"We have taken two American vessels, which we sent for England under convoy of the Sprightly cutter, but have since heard they were lost in bad weather.1 We have since put to sea on a cruize, and sprung our bowsprit, and carried away our mizen-topsail-yard and gib-boom in a gale of wind, which has obliged us to return to the Tagus to refit."
London Chronicle, 24-26 Mar. 1778.
1. Sprightly capsized off Guernsey in December 1777.
