European Theatre from May 26, 1776, to October 5, 1776
I have the honor to send you, Sir, the summary of the letters which were sent to me by the governors of our colonies concerning the conduct the captains of English warships in those seas. I also enclose extracts of declarations made upon their return by the captains of merchant ships that were visited by English officers and of which several & were fired upon with shot. Since England wages an... Continue Reading
Date: 26 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I have communicated to my Lords Commrs of the Admty your Letter of the 24th instant informing them of the Naval proceedings under your Cognizance, And inclosing One you received from Lieut Colonel Irving Lieut Governor of Guernsey, giving an Account of a Snow from Dublin being at Poinbeuf upon the Loire, loading with Ammunition for America, I am &c
Date: 27 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Letters from Philadelphia, brought by the Lion,1 Wilson, by Way of Cadiz, dated April 1, mention, that three Ships, laden with Flour, which sailed the 30th of March from that Place for a foreign Market, after being out six Days, were pursued and take by two of our Ships of War, who carried them to some of the West India Islands, and that several more were then loading there with Flour... Continue Reading
Date: 27 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
In the Dublin Journal are the following Articles, dated Corke, May 28:
The Morres [Morris], Captain [Thomas] Bell, about 250 Tons Burthen, the Property of Morres and Williams [Willing, Morris & Co.] of Philadelphia, sailed from Havre the 17th inst. for the said Place with 300 Casks of Gunpowder, each Cask equal in Size to a Beef half Barrel 5000 Pigs of Lead, a considerable Quantity of... Continue Reading
Date: 28 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
His Majesty's Post Master General having appointed Captn John Mitchell to command the Duke of Cumberland Packet Boat employed in the Service of that Office between Falmouth and North America, and having desired My Lords Commrs of the Admty to give orders to all Commanders of His Majesty's Fleets and Ships of War to give upon all occasions the Best assistance they can to the Commander of the said... Continue Reading
Date: 29 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I had the honor, Sir, to receive the letter which you wrote me on the 26th of this month, as well as all the enclosed documents.
I agree with you, Sir, that our merchant ships should not excuse themselves from answering the call of English warships, and it appears to me that if these have had to use force so as to oblige the former to comply with this rule, it was only after encountering... Continue Reading
Date: 29 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
The King having been pleased, by His Order in Council of the 17th of May 1776, to order, require, prohibit and command, That no Person or persons whomsoever (except the Master General or principal Officers of the Ordnance for His Majesty's Service) do at any time, during the Space of three Months, to commence from the 23d day of the Month abovemention'd, presume to Transport into any parts out of... Continue Reading
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
You may have been informed, My lord, that the Frenchmen who were in Philadelphia and about whom there was a great deal of talk in this country were captured upon their return on an American vessel and brought to Lord Dunmore, Governor of Virginia, who sent them here on board the vessel that was shipwrecked off Cape Lizard. There were three of them. The youngest one perished. The other two were... Continue Reading
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Lieut Cunningham, who is employed at Dublin on the Service of raising Men having acquainted my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty that he has received information that Henry Watson a Seaman whose description is on the otherside hereof, and who entered with him the 12th instant for His Majesty's Ship Diamond, and was sent to Portsmouth in the Brig Neptune the day following, was the Mate of a... Continue Reading
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I had anticipated, Sir the observations that you brought to my attention conceming the need to send a few of the King's Ships to cruise off St. Dominique. As soon as he received news of the offensive actions committed by the English frigates in the waters of this Colony, the King had ordered that two frigates and one corvette be stationed there in order to enforce the authority of the French flag... Continue Reading
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I enclose herewith, Sir, particular Instructions which will give you directions relative to your cruise while you will be stationed at Mrtinique. It is His Majesty's intention that you give a copy of these Instructions to M. D'Argout, Governor General; you will please to comply therewith.
It is said in the Instructions which you received as you left France that one of the main objects of your... Continue Reading
Date: 30 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Lord Weymouth, One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State, having transmitted to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty Copy of a Letter he received from Mr Consul Hardy at Cadiz, dated the 3d Instant, giving an account that his Majesty's Frigate Enterprize and Zephir Sloop, had been for several days cruizing off that Port, and had chased and searched some Vessels very near the entrance... Continue Reading
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
After the Royal Army decided to abandon Boston for reasons already explained, there was a rumor that its Commanding General Howe had sailed for Halifax, capital of Nova Scotia; however, such information has now become doubtful. Some persons who believe themselves current with the military deployment of this Court in America maintain that after the fleet of transports had arrived at a certain... Continue Reading
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Yesterday arrived in the River the John and James, Baker, from Alicant; which brings letters that say, there were six American vessels taking in goods there for Philadelphia, but do not say what sort of goods, but only that the Americans carry on an extensive trade to those ports.
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Letters from South Carolina, brought by a ship that is arrived at Nantz, mention, that on the 8th of April last, four large ships were then loading at Charlestown with indigo and rice, for a foreign market, they mounted from 20 to 30 guns; and that a transport, laden with porter, had been brought into [South] Carolina by two American privateers, who had taken the cargo out, and were then... Continue Reading
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
The English Minister Plenipotentiary, Sir, was informed that a Dutch ship loaded with 40 thousand pounds of Powder destined for Bordeaux and two others loaded with 45 thousand pounds destined for Nantes recently left Amsterdam. The Court of London thinks that this Powder is eventually destined for New England. We have been requested to send orders to our ports and prevent this destination to be... Continue Reading
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Draft of Instructions corresponding to those of the Spanish Court for the four Frigates and the three Corvettes which His Majesty proposes to keep operational and on observation cruises in the Windward Islands and Santo Domingo.
His Majesty having deemed necessary to keep four frigates and three corvettes stationed in the American Sea, these instructions will explain to M. ———— to whom is... Continue Reading
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
Permit me to impart to you my uneasiness with regard to our great affair, and, above all, as to the man who has the charge of it.
You have seen the contract passed between the secret committee of the Colonies, and ratified by the General Congress, of the one part and the Sires Pliarne and Penet of the other; so we could not doubt the intentions of the Congress. But it seems likely enough that,... Continue Reading
Date: 31 May 1776
Volume: Volume 6
The King having been pleased, under His Royal Signet and Sign Manual to establish Instructions (bearing date the 2d day of May 1776.) for the Commanders of His Ships and Vessels of War, in regard to such Capturesas have been, or shall be made by them, in consequence of an Act lately passed, prohibiting all Trade and Commerce with the Colonies of New Hampshire, Massachusets Bay, Rhode Island,... Continue Reading
Date: 1 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
I have just received, Monsieur, the letter of yesterday which you have thought good to write to me, in order to inform me of your uneasiness about the person who presented himself to you as recommended by your friends, and who cannot now produce his credentials.2 The most favourable judgment one can pass upon the man in question is that he is one of those fortune-seekers who are... Continue Reading
Date: 1 June 1776
Volume: Volume 6
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