"You will probably have heard, before this letter can reach you, that Count d'Estaign¹ has paid us a visit with such a force as we did not dare to venture out upon without a reinforcement. This Gentleman anchored off the Hook on the 11th instant. We had notice of his arrival upon the coast a few days before. Fortunately Lord Howe² had collected the greatest part of his ships in time, of which he made such a disposition within the Hook as checked the ardor of Monsieur, and obliged him to desist of forcing his way into this harbour. Great as Lord Howe's abilities confessedly are, it is probable that the best use he could have made of his ships would have been ineffectual, not only on account of their inferior rate, but of the number of men sick at the hospital, if had had not been strengthened by the seamen belonging to the transports. These honest fellows gave a noble instance of their spirit, as well as of their affection for his Lordship, upon hearing of the French squadron's arrival upon the coast. Masters, Mates, and Seamen, all turned out as volunteers, to enable the Admiral to face the enemy, though they could have but little to expect in the event but hard blows. Of the few, whom it was thought necessary to detain at New York (which is about 28 miles above the Hook) to look after their vessels, &c, many found their way down by stealth to the ships of war, emulous to assist the noble Commander in the cause of their King and Country. Nor was the spirit of volunteering confined to the seamen only; but so many corps of the army offered their service upon the occasion, that it was necessary to draw lots to determine which should have the preference, as all could not be received. 

On the 22d everything seemed to favour Monsieur's project. A fresh easterly wind, of two days continuance, at a time when the spring tides were at the greatest height, raised the water on the bar very considerably higher than its common level. He got under way at the proper time of tide for allowing him to make a tack or two to get into a position for lying in over the bar at high water. In short, several other circumstances concurred to persuade us that we must have settled matters with the Count on that day; but however, instead of standing in to pass the bar, after tacking two or three times, he stood off to sea, and we have not seen the Gentleman since.³ Nevertheless, we have not given up the hopes of seeing him again before he leaves the coast; and if the reinforcement under Byron,⁴ which we have eagerly expected for several days, arrive in time, the Admiral may have it in his power to turn the tables upon Monsieur, and give a proper reward to French infamy. Everybody here speaks in the highest terms of the Admiral's conduct upon the occasion. I hope to send you a better account very shortly.”