or injury to either of the enemy's or British thips, not a fingle fhot having been fired.

I muft, however, beg leave to obferve, that any refiftance on the part of the enemy could only have occafioned the wanton facrifice of a few lives; and I doubt not, that had their numbers been adequate to contention, their conduct would have confirmed the acknowledged merit at all times recorded to the martial spirit of subjects of the United States; and I can with fimilar confidence affure you, that the Officers and men under my command would have exhibited a conduct equally creditable to themselves.

The repeated advices communicated in your letters refpecting the enemy's forces deftined to this quarter, agreed fo correctly with the intelligence I obtained by other means, that I have long been expecting this arrival, and was thereby enabled to be perfectly prepared to receive them, and conftantly to keep a vigilant look-out.

I have the honour to be with great esteem, Sir,

Your most obedient, humble fervant, G. K. ELPHINSTONE.

Evan Nepean, Efq.

(No. 3.)

To bis Excellency the Admiral or the Officer commanding the Ships of she United States now lying in Saldanha Bay,

SIR,

IT is unneceffary for me to detail the force I have the honour to command, because it is in your view and fpeaks for itself; but it is for you to confider the efficacy of a refiftance with the force under your command.

Humanity is an incumbent duty on all men; therefore, to fpare an effufion of human blood, request a furrender of the hips under your command, otherwife it will be my duty to embrace the earliest moment of making a ferious attack on them, the iffue of which is not difficult for you to guefs.

I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) G. K. ELPHINSTONE, His Majefly's Ship Monarch, Saldanha Bay, Aug. 16, 1796. (No. 4)

To bis Excellency the Rear-Admiral, Com mander in Chief of the Dutch Ships lying in Saldanha Bay,

SIR,

I AM this inftant honoured with your verbal anfwer to my letter of this date, and delivered to me by Lieutenant Coffin, of the Monarch. If I underVOL. XXX. DEC. 1796.

ftand him right, it is, that a flag of truce fubfifts between your Excellency, on the part of the States General, and my-、 felf, on behalf of his Britannick Majefty, and as was demonftrated by my difplaying a flag of truce before Í dif. parched the first letter delivered to you by Lieutenant Coffin, and which truce is to continue until day-light in the morning. It is, therefore, my duty to require a pofitive affurance, that no damage fhall be done to any of the ships or veffels of war, public ftores, or effects, that may be placed under your command; otherwife I fhall not con fider myself in duty bound to restrain an immediate attack, or to treat fuch pri foners as may fall into my hands in a manner fuitable to my general incli nation or his Majefty's orders in fimilar cafes.

I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) G. K. ELPHINSTONE, His Majefy's Ship Monarch, Saldanha Bay, August 16, 1796. (No. 5.)

To bis Excellency Admiral G. K. Elphin Stone, Commander in Chief of bis Bri tannick Majefty's Squadron.

EXCELLENCY,

THE two letters delivered to me by your Officer, from want of an inter preter,have taken a long time to tranflate.

Your Excellency may reft affured of receiving a pofitive answer to-morrow morning, and that during this time no damage, whatever shall be done to the veffels of my fquadron, which I pro mife you upon my honour.

This time is neceffary to call to my aid the Captains of the frigates detached at the bottom of the Bay, in order to hold a Council of War, whom I am obliged to affemble on account of refponfibility.

I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) ENGELBERTUS LUCAS. On board the Dortrecht,

August 16, 1796.

To bis Excellency Vice-Admiral Sir G. K. Elphinstone, ẹ. &c. &c.

agreed upon in Saldanha Bay this 17th of Auguft, 1796, between his Excellency Rear-AdmiralEngelbertus Lucas, Commander in Chief of the fquadron of fhips of the United States now lying in Saldanha Bay, and the Hon. Sir George Keith Elphinstone, Knight of the Moft Honourable and Military Order of the Bath, ViceAdmiral of the Blue, and Commander in Chief of his Britannic Majesty's hips and veffels in the Indian feas, at the Cape of Good Hope, and of those now lying in Saldanha Bay. Article I. Rear-Admiral Lucas will deliver up to Vice-Admiral Elphinstone the fquadron under his command, upon the conditions of the capitulation under written.

