune.

I have the honour to be,
Sir,

E. Nepean, Efq.

Your's, &c.

R. KINGSMILL.

Extract of a Letter from Vice-Admiral Kingimill, Commander in Chief of his Majefy's Ships and Veffels on the Coaf of Deland, is Mr. Nepean, dated Cork Harbour, June 14, 1796.

THE expectations my last letters to you must have raised are most happily realized. I now with peculiar fatisfaction defire you will acquaint their Lordships, that the French frigate La Tribune, of 44 guns and 337 men, bearing Commodore Moulton's broad pendant, is captured and brought in here by his Majesty's thip Unicorn, commanded by Capt. Williams, whofe official letter to me, containing a detail of the circumstances, is herewith tranfmitted. It is remarkable, that though they were clote engaged for 35 minutes, and the Unicorn's mafts, fails, and rig ging, are much cut and damaged, not à man on board was hurt, while the enemy had 37 killed and 15 wounded.

Intrepidity and judicious management were never more frongly manifested than in this instance, which reflects the highest honour on Captains Williams and Martin, and on every individual under their com mand; and they all have my humble, but warmelt approbation and thanks.

Copy of a Letter from Captain Williams,

of ois Majesty's Ship Unicorn, to Vice Admiral Kingfmill, dated Unicorn, at Sea, June 10, 1796.

Holy Head, E. S. E. dif. 8 leagues. SIR,

I Have the honour to lay before you a narrative of the proceedings of the fquadron under my command fince my depar ture from Cork on the 19th ult. On the following day, in confequence of my having received intelligence of the enemy's privateers being on the 'coaft, to the

north

northward of Cape Clear, I dispatched his Majetty's floop Hazard, with orders to Leutenant Parker, her Commander, to craze between the Cape and the Mouth of the Shannon, while I, for the more effectual protection of our trade, cruized with the Santa Margaritia in the vicinity of Cape Clear. I had the fatisfaction a few days afterwards to learn, that the Hazard had retaken two prizes, and had chated the privateers off the coaft that captured them, after a narrow efcape from being taken. On the 5th inft. having met with other fhips on the Irish ftation, I concluded upon making a circuit on the octer limits of my ftation, accompanied by the Santa Margaritta, and at dawn of day, on the 8th inft. Scilly bearing E. hatt S. 17 leagues, we difcovered three thips of war on our lee beam, distant two or three miles, to which we immediately give chace, and foon afterwards perceived them to edge away, and that they were enemy's fhips, two frigates and a large fhip corvette. At nine A M. they formed themfelves in a close bow and quarter line, and continued to run from us in that pofition, the larget fhip under eafy fal, for the fupport of his iquadron. In this fituation we approached them very faft, and must have speedily brought them to atrion. I therefore made the fignal to form for battle, the Santa Margaritta being at this time a-heart of the Unicorn, and at the fame time directed her by signal to come within hail, to learn from Captain Martin his opinion of the enemy's force, ho informed me, that the largest fhip was a 39 gun frigate, the Thames, and a cavette. I ordered Captain Martin to attack the Thames, acquining him with my mention to fight the largelt thip with Lae Unicorn. On our nearer approach, the corvette, which detained the other thips, gradually hauled out to windward, and paffed our weather beam in long gun-fhot, teering afterwards the fame courfe as the other thips, and with the intention, I then magined, to be in readiness to give fupport to either of her friends eventually molt needing it.

At one P. M. the two frigates hoifted French colours, the largeft hip a Commodore's pendant, and at the fanie moment commenced a quick and well-directed fire on us with their itern chaces; the corvette at this time hauled more up, and to my great aftonishment brought to, to board a loop paffing us on the contrary, tack. As the Commodore continued to wait for the Thames, we thereby approached them both, but were confiderably retarded by

