European Theatre from January 1, 1777, to May 31, 1777
Notwithstanding the hot press continues, they cant get half men enough for the fleet, & 50 sail of W. India-men, which were to sail 20th are not likely tq get away before the middle or latter end of next month, for want of men. Of 30 Sail that left Jamaica with the last Convoy, only one has been yet heard of. The Convoy arrived three weeks since, alone. This has raisd the Insurance from... Continue Reading
Date: 14 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I have bin waiting Ever Since I wrote you last for the Inventory of St John & have not Rec'd. It yet therefore Conclude Mr Gourlade has Sent it forward for Parris Captn. [Samuel] Nicholson Arrivd here Yesterday & produc'd your Instruck,tions to him concerning the vissiting & Inspecting the Ships at L'Orient But I think I have Done Everything that Captn. Nicholson Could Do Was he to Go... Continue Reading
Date: 14 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I embrace this opportunity of Captain Nicholson's return to Paris to acquaint you with my arrival here yesterday about four o'Clock in the afternoon ー Mr Penet having some bussiness at Orleans ー detained us at that place a few hours wh together with the badness of the roads rendered it impossible for us to make greater dispatch than we did ー I have now the pleasure to acquaint you that best part... Continue Reading
Date: 14 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Arrived the Betsey, Loftus, in seven weeks from St. Augustine, laden with skins and indigo, for London . . . About 60 leagues off Bermudas, Capt. Loftus fell in with a Provincial schooner, laden with rice and indigo, called the Port au Prince, which he took without opposition, and put on board her his Mate and ten men, with orders to proceed to the first port in England, since which she is said... Continue Reading
Date: 15 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
15th About 5 AM. Discover'.d a Sail, came up with her, & She Immediately Hall'd her Wind, & we Dogg'd her till Day light, She Proved a [Pr)ivateer Schooner from Pisca[ta]way Joshua Moore Mastr about 3 P.M. Spy'd a Sail & [gave] Chase, & came up with her at 7 Ditto, & Sent Our Boat on Board of her, & Our Consort had [take]n Possession of her, & refused [to) let us have... Continue Reading
Date: 16 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The Port au Prince, an American schooner, a prize, laden with rice, taken by the Duke of Cumberland packet-boat, was carried into Plymouth the 12th instant.
Date: 16 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
An officer of the King's, who had been a prisoner, was lately brought through the post of Ticonderoga, and reports that the rebels were at work upon their fleet for next season, and says that they had laid the keels of 26 boats, large and small. The General [Carleton] has, on our part, laid the keels of six, one of which is to be a 20 gun ship. Little is to be apprehended from these preparations... Continue Reading
Date: 16 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
[1777. January] 16. A number of seamen's wives came on board to-day, and upon being told that they had American prisoners on board, "Have you?" said one to the other; "What sort of people are they?" "Are they white?" "Can they talk?" Upon being pointed to where some of them stood, "Why!" exclaimed they, "they look like our people, and they talk English."
Date: 16 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The Molly, Lusk, belonging to Glasgow, was taken by the Alfred Provincial frigate of 32 guns, near the Banks of Newfoundland, the 5th of December; the seamen entrusted to conduct her to America brought her safe into this. harbour yesterday. 2
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
However unlikely it may be that the french Court should connive at the project which Your Excy has been informed was framed in America of giving Letters of Marque to french Vessels, in order to make captures of our trading Vessels, it could not be improper to mention such a report to Monsr de Vergennes, as it may tend to put that Minister on his guard with respect to the m any various schemes... Continue Reading
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
I concluded there was some mistake about your asking for all your men, as I well recollected what had passed when I had the pleasure of seeing you; I am allso perswaded that you will remember that I declared against disabling the Blonde as she is wanted for immediate service, which cannot be dispensed with I therefore must hope you will not pursue your object of having 50 of her men, which would... Continue Reading
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
In pursuance of the King's pleasure signified to Us by the Earl of Suffolk, One of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State; in his Letter of the 15th instant, You are hereby required and direoted to cause the Rebel Prisoners belonging to the American Armed Vessel the Dalton, lately taken and brought into Plymouth by the Raisonable, to be kept in safe Custody on board such of the Ships under... Continue Reading
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
A French Ship landed at Gibraltar the 19th of Dec. Part of the Crew of the Juno, Capt. Orr, taken on the Banks of Newfoundland by the General Lee Privateer.
Advice is received from New Providence, that a Hurricane had happened at the Bahama Islands, which had driven on Shore an American Privateer of 40 Guns, foreign built, and a great Number of Bermudian Vessels.
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The Pat[t]y and Peggy, Capt. ———, is seized at Lisbon by one of our men of war. She was chiefly laden with salt and cleared out; but being suspected to have made a false entrance was searched by the Captain of the man of war, when a box of letters was found directed for America, and some gunpowder, on which he thought fit to make a prize of her.
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Arrived at Spithead his Majesty's ship Mercury, Capt. James Montague, express from Sir Peter Parker and General Clinton ait Rhode Island, with an account of the Provincials having evacuated tha:t island, and of their blocking up Admiral Hopkins's squadron, with about 40 sail of privateers and prizes which they had taken in Providence Harbour.
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
We joined each other at this place on the 22d of December and on the 28th had an Audience of his Excellency the Count de Vergennes, one of his most Christian Majesty's principal Secretaries of State and Minister for Foreign Affairs. We laid before him our Commission with the Articles of the proposed Treaty of Commerce. He assured us of the protection of his Court, and that due Consideration... Continue Reading
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
The two last days have been employed in going to Painbeuf (about 30 miles hence) examining the Mercury, and returning to Nantes. ー I have the pleasure to inform you that what I have hither to seen is very satisfactory, the Mercury appears to be a very good Ship, 7 Years old, burden 330 Tons (Mr Peltrier [Peltier] thinks 350) 78 feet Keel, 26 feet Beam, 10 feet in the lower hold under the Beams,... Continue Reading
Date: 17 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
. . . in answer to their Lordships enquiry respecting a Lieut & three Men late belonging to the Sturdy Beggar American Privateer, who were brought to Plymouth in the Ranger Sloop, four Men said to have belonged to a Rebel Privateer were brought to Plymouth in the said Sloop, one of whom was an Irishman, & the other three Americans, & upon the Nonsuch being ordered to Sea you caused... Continue Reading
Date: 18 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
A Letter from Portsmouth, dated Jan. 16, says, "Yesterday was discovered, by the removal of some Hemp, in the great Hemp Warehouse at our Dock-yard, a Piece of Wood hollowed out, and filled with combustible Matter (which was covered with Tin full of Holes to admit Air) and a Tube and Match at each End. This Instrument had been conveyed under some refuse Hemp, in order to set fire thereto. There... Continue Reading
Date: 18 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
Inclos'd you have a letter & Inventory of the Frigate the Count of Maurepat 2 it is the same Vessell that I saw at L'Oriont & Called the St John, I think her Inventory is very short & will want a Large addition if fitted for a Ship of Warr, the Defishencys I Hope will be pointed out by Capt [Samuel] Nicholson when translated into Inglish I hope Capt Nicholson will be Able... Continue Reading
Date: 18 January 1777
Volume: Volume 8
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