Answer. The Vice-Admiral is actuated by principles of humanity to prevent the effufion of human blood, and confiders the furrender of the Dutch fquadron as a matter of neceffity and not of choice.

Art. II. The British Admiral shall appoint two fhips as cartels, the frigates the Braave and Sirene, in which the Rear-Admiral, his Officers and Midfhipmen, and thip's crews, shall be permitted to proceed, without hindrance, to Holland, and the Officers fhall keep their fide arms.

Anfwer. Inadmiffible, by reafon that the cartel fhips fent from Toulon and various other places, under fimilar circumftances, have been detained, and their crews imprifoned, contrary to the laws and ufage of war, and the general good faith of nations; but Officers becoming prifoners fhall be allowed to keep and wear their fwords and fide arms, fo long as they behave with becoming propriety, and fhall be treated with the refpect due to their ranks.

Art. III. The Dutch Admiral, his Officers and crew, fhall retain their private property without being fearched, and the remainder of the crew who cannot be received on board the frigates are to be fent to Holland in fuch manner as the British Admiral fhall judge proper.

Answer. Private property of every denomination will be fecured to the proprietors to the fullest extent, in confequence of British Acts of Parlia ment and his Britannic Majefty's pofitive orders, as well as from the general known difpofition of British Officers to treat with the utmoft liberality thofe who become their prifoners.

with fuch quantities of provifions as may be neceffary for those who embark on board the two frigates, and to be fo provided from the Dutch hips.

Answer. Answered by the Sixth Article...

Art V. These cartel fhips, on their arrival in Holland, fhall be fent to England, and there delivered to his Britannick Majefty..

Anfwer. Already anfwered by the Second Article.

Art. VI. The crew fhall be per. mitted to go on shore, for refreshment after their long voyage.

Anfwer. This must depend upon the Major-General commanding the troops on fhore; but the Commander in Chief will use his utmost exertions to render the fituation of every individual as comfortable as poffible as to victualling, lodging, and every accommodation, either on board or on fhore, as can be procured or reafonably expected; and he will dife of fuch as become pri. foners as fimilarly to their inclinations as his duty to his Sovereign and the interefts of his country will admit.

The fick fhall be received into his Ma. jefty's hofpitals, and taken care of equally with the British fick.

it is furthermore the Commander in Chief's duty and inclination to fend fuch to Europe as become prifoners, by the moft fpeedy and convenient conveyances,

Art. VII. The National flags of Ba tavia fhall continue to be displayed on the Dutch fhips fo long as their crews remain on board.

Anfwer. The Batavian colours muft be ftruck fo foon as the fhips are taken poffeffion of by his Britannick Majefty's officers.

(L. S.) G. K. ELPHINSTONE.

ENGELBERTUS LUCAS. John Fackfon, Secretary to the British Commander in Chief, Clemens Benedi&us, Secretary to the Commander in Chief of the Dutch Squadron.

To his Excellency Rear-Admiral Engel bertus Lucas, Commander in Chief of the Squadron of the United States, motų - lying in Saldanha Bay.

teptable. I have mentioned to Captain Claris my inclination to accommodate your Excellency and the other officers inclined to return to Europe upon their parole, with the Maria ftorefhip, or in British veffels, of which there are many at the Cape; but any of the public armed thips I dare not prefume to permit to depart.

Your Excellency may reft affured of every good office within my reach.

Should the inclosed Articles not meet with your approbation, you will be pleafed to order the flag of truce to be hauled down as a fignal that either party may commence hoftilities.

I have the honour to be, with great refpect, Sir,

Your most obedient humble Servant,
G. K. ELPHINSTONE.

His Britannick Majefty's

Ship Monarch, Sal

danha Bay, August 17, 1796.

(No. 6.)

A Lift of Ships late belonging to the United States, under the Command of bis Excellency Rear Admiral Engelbertus Lucas, which furrendered on the 17th of Augufi, 1796, to a Detachment of the Squadron of his Majesty's Ships under the command of the Hon. Sir George Keith Elphinflone, K. B. in Saldanha

Bay.

