Displaying 241 - 260 of 435
. . . [I then spoke] of what has passed at Dunkirk. Notwithstanding my repeated Representations on the Subject, notwithstanding all Your Excellency [de Vergennes] Said to me when You mentioned the Expedient You had proposed to M de Sartines, which would Have effectually ended the Business, nay more, Notwithstanding the most positive Assurances given to me by M de Maurepas that the Greyhound...
Date: 30 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . During the passage I saw three English ships, all of whom sent a boat with an officer alongside. On the coast of England the Lynx of 16 Guns, off Cape Ortegal the Royal Oak of 74, and off Cape St. Vincent the Enterprise of 24 guns. All three were cruising against the Americans; all three seemed astonished at our build; they thought us bound for America; my replies left them undecided. The...
Date: 31 July 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . Though the most exact observance of their promises was not expected from the French Ministers, yet such an apparent shew of truth was supposed, as would in some measure secure the European Seas from the depredations of the American priveteers.
Cunningham's vessel immediately on sailing from Dunkirk has taken several prizes. He had a considerable number of French subjects on board; This fact...
Date: 1 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . I have acquainted Your Excellency in my Dispatches by Mann of the supposed intention of the American Privateers to carry their Prizes into the Ports of Spain. This is fully confirmed by the Instructions given, by Cuningham commanding a Privateer to his. Prize Master,2 which I inclose to Your Excellency, as well as copy of the Letter from Cuningham to Gardoqui of Bilbao, by which...
Date: 1 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . .the Commissary of this Port, received orders Yesterday in Conjunction with the Judge of the Admiralty not to Suffer us to depart the Port on any Consideration Whatever, without pirmission from the Minister of Marine at Paris & I have been obliged to give my Parrole not to depart without Orders —
We are now Compleatly fitted & Shall be ready to go to Sea, as soon as we Can be Suffered...
Date: 1 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
A letter received yesterday from Capt. [James] Jones, of his Majesty's ship Beaver, dated, St. Kit 's, June 15, by a Gentleman in London, confirms the account of his having taken the Oliver Cromwell American privateer,1 as mentioned in our last, with the following additional particulars:
"I had a very narrow escape indeed; I received a musquet ball through the fore part of my coat,...
Date: 2 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have received, Sir, the letter which you wrote me on the 25th of last month . . . I learned with pleasure that the Privateer from Boston [General Mifflin] which had put into Brest in order to make repairs has sailed from the roads.2 I have the honor to be very perfectly, Sir [&c.]
Date: 2 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
After the circular Letter which you must have received from me, Sir, by which I made known to you the intentions of the King on the Subject of American Ships (Privateers or prizes Only), I have had reason to be shocked that there still remains uncertainty about the conduct to be taken in regard to them. Read over that Letter carefully and follow punctually the orders of his Majesty, which I am...
Date: 2 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
I have just received your favour of the 28th Ulto and shall take care to observe all your Directions with the greatest Exactness, but I must first inform you of a most vexatious turn our affairs relative to the Due de Chartres are about to take, unless we can sufficiently oppose the Design. When I bought this Ship the Condition was, that if she was previously sold at the Day of the agreement with...
Date: 2 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
4th [August] 3 More Prisoners retd from the Hospt, On the 18th of Last month begun to Mine a Passage under ground from the Long Prison in Order for An Elopement but As I'm so low by the Small pox I Don't Expect to Elope — This Night favour'd their Design &at 11 P.M. began to Open the Hole thro which 32 passed before Day without being Discover'd, they was not Miss'd till about 10 A.M. We...
Date: 4 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . In answer to the memorandum presented by My Lord Stormont to this Court to deplore the alleged favor granted by France to the Rebels, and to their merchant ships and privateers, both by affording haven in its ports and by clandestinely giving them freedom to sell their prizes, this Court replied: that regarding merchant vessels, it did not wish to prejudice the commerce of French subjects;...
Date: 4 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
A very handsome sum was collected at Whitby for the relief and support of the sailors belonging to the Whitby ships lately taken by the American privateers, who have passes granted them; and the Liverpool sailors are expected here this evening on their way home.
Date: 5 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . . I am assured, that fifty four sail have been taken, going from & to the Colonies, to & from St Eustatia in about Six Weeks; which has given the most sensible Shock to the Traders here — & stopped at once all the Adventures preparing for that quarter. . . .
Date: 5 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Your petitioner setteth forth that The Principe Masserano a Brigantine of about 130 tons burthen Thos Wharton master from North Bergen to Venice Loaden with stockfish a neautral property was of[f] Cape Finistere taken by the Warren privateer of 10 Carriage [guns] and 10 Swivils and 45 men Capt Jams Ogilvie, and the aforesaid Brigg was carried into Bilboa in Spain your petitioner as being owner...
Date: 5 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
. . .Thinking that the Duede Chartres is lost from us & knowing the necessity of having a Ship immediatly I have been trying every means of getting one, There is a Ship on the Stocks that is now so advanced that 6 weeks only is required to Launch & deliver her in the mean time her Riggen Sails & every thing may be getting Ready & be Compleat in time She is between 4. & 500...
Date: 5 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
On Tuesday the 29th past arrived at Marstrand [Sweden], a free Port in the neighbourhood of Gottenburgh; a brig of about 160 tons burthen, called the Molly, ——, Master, from Philadelphia, laden with rice, and indigo, to a person formerly of Scotland, but now of Gottenburg, which Gentleman dispatched for the Congress last January, from Marstrand, a cargo of gunpowder and other implements of war;...
Date: 6 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
Whereas we have received Information that a Rebel Privatier from Boston called the [American] Tartar commanded by John Grimes mounting 24. Guns and having on board about 100. Men attacked and took on the 28th ult. about 16 or 17. Leagues E.N.E. of the Naze of Norway a Ship belonging to Whitby called the Thomas and Elizabeth bound from Petersburg to Leith with Deals & Iron, which they after...
Date: 6 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
When I went to M de Vergennes I told Him, that I must beg his particular Attention, as what I had to say was by Express order from My Court.
The King my Master, who received with real Satisfaction the Solemn Assurances conveyed, first thro' me, and repeated by the french Ambassador, sees with Concern and Surprize; that Notwithstanding those Assurances, Your Orders were Scarce arrived, when they...
Date: 6 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
In your letter of the 1st of this month, Sir, you mentioned that the Anglo-American Privateer General Wisslin [General Mifflin], Capt. William Day, entered the roads of Port Louis, under the pretext of taking in provisions and water, and that you were preparing to send her an order to get underway within 24 hours; there is nothing in the action which you have taken regarding her, but what...
Date: 6 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9
[1777. August] 6 Wednesday: Fair pleast Weather Early AM Saw the Man of War in Chace — She continued Chace all Day. — At 7 Saw a Sail a Head & at 8 came up & took her. She was a Brig from Cork in Ballast — Gave her to the Prisoners & Sent her away. — Soon after Saw another Sail and Stood for her, came up & took her being a fine Brig from Cork for Lisbon Laden with Butter &...
Date: 6 August 1777
Volume: Volume 9