The following British Men of War were, on thursday last, the 26th Instant, lying off St. Augustine Bar, viz. the Brune, of 32 Guns, Capt. James Ferguson (not a very fast Sailer), the Galatea, Capt. Jordan, the Perseus, Capt. Elphinstone, and the Daphne, Capt. St. John Chinnery, of 20 Guns each, and sheathed with Copper. — The Daphne was the Ship that, on the 1st Instant, took 25 valuable Negroes out of Fishing Canoes off the Bar, all which (except one belonging to Mr. R[h]ind, and two to a Widow Wright, who are reserved to be restored to the Owners, when applied for), were sold, on the 23rd, for £.1300 Sterling: she had then on board six Chests of Money, to pay the Troops in East Florida; and in Company, under Convoy, the Union Store-ship, Capt. Wallace, from New-York, with Cloathing and military Stores, for the Garrison of St. Augustine, and the Brig Fanny,of and from this Port, with a Cargo of Salt, for Virginia, Thomas Tucker, Master, which she had taken in ten Fathom Water, about 15 Miles North of Cape Hatteras, on the 29th of May; upon which Day she also took the Sloop Polly, Elkanah Hathway, Master, which sailed from this Port the 27th, bound for Dartmouth (not since heard of) and brought too, the Scooner Angelina, also from this Port, for Curacoa, Turpin Holroyd Master, who, taking Advantage of a hard Gale of Wind, which prevented the boarding of him, made his Escape in the Night; she had before taken a. Scooner from Boston, one Ridley, Master, which after being stripped by the Union, was burnt. The Daphne is also the Ship that on the 9th Inst (as mentioned in our last) chased Capt. Ranking, and retook his Prize; the Prize-master whereof, Capt. Richard Bissel, they have loaded with and remains confined in Irons. — The Brune arrived off St. Augustine the 22d, with two Prizes, a Brig from Hispaniola, of 8 Guns, loaded with Dry Goods, one C[o]x Master, bound for this Port, (the Master of which is confined in Irons, in like Manner as Capt. Bissel) arid a Scooner from George Town, laden with Rice, for Bilboa, on board which were Passengers, Mr. Irving, Mrs. Irving and some other Persons. — On the 24th an Indian Chief was brought on board the Brune, who was saluted with Cannon, and for whom the Shrouds were manned -The Union Transport having landed her Cargo of stores, on the 25th began to take in Troops, on the 26th, having 220 on board, in the Evening, she sailed for New-York, under Convoy of the Daphne, which after seeing her safe in, was to proceed to Delaware Bay. None of the Men of War were healthy, or well manned; the Perseus was said to have the Yellow Fever and Small Pox on board; and the best manned Ship was the Daphne, whose Crew did not exceed 140. — The Brune is stationed to cruize off Cape Fear; the Perseus and Galatea, from the Bar of St. Augustine to this, crossing each other. — The Perseus and Galatea were the two Ships that on the 14th Inst: chased Capt. Sutton's Prize Brig ashore near Stono, and burnt her. — The Ship that, on the 25th past, together with Capt. Mowbray's Sloop, had an engagement with the Comet Brig, Capt. Allen, was a very stout Transport, mounting 16 six-Pounders; the Sloop suffered so much in that Combat, that they confessed they had been obliged to make use of many Plugs; but we cannot yet learn what Number of Men were killed or wounded on board: these two Vessels were lying in St. Mary's or St. John's Rivers; and about 30 Sail of trading Vessels were lying in the Harbour of St. Augustine — On Thursday last Capt. Chinnery gave a Boat to 15 of his Prisoners, and to 13 more another, with Orders to put off immediately; the 15, after having been 53 Hours in her at Sea, bailing all the Way, got safe into Ogechee; but the other Boat has not since been heard of.
We have Advices from Europe to the 28th of April — According to these, General Burgoyne was to have the Command in Canada, and General Carlton to return to England — Great-Britain had failed to obtain the Troops she expected from Germany, to reinforce her Army in America; most of the Transports that had been prepared to bring them over, were appointed to other services; and it does not appear, that the whole Addition she can make to General Howe's Force the present Campaign, will amount to 3000 Men — A great Number of Ships were put into Commission, but, notwithstanding the Continuance of an excessive hot press, very few of them were manned — The Earl of Dunmore and Lord William Campbell had been in England some Time, yet neither of them had been introduced to the King their Master, to receive his Thanks for their distinguished Services — And Trade was every where quite dead. — The French and Spaniards continued unremitting in vast Preparations for War — And we have a Confirmation of the Intelligence lately received here, of a Memorial presented by Sir Joseph York to the States General; of their beginning to pay some Attention to their Marine, &c. with this in Addition, that they have sent Orders to their Governor of St. Eustatius forthwith to erect Fortifications wherever he shall think them necessary, and to return the Salutes of the Americans, Gun for Gun, upon sending a Lieutenant ashore to notify the intended Salute.
