On monday the 9^th Feb. a french 64 Gun Ship fired a signal Gun, when Six loaded american vessells and two french Snows and several others of mix'd property unmoored, but all hoisted french Colours. the Man of War convoyed these to the northward

On the 13^th there remained in S^t Pierre Road twenty two armed brigs either Americans or owned by the French and called Americans

Among these was a Captain Tew¹ in a Congress vessell who kept the American Colours flying all the time he remained in Harbor, his vessell pierced for 18 Guns but mounts only 16,² tolerably well manned, but exact number not known on board of him a french guard conducted fourteen British Seamen from the places of confinement where they had been kept & who were all cruelly whipped as soon as put on board because the honest Tars had said they might force them onboard but nothing should make them fight against their King and Country.

Another Privateer of 14 Guns, all the crew except only one, foreigners mostly french from Martinica. this had lately brought in a rich prize, Captain Scott bound to Antigua

A Captain Dalling³ owned in America, in a 14 Gun brig 6 pounders & 113 men.⁴ A Capt. Hendrickson owned intirely in Martinica, 14 Guns, exact number of men unknown. he sailed out to Demarara to protect some vessells with valuable cargoes expected there from America

A Captain Hovey⁵ Owned Mostly in Martinica, a 14 Gun brig 170 men, most of them French men.⁶ A Captain Billing⁷ owned in Martinica about 14 Gun brig well manned.⁸ A Captain Staunton, owned in Martinica about the same number of guns & men.⁹ A Captain Ord,¹⁰ mostly owned in Martinica, a 14 Gun brig manned intirely with French men & other foreigners¹¹

the Cumberland a Congress vessell, a Ship of 22 Guns,¹² a compleat vessell compleatly manned and a prime sailor.

A Capt. Coit¹³ or Moit in a large hermophrodite brig.¹⁴ besides these many Congress Schooners, 22 armed Brigs in all, and between 20 & 30 vessells of inferior Size, all the small ones owned in Martinica. Mr. Bingham¹⁵ dines very frequently and lives in great intimacy with Mons^r. Perier¹⁶ Commandant of S^t. Pierre.

Generally when a Guineyman is taken the Captains of the Privateers make presents of several of the negroes first to the General & then to most or all of his inferior officers before he is allowed to sell the rest, but after this Step he has the fullest indulgence.

A French Officer strongly recommended to the French General sailed to America with those vessells which sailed the 9^th of February with M^r. Bingham's recommendation for a commission from the Congress Army

It is expected that M^r. Bingham will be superceeded from the complaints made against him to the Congress of there being to[o] good an understanding between him and the french General to the prejudice of the captors of prizes in the disposal of them. to counterbalance these complaints, he hasjust thrown into the Loan Office in America what, or greatest part of the money he has made during these troubles.

The Americans meditate Seriously an attack on Dominica & Tortola or without fail on one in case they shall think it impossible to make both.