Yesterday his Majesty's ship Cygnet was launched from Portsmouth dockyard. She is ordered to be commissioned for foreign service.
This morning sailed out of harbour to Spithead, his Majesty's ships Fox and Seaford, and saluted the Admiral, which was returned.
The Tartar frigate is ordered to sea again; there 26 of the provincials in our hospital, 20 of which have got the small pox, and one has died. 2
1. London Chronicle, January 27 to January 30, 1776.
2. Life of Israel R. Potter, 20: "The prisoners were now all thoroughly cleansed and conveyed to the marine hospital on shore, where many of us took the small-pox the natural way from some whom we found in the hospital effected with that disease, and which proved fatal to nearly one half our number."