From St. Eustatius we learn, that the above Orders were received there on the 2d Inst. — That two French brigantines loaded in this State, for Martinique, were lately taken. and carried into Antigua. — That a small scooner (which answers to the Description of the Jenny, Captain Ralls) be longing to Virginia, on the 28th ult. took a Sloop, from St. Eustatius for Antigua, laden with Cotton; but was the same Day taken by the Hind Man of War, which also retook the Prize. — And that on the 1st instant, the Hind also captured two Dutch Ships from St. Eustatius, actually bound for Holland.
We hear that next Friday, the memorable 4th of July, the Anniversary of the Formation of American Empire, is to be observed at a State-Day and Grand Festival.
We have just now received Intelligence, That the Letter of Marque Brig Fair American, Capt. Charles Morgan, and Privateer Brig Experiment, Capt. Francis Morgan, both of this State, arrived off the west End of Bermuda on the 11th instant, and might have taken the Galatea's Tender (formerly the Scooner Peggy of this Port) and the Decoy-Boat, who have for several Months past done so much Mischief on that Coast, could they have got a Pilot; but that not having such Pilot, they both stole out in the Night, and went round to Castle Harbour, where lay the Nautilus, unrigged, and her Guns ashore. That the Fair American and Experiment, however, went into the Western Harbour the 13th, were fired at from.the Fort, mounting 5 Cannon, to which they returned a Broadside; That upon preparing to give a second Broadside, the Fort was abandoned; which the Captains Morgans observing, they landad some Men, took Possession of it, demolished the Embrazures, dismounted and spiked the Cannon, and destroyed the Carriages; and remained there six Days. That on the 16th they putto Sea, and on 17th took the Sloop Ann, Wm. Bray, Master, from the Bay of Honduras for Rotterdam, laden with Logwood, Hides, and some Mahogany; which is since arrived in a safe Port. That a Brig from Bristol, in a very short Pas sage, bound for St. Augustine, put into the Harbour where our Vessels lay, on the 15th. And that had Captains Morgans got in on the 11th, the Enemy had prepared to burn the Tender and Decoy-Boat themselves.
The Man of War that appeared off the Harbour of Nassau in Providence, when the Captains Newton and Groundwater went in there to cut out the Comet armed Scooner, was the Aeolus Frigate of 32 Guns, not a Sloop of 16 Guns: She could not get into the Harbour; but cruized about there till the 17th Instant, and then sailed to Northward. The Comet sailed at the same Time, with the three Vessels she had seized, for Jamaica.
The 1st Instant, a large Guineyman, with 318 Slaves on board, bound for Dominica, was sent into Martinique, taken by a Privateer Brig belong ing to Philadelphia, commanded by Capt. Ord; also, a Brig laden with Provisions, from Corke for Barbados, and a Ship mounting 14 six Pounders, from Liverpoole, for Jamaica, laden with Dry Goods, taken by a Privateer Scooner, commanded by Capt. Palmer; which last was captured by immediately running along-side and boarding. This Information is given us by Capt. Willis, who likewise informs, that it was the Beaver(not the Favourite) Sloop of War, which took the Oliver Cromwell Privateer of Philadelphia; and the Loss of that Vessel was owing to more than Half of the Crew consisting of Men who had entered from Prizes, and who, after strongly urging the Captain to fight the Beaver, as soon as she came along-side, refused their Assistance and jumped down below.
On Friday last arrived at a safe Port, the Sloop Polly, late Capt. Henderson, from Mississ[ip]pi, with a Cargo of Barrel Staves, bound for Dublin; taken off the Havanna, on the 13th Instant, by the Privateer Sloop Vixen, Capt. Downham Newton of this Port. On the 11th ult. Capt. Newton wooded and watered at Havana, where he met with the most friendly Reception.
The Brunefrigate and Merlin Sloop, in their late Cruize on this Coast, among other Vessels, took a Sloop from Boston, for this Port, and carried her into New-York.
Yesterday arrived at a safe Port, the Prize Sloop Ariadne, William Freeman late Master, from the Musquito Shore, bound for Jamaica, laden with Mahogany and spotted Wood, taken on the 3d Instant, off the East End of Jamaica, by the Washington Privateer of this Port, commanded by Capt. Anthony. This is the 6th Prize taken by the Washington on her present Cruize; two she carried into, and sold at, Cape Nichola, and two Capt. Anthony gave to his Prisoners, to put them ashore at Jamaica.