Sir

I desire you will acquaint My Lords Commissioners of the Admty, that early on Wednesday Morning, the 6th instant, being to the South­ward of Scilly eight or ten Leagues, in His Majesty's Ship under my Command, we fell in with a Rebel Privateer Brig, and chac'd her till Thursday Morning at nine, when the People in hopes of escaping Captivity, run her close in with Hellston Beach, and got ashore, be­ fore the Boats sent to secure them, reach'd the Vessel; I had, however, the precaution to direct Lieut [Thomas] Lloyd of the Navy, with one detachment of Marines, and Lieut Mansfield of Marines with another, to go in pursuit of them, and with the assistance of the Country Gen­tlemen, who shew'd great alacrity and zeal on the occasion, (particu­larly Mr Rowe Mayor of Hellston) they secur'd, and brought on board forty six of them, including all the Officers; the others, amounting to nine, are probably laid hold of by the Country People, who were in quest of them. — The Privateer carried twelve Guns and Eighty Men when she Sail'd, is call'd the Fancy, John Lee Master, belonging to Newbury Port, had been out seven Weeks, and had taken four Prizes, which he dispatch'd to America — during the Chace they threw nine of their Guns, a great Quantity of Shot and Iron Ballast over Board, and lighten'd the Brig so much, it is with difficulty, we have brought her into this Port.

Inclos'd is a Journal of the Proceedings, and the State and Con­dition, of the Ship - the deficiencys in the latter, will be supplied in a few days. I am Sir [&c.]

A List of Vessels taken by the Fancy Rebel Privateer²

The Brunswick of Greenock a Ship bound to New York.
a Brig —— Norman Master loaded with Flour and Pease bound to Hallifax under Convoy of the Bristol.
a French Brig bound to Genoa and Leghorn.
a Scotch Sloop loaded with Wine and Brandy from the Mediterranean.