Ship's

and

Names."

Troops.

Rear-Adm.

Revolution, Capt.Rhnebende, 66

400

Admiral

280

Troimp, Capt.Valkenburg,54

Maria (Storeship)

130

76

Monarch, 74 guns, 612 men, ViceAdmiral the Hon. Sir George Keith Elphinstone, K. B. Captain John Elphinstone.

Tremendous, 74 guns, 590 men, Rear-Admiral Thomas Pringle; Captain John Aylmer.

America, 64 guns, 491 men, Commodore John Blanket,

Stately, 64 guns, 491 men, Capt. Billy Douglas.

Ruby, 64 guns, 491 men, Capt. Jacob Waller.

Sceptre, 64 guns, 491 men, Capt. William Effington.

Trident, 64 guns, 491. men, Capt. E. O. Osborne.

Jupiter, 50 guns, 343 men, Capt. George Lofack.

Crefcent, 36 guns, 264 men, Capt. Edward Buller.

Sphynx, 24 guns, 155 men, Capt. Andrew Tod.

Mofelle, 16 guns, 121 men, Capt. Charles Brifbane.

Rattlefnake, 16 guns, 121 men, Capt. Edward Ramage..

Echo, 16 guns, 121 men, Capt. John Turner. 1

Hope, loop, Captain Thomas Alexander.

Monarch, Saldanha Bay,

August 19, 1796.

112

Total, 342 1972 N. B. Many of the guns are brafs, befides which they are well furnished with Carronades.

They have Four Field-Pieces of Land Artillery on board. The troops are under the command of the Rear-Admiral; Lieutenant-Colonel Henri is Adjutant-General, and Monf. Grandecourt, Commandant of Artillery. G. K. ELPHINSTONE. Monarch, Saldanha Bay, N Auguft 19, 1796.~

Extract of a Letter from Captain Martin, of his Majefty's Ship Santa Margarita, to Vice Admiral Kingsmill, dated at Sea the 24th of October, 1796.

I HAVE the honour to inform you, that his Majefty's fhip under my command ba: this day captured a very fastfailing fhip privateer, called Le Buona, parte, of 16 guns and 137 men: the has been ten days from Breft, and taken three veffels, as named in the margin*, Extract of another Letter from Captain Martin, of the Santa Margarita, to Vice-Admiral King fmill, dated the 27th of O&ober, 1796.

ON the 25th inftant, in the morning, we difcovered two fhips that immediately made towards us, and approached nearly within hail before they obferved the Santa Margarita to be a frigate. They endeavoured to render the retreat of one or the other fecure, by ftanding on different tacks, and I followed the largest with little profpect of taking the other; but Mr. Birchall, the firft Lieutenant, with a degree of zeal and intrepidity that does him the highest honour, vo luntarily offered to attack her in a boat: at this time our fhot bad reduced her fail fo as to enable the boat to get alongfide, and I had the fatisfaction to fee her taken poffeffion of in a moft gallant and efficer-like manner. The fhip we fol lowed ftruck her colours, after having received a few shot, and proved to be Le Vengeur, of 18 guns and 110 men, twelve days from Breft, and had only captured the fhip Potomah, from Poole, bound to Newfoundland, with provifions and merchandize, retaken by the boat commanded by Lieutenant Birchall.

1

"

Victoire French fchooner privateer, carrying fix carriage guns, and four fwivels, with fixty-five men, arrived here this morning, having been captured by his Majefty's floop Zebra (Capt. Hurft) the 12th inft between Grenada and Tobago, This privateer had been from Guadaloupe eight days, and had taken one floop laden with provifions from Barbadoes to this Island, but the was recaptured by the Lapwing off Mariegalante. I am, Sir,

Your moft obedient humble fervant,
HENRY HARVEY,

Copy of another Letter from Rear-Admiral Harvey to Evan Nejean, Efg. dated the 21ft of September, 1796.

