HOME NEWS. 557 a brig; upon which I made the Countess of ftance all thofe guns were rendered ufelefs for Sca borough's fignal to join me, fhe being in the remainder of the action, and I fear the fhore with the convoy, at the fame time 1 greatest part of the people will lofe their lives. made the fignal for the convoy to make the At ten o'clock they called for quarters from beft of their way, and repeated the fign:l with the fhip alongfide, and faid they had ftruck: two guns: I then brought-to, to let the Coun hearing this, I called upon the captain to know tefs of Scarborough come up, and cleared ship if they had struck, or if he asked for quarters; for action. At half past five the Countess of but no answer being made, after repeating my Scarborough joined me, the enemy's fhips words two or three times, I called for the then bearing down upon us, with a light breeze boarders, and ordered them to board, which at S S Wat Ex tacked, and laid our head in they did; but the moment they were on board fhore, in order to keep our ground the better her, they difcovered a fuperior number laying between the enemy's fhips and the convoy; under cover with pikes in their hands ready to foon after which we perceived the hips bearing receive them on which our people retreated down upon us to be a two-decked hip and two inftantly into our own fhip, and returned to frigates, but from their keeping end on upon their guns again till paft ten, when the frigate us, on bearing down, we could not difcern coming acrofs our tern, and pouring her what colours they were under: at about twen- broadfide into us again, without our being ty minutes pait feven, the largeft fhip of the able to bring a gun to bear on her, I found it three brought to, on our larboard bow, with-in vain, and in thort impracticable, from the in mufquet fhot : hailed him, and afked fituation we were in, to ftand out any longer what fh it was they answered in English, with the leaft prospect of fuccefs; I therefore the Princess Royal; I then asked where they fuck, (our main most at the fame time went belonged to, they answered evafively; on by the board.) The fift heutenant and mywhich I told them, if they did not answer di felf were immediately escorted into the ship arectly, I would fire into them; they then an- iongfide, when we found her to be an Amerifwered with a foot. which was inftantly re- can ship of war, called the Bon Homme Richturned with a broad fide; and after exchanging ard, of 40 gun, and 375 men, commanded two or three broadfices, he backed his topfails, by Captain Paul Jones; the other frigate which and dropped upon our quarter within piftol- engaged us, to be the Alliance, of 40 guns, fhor, then filled again, put his helm a weather, and 30 men; and the third frigate, which and run us on board upon our weather quar-engaged and took the Coun ets of Scarborough, ter, and a temp ed to board us, but being repulled, he fheered off; upon which I backed our top-fails, in order to get square with him again, which, as foon as he obferved, he then filled, put his helm a-weather, and laid us athwart hawfe; his mizen fhrouds took our jib boom, which hung him for some time, tili it at last gave way, and we dropt alongfide of each other, head and ftern, when the fluke of our fpare anchor hooking his quarter, we became fo close fore and aft, that the muzzies of our guns touched each others fides. In this pofition we engaged from half paft eight till half paft ten; during which time, from the great quantity and variety of combustible matters which they threw in upon our decks, chains, and in fhort into every part of the hip, we were on fire no lefs than ten or twelve times in diffent parts of the fhip, and it was with the greateft difficulty and exertion imaginable at times that we were able to get it extinguifhed. At the fame time the largest of the two frigates kept failing round us the whole action, and raking us fore and aft, by which means The killed or wounded almoft every man on the quarter and main decks. About half paft nine, either from a hand granade being thrown in at one of our lower deck ports, or from fome other accident, a cartridge of powder was fet on fire, the flames of which running from cartridge to cartridge all the way aft, blew up the whole of the people and officers that were quartered abaft the main-mast, from which unfortunate circum after two henrs action, to be the Pallas, a French trigate of 32 guns, and 