The Lonsdale, Captain Grayson, who sailed from hence the 28th March, bound for Quebec, fell in with a privateer called the Royal American, of 16 guns and 125 men, upon the 1st of April in the evening, and beat her off in less than an hour, but had the misfortune to have Mr. Fagan the first mate killed, and Wm. Brown, a seaman wounded. ー Cape Clear bore E.N.E. about seventy leagues distant.
Upon the 7th April in the evening, said ship fell in with a brigantine, which Captain Grayson took for another privateer, but by altering her course in the night, lost her. ー The next morning at day light, in lat. 49. long. 32., three sail appeared in sight, one a Frenchman, and two privateers; ー the Tyrannicide, Capt. Harridan, and the Massachusetts, Capt. Fisk; ー the former got along side the Lonsdale at half past seven o'clock, and began to engage her: in two hours she set her top gallant sails and bore away towards her consort, on which, as was afterwards discovered, Richard Pearson, who is an apprentice of Mr. Martin's, and who was carried into Salem in his snow John, Capt. Barrass, having entered on board the Tyrannicide, called to the Captain, and informed him, "He knew the ship, that she belonged to his owner, and some of her guns were wood to complete the tiers," or words to that effect; upon which Capt. Harridan hauled his wind and run close alongside, and when he found the Lonsdale so disabled as that Captain Grayson could not command her, he run under her boltsprit, intending to board her, but durst not do it; during part of which time the Lonsdale's spritsail yard was entangled in the privateer's stern, and Capt. Grayson having had his boatswain and gunner killed, a seaman wounded, and everything cut to pieces, thought it in vain to sacrifice brave men's lives; and notwithstanding 24 people in the tops of the privateer kept an incessant fire, he discharged, with his own hand, every blunderbuss and musket, and then allowed his colours to be struck.
The privateers afterwards took a vessel called the Eagle, from Dartmouth to Newfoundland, on board which vessel Capt. Grayson and such of his people as were not sent in the Lonsdale for the Bay of Fundy, were sent home, and the Captain of the privateer gave them their cloaths: ー they parted the privateers in long. 22. who were part of a fleet sent out from Massachusetts to intercept the Quebec and Newfoundland trade.
No words can describe the praises that are due to Captain Grayson and his crew, and altho' a great disappointment, yet underwriters, owners, and affreighters, must be satisfied every thing was done that could be expected at the hands of brave men.
Yesterday an account was received here of the Prince George, Captain Ponsonby, of this port, and bound for the West Indies, being taken by the Rising States, an American privateer of sixteen six pounders, 6 cohorns, and 12 swivels, commanded by one Thompson. Capt. Ponsonby writes, that on. the 10th of March, about 70 leagues from Cape Clear, there came on a heavy gale of wind from the westward, which continued fourteen days, when on the 24th of March he fell in with the above vessel, and was obliged to strike to him. They were all taken on board the privateer, except the passengers and Thomas Hill, Henry Robinson, and William M'Cloud, three apprentices. The ships kept company a week between lat. 40, 47. long. 6, 10. in which time the privateer took two more prizes, one a brig from Lisbon to Ireland under convoy of the Arethusa, and the other a large sloop from Lisbon to Southampton. The prizes were sent into Port L'Orient, whither the privateer was bound after her cruize: but near Belleisle she fell in with the Terrible man of war, who soon took her, and carried her into Spithead. The Commander of the privateer mentioned several others being cruizing in the bay, and many more expected in a short time.
Advice was received here on Saturday morning of the loss of the Elizabeth, Cap. Welsh, belonging to this port, which happened on the 28th of March in a violent gale of wind and thick snow-shower. He was bound for Drunton, in Norway, and took a pilot at Christian-Sound, who through mistake, occasioned by the haziness and violence of the weather, run him upon rock amongst the Narrows in the Leith. Before the ship went to pieces part of the cargo was taken out of her, some of the rigging and materials are also saved, as are all the people. A merchant in Drunton, who writes the account, speaks highly in favour of Capt. Welsh, and describes his activity and indefatigable pains in preserving the articles mentioned, after his misfortune, in a manner which must recommend him to those concerned with him in the Vessel.
