Vice Admiral James Young to Secretary of the Admiralty Philip Stephens, April 7, 1778

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[Extract]

Antigua 7^th. April 1778.

Sir

.... His Majestys Ship Yarmouth being much Shattered by the Blowing up of the Randolph Privateer;¹ and wanting greater repairs than We can Conveniently give Her at this Yard; I propose sending Her to England, (accompanyed by the Shark and Comet Sloops)² with the first Convoy from these Islands, which I have appointed to Sail from S^t: Christophers the 30^th April Instant.—³ His Maj: Ship Phœnix being now refitted⁴ (and from Capt Colpoys report nothing to be immediately apprehended from the Dutch Squadron)⁵ I shall forthwith send Her back to America to join Lord Howe.

The Port Antonio Naval Store Ship William M^cCullock Master, arrived at English Harbour the 1^st: Instant and shall be discharged as soon as possible. Please likewise to acquaint their Lordships I am still apprehensive there will be a want of Provisions for the necessary supply of the Kings Ships employed in these Seas; The Agents for the Victualing not having received by the present Convoy more than two Months Supply of Bread, for the Squadron, they say, more was Shipped in England, but the Vessels having it on board had the misfortune (with several others) not to join the late Convoy in time, but are soon expected to arrive here.⁶ I am Sir [&c.]

Jam^s: Young

UkLPR, Adm. 1/310. Addressed at foot of first page: “Philip Stephens Esq^r:." Docketed at the top of first page: "(N^o: 3)/Rec^d. 22 May.” There is a note in Stephens' hand at the bottom of the second page of the letter that reads: "Orig^l sent-/Weym^h. herewith/as annex to his/Letter of the—" Thomas Thynne, 2nd Viscount Weymouth, was the Secretary of State for the Southern Department.

1. On the explosion of Continental frigate Randolph, Capt. Nicholas Biddle, commander, during an engagement with H.M.S. Yarmouth, Capt. Nicholas Vincent, commander, see NDAR 11:576, 1175–77.

2. H.M. ship-rigged sloop-of-war Shark, Comdr. John Chapman, commander, and H.M. ship-rigged sloop-of-war Comet, Comdr. William Peacock, commander.

3. Young later pushed back the sailing date of the convoy escorted by H.M.S. Yarmouth to 2 May. Young to Stephens, 27 Apr. 1778, UkLPR, Adm. 1/310.

4. H.M. frigate Phoenix, Capt. Hyde Parker, Jr., commander, had been damaged in a storm.

5. Capt. John Colpoys, commander of H.M. frigate Seaford, scouted Vice Adm. Graaf Lodewijk van Bylandt's Dutch Navy squadron that had arrived at St. Eustatius in Mar. 1778. For the report, see Colpoys to Young, 31 Mar. 1778, NDAR 11: 852–53.

6. In a letter to Stephens of 18 July 1778, Rear Adm. Samuel Barrington, Young's successor as commander of the Leeward Islands Station, complained of the continuing shortage of provisions, noting that for some time the ships assigned to that station had been "supplied with Rice in lieu of Bread which cannot but be prejudicial to the health of the Seamen.” Barrington blamed the contractors for the short ages. UkLPR, Adm. 1/310.

Document Information

Date

1778 April 7

Volume

Volume 12

Series

American Theatre from April 1, 1778 to May 31, 1778

Naval Documents of the American Revolution

Vice Admiral James Young to Secretary of the Admiralty Philip Stephens, April 7, 1778

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