By the last Letters from America we are informed, that the Provincials are very successful in their naval Enterprizes, and that the British Flag in those Parts has already received every Sort of Insult; some of our Vessels being almost daily taken under the Eyes of the Fleet: On the other hand, the Provincial Army seems by its Inactivity to be already benumbed by the Season; not one British Post... Continue Reading
Several of the Captains have complained by letters to the A[dmiralty], that their respective ships were too weakly manned to proceed to sea, which has been taken no notice of; in consequence of which they have had private surveys, and attestations signed by several officers of the exact state of their complements, in order to exculpate themselves, in case of accidents that may arise from the... Continue Reading
Arrived at Spithead the Arethusan man of war from the Downs: went out of harbour to Spithead the Greyhound man of war, Capt. [Archibald] Dickson; she is bound to North America, and has 40,000 l. of foreign specie on board for the King's troops.
The 6th instant I informed You of my Arrival Here, the preceding Evening, with His Majesty's Ship the Bristol; Not a Pendant has appeared of[f] this Harbour since, but this Morning, One of the Ordnance Ships called the Noble Bounty came in, and as the Wind has been favourable, and the weather sufficiently moderate for Two or Three Days past, I hope Our whole Force will be assembled in the Course... Continue Reading
My Lord, It is with Pleasure that I can assure Your Lordship, that I have now pretty good Reason to beleive, that the Report I mentioned in a former Letter, of the small Fleet preparing at Brest, being designed for the West Indies, is void of all Foundation: My Informer is positive, that the Destination of this Fleet has been invariably the same, Vizt to the Isle de France, and Pondicherry; but... Continue Reading
m/33 pt 10.A.M.
I sincerely condole with You on the melancholy event that prevents Your coming before Sunday to St James's.
Sir Hugh Pallisser's letter shews he has not been idle during Your absence, and I trust Your activity will instill that vigilance into the inferiors in Your great department that no delay in sending out the Succours in the Spring will arise from the short notice You have had... Continue Reading
Your Majestys great goodness in mentioning to me some things that have been thrown out, intimating that it has been hinted that the Naval Department has not been so expeditious in the equipment of the Southern expedition as they might have been, will I hope incline you to forgive the liberty I take in explaining that matter in which I think your Majesty has been in some part misinformed.
When the... Continue Reading
Your Lordship having in your letter of the 6th instant acquainted Us that there is ground to suspect that the Rebels in North America may, early in the Spring, invade the Province of West Florida, by the Channel of the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers; & may make some Attempt upon Pensacola; & having signified His Majesty's Pleasure that We do instruct the commanding Officer of His Majesty's... Continue Reading
The Tartar man of war had orders sent down on Tuesday by express, to land the Americans she has brought over, and to go into dock, to be repaired for another voyage, with all expedition.
A letter from Portsmouth says, that people flock from all parts of the country to have a sight of the prisoners brought home in the Tartar man of war from Boston; that a great deal of money has been collected for... Continue Reading
Please to acquaint Their Lordships, that this Evening, only the Nancy Ordnance Ship, and the Nancy, the missing Army Victualler arrived Here. There are yet to come, the Five Frigates, Two Bomb Vessels, and Their Tenders, One Ordnance Ship, the Hospital Ship, Store Ship, Navy Victualler, and the Friendship armed Ship. I am Sir [&c.]
Lord Sandwich has the honour to inform your Majesty that a thought has occurred to him that a large number of Transports may be procured at Hamburgh, which would aid us exceedingly, add greatly to the dispatch & be particularly convenient for the embarkation of the foreign troops at Stadt and Ritz-buttell. The Hamburgh Ships are five [sic fine] large Vessels of the Collier sort, and I believe... Continue Reading
You may recall, Sir, that at the time when parliament gathered the rumor spread that the Americans had marched on Halifax. I had the honor to inform you of this at the time. The Ministers and everyone else believe it. However, this is what happened.
I had the honor to write you in a private letter before I left for Bath that M.[Benedict] Arnold had marched on Quebec and had captured the Point of... Continue Reading
Indeed, Sir, nothing is more alarming than the factors which presently affect the foresight of the King's Council. Much can be feared from the rigorous measures of precaution taken by England in order to intercept all trade between Northern America and the rest of the world. To illustrate this point, I quote has just happened. Two Danish vessels have just been seized in the Channel on pretext... Continue Reading
Last night came down four large casks, containing money, which is going to be sent to Boston in his Majesty's ship Milford, Capt. [John] Burr, in order to pay the troops there.
Great numbers of seamen have within these few days been sent from the houses of rendezvous in and about London, to the different ships they have entered for.
It is said, that advice by a ship just arrived at the Cove of Cork, in a quick passage from Virginia, that since Lord Dunmore's success in defeating the Virginian militia, four counties had voluntarily come in and swore allegiance to the... Continue Reading
Last post we received a letter from Captain James Laurie of the ship Concord of this place, dated Cambridge, in America, 6th of December, advising of his being taken by a provincial privateer, within 30 miles of Boston, after a hard passage of ten weeks and five days. 2
The Thunder bomb is put in here by a strong easterly wind; she is one of Sir Peter Parker's squadron, and sailed from the Downs four weeks ago, in company with several other ships of war for Corke; but three of them have been dismasted or otherwise damaged, so as to prevent their proceeding till repaired, viz. the Boreas, Triton and Deal Castle.
I had the honor to receive your dispatch of the 4th instant in which were enclosed copies of the letters from Count de Vergennes and Count of Stormont concerning the complaint made by this ambassador to the effect that there was presently in Dunkerque a vessel of 120 tons, called the Charming Peggy and commanded by Capt. [Gustavus] Conyngham, and which was suspected to have taken on powder. I... Continue Reading
In pursuance of His Majesty's Pleasure signified to Us in your Lordship's Letter of the 6th instant, We gave Directions to Vice Admiral Sir James Douglas Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Ships at Portsmouth to cause the Crew of the American Privateer who were brought home Prisoners in the Tartar, to be put on board one of the Guard Ships, & to be kept under proper Confinement till farther... Continue Reading
Your Lordship having acquainted Us, by your letter of the 4th instant, that it is the King's Intentions every effort should be made to send relief to Quebec as early as possible, & that for this purpose three Ships of 180 Tons each have been contracted for to carry Provisions. And Your Lordship having at the same time signified His Majesty's Pleasure that one Fifty Gun Ship two Frigates and a... Continue Reading