275 men; the Vengeance, an armed brig of 12 guns, and 70 men, all in Congrefs fervice, and under the command of Paul Jones. They fitted out and files from Port l'Orient the latter end of July, and came north about; they have on board 300 English prifoners, which they have taken in different veffels in their way round, fince they lett France, and have ranfomed fome others. On my going on board the Bon Homme Richard, I found her in the greateft diftrefs; her quarters and counter on the lower deck entirely drove in, and the whole of her lower deck guns difmounted; the was alfo on fire in two places, and fix or feven feet water in her hold, which kept increafing upon them all night and the next day, till they were obliged to quit her, and the funk, with a great number of her wounded peop e on board her. She had 306 men killed and wounded in the action; our lofs in the Serapis was alfo very great. My officers and people in generat behaved well, and I should be very remifs in my attention to their merit were I to omit recommending the remains of them to their lordships favour. I muft at the fame time beg leave to inform their lordships, that Captain Piercy, in the Coun. tefs of Scarborough, was not in the leaft remifs in his duty, he having given me every affiftance in his power, and as much as could be expected from fuch a fhip, in engaging the attention of the Palias, a frigate of 32 guns, during the whole action. I am extremely forry for the misfortune | that has happened, that of lofing his majesty's hp I had the honour to command; but, at the fame time, I flatter myself with the hopes, that their lordships will be convinced that the has not been given away; but, on the contrary, that every exertion has been used to defend her; and that two effential pieces of fervice to our country have arifen from it; the one in wholly overfetting the cruize, and intentions of this flying fquadron; the other in refcuing the whole of a valuable convoy from falling into the hands of the enemy, which must have been the case had I acted any otherwise than did. We have been driving bout in the North Sea ever fince the action, endeavouring to make to any port we poffioly could, but have not reen able to get into any place till to-day we arrived in the Texel. Herewith I inclofe you the most exact list of the killed and wounded I have as yet been able to procure, from my people being d fperfed amongst the different this, and having been refufed permiflion to mufter them: there are, I find, many more, both killed and wounded, than appears on the inclofed lift, but their names as yet I find impoffible to afcertain; as foon as I poffibly can, fhall give their lordfhips a full account of the whole. I am, SIR, Your most obedient, And most humble fervant, fected; and began to engage her at eleven o'clock clofe along-fide; (I then found her force to be fixteen fix pounders, and full of men :) we continued to engage her in the fame position till within a few minutes of two o'clock, when the fet all the fail the could croud, and bore from us, we not having had the lack to carry away any thing material; and the Ramb ler, having her parf het away, her topmast hot through, the top-fail hallyards, and mot of her ftanding and running rigging gone, and the maintail rendered unferviceab e, as uncapable of following her with any hopes of com. ing up with her; at the same time seeing both the frigates difmafted, and the Quebec take fire, I endeavoured to get as near the Quebee as poffible, in hopes of faving fome of her men; but there being but little wind, and a large fwell, found I could affift her no other way but by hoisting our our boat, which I effected, and feat the matter and five men armed in her, who picked up one mafler's mate, two young midshipmen, and fourteen more of the Quebec's people, the enemy's frigate at the fame time firing it the boat. As the Rambler was a confiderable d fance to leeward of the Quebec, I thought it would be in vain to fend a fecond time. I went words fufficient to defcribe the noble and gallant manner of captain Farmer's engag ing the enemy for upwards of three hours and an half that he lay along-fide the frigate, which carried twenty-cight eighteen-pounders on her main deck, and twelve guns on her quarter deck and forecaftie. The Quebec continued burning very fiercely, with her colours flying, till fix o'clock, when he blew up. I am much Copy of a letter from Lieut. George, of