The following is a particular account of the capture of an American vessel, brought into Whitehaven on Wednesday the twenty-first instant.

The Mercer, at that time commanded by Nathaniel Dowse, left Cape Henry the 14th of April last, having on board 490 hogsheads of Tobacco, the property of the Continental Congress, 16 hogsheads belonging to the Owners, a quantity of fustick, flour, and some other articles, with which Capt. Dowse was ordered to proceed on his Voyage to Bourdeaux in France ー They were in all eighteen persons on board, sixteen of which were English, Scotch or Irish (four of them belonged to Whitehaven, two to Workington, and one to Harrington) who had been prisoners in America.

Such a Superiority in Number soon suggested the Thought of taking the Charge of the Vessel from Capt. Dowse; the Scheme was readily concerted, and on the 5th of May, inst. at 10 P.M. being then in Lat. 46 10 Long. 15 53. while the Capt. was in Bed, they seized his Papers, altered their Course from E. by S. to NE by N and declared Whitehaven the Port of their Destination, where they arrived (as before mentioned) amidst the joyful Acclamations of numbers.

An Express was immediately sent off to London, the Officers of the Customs took the vessel into their possession, and next morning the English Flag was hoisted above the Thirteen Stripes of the Colonies.

Capt. Nicholas de Moulpied of the Betty of Guernsey is come passenger in the above Vessel; his ship was taken by the Americans the 12th of August, 1776 and carried into Dartmouth.

Capt. Dowse is 63 years of Age, had four fine Houses destroyed at Charlestown, near Boston, and the Remainder of his Property ( except Bunker's Hill, which belonged to him) was in this Ship.