[Extract]
My lord,
Information received from Canada is becoming clearer. An officer, dispatched from Quebec on the 16th of last month on board the Corvette Hunter, brought yesterday letters from General Carleton dated on the 14th of the same month. They indicated that, upon the arrival of the first reinforcement brought by the ship Isis and a few Frigates or transport Ships, the Americans, numbering about three thousand, had decided to raise the siege on the 6th of last month. They abandoned their artillery and war ammunition. The Garrison made a sortie on the same day, the 6th of May. However, this detachment must not have got too close to the retreating Americans since there was not a single man killed, wounded or made prisoner.
The essential thing is that Quebec is safe. On the 21st, the Corvette Hunter met the English troops and those from Brunswick under the Command of General Burgoyne sailing up the St. Lawrence. Counting this reinforcement and what may be obtained from Canada, General Carleton will soon be at the head of about ten thousand men in order to march on Montreal and attack the Lakes. It is assumed that the Americans will dispute every inch of the passage. General Burgoyne has with him 20 boats suitable for this expedition. They only need to be assembled and have the guns mounted. But a great number of other boats will be required to carry the troops, and it is expected that this expedition, subject to a number of difficulties, will require a considerable amount of time, even if we assume that it will be successful.
We have no confirmation concerning the capture of General Lee. We only know that badly needed arms and ammunition arrived in Virginia. As you can imagine, My lord, people say that we have sent them. But it matters little where the Americans obtained them as long as they have them.
From Halifax, we have reliable intelligence that General Howe's Army is in miserable condition. A number of the troops have to remain on board for lack of lodging ashore. The soldiers are suffering of dysentery and were on half-allowance until the arrival of the supply-ships which had fortunately reached Halifax before the departure of the Frigate Glasgow arrived on the 5th at Plymouth and which brought this news.
If General Howe's Army can not find billets in Halifax, it will be even worse off after the arrival of the Hessian troops; thus it can be expected that this Officer will hurry and begin operations in some more bountiful Province either by landing in Jersey or by making another attempt upon New York. Two of the ships which had left Boston with him fell into the hands of the Americans. One of them had a cargo of cloth exported from England and valued at thirty thousand pounds Sterling.
The report made by the crew of the Frigate Glasgow on her fight against part of M. Hopkins' Squadron is quite different from the relation published in the Gazette of London. According to the information received from our correspondent in Plymouth who has it from the members of the crew themselves, the American Privateers attempted to board her several times, and she was able to get clear only by cutting off part of her stem, mounting a gun there and fighting her retreat. She only lost one man because the fire of the Americans was constantly directed at her rigging and her sails which were torn to pieces, as well as her masts which were badly damaged and delayed her passage greatly. Our Correspondent adds that she would have certainly been captured if other ships had not appeared during the pursuit. The Privateers had hoisted a Blood ensign and nailed it to the mast to show that they would not surrender. Hopkins himself did not want to get too deeply into the action because he carried an enormous quantity of powder which had to be saved at all cost. In addition, he brought back 200 pieces of cannon which he landed in the Province of Connecticut, and captured prize after prize on his way. It is even reported that he took a bomb galiot.
You know, My lord, that until now the Americans cruised only against the transport ships belonging to the Government, but since Congress received the Prohibition Act which authorizes the seizure of all American Ships, it authorized in return the capture of any English Ship wherever they may be encountered, except those which would bring war ammunition to the Colonies. This bait should cause the Privateers to multiply and should be detrimental to the trade of Great Britain in the West Indies.
Through a resolution on the 6th of April, Congress has opened the Ports of the Thirteen United Colonies to Goods and Ships from all Nations. The only item not included is tea; the only Nation not included is Great Britain. This resolution, although it may arouse the speculations on the part of other trading Powers, especially those which have a great deal of natural resources and industry, would undoubtedly be of more value if it had been accompanied by the capture of Quebec; because, in order to trade with America, the latter must be independent, and it will become independent only through success on the battlefield. Among the resolutions carried on the same date, we find one which forbids the importation of slaves. If it is put into effect it augurs a sharp decrease in the crops of rice and tobacco.