the Ram-afraid, from the report of Mr. William Moore, bler Cutter, to Sir Charles Hardy, giving an Account of an Engagement between bis Majesty's fhip the Quebec, and a French Frigate of forty guns. STR, one of the master's mates of the Quebec, that captain Farmer, and his officers that were alive when he left the Quebec, fhared the fate of the ship. loft his leg, the pilot fhot through the arm with a mufquet-ball, and feveral flightly wounded, as the enemy aimed at our mafts and tigging, in which they fucceeded too well. From the cutter's not returning the fire for two or three broadfides before the bore away, and feeing but few men on her decks, I conclude the foffered confiderably. I beg leave to acquaint you, that on Wed- I muft beg leave, at the fame time, to re nesday the 6th inftant, being then in company commend to you, Sir, the officers and crew of with his majesty's thip Quebec, Uihant bearing the Rambler, who did every thing that might fouth 15 leagues, at day break we discovered be expected from Englishmen. I am happy to three fail to leeward in the S. W. quarter. Cap-fay our lofs confifts or only one man who has tain Farmer made the fignal for the Rambler to come under his ftern, which I obeyed; he then asked me what I thought of them; I told him, a ftip, a cutter, and a Duch hoy: he replied. he would go down and fee what they were, and ordered me to keep close to him. At half past eight we plainly perceived two of them to be a large French frigate and a cutter: at nine the enemy's frigǝte began to fire at the Quebec, but at too great a giftance to do any execution. At ten the Quebec, being within point blank shot of the enemy, hoisted her colours, and returned their fire, ftill edging down to come to a clofe engagement, till he was along fide the French frigate. 1 immed ately hoifted my colours, and food in between the French frigate and the cutter, with an intent to cut her off from her comfort, and bring her to a clote engagement, which I ef I have the honour to be, Sir, your most obedient humble fervant. JAMES GEORGE. St. James's, 08. 13. This day Monfieur Alexis Mouffin Pouchkin, minifter Plenipotentiary from the Emprefs of Russia, had his audience of leave of his majesty. And afterwards Monfieur de Simolin, his fucceffor in the fame character, had his first private audience of his majesty, to deliver his credentials. NEWS. HOME NÉ The following is the lift of the aldermen that divided for each candidate on the late election for the office of recorder. The only abfentee was Mr. alderman Lee. For Mr. Serjeant Adair. For Mr. Howarth. Lord Mayor, Alfop, Harley, Townsend, Efdaile, Kennet, Thomas, Peckham, Clark, Hart, Wright, and Pugh. 15. Admiral Byron was at court for the first time fince his arrival from America, and had a long conference with his majefty, which detained him at court till half past five. Warley Common, O 16. This morning, between three and four o'clock, the moft dreadful hurricane came on that has been known by the oldest man in the county. The camp was in a general alarm. The storehouses on the right of the Artillery Park were blown down, and the powder and ftores left open to the heavy rain. All the tents and marquees upon the right wing were foon blown down; the elegant marquees of the Dukes of Devon' fhire and Argyle were alfo blown down, and a confiderable deal of damage done to their grace's furniture. The rain was fo rap'd that it foon washed away the pins of the tents and marquees upon the left, which fuffered much more than the right, they laying confiderably lower. The Duke of Dorfer's marquee was alfo washed down, and feveral valuable books and manufcripts fpoiled or loft. By half past five the line was in the greateft confufion, all the bell tents down, and the mens arms expofed to the weather, many of which are fpoiled. During the form the top of the hospital at Brook-ftreet was blown down, and the lead carried a confiderable way on the Bowlinggreen. Part of the Horfe and Groom on the Common was blown down, and a leaden fpout Aruck a foldier (belonging to the Royal Scotch) upon the back, and he died ten minutes after. Several men are wounded, and 27 were carried to the hofpital. The most material accident happened at the George, in the rear of the Berkshire, which was on fire at the time, and Mr. Williams and his wife perifhed by fuffocation, though they were fomewhat fcorched. As this booth was by itfelf, happily no other damage was done by the fire. About feven the storm abated, and the line was foon afterwards up again. At eight there was a general mufler, and 38 men were found miffing, fuppofed to have deferted, two killed, and 30 fent to the hofpital much hurt; which report was figned by the adjutant-general, and delivered by vine at head-quarters. The damage is computed at 8cool. many barrels of powder being spoiled. 