police of the island will be regulated by fituations.-Anfwer. As the cattle have the officer commanding in chief for the been killed by the French troops, and me being. not by the British, they cannot expect redrefs from their new Sovereign. Sufpenfion from the payment of debts due the French fubjects, till the peace, allowed; but with regard to the inhabitants of the island, the power of giving time to people in diftreffed circumftances is referved to the commander in chief in the island. 6. The British emigrants fhall be incoded in the capitulation, but muft remain accountable to their creditors for debts contracted in G. Britain, or in the British colonies. 7. The fick and wounded, who are not able to embark immediately, fhall be conveyed to the hofpitals of the colo17, and treated as English fubjects until their recovery; after which they fhall be ent back to Martinique at the charges of Britannic Majefty. 8. The inhabitants fhall pay the fame taxes to his Britannic Majesty which were paid to his Moft Chriftian Majefty. The falaries of the officers of juftice, and of the curates, shall be paid by the inhabitants of the island. 9. The abfent inhabitants, and thofe in the fervice of his Moft Chriftian MajeAr, shall be protected in their poffeffions, and the enjoyment of their effects and habitations, managed by virtue of letters of attorney. 10. The fhips and coafting - veffels belonging to the inhabitants and merchants of the island, shall remain to them icature and property. 11. The abfent inhabitants, widows, Let or infirm, fhall have entire liberty to fgn the capitulation; and thofe who are not willing to fign it, fhall have a peron to go to Martinique. 12. The inhabitants and merchants of the island, comprised in the present capitulation, fhall be confidered as fubjects of Great Britain. 13. The inhabitants fhall not be obliged to carry arms against the troops of E's Moft Chriftian Majefty. 14. The prefent proprietors of lands and houfes fhall remain in quiet poffef fion of them. Regulations at the peace muft depend upon treaties. 15. Appeals fhall be brought to the commander in chief of St Lucia. 16. Whereas the inland is laid wafte by the deftruction of the cattle, the ravages of war, and exceffive fervices by taking the cattle of the colony, the inha bitants and merchants requeft to have granted to them a fufpenfion of payment of their debts already contracted, until the peace; and those who have been entirely plundered, fhall be permitted to claim from the government fuch particuJar indulgences as are neceffary in their 17. The curates fhall remain in their parishes during good behaviour; when vacancies happen, curates will be named by the commander in chief. 18. All ftores of ammunition and provisions, and every thing which is confidered as the property of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, together with all deferters and prifoners belonging to the British army, are to be delivered up, upon honour, to the British commissaries. Monf. Raulin de la Mothe, commiffary of the marine, and of the claffes, fhall, as an inhabitant, have time allowed him, in like manner as the Chev. Micoud, to settle his affairs. The capitulation was figned, at St Lucia, Dec. 30. 1778, by LE CHEVALIER DE MICOUD, Lieutenant-Governor, and counterfigned by his fecretary, A. REGNAULT; and figned alfo, JAMES GRANT. SAMUEL BARRINGTON. Of French ordnance, ammunition, and ftores, there were found in St Lucia, 59 guns, 5766 round shot, 407 langredge dicto, 2899 cartridges, 200 powder corned, whole barrels, 333 muskets, 18,100 musket-cartridges filled with ball, and 2 cwt 2 qrs musket-ball. Of the British troops, 2 ferjeants and 11 rank and file were killed; 2 captains, s fubalterns, 5 ferjeants, a drunimers, and 136 rank and file, were wounded; and I captain, fubaltern, and 6 rank and file officers were, 18th comp. Capt. Daly light were miffing.-The names of the wounded infantry, Capt. Hay grenadiers; 35th ditto, Lieut. Williams grenadiers; 40th ditto, Lieut. Forbes grenadiers; 46th ditto, Lieut. Gomme grenadiers; 5th reg. Lieut. Harris ; 5th comp. Lieut. Poat grenadiers ;-and the two milling officers were, Capt. Downing and Lieut. Warren light infantry. Lond. gaz. Extracts of letters from the Hon. Rear-Adm. Barrington to the Admiralty. Prince of Wales, in the Grand Cul de Sac, ·Com. Hotham arrived at Barba does the roth inft. with his Majesty's flips the Nonfuch, St Alban's, Prefton, Centurion, Centurion, fis, and Carcafs, and fiftynine tranfports, having on board 5000 troops under the command of Maj.