the effects of their hot. At four, P. M. the Thames being the iternmolt fhip, bore round up, to avoid the fire from the Unicorn, and to pour a broadlide into the Margaritta's bow, when I had the pleasure to fee Captain Martin manoeuvre his thip with the greatelt judgment, and with the utmoft gallantry he laid himself clofe alongüde his opponent. The fuperior and well-directed fire tom the Santa Margaritta marked the discipline of his thip, and foon put the Thames into his poffeffion. The Commodore, on seeing his companon fall, made all fail, and by a funden and judicious, though unfuccefstul manoeuvre, endeavoured to gain the wind of the Unicorn. We were at this time cha cing him toward the entrance of the Irish Channel, and foon after pailed close to the Tufker Rock. The parity of failing in the two thips, aided by the judgment of the enemy's Commander, kept us at running fight for ten hours; during which period we were much annoyed in our fails and rigging, and were for fome time unluckily deprived of the ufe of our maintopfail: but on its falling lefs wind after dark, we were enabled to use our fupernumerary flying fails, royal steering fails, &c. which, by flow degrees, brought us fo near his weather quarter as to take the wind from his fails; when, at haif past ten at night, after purfuing two hundred and ten miles, we shot up alongside of our antaget, gave him three cheers, and commenced clote action, which had continued in that polition with great impetuolity on both fides for thirtyfive minutes, when, on clearing up of the moke, I obferved that the enemy had dropt on our quaiter, was clofe hauled, attempting, by a mafteriy macavre, to crois our ftern, and gain the wind. This was happily prevented by our inftantly throwing all aback, and giving the fhip trong fternway, by which we palled his bow, regained our fituation, and renewed the attack. The effects of our fire foon put an end to all manœuvre, for the enemy's fhip was completely difnantled, her fire cealed, and al further refistance appeared to be ineffectual; they called to us they had furrendered. The fhip proves to be La Tribune, commanded by Commodore John Moulton, mounting 44 guns, though pierced for 48; on the main deck 26 twelves, on the quar ter-deck and forecastle 16 long fixes, and 42lb. carronades; had on board at the commencement of the action 337 men, 37 of whom are killed, 13 badly and 2

fightly wounded. The thip is quite

new,

put the Unicorn and her shattered prize
in a condition to proceed to Cork.

I have the honour to be, &c. &c. &c.
THO. WILLIAMS.

Copy of a Letter from Lord Amelias
Beauclerk, Captain of bis Majefty's Ship
Dryad, Plymouth Sound, June 16, 1796,
to Mr. Nepean.

new, launched fince the commencement of the war, fails extremely fatt, is of large dimenfions, being on the gun deck two feet broader and thirteen feet longer than the Unicorn. Commodore Moulton, who I am forry to add is among the wounded, is by birth an American, but has ferved fixteen years in the French navy, and during the prefent war has always had the command of a divifion. The fquadron late under his orders, confiting of La Tribune, La Proferpine, La Thames, and La Legére, of 20 nine pounders, had left Breit two days only, and had taken nothing; La Proferpine feparated the preceding evening in a fog. I will not attempt to find words to conveyed. to you, Sir, the fenfe I feel of the con

SIR,

that, on the 13th init. at one, A. M. Cape PLEASE to inform their Lordships, twelve leagues, we difcovered a fail standClear bearing Weft by North, diftant ing towards us from the Southward, but on nearing us, hauled her wind and tackI immediately chaced, and came along fide of her at nine, P. M. when, afftruck; proves to be the National frigate ter a clofe action of forty-five minutes, the La Proferpine, mounting 26 eighteen pounders, 12 nines, and 4 thirty-two pound carronades, with 348 men, commanded by Citizen Pevrieu; failed from Brett the 6th int. in company with La Tribune, Thames, and La Legere cor vette; had not taken any thing. 1 feel my feif much indebted to the Omicers and men under my command for their iteady and fpirited exertions during the action. I particularly recommend the fenior Of ficer, Lieutenant King, as truly deferv. It is with ing their Lordships notice. pie

duct of the Officers and thip's company under my command; for if it was poible for me to fay any thing that could add to the glory of British feamen, I have ample field for fo doing in the fituation I held this day. Indeed nothing less than the confidence of the most gailant fupport from them, and the high qpinion I entertain of the Santa Margarita our fecond, could

induce me to risk an action with a force

apparently fo much our fuperior; and
while I congratulate invitif upon the
happy effects of their valour in the cap-
ture of two of the enemy's frigates that
have done to much mif:hief to our com-
merce during the war, and on their
fent cruize, were likely to do fo much
more, you may cafly conceive what my
feelings are, when I inform you, Sir, this
fervice is obtained without the lofs of one
of the brave men in the thip under my
command; my happiness will be complete
if I find the Santa Margaritta has been
equally fortunate.

