fail, to permit us to take out 100 prifoners, meaning to chace the Menagere.

At half past twelve made all fail in chace, leaving the prize to fol low, or bear away for England, if we ran her hull down.

At three the Eugene hauled her wind away from the Menagere. At five began firing at the Menagere; and to prevent her aiming at our mafts, we covered ourselves with smoke.

At half past five had gained very confiderably on the Menagere, and occafionally fired broadfides at each other.

At fix a fudden fquall caught me, with three of my lower deckers run out, and obliged me to put before the wind, the water rufhing in till knee deep on the deck; but with the chain pumps we foon cleared our fhip, and as foon as fhe was fafe I hauled towards the enemy, crowding fail to regain

her.

At feven began again to fire at each other, and our main top-gallant maft and fore - top - gallant yard were flot away: continued conftantly firing at each other

Till nine, when I had got within piftol fhot of the Menagere's quarier, and put my helm a-weather to pour in a broadfide of round and grape fhot from all my guns; which the being aware of, threw up in the wind, hauled down her colours, and hailed that he had ftruck. I inftantly ordered my people to defit firing, fhortened fail, and judging myfelf then within about five miles of the entrance of Ferrol, where they must have heard our guns, I haftened to get both flips from off the land.

At eleven P. M. my prize the

Alexander joined us. The forefhrouds and a great deal of running rigging being shot away, de. tained us; but in two hours we received 200 prifoners more, and were able to make a little fail to ́gether to westward off shore.

At day-break we saw the ifland Sifargo, diftant about five or fix leagues, and in the offing the Dauphin Royal, with her main top-maft gone, and otherways difabled; and the brig with all her mafts gone, except part of her lower mafts: I thought it however improper to risk the King's fhip, by leaving ourselves with fewer men; for having fent fifty on board the large fhip, and twenty on board the Alexander, befides manning the Spanish prize, I had remaining only 190; half of whom must fleep at nights, and the rest were few to work the fhip and guard 340 prifoners; for this reafon I hope their lordships will approve of my not chacing the Dauphin Royal and brig; the former ftood in towards the land; the brig feemed returning to Bourbeaux, from whence this armed convoy failed on the 9th inftant.

On the 14th of December, at ten P. M. Capt. Stephen Gregory, of the Alexander, laid a plot to oc cafion the prifoners to rife, and hoped to have taken the Mediator from me; but through the indefatigable attention of Lieutenant Rankin of the marines, in the difpofal and regulation of centries, &c. as a guard, and the lucky precaution we had taken of ordering the gratings of all the hatches in the lower gun-deck to be battoned down with capftan bars, leaving room for only one man at a time to come up abaft,

where,

where, in cafe of an alarm, we had fixed our rendezvous, the defperate fcheme of Gregory was prevented without bloodfhed, the prifoners finding no paffage where they could get up. The alarm he fixed on was to fire an eighteen pounder gun in the gun-room where he lay; for he meffed with my lieutenants, and had received every friendly attention.

At ten at night I felt a terrible fhock from fome explosion, and heard a cry of fire: I was foon after informed, that the lee port was blown away by the gun into the fea, and the water making in. As foon as I had wore fhip on the other tack, to get the port-hole covered with tarpaulins and fecured, I went down, found the gun-room on fire, and every thing hattered that was near the explofion; Gregory with his accomplice dreffed, though they had Pretended to go to bed; and in their cot was found gunpowder, which they had provided to prime the gun with; and in fhort, every proof neceffary for a conviction of Gregory's having fired it for an alarm to make the prifoners rife: he had alfo endeavoured to provide himself with a fword; but being difappointed in his project, he begged his life. A cry of fire forwards was heard among the prifoners when the fignal gun was fired; but all being difcovered and fettled, I ordered Gregory, toge; ther with thofe of his officers and men whom I fufpected concerned in the plot, to be put in irons, and kept on bread and water. 1 think it my duty to trouble their lordships with this narrative, in juftice to his Majefty's colours, under which no prifoners are un

defervedly treated with rigour. The officers of the Menagere hav ing always conducted themselves like men of honour, I was happy to have the pleasure of continuing them at my table, with the ufual confidence in their parole; and the prifoners in general have had every mark of humanity and attention fhewn to them that our own fafety would admit of. When their lordihips confider the force offering us battle, and at firft united to oppofe us, they will, I truft, be convinced that our fuccefs was chiefly owing to the exertions and activity of the officers and men in working the ship, as well as in fighting her.

The enemy's fhot having been entirely aimed with a view to dif maft us, fortunately prevented my officers and men from receiving any hurt; my lower rigging forwards and fome abaft was flot away : alto the main top-gallantmaft, ftudding-fail and yard, and fore - top - gallant - yard, top - maft, rigging, fails, and running rigging in general much cut; which, with a fer fhot in the bows, is all the damage we have as yet difcovered to have happened to his Majefty's fhip Mediator in the action. Killed and wounded on board, the

had time as yet to examine the prifoners by lift.

N. B. An account is received from the purfer of the Mediator, of his arrival at Portsmouth with the Alexander.

Articles of Capitulation of the islands of St. Chriftopher and Nevis, between his Excellency the Count de Graffe and the Marquis de Bouille, and his Excellency Major General Shirley, governor, and Brigadier Gen. Frafer.

Art. I. THE governor, the commander of the troops, the regular officers and foldiers, the of ficers and privates of militia, fhall march through the breach on the fort of Brimftone-hill, with all the honours of war, with drums beating, colours flying, one mortar, two brafs field - pieces, ten rounds each, arms and baggage, and then lay down their arms at a place appointed, the officers excepted.