-Gen. Grant. To fave time, and prevent the confufion naturally arising from a change of figuals among the tranfports, I adopted thofe of the Commodore; and, directing him to lead with the landing-divifion, put to fea the 12th in the morning, in order to carry into execution their Lordfhips fecret inftructions; and about three o'clock on the day following, anchored here with the whole fquadron, except the Ariadne, Ceres, Snake, Barbadoes, and Pelican, which I had stationed along the coaft, to intercept any vessels attempting to efcape from the island. More than half the troops were landed the fame morning, under the direction of the Comm dore, affifted by the Capts Griffith, Braithwaite, and Onflow, and the remainder the next morning (the 14th); when they immediately got poffeffion of the Carenage; and it was my intention to have removed the tranfports thither as foon as poffible, had not that measure been prevented by the appear ance of the French fleet under Count d'Eftaign, of which I received notice in the evening by fignal from the Ariadne. It therefore became neceffary to fecure the transports as well as we could in the bay, and the whole night was according ly employed in warping them within the fhips of war, and difpofing of the latter in a line across the entrance, in the order they fland in the margin *, the Ins to windward rather inclining into the bay, and the Prince of Wales, being the moft powerful fhip, the outermost and to leeward, and the Venus, Aurora, and Ariadne, flanking the space between the Ifis and the fhore, to prevent the enemy's forcing a paffage that way. Almoft all the tranfports had fortunately got within the line before half paft eleven in the morning of the 15th, when the Count thought proper to bear down, and attack us with ten fail of the line; happily without doing us any material injury and at four in the afternoon he made a fecond attack upon us with twelve fail of the line; with no other fuccefs . however than killing two men, and wounding feven, on board the Prince of Wales, and wounding one alfo on board the Ariadne, who is fince dead. But I Ifis, St Alban's, Boyne, Nonfuch, Ccnturion, Preften, Prince of Wales. have reafon to believe the enemy receive confiderable damage, as their mancu vres betrayed great confufion, and on of their fhips in particular, which fell to leeward, feemed difabled from carrying the neceffary fail to get to windward again The next day (the 16th) the Coun fhewed a difpofition to attack us a thir time; but on the appearance of a frigat ftanding for his fleet, with feveral fignal flying, he plied to windward, and in th evening anchored off Gros Inlet, abou two leagues from us, where he ftill con tinues, with ten frigates, befides his twelv fail of the line; and notwithstanding thi fuperiority of force, he has been accom panied from his firft appearance by fe veral American privateers, one of them commanded by the outlaw Cunningham who laft winter infefted the coaft of Portugal. That night and the following day the enemy landed a large body of troops from a number of floops and fchooners whic had anchored in Du Choc bay, and the 18th made a fpirited attack, both by land and fea, on our poft at the Care nage; but met with a very fevere check having been repulfed, with great carnage, by a small detachment of our troops under Brig. Gen. Meadows. They have attempted nothing of con fequence fince; and what may be theit future plan of operations I cannot con. jecture: but their continuance at anchor has offered us an opportunity not only of getting in all the cruifers except the Ceres, and all the tranfports except one (with only the baggage of the officers of three companies on board) which bas fallen into the enemy's hands, but also of ftrengthening ourselves, by warping the ships of war farther into the bay, and making the line more compact, remo ving the Venus aftern of the Prince Wales to flank that paffage, and erecting batteries at each point of the bay, that to the northward under the direction of the Capt3 Cumming and Robertfon, and that to the fouthward under Capt. Fer gufon. In all probability, our operations here have hitherto faved the iflands of St Vincent and Grenada, which, we underftand from fome officers who are prifon ers, were the object of Count d'Eftaign's expedition, when a floop that had cfca ped from this ifland falling in with him and giving him notice of our being here, directed his attention towards us. From From the fame place, Jan. 6. 