In juttice to the Officers of the Unicorn, I mult beg of you to recommend to the notice of my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty my Firit and Second Lieutenants, Mellis Palmer and Taylor, Mr. Quayle the Matter, and Lieutenant Hart of the Marines. I had great realon to regret the ablence of Mr. Carpenter, the Third Lieutenant, of two Mates, and fome of my belt feamen, who were the evening before put on board a valuable thip from Surinam; but the able affiitance I should have derived from Lieutenant Carpenter, I was made to feel the lefs by the exertion of Mr. Collier the Purter, who voluntarily offered and undertook to fupply his place to the belt or his abilities, and whole name I beg you to include in your recommendations to their Lordships. We are now ufing our utmolt exertions to

pleature I add, that our killed conutted
only of 2, and 7 wounded; La Profer-
pine, 30 killed and 45 wounded,

I have the honour to be, Sir, &c.
AM. REAUCLERK.

DOWNING-STREET, JUNE 17. A Letter, of which the following is an extract, has been received by the Right Hon. Lord Grenville, his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, from Colonel Graham, dated Peri, May 31.

Yefterday morning the French army, under the command of General Buonaparte, confifting of about 22,000 men, forced the paffage of the Mincio at Valeggio.

General Beaulieu ordered the different corps of his army to retire on Caftel Nuovo, except the infantry at Goito, which, being part of the garrison of Mantua, was fent back there; and the difpofitions were fo well made, that this was executed without any lois : every attempt to moleft them in their retreat was not only immediately checked by the diftinguished conduct of the cavalry, both Auftrian and Neapo

litan,

litan, but the right of the French army was attacked, with great intrepidity and fuccefs, by eight fquadrons (Hulans and the Neapolitan regiment du Roi) coming from Goito, who cut down a great many men, took fome prifoners (among them one of General Buonaparte's Aides de Camp, and three other Officers), and brought off above 150 hories.

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This morning the army, with all the artillery (except two pieces of cannon loft at Valeggio) ammunition, stores, and bagage, paffed the Adige in perfect order at Chiufa in this affair the lofs of the French must have been confiderable; that of the Auftrians is trifling, and fell chiefly on one of the battalions of Strafoldo, pofted at the bridge of Valeggio, but in all it does not exceed 300 men, many of whom being wounded could not be brought off for want of waggons.

This afternoon, while the bridge at ' Chiufa was removing, the French appeared on the right bank of the Adige, and began a cannonade, which was returned. It has continued during all the evening, with fcarcely any lofs on the fide of the Au

Arians.

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IN my letter of the 9th of April I expelled a defire to detach a body of troops to take poffeffion of Demerary, provided that Admiral Sir John Laforey would afford me the neceffary naval force.

The Admiral, upon my application to him for that purpofe, immediately ordered the Malabar, La Picque, and Babet, on board of which, and the Grenada tranfport, with fome finall veffels, Major General Whyte, with the 39th, 93d, and 9th regiments, and a detachment of the Royal artillery, embarked and failed on the 15th ult.

On the 2ft this fquadron arrived upon the coaft of Demerary; and on the 22d the Governor and Council were fummoned to furrender the Colony to his Britannic Majesty, upon the conditions which I have tae honour herewith to inclole. The next

day the terms were agreed to, the capitu lation figned, and the British troops took poffeffion of the fort and colony. Lieu tenant-Colonei Hiflop, of the 39th regiment, is left Commandant of Demerary and Iffequibo.

Major-General Whyte was to proceed to take poffeffion of the neighbouring colony of Berbice; and, after making the neceffary arrangements, he is ordered to repair to his ftation at St. Domingo.

From the accounts received, there is produce to an immenfe value at Demerary, which will be immediately shipped for Great Britain.

I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) R. ABERCROMBY.

Right Hon. Henry Dundas, El. 3i. Sc, SIR,

IN obedience to your Excellency's commands, I left Barbadoes on the 15th inftant, with a detachment of the artillery, and part of the 39th, 93d, and 99th regiments, amounting to 1200 men, escorted by the Malabar, Undaunted, La Picque, and Babet frigates, with, the Grenada transport and five fchooners and loops, and on the 21ft made the land, when the Scipio joined the fleet. That evening, when the tide made, the Babet and La Picque frigates, with the Grenada tranfport, paffed the bar, with the schooners and boats of the feet, and came to anchor within random fhot of the fort, at the entrance of the river; and having, during the night, prepared every thing for attack, at daylight appeared in force, when I fent a flag of truce by Lieutenant-Colonel Hiflop, of the 39th regiment, summoning the Governor to furrender the colony and its dependencies to his Britannic ́ Ma. jelty's forces, agreeable to the terms which I have the honour to inclofe, and which the Governor and Council accepted. The unanimity with which the fervice was carried on between the fleet and army, was pleafing to all concerned, and Mr. Higgins acquitted himself with much propriety and utility. Captain Parr, who commanded the fleer, has affifted and fupplied us from the fleet liberally and I have the fatisfaction to inform your Excellency, that from every information I have received, and from above feventy fhips being actually loaded with the produce of the country, now in the river (most of which will be fent to England), and from every account of the fertility of the foil, it is a most important acquifition to Great-Britain,

