Captain Aylmer will have the honour of presenting thefe dispatches. I beg leave to mention him to their lordfhips, as a refpectable gentleman and an active oflicer. I have the honour to be, with great esteem, Evan Nepean, Efq, SIR, SIR, Your most obedient humble fervant, G. K. ELPHINSTONE. Monarch, Saldanha Bay, Auguft 19, 1796. I HAVE the honour to inform you, that intelligence was received at Cape Town, on the 3d inftant, of a number of fhips having been seen in the offing, at Saldanha Bay, which was confirmed on the 5th. In confequence of this every preparation was made for putting to fea immediately, with the fquadron under my command; but from the Monarch's main-maft being out, and the tempeftuous weather, I was not able to quit the anchorage in Simon's Bay until the 6th, when we proceeded to fea. On getting under weigh an officer from the shore came on board to inform me that a number of fails had been seen the preceding night in the offing, near Falie Bay; I then refolved to steer to the fouthward and west, in expectation of their having taken that courfe. The fquadron continued cruizing in the most tempestuous weather I have ever experienced, which damaged many of the fhips, and at one time the Ruby had five feet water in her hold: we were joined at fea by his Majesty's fhip Stately, Rattlefuake and Echo floops. On the 12th I returned, with a fresh breeze blowing from the fouth east, and, upon anchoring in Simon's Bay, the mafter attendant came off with information that the flips feen, confifting of nine fail, had put into Saldanha Bay on the 6th, the fame day on which I had proceeded to fea; that they remained there by the laft advice, and that four hips had been difpatched in queft of me to communicate this welcome intelligence. I immediately made the fignal to fail, but the Crefcent had got afhore; the wind blew ftrong and increafed on the following day to a perfect tempeft, in which the Tremendous parted two cables, drove, and was in great danger of being loft, fo that, notwithstanding every exertion, and the most anxious moments of my life, we could not get out until the 15th. Ou the 16th the fquadron arrived off Saldanha Bay at fun-fet, and the Crefcent, which had been ordered a-head to discover information and to report, made the fignal for the enemy, confifting of three flips of the line, three frigates, and other hips, being moored in the Bay. The fquadron ftood on into the Bay in the order of failing, but the night coming on, and the rear being too far extended for action, I judged it expedient to come to an anchor within fhot of the enemy's fhips, and, perceiving their numbers very inconfiderable in comparison with the force under my command, I confidered it my duty, and an incumbent act of humanity, to addrefs the Dutch officer in command, and confequently forwarded the letter to him, of which the inclofure No. III. is a copy, by Lieutenant Cothin, of the Monarch, with a flag of truce; to this I received a verbal return, that a politive reply fhould be fent in the morning at day-break. I was fearful the enemy might attempt to injure the fhips, and therefore ordered Lieutenant Coffin to return im mediately mediately with my letter No. IV. to which he brought back the reply No. V. On the 17th, at nine in the morning, a Dutch officer came on board with a flag, and prefented propofals of terms for capitulation, which you will obferve in the correfpondence, with my remarks and definitive letter; and at five P. M. the terms contained in the inclofed copy were ultimately agreed upon, but it was impoffible to take poffeffion of the fhips until the 18th, on account of the ftormy weather. It affords me the highest fatisfaction, therefore, to communicate to my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that a fquadron of fhips belonging to the United States, under the command of his Excellency Rear-admiral Engelbertus Lucas, has furrendered to the British force under my command, confifting of three flips of the line, two fine frigates, two of 28 guns, and a floop of 18 guns, all completely coppered, ftored, and victualled, together with a large ladened ftore fhip, the names of which are described in the inclofure No. VI. and the British hips, to whom they are prizes, in the inclosure No. VII. The confequent joy of this fortunate event is much augmented from the confolatory reflection on its accomplishment without effufion of human blood, or injury to either of the enemy's or British ships, 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 fubjects 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 destined to this quarcer, agreed fo correctly with the intelligence I obtained by other means, that I have long been expecting their 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, Evan Nepean, Efq. G. K. ELPHINSTONE. (No. III.) To his Excellency the Admiral or the Officer commanding the Ships of the United States nor lying in Saldanha Bay, IT is unneceffary for me to detail the force I have the honour to command, because it is in your view, and fpeaks for itfelf; 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 spare an effufion of human blood, I request a furrender of the fhips under your command, otherwife it will be my duty to embrace the earliest moment VOL. V. R of of making a ferious attack on them, the iffue of which is not difficult for you to guess. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) G. K. ELPHINSTONE. His Majefty's Ship Monarch, Saldanha Bay, August 16, 1796. (No. IV.) To his Excellency the Rear-admiral, Commander 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 understand him right, it is, that a flag of truce fubfifts between your Excellency, on the part of the States General, and myself, on behalf of his Britannic Majefty, and as was demonftrated by my difplaying a flag of truce before I difpatched 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 flips or veffels of war, public ftores, or effects, that may be placed under your command, otherwise I fhall not confider myself in duty bound to reftrain an immediate attack, or to treat fuch prifoners as may fall into my hands in a manner fuitable to my general inclinations or his Majefty's orders in fimilar cafes. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) His Majefty's Ship Monarch, Saldanha (No. V.) G. K. ELPHINSTONE. To his Excellency Admiral G. K. Elphinflone, Commander in Chief of his Britannic Majefty's Squadron. EXCELLENCY, THE two letters delivered to me by your officer, from want of an interpreter, have taken a long time to tranflate. Your Excellency may reft affured of receiving a pofitive answer tomorrow morning, and that during this time no damage whatever fhall be done to the veffels of my fquadron, which I promise 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. ENGELBERTUS LUCAS. (Signed) On Board the Dortrecht, Aug. 16, 1796. T. To his Excellency Vice-admiral Sir G. K. Elphinfione, &c. &c.&c. EXCELLENCY, AGREEABLE to my promife, I fend you a copy of terms of capitu lation, which I doubt not you will grant. In this hope I am Your Excellency's obedient fervant, (Signed) Dortrecht, at anchor in Saldanha Bay, Aug. 17, 1796, fecond year of the Batavian republican liberty. Articles of Capitulation agreed upon in Saldanha Bay this 17th of Auguft, 1796, between his Excellency Rear-admiral Engelbertus Lucas, Commander in Chief of the Squadron 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, Vice-admiral of the Blue, and Commander in Chief of bis Britannic Majefty's Ships and Veffels in the Indian Seas, at the Cape of Good Hope, and of those nous lying in Saldanha Bay. Article I. Rear-admiral Lucas will deliver up to Vice-admiral Elphinftone the fquadron under his command, upon the conditions of the capitulation underwritten. Anfwer. The Vice-admiral is actuated by principles of humanity to prevent the effufion of human blood, and confiders the surrender 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 midshipmen, and fhip's crew, fhall be permitted to proceed, without hindrance, to Holland, and the officers fhall keep their fide arms. Anf. Inadmiffible, by reason that the cartel fhips fent from Toulon and various other places, under fimilar circumstances, 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 swords and fide arms, fo long as they behave with becoming propriety, and fhall be treated with the refpect due to their rank, Art. III. The Dutch admiral, his officers and crew, shall retain their private property without being fearched, and the remainder of the crew who cannot be received on board the frigates are to be sent to Holland in fuch manner as the British admiral shall judge proper. Anf. Private property of every denomination will be fecured to the proprietors to the fullest extent, in confequence of British acts of parfiament and his Britannic Majefty's pofitive orders, as well as from the general known difpofition of British officers to treat with the utmost liberality those who become their prifoners. Art. IV. They fhall be provided with fuch quantities of provifions as may be neceffary for thofe who embark on board the two frigates, and to be fo provided from the Dutch fhips. Anf. Answered by fixth article. Art. V. These cartel fhips, on their arrival in Holland, fhall be fent to England, and there delivered to his Britannic Majesty. Anf. Already anfwered by the fecond article. Anf. VI. The crew fhall be permitted to go on fhore for refreshment after their long voyage. Anf. This must depend upon the major-general commanding the troops on fhore, but the cominander 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 reasonably expected; and he will difpofe of fuch as become prifoners as fimilarly to their inclinations as his duty to his fovereign and the interefts of his country will admit. The fick fhall be received into his Majesty'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 prisoners, by the most speedy and convenient conveyances. Art. VII. The national flags of Batavia fhall continue to be difplayed on the Dutch fhips fo long as their crews remain on board. Ání. The Batavian colours must be ftruck fo foon as the hips are taken poffeffion of by his Britannic Majefty's officers. (L. S.) G. K, ELPHINSTONE, JOHN JACKSON, Secretary to the British Com mander in Chief. CLEMENS BENEDICTUS, Secretary to the Com, mander in Chief of the Dutch Squadron. Ta bis Excellency Rear-admiral Engelbertus Lucas, Commander in Chief of the Squadron of the United States, now lying in Saldanha Bay. SIR, I HAVE had the honour to receive your letter, with the propofals of capitulation, and I have now the honour to inclofe you my letters and aufwers thereunto, which I hope will be acceptable. I have mentioned to Captain Clariffe my inclination to accommodate your Excellency, and the other officers inclined to return to Europe upon their patrole, with the Maria ftore fhip, or in British veffels, of which there are many at the Cape; but any of the public armed fhips I dare not prefume to permit to depart. Your Excellency may reft, affured of every good office within my reach. Should the inclofed 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, His Britannic Majefly's Ship Monarch, G, K. ELPHINSTONE, |