1779. From the state of inactivity in which the Count continued for feveral days, I began to conceive it was his intention to form a blockade, with a view of ftarving us into a furrender; but to my utter aftonishment, on the morning of the 29th, (having re-embarked his troops during the preceding night), he retired with his whole force toward Martinique, and left us in quiet poffeffion of the inland; which capitulated whilft his Beet was ftill in fight. [The Rear-Admiral acknowledges the affitance he received from Gen. Grant, and expreffes his entire fatisfaction with the conduct, not only of Com. Hotham, the feveral commanders, and the reft of the officers of the squadron, but also of the people in general, who never in the leaft repined at the difficulties they hourly encountered, but performed their duty with alacrity and spirit; and concludes the fubject thus.]—I likewife beg leave to mention the fervices of Lt-Gov. Stuart, of the island of Dominica, who has done me the favour of officiating as an honoTary aid-de-camp between the General and myself, having accompanied me upon this expedition, in hopes that his Majety's arms might afterwards be employed in recovering that ifland; where, from Lis perfect knowledge of it, he must be particularly useful, and therefore offered himself as a volunteer. A difference has arisen between the Governor and the affembly of St Vincent. At a meeting of the affembly, Dec. 22. 1778, prefent, the Hon. William Crooke, Speaker, John Connor, James Frafer, Duncan Campbell, Jonas Akers, Robert Coningham, Drewry Ottley, George Lowman, John Kearton, Peter Gurley, James Blair, John Collins, Abfent, Thomas Frith, on a motion made by Mr Collins, and feconded by Mr Blair, the Houfe refolved themselves into a comwittee to inquire into the foundation of the right claimed by his Excellency the General, of compelling the inhabitants of this ifiand, under the penalties of martial law, to take arms, by proclamation, without any act of the legifla ture being in exiftence for that purpofe; and chofe Mr Ottley Chairman. On motion made by Mr Connor, and feconded by Mr Coningham, to defer the inquiry, the Houfe divided as follows: VOL. XLI For deferring Inquiry, Meff. Crooke, Connor, Coningham, Kearton; Against deferring it, Meff. Collins, Akers, Campbell, Gurley, Lowman, Blair, Fraser. The Committee proceeding on the inquiry, after fome time spent thereon, (the Speaker having resumed the chair), the Chairman reported, that the committee had come to the following refolutions: Refolved, 1. That there is now no act of the legislature of this ifland, by which the inhabitants thereof are formed into a militia, and compellable to bear arms.2. That a bill for that purpose paffed the House 22d of October, and still lies with the board above.-3. That until fuch bill be paffed into a law, no power whatever has a right to compel the inhabitants of this island to take arms, and to perform military service. -4. That the proclamation iffued by his Excellency Valentine Morris, Efq; requiring the inhabitants of this island to take arms, and to perform military service, at the firing of certain guns, conftituting an alarm, under the fanguinary penalties annexed to the law-martial to their disobedience, being totally void of legal foundation, is a manifeft ufurpation on the liberties of the fubject.-5. That, in this hour of real danger, this Houfe have determined on their parts, and do moft earnestly recommend to all the inhabitants of the ifland, to arm themselves, and to exert their utmost efforts for the preservation of it.-6. That it be recommended to the committee of public works, to employ means for the procuring information of the fituation and motions of the French fleet, &c. On motion, refolved, That the House do approve of the refolutions of the committee, and that a copy thereof be given by the clerk to his Excellency the General. The Houfe then adjourned themselves till four o'clock in the afternoon. On the morning of Dec. 24. the affembly received a meffage, viz. "The General acquaints the Gentlemen of the Affembly, That - their refolves of the 22d inftant, fent to him, appear fo indecent, fo pregnant with ill confequences at this critical time of danger and foreign invafion, and fo derogatory to his Majefty's royal established rights and prerogatives, that he must and does require the fame to be directly expunged from their minutes, previous to that Houfe enM tering tering upon any other bufinefs whatever. Government Houfe, VALENTINE MORRIS. Dec. 24. 