The

The colony of Berbice, adjoining to this, being a feparate Government, I fhall direct my attention to it without delay; and I fhall leave Lieutenant-Colonel Hiflop in the command here, agreeable to your Exceliency's directions.

The 1 hetis, a Dutch frigate of 24 guns, and a cutter of 12 guns, are added to the fleet; and Captain Parr has given directions for deftroying or bringing down the river a French brig privateer of force.

I have the honour to be, &c.

(Signed)

JOHN WHYTE, Maj. Gen. Sir Ralph Abercrombie, K. B. &c.&c.&l.

By Major-General John Whyte, Comman. der of his Britannic Majefty's Land Forces, &c. &c. &c. and Captain Thomas Parr, Commander of his Britannic Majefty's Ships, Ec. Ec. &c. Thefe are requiring you, the Gover nor and Council, military and naval forces, of the colony of Demerary and its dependencies, to furrender the faid colony to his Britannic Majelty's forces under our command, and to place the faid colony under his Majefty's protection, and quietly and peaceably to fubmit to his Majelly's Government.

In which cafe the inhabitants hall enjoy full fecurity to their perfons, and the free exercife of their religion, with the full and immediate enjoyment of all private property, whether on fhore or afloat (excepting fuch as may appear to belong to the fubjects of the French Republic), according to their antient laws and ufages, or fuch other as may be determined upon previous to the colony's being placed under his Majesty's Government, upon the molt

liberal and beneficial terms.

hundred days bat, baggage, and foragemoney, as paid to the British Officers.

The Officers and men of the marine forces cannot be taken into the British fervice until his Majefty's pleasure shall be known, but shall receive pay according to their rank, and every indulgence that can be allowed.

That the Governor and all civil Offi. cers, after having taken the Oaths of allegiance to his Majesty, which will be adminiftered by Major-General Whyte, are (if they chufe) to remain in their respective fituations, excepting those who have fhewn a decided partiality to the French interest, the Governor only refigning the military command. Should fuch liberal terms be refufed, the Governor, Council, and all concerned, must be answerable for the confequences, as an immediate attack will be made by the land and fea forces, which will render every resistance vain.

Major-General Whyte and Captain Parr give the Governor one hour, and no more, from the delivery of this by Lieutenant Colonel Hiflop, to accept or not. (Signed)

JOHN WHYTE, Major-General.
THOMAS PARR,Captain Royal Navy.
Dated on board his Majesty's
fhip Babet, off the river
Demerary, April 20, 1796.

A true copy, JOHN WHYTE.

GENTLEMEN,

IT is out of my power as yet to give a decifive answer to your fummons, demanding the furrender of this colony to his Britannic Majesty's forces, as my duty requires of me to lay it before the Council, to whom it alfo is addrefied, but which is not affembled at this moment. I will, however, call the Members prefent toge ther, and return about twelve o'clock an anfwer,

I have the honour to remain, &c.
(Signed)

ANTHONY BEAUJON,
Governor of Demerary.

Demerary, 22 April, 1796.
To their Excellencies General Whyte
and Commodore Parr.

That in the event of the colony's remaining under the British Government at the conclusion of a General Peace, it shall enjoy fuch commercial rights and privileges as are enjoyed by the British colonies in the Weft-Indies. With regard to the military and naval forces, that the Officers and men of the land forces fhail, if agreeable to themieives, be received into the British pay, with leave, at the reitora. tion of the Staitholder, to return into his fervice. Each non-commiftioned Officer On board the Babet Frigate, April 22, and foldier fhall receive, upon his taking the Oath of Allegiance to his Britannic Majesty to ferve him faithfully during the War, where it may be thought proper to employ him, the fum of one hun dred guilders.

The Officers to receive, under the fame conditions, the allowance of two

SIR,

1796.

WE have been honoured with your letter in answer to our's of yesterday's date, fummoning the Colony of Demerary to furrender to his Britannic Majesty's arms, requesting, for the reasons therein mentioned, to have until twelve o'clock

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