No 119
Mylord,

On the 27th Instant, during the afternoon, the frigate Shark of the King of England commanded by Captain [John] Chapman, dropped anchor in the Road of St. Pierre. This Captain said he had been sent by Admiral [James] Young in order to find out if I was satisfied by his letter relative to what had happened off the Dominique between our frigate Serin and the English frigate Argo; I had the honor to report this affair to you in my dispatch No. 36.

Some time later, having seen a vessel coming from the westward, 2 this frigate slipped her cables, got under way, chased and joined with the said vessel off the Pointe du Precheur where they engaged in battle with guns and muskets for a period of about three quarters of an hour.

Once the action was over, the Shark rallied with a schooner which was her advice boat and was within range of a battery whose guardian, mistaking her for another vessel, and believing that she was being chased, fired two shots in error on the British frigate.

Meanwhile, the vessel which the Shark had engaged anchored in St. Pierre Road and made itself known as an American frigate dispatched by Congress to cruise in these Seas.

A few hours later, the Royalist ship came back also and anchored in the Road. The American said that he did not even have a single wounded man, the other remained silent on this subject.

Captain Chapman complained about the shots fired upon him by the Battery and asked permission to seize the American frigate.

I learned about all this on the next day. During the night, the King's frigate, Aigrette, arrived. Her Captain, M. [Thomas] Dorves, gave me your letter, Mylord, with which you honoured me on the 31st of May last, and he showed me his instructions.

Following these, I replied to Captain Chapman's complaint 1) that the two gunshots were a fair consequence of his chasing a vessel under the protection of a Battery (because I only had then the report from the guardian and I learned about his error only after I had written this letter), 2) the moreover, I forbade him to fight under our forts, our batteries and in our roads.

The envoy from the Secret Committee on board the American Corvette³ came to see me and gave me the letter and probative documents which this assembly had entrusted to him.

Until I received precise orders from you, Mylord, I adopted as a rule to determine my line of conduct in similar circumstances the most absolute neutrality so that I would permit myself to put forth only such an obscure attitude that no inference whatever could be drawn from it either against one of the two belligerent parties or towards one or the other.

After communication of your instructions, I told this envoy that I would favor the interest of the Insurgents as much as it would be within my power to do so, that I could not supply myself, lest I run short, the Powder and Arms which the Committee was requesting, but that following the terms in the letter, I permitted him with pleasure to look for one thousand to twelve hundred rifles and Powder in the trade.

I have the honor, Mylord, to send you the copy of the Letters from M. de Courcy, the two Englishmen and the Committee concerning what I have just reported to you.

M. Dorves told me, Mylord, that France was fitting out twelve ships and prepared to commission twelve others. If war is decided, I consider the conquest of Dominique of the utmost importance because its position between Martinique and Guadeloupe would make it as useful in our hands as it would be dangerous in the hands of the enemy: but we must not lose any time. In the present circumstances, 300 men will take it. It will be more difficult if we delay because the English will send reinforcements there, however, even in this case it could be conquered with the help of the naval forces which you would send us in time of war.

I also learned from M. Dorves that in the conversation you had with him you mentioned that our forces amounted to 4000 men; however, Mylord, we barely have 3000 and the records will show that this number is not even complete.

In 1770, as at present, Martinique and Guadeloupe only had 7 Battalions; at the first sign of war these forces were brought to 13. I am convinced, Mylord, that if such circumstances occur again, you will send us reinforcements which I advance to be necessary.

M. Dorves did not find Rossignol here: she had left at the end of June. She could not victual here: and could not prolong her station any more. She would have left sooner if I had not insisted that she take back to France my Inspection report. I have the honor to enclose herewith, Mylord, the letter which President Täsher wrote me so that I would allow her to get under way. In order to make up for this contretemps I fitted out for war-service the King's vessel St. Louis, commanded by Lieutenant Desplaces, mounting twelve guns. She is an excellent sailing ship and I added 20 men to her crew. I am convinced that she will fulfill her mission in the cruise for which the Rossignol was destined. I am with respect, Mylord [&c.]