1778." The affembly, in their answer, fay, "With respect to your Excellency's requifition, That the minutes of our laft meeting fhould be expunged, we beg leave to obferve, that, though defirous of paying every deference for the opinion of your Excellency, and ever ready to refcind ours, when convinced it has been haftily adopted, and ill founded, we cannot at prefent, ftanding in the fituation we do, as defenders of the civil rights of our fellow-fubjects, comply with your Excellency's demand. The rights claim ed and exercised by your Excellency, of compelling the inhabitants of this inland to take arms, and to perform military fervice, under the fevere penalties of martial law, was a power of coercion which we did not conceive to refide in your Excellency. While threats alone were the confequence of difobedience, we acquiefced, and were filent; the common danger required it: but when menaces were followed by acts, when fome of the people were taken into cuftody, and others pointed at to be prosecuted under your Excellency's warrant, thought our duty would no longer permit us to with-hold our teftimony upon fo important an occafion, fo new a claim. Why a militia, the only conftitutional mode of defence, be not now in being, is not our province to determine, an act for that purpose having paffed this Houfe fo long fince as the 22d of Octo ber. we WILLIAM CROOKE, Speaker.” At a meeting of the affembly the fame day, prefent the Speaker, and all the members above mentioned, including Mr Frith, on a motion made, and feconded, "Refolved, That in cafe of a diffolution of the Houfe, the records of the Affembly be immediately fealed up, and delivered to the then Speaker, who is to keep them in his cuftody until another Affembly meets." "St Vincent. GEORGE the Third, by the grace of God, of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, &c. A PROCLAMATION. WHEREAS Our Houfe of Affembly of our island of St Vincent, on the 22d day of this prefent month of December, did enter into several moft indecent refolve denying and highly derogatory to ou royal rights and prerogative, and di likewife arrogate to itself, and advised thers of our fubjects to affume certai powers which appertain to us only which refolves tend to alienate from the affections of our loyal fubjects, alfo to the imminent danger of our fa island, more particularly at this critic crifis of affairs, when a foreign invafi is hourly expected; which proceedin have induced us, by and with the advi of our Captain-General and Command in Chief of our faid island of St Vince to diffolve the fame: And the faid Ho of Affembly of our faid island of St V cent, by virtue of this our royal proc mation, is hereby diffolved according Witnefs our Trufty and Well-belo Valentine Morris, Efq; Captain Gem and Governor in Chief in and over faid ifland of St Vincent, Chancellor, dinary, and Vice-Admiral of the fa &c. &c. Given at the Government-House 24th day of December, in the ni teenth year of our reign. h GOD fave the KING." of the convention have been, by the "New York, Dec. 30. Our poor frie lanous manœuvre of the rebel-congr fent a march of 7 or 800 miles to diers are almoft naked: that army back fettlements of Virginia. The not had cloathing these three years p The good, the brave Gen. Phillips fuffered every species of infult, addec full fix months confinement, with lit ty only of his garden, and marched a foner to Virginia, for complaining of horrid murder committed in cold bl on Lieut. Brown, of the 21ft regimen [40.604.] "In Congrefs, Dec. 16. 1778. C grefs took into confideration the proce ings of the General Court-martial on trial of Maj.-Gen. St Clair [39.517 Whereupon, Refolved, That the fentence of the C neral Court-martial, acquitting Maj.