18. After many applications to government to fend reinforcements for the defence of Jamaica and the West-India islands, an expedi 559 ent has been hit on, and a proposal made, that government fhail fend over four thousand regulars, well trained and disciplined, and the merchants raife and cloath an equal number of recruits for the fervice of the ftate at their own expence. This day there was a very respectable meeting of the freeholders of Middlesex at the Mermaid, Hackney; about twelve the bufinefs was opened by Mr. Wood, of Littleton, who read a letter received from the Right Hon. Lord North, in anfwer to one fent to him by a committee appointed at the meeting laft week, relative to the granting the Chiltern Hundreds to Mr. Byng, the contents of which were as follow: To THOMAS WOOD, Efg; Grosvenor-fireeta "Since I had the honour of feeing you here, I am informed that Mr. Tufnell, and his friends, do not confider the meeting at Hackney as having declared the fenfe of the freeholders of Middlefex against Mr. Tuffaell's pretenfion's, and that he still continues to of fer himself a candidate for the county. "While he perfifts in his canvas, I do not think it would be right for me to take any flep contrary to the declaration I made to Mr. Byng, in my letter of the 4th of this month. I have the honour to be, with the greatest respect, SIR, your most faithful, humble fervant, NORTH." Mr. Byng then addreffed the freeholders in a polite fpeech, affuring them, that he should ever remember with gratitude the unbiaffed manner in which they had stood forth in his fupport, and was forry to add, he was under the neceffity of declining their fuffrages. The thanks of the meeting were given to the fheriffs for their impartia conduct. Mr. T. Townsend came forward, and criticized with great feverity on Lord North's letter, obferving, that as his friend Mr. Byng was neceffitated to decline the canvass, he begged leave to propofe Thomas Wood, Efq; which was received with great applause. The thanks of the meeting were given to Sir Watkin Lewes, for his fpirited conduct on the occafion. 19. By the returns made to the War Office, it is faid, that there are now in this kingdom' near 20000 prifoners of war belonging to France, Spain, and the rebel American colonies. 24. The Rambler privateer of Briftok, has taken and carried into Kinfale, a large French Weft Indiaman, laden with 540 casks of fugar, 140 hogfheads of tobacco, 100 hogsheads of coffee, indigo, &e. 26 That the peace of the county of Middlefex might not be difturbed at fo alarming a crifis as the prefent, Col. Tuffnell has not only very handfom-ly declined the conteft himfelf, but informed Mr. Byng that he's realy to refign the Chiltern Hundreds in his favour, if that will enable him to fecure his e'eft on. 74 Terrible 74 Triumph 74 Valliant 74 Refolution 64 America 64 Bienfaifant 64 St. Alban's 60 Buffalo 50 Ins FRIGATES. 32 Amazon 32 Stag 32 Diana 28 Medea 28 Andromeda 28 Brilliant 28 Triton 24 Porcupine 24 Pandora 18 Cormorant FIRESHIPS. And feveral cutters. AMERICA. Jamaica, July, 26. Military law has been proclaimed here ever fince we heard of the taking of three of the Leeward Islands by the French: every man is learning to be a foldier, and we have more than ten thousand men that carry arms on this island. We have no fear of an enemy, but had rather be without a visit from them; for which reason we have taken every precaution to receive them in a proper manner. We hear that there are a great number of troops a Cape Francois, and five fail of the line. We have only three hips here, the Briftol, Ruby, and Lion. New York, Aug. 7. By late accounts from the weftward we are informed that the rebel generals Sullivan and Maxwell, with 2500 men, intending to join the rebel governor Clinton, and defolate with fire and fword the Indian countries, had, on their arrival at Wyoming, been under the neceffity of laying afide that enterprize, all the falted provifions for the fupport of their troops on that expedi tion, on examination, proving putrid and utterly