European Theatre from February 1, 1776, to May 25, 1776
Instructions from the King to 1\1,Du Chaffault, Squadron Commander of the Navyー
Versailles, 12 May 1776 His Majesty has deemed proper to make a few changes in the Instructions which. he gave to M. Duchaffault on the 29th of March, 1776,2 and he will explain again his intentions with regard to the line of conduct which this officer will maintain during his campaign. Immediately after the three ..... Continue Reading
Date: 12 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having rec.eived a Letter from Vice Admiral [John] Amherst, commander in Chiefat Plymouth, dated the 10th instant, giving an Account that the Sally Ordnance Storeship arrived at that Port in the Night of the 7th and the next day about Noon His Majesty's Ship the Tartar sailed from thence with her and the five Vessels named in the Margin under Convoy; 2 And... Continue Reading
Date: 13 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
You are hereby required and directed to receive on board the Ship you command, the Bearer, Joseph Govier, a branch Pilot for the Delaware River, and bear him as Pilot Extra for Wages and Victuals until he shall be otherwise disposed of by order of Lord Viscount Howe, or the Commanding Officer of his Majesty's Ships and Vessels for the time being in North America. Given &c the 14t May 1776... Continue Reading
Date: 14 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Whereas we intend that His Majesty's Armed Vessel the Lyon shall proceed to Davis's Streights for the protection of the British Whale Fishers who may be employed in those parts during the approaching fishing Season, and that she shall afterwards proceed into Baffin's Bay for the purpose of making Discoveries; You are, therefore hereby required & directed to use the utmost dispatch in falling... Continue Reading
Date: 14 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Monseigneur I have neglected nothing, as I have had the honour of promising you, in order to discover what could have given rise to what has been reported in the public papers, that one or two French officers had passed over to the Anglo-Americans. I conferred the day before yesterday with a captain of the merchant service here who has arrived from St. Domingo, and who is an intelligent man,... Continue Reading
Date: 14 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Vice Admiral Lord Howe Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels in North America being directed to send such of the Ships and Vessels of his Squadron from time to time to Jamaica and Antigua as he shall judge necessary, to careen; And the Navy Board being directed to send our supplies of the proper necessaries for that purpose; You are, therefore, upon the arrival of any of the said... Continue Reading
Date: 15 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
I believe, My lord, that it is essential for England to defend with force the Portuguese possessions in Europe. However, if the die is cast, and in spite of our combined efforts we find it impossible either to bring M.de Pombal to the terms requested by Spain, or to stop our ally and prevent the invasion of Portugal, it seems to me, My lord, that we should not waste a single moment and enter into... Continue Reading
Date: 15 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
A Gentleman just arrived from [St.] Augustine, says, he was present when Hopkins's Squadron took possession of [New] Providence; that they landed Six Hundred Marines, who marched as regular and made as fine an Appearance as any Troops he ever saw.
Date: 15 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
His Majesty's ships Daphne, Capt. [John] Chinnery, Unicorn, [John] Ford; and Hornet, [Robert] Haswell, are all fitting out at Woolwich for the North America Station, and the artificers work double tides.
Date: 16 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Present,
Whereas the Time limited by his Majesty's Order in Council of the 21st of February last, for prohibiting the Exporting out of this Kingdom, or Carrying Coastwise, Gunpowder, Saltpetre, or any Sort of Arms or Ammunition, will expire on the 23d of this Instant May; and whereas it is judged expedient that the said Prohibition should be continued for some Time longer, except in those Cases... Continue Reading
Date: 17 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
A week ago, a. packet boat from Virginia sent by Lord Dunmore brought news to the government. But it was found to be so bad that it was decided to say that the trunk had fallen into sea during bad weather. Wonderful stratagem! Manifestation of a superior form of genius! Another ship arrived from Canada yesterday. She was under order to fire one shot without entering the port. A boat left the... Continue Reading
Date: 17 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
No news has yet been received concerning the arrival of General Howe in Halifax. According to public opinion; this city is also the rendezvous point for the fleet that sailed recently from Portsmouth. Indeed, with the exception of Florida where the unhealthy climate is harmful for the soldiers, Halifax is the only base of operations that remains to England on the American Continent. From there... Continue Reading
Date: 17 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Yesterday arrived at Spithead his Majesty's frigate Ambuscade, Capt. M'Cartney, and Diamond frigate, Capt. Fielding from the Downs, which are to convoy the rest of the Hessians for America.
Date: 17 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Three American vessels were brought in here yesterday by two of the cruizers, which they took just before they reached the bay of Cadiz. They are laden with corn, flour, &c. and are valued at about 20,000 I. On board of one of these vessels, which had eight carriage guns mounted, were two American merchants, said to be men of property; the nature of the business they were going upon we cannot... Continue Reading
Date: 18 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
I am commanded by my Lords Commissioners of the Admty to send you herewith, Duplicates of the Orders and Letters seni: to you from this Office since the beginning of December last, mentioned on the other side hereof, and to acquaint you thae the Shark by which you will receive them is sent out to reinforce your Squadron the better to enable you to intercept the Ships and Vessels belonging to the... Continue Reading
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
M. de St. Paul has the honor to inform H[is] E[xcellency] the Count de Vergennes that the English Ministry received intelligence that the following ships left Amsterdam a short time ago: the Stadt Bourdeaux, Claes de Heer Captain, carrying 400 barrels of gunpowder of 100 pounds each destined for Nantes, the Vromo Ester Cornelia, Hans Momse Captain, carrying 300 barrels also of 100 pounds each and... Continue Reading
Date: 20 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
I take the opportunity of the Reverend Mr Maddison, who is going back to Virginia, to acquaint your Lordship that the Duke of Cumberland packet Boat, on her return home, had the misfortune to strike upon a Rock off Scilly, and went down so suddenly that the Crew had only time to save themselves, and the three Frenchmen who your Lordship had put onboard, in their Boat, but all the Dispatches were... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Whereas the Transport Vessels, having on board the Two Hessian Regiments named in the l\1argin 2 with 154 Men belonging to the Regiment de Knyphausen and some other Persons under the Orders of Major General [Werner von] Mirbach, may be hourly expected at Spithead, being the remainder of those Troops which were intended to have composed the 1st Embarkation under the command of Lieutenant General... Continue Reading
Date: 21 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
My Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having received a Letter from Sir Stanier Porter Secretary to Lord Weymouth. enclosing an Extract of one which his Lordship received from Sir John Dick dated at Leghorn the 3rd May. 1776 giving an account that he had received Advice from Mr Hardy His Majesty's Consul at Cadiz that the Brigantine Betsey (mentioned to your Lordship in my Letter of the 4th... Continue Reading
Date: 22 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
Lord George Germain, one of His Majts principal Secretaries of State, having transmitted to Us a Copy of a Letter which his Lordship had received from Governor Tonyn, dated at St Augustine the 18th of March last, inclosing a Copy of one which His Excellency had receiv'd from Governor Brown, dated at Fort Nassau in New Providence the 4th of that Month, giving an Account, that the 8. armed Vessels... Continue Reading
Date: 22 May 1776
Volume: Volume 4
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