MY LORD,

IN my difpatch of the 13th, I had the honour of giving your Lordfhip an account of the movements of the corps under the command of Generals La Tour, Nauendorf, and Petrarfch, down to the 9th inftant. On the 10th, General La Tour followed the enemy to wards Stokach and Engen; but find. ing that their retreat through the Val D'Enfer could no longer be prevented, he difcontinued the purfuit, and marched by his right towards the valley of the Kinzig, in order to form a junction with his Royal Highnefs. The Archduke arrived with his main body in the

1

neighbourhood

neighbourhood of Hornberg. On the 15th Generals Nauendorf and Petrarfch preceded him nearly in the fame direction. The former took poft at Eltzach on the 14th, and the latter at Kintzing. On the 15th the corps of the Prince of Conde and General Frolich alone continued to follow the enemy through the defiles of the Black Foreft.

In the mean time General Moreau loft no time in profiting of the advantages which his vanguard had gained on the 9th and 10th inftant. He paffed, with his whole army, through the Val D'Enfer, and arrived at Fribourg on the 13th. Next day he occupied Wald kirch, and his pofts extended along the heights on the right bank of the Eltz.

This menacing movement of the enemy, and the extreme difficulty of mas king an immediate attempt on Kehl, determined his Royal Highness to defer the execution of that enterprize. Leav. ing, therefore, a fufficient corps to obferve the place, he marched on the 16th, to Malborgen, and affumed the immediate command of the army of La Tour.

I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed)
ROBERT ANSTRUTHER,
Captain 3d Guards.
Head-Quarters of his Royal High-
nefs the Archduke Charles of
Auftria, Fribourg, Oct. 21,
1 1796.

MY LORD,

I HAVE the honour of informing your Lordship, that on the 19th inft. his, Royal Highness the Archduke attacked the enemy, and, after an obftinate combat, made himself master of all the pofitions on the right bank of the Eltz. 1

The troops deftined for this operation marched from the camp near Kintzin gen before day-break; but fuch were the difficulties of the ground and the badness of the roads, that it was near eleven o'clock before they reached the different points at which they were to affemble, they were then diftributed into three different columns, of which the right, under General La Tour, was destined to attack the village of Kindringen; the centre, commanded by General Wartenfleben, was to carry the heights behind Maltertingen; the left, under General Petrarfch, was to pro ceed along the road from Heimbarch, towards Emendingen, whilft Major-Ge

neral Merfeld, with one brigade, at tacked the woods on his left, and Prince Frederick of Orange, with another, endeavoured to pals over the highest parts of the mountains, fo as to turn the right of the enemy. General Nauendorf, from Elkach, had orders to attack at the same time the poft of Waldkirch.

About noon the action began: the column of the right met with a mot obftinate refiftance; it was repeatedly repulfed in its attack upon Kintfingen, and the fuccefs remained for fame time doubtful, until his Royal Highness, putting himself at the head of the gre. nadiers, they returned with fury to the charge, and drove the enemy with great lofs from the village.

Major-General Merfeld had no lefs difficulty in making himfelf matter of the wood above Keimbach; the ground was extremely favourable to the enemy, and he defended it inch by inch; nor was he completely driven from it, until the Prince of Oiange, after a most laboris ous march, through a country which feemed impenetrable for troops, ap peared in the open ground above E. mendingen, and began to attack his right flank. From that moment the vic tory became decifive. The enemy repaffed the Eltz at Emendingen and De ninge, deftroying the bridges in order to cover his retreat.

General Nauendorf, mean time, had been no lefs fuccefsful towards Waldkirchen at the moment his column were affembled he found himself ar tacked by a large body of the enemy, commanded by General Moreau in perfon, whom he not only repulfed, but drove beyond Waldkirchen, and made himself matter of that poft, and of the paffage of the river. On this occafion three battalions of the enemy were farrounded, one of which laid down ite arms, and the other two were dispers: fed in the words.

Early on the 20th the van guard of the army passed the Eltz at Emendingen, and found that the enemy had ra ken a pofition immediately behind the village of Dentziingen, with his right to the mountains and his left to the mar hy ground beyond the village of Ver fteltes. His Royal Highnefs determined immediately to attack him; and for that purpofe ordered General La Tour, with the right wing, to cross the Eltz at Deningen, while he himself, with the left, and the corps of Nauen dorf, advanced along the plain towards

Fribourg