unfit for ute; a magazine of fifteen waggons had been ambuscaded by captain Brant, who put all the troops that efco ted them to death. New York, Aug. 11. Mr. Washington's head quarrers are at Weft-Point, on Hud on's River. The principal part of his army is encamped in the Clove. A great number of waggon teams were last week preffed in New Jerfey to forward fupplies to them, as for fome time paft they have been short of provifiors. Mr. Sullivan's divifion, which has long been detained on the banks of the Sufquehannah for want of neceffaries is ordered to proceed on the enterprize against the In dian nations. Great are the difficu tles in procuring fubfiftence for that detachment, owing to the badness of the roads, and the fuccefsful enterprizes of our allies, who continually har rafs their rear, and have cut off feveral bodies of their people employed in convoying up ftores, provifions, &c. &c. &c. New York, Aug. 28. On Wednesday last arrived in town Mariott Arbuthnot, Efq; vice admiral of the blue, and commander in chief of all his majesty's ships and armed vellels in North Amer.ca, having fafely convoyed the first divifion of troops for the royal army. Lord Thomas Peihani Clitson, fon of the duke of Newcastle, and the hon. Mr. Murray, fecond fon of the earl of Dunmore, with many officers of diftinction in the military and civil departments of the army, fome gentlemen of fortune in feveral of the American colonies, and refpectable merchants, were paffengers on board this numerous fleet of tran ́ports and rich commercial veffels; they are landed in perfect health. BIRTHS, Aug. 31. The Great Duchess of Tuscany, of a prince, at Florence. Sept. 21. The Princess of Prince Ferdinand of Pruffia, of a prince, at Berlin. MARRIAGE S. Oct. 9. Thomas Thornhill, Efq; of Fixby, in Yorkshire, to M.fs Lynne, daughter of the late Nicholas Garrard Lynne, Efq; of Heckley, in Effex. 10. Robert Lambert, Efq; of Great Ruffel. street, to Mifs Elizabeth Dyer, of Oxford-street. DEA TH S. The Right Hon. Anne, Countess of Arran, one of the daughters of the late Rev. Mr. Knight, of Otley, in Yorkshire, and Lady of Arthur Saunders, Earl of Arran, The Right Rev. Dr. Richard Chenevix, Lord Bishop of Waterford, at his palace, Dr. John Bettelworth, Chancellor of Lon. don. Sir Whitler Webster, Bart. at Battel, in Suflex. Mrs. Cornelyfs, in the Marshalfea-prifon. Sept. 26. Sir Charles Cottrell Dormer, Kot. master of the ceremonies. 08. 4. Mr. Dunning, father of John Dunning, Efq; the juftly celebrated counfellor. Sir Samuel Le Grand, Kn, at his feat near Ipfwich, in Suffolk. 6. Her Serene Highness Princess Christina Irmengard, at Ploen, Duchefs Dowager of the laft reigning Duke Frederick Charles of Hotftein Ploen. 19. Sir Anthony Barnard, Kot. at Chelmíford. THE Lady's Magazine; OR, Entertaining Companion for the FAIR SEX, appropriated folely to their Ufe and Amusement. 563 | 20 The Treacherous Hufband 592 2 His Majesty's Speech to both Houfes 21 Letter from Bajazet II. to Pope Alex-~ 3 A Morning Meditation in September 22 Queries addreffed to Correfpondents 4 Military Diftrefs 5 The Unexpected Recovery 565 567 597 ibid 23 Select Pieces of Literature 569 24 On the Writings of Shakespeare 600 25 Mifs Willis to Mifs Eliza Willis 601. 26 Letters of Aza 27 Solutions and Questions 6 Rules for thofe afflicted with Nervous Complaints 7 An Enigmatical Feaft 570 574 8 Solution to the Enigmatical Defcription of his Majesty's Drefs 9 Receipt for the Cure of the Cramp ib. 10 The Female Reformer ib. 576 6c2 604 28 POETRY.-A Lecture-Verfes wrote. on the Author's Birth-Day-Verfes addreffed to Mifs C, of K-d-Green -On the Death of an Infant-Stanzas on Autumn-A Song-On Thompson's Seafon's prefented-On Human Happinefs A Rebus-To Mifs Henrietta 581 North, near Od-Damon and Syl582 via, a Pastoral 585 29. Foreign News 587 30 Home News 11 Hiftoire d'Emilie 12 Suite Hiftoire d'Epaminondas 577 13 The Governefs 578 14 History of Captain Herbert and Mifs Nugent 15 The True Point of Honour 16 The Matron 17 Account of the Critic 18 Letter from the Dead to the Living 31 Births 605-608 609. 611 615 ibid ibid This Number is embellifhed with the following Copper-Plates, viz. 1. A Pattern for a Lady's Work-Bag. 2. An admirable dramatical Scene in the Tragedy of Albina: and 3. An Indian Ode, fet to Music by Mr. Stone of Marlborough. LONDON: Printed for G. Robinson, No. 25, Paternoster-Row, where Favours from Correfpondents will be received. |