-G St Clair with the higheft honour of t charges exhibited against him, be, a is hereby confirmed." "Bofton, Jan. 7. Claudius Smith, wi four other loyalifts, are condemned be hanged at Poughkeepfie next Friday [38.] The trial of Admiral KEPPEL. Events, and fteps preparatory. PReparations for hoftilities having been made both in G. Britain and France, laft fummer, the Hon. Auguftus Keppel, Admiral of the Blue, was appointed commander in chief of the grand British fert, with the Vice Admirals Sir Robert Harland, of the White, and Sir Hugh Pailifer, of the Blue, under him.This fleet failed from St Helen's on the ath of June, and a French fleet failed from Breft, before, or about the same time. Beth fleets returned to port before the end of the month without coming to action, but the British brought two French frigates in with them. This was the begeaning of hoftilities between the two Bations; but either fide laid the blame of beginning on the other; and Adm. Keppel, though he seized two king's thips, faffered feveral French merchantShips to pass through his fleet unmolefted. Letters of marque were foon after iffued, firft in France, and then in Britain.The French fleet failed again from Brest on the 8th of July, and the British fleet fred from Spithead on the roth. An engagement happened on the 27th; both fides claimed the victory; and both fleets returned into port foon after. Both flects failed again about or soon after the middle of Auguft. The French return ed into Breft on the 18th of September, and the British into the English ports on the 5th of October, without having met. About the end of October, an anony mous paragraph appeared in the papers, charging Vice-Adm. Pallifer with the blame of Adm. Keppel's not reattacking the French fleet on the 27th of July; and to this Adm. Pallifer inferted in the papers an answer, fubfcribed with his name [40. 624.]. ticular questions relative to what paffed in action, or refpecting individuals; it was not his duty, nor would it be proper to do it, either in regard to himself or others; but he was nevertheless ready, whenever properly called upon, to enter into the fulleft explanations relative to his own conduct, either there or elsewhere. He impeached no man of a neglect of duty, because he was satisfied that the officer alluded to had manifefted no want of what was most effential in a British feaman, courage. He said, that he was much furprifed when an officer under his command made an appeal to the public in a news paper, figned with his name, before any accufation had been made against him, and which tended to render the Admiral odious in the eyes of his countrymen. He believed the Vice-Admiral knew whence the anonymous attack came. He had himself been frequently the fubject of news-paper abufe, but he had not appealed to the public.-Vice-Adm. Pallifer faid, he was fo confcious of not having been any hindrance to a reaction with the Breft fleet on the 27th of July, that he was equally indifferent with the Hon. Admiral how foon an inquiry was fet on foot. The Hon. Admiral, he faid, seemed to speak with a kind of referve, as if there was fomething behind: he heartily wished him to fpeak out, that knowing fully what was imputed to him, either on the fcore of neglect, inactivity, or want of judgement, he might have an opportunity of fairly anfwering the charge, and abiding by the judgement of the committee, whether he was or was not criminal. He had difcovered, from what the Admiral had juft now faid, that the principal matter which weighed against him in the Admiral's mind was the publication in the news papers; a publication which he had figned with his name, and by which he would abide. If it was imprudent, if it was wrong, the confe quence was to himfelf. The Hon. Admiral had been kind enough to do him juftice on the effential point of courage; he fhould be nevertheless exceedingly uneafy if he was thought deficient in other refpects as an officer. It was on that very account that he had appealed to the public: he heard when he came on fhore, after the affair of the 27th of July, that it had been infinuated, that he was a hindrance to a reaction with the French fleet; an unauthenticated in In a committee of supply on the navyeftimates, Dec. 2. the Hon. Temple Luttrel faid, that the bufinefs of the 27th of July demanded an inquiry; that Adm. Keppel could not fail again with ViceAdm. Pallifer; and that as both AdmiTals were then in their places, he hoped they would give the House fome information on the fubject. Adm. Keppel faid, He was fatisfied with the number and condition of his hips on the 27th of July, with the skill and gallantry of the officers, and bravery of the feamen: he hoped, however, it would not be expected, that he should anfwer par M 2 finuation |