Art. II. The regular troops fhall be prisoners of war, and sent to England in fafe and good veffels, which fhall be furnished with provifions for the voyage; but they fhall not ferve against the King of France until they fhall be exchanged. The officers are per mitted to refide in any of the iflands upon their parole. The militia and armed negroes fhall return to their refpective homes.

Art. III. The inhabitants or their attornies fhall be obliged to take the oaths of fidelity to the King of France within the fpace of one month, before the governor of the faid iflands; and thofe that are prevented from it by fickness, hall obtain a delay.

Art. IV. They shall obferve an exact neutrality, and fhall not be compelled to take arms against his Britannic Majesty, or any other power. They are at liberty to retain their arms for the internal police and better fubjection of their negroes; but they are to make a return of them to the juftices of the peace, who fhall be refponfible for any bad ufe that may be made of them contrary to the tenor of the prefent capitulation. Art. V.

They hall enjoy until a peace, their laws, cuftoms, and ordinances. Juftice fhall be adminiftered by the fame perfons who are actually in office. expences attending the adminiftration of juftice fhall be defrayed by the colony.

All

Art. VI. The court of chancery fhall be held by the council of the island, and in the fame form as heretofore; and all appeals from the faid court shall be made to his Moft Christian Majefty in council.

Art. VII. The inhabitants and clergy fhall be fupported in the poffeffion of their eftates and properties, of whatsoever nature and denomination, and in their privileges, rights, titles, honours, and exemptions, and in the poffeffion of their religion; and the minifters in the enjoyment of their livings, The abfentees, and thofe who are in the service of his Britannic Majefty, fhall be maintained in the poffeffion and enjoyment of their eftates and properties, which shall be managed by their attornies. The inhabitants may fell their eftates and poffeffions to whom they shall think proper, and they are at liberty to fend their children to England to be educated; and from whence

they

they may return when they judge proper.

Art. VIII. The inhabitants fhall pay monthly into the hands of the treasurer of the troops, in lieu of all taxes, the value of two thirds of the articles that the iflands of Saint Chriftopher and Nevis paid to the King of Great Britain; which fhall be estimated according to the valuation of the revenues made in the year 1781, and which fhall ferve as a bafis.

Art. IX. The ftores which may have been taken during the fiege fhall be religiously restored; and they may also be reclaimed in any of the French windward or leeward iflands.

Art. X. The inhabitants fhall not be obliged to furnish the troops with quarters, except in extraordinary cafes; but they are to be lodged at the expence of the king, or in houfes belonging to the

particular permiffion of the governor; and if any of the veffels expected fhall ftop at any of the English iflands, the governor shall be authorized to grant permiffion for them to come to either of the faid iflands.

'Art. XIII. The inhabitants and merchants fhall enjoy all the privileges of commerce, granted to the fubjects of his Moft Chriftian Majefty, throughout all the extent of his dominions.

Art. XIV. Whatever may have been furnished for the French army during the fiege, and to this day by the faid iflands, and the loffes that the inhabitants have sustained by the burning of plantations, and by every other means, fhall be estimated by a meeting of the inhabitants, and the amount equally borne by the two iflands under the head of contribution, or indemnity for the expences of the war; but in fuch a manner, that this article fhall not diminish the taxes above mentioned, which are to take place from the date of the capitulation; but the affembly of the inhabitants may apply to it the arrears of the general taxes which remain in their hands at the date of the capitulation.

Art. XV. The failors of mer chant fhips, thofe of privateers, and other individuals, who have no property in the faid iflands, fhall depart from the fame in the space of fix weeks, if they are not employed in droghers, or avowed by two proprietors who will anfwer for them; and means shall be furnished them to depart for the neutral islands.

Art. XVI. The General of the French troops fhall be put in poffeffion of all the artillery; all [S] 4

the

the effects depending on the colonies belonging to his Britannic Majefty, all powder, arms, ammunition, and King's veffels fhall be given to the commander of the French troops, and an inventory of them prefented to the governor. Art. XVII. Out of refpect to the courage and determined conduct of Generals Shirley and Frafer, we consent that they fhall not be confidered as prifoners of war; but the former may return to his government of Antigua, and the latter continue in the fervice of his country; being happy to teftify this mark of particular efteem for thofe brave officers. St. Chriftopher, Feb. 12, 1782.

LE MARQUIS DE BOUILLE. THOMAS SHIRLEY, (Governor and Major General in

his Majefty's army.) THOMAS FRASER, Brig. Gen. It is moreover covenanted, that the inhabitants of thefe iflands, with the permiffion of the nor, may export their merchandize in neutral veffels, for all the ports

of France and America.

gover

(Signed as above.)

Copies of two Letters which paffed

between the Duke de Crillon and General Eliott during the Siege of Gibraltar.

this camp the 15th inftant. This young prince has been pleased, in paffing through Madrid, to take charge of fome letters, which had been fent to that capital from this, and which are addreffed to perfons belonging to your garrifon. His Royal Highnefs has defired that I would tranfmit them to you, and that to this mark of his goodnefs and attention I should add the ftrongeft expreflions of efteem for your perfon and character. I feel the greater pleafure in giving this mark of condefcenfion in this auguft prince, as it furnishes me with a pretext, which I have been anxiously looking for these two months that I have been in this camp, to affure you of the high efteem I have conceived for your excellency; of the immenfe defire I feel of deferving yours; and of the pleafure to which I look forward of becoming your friend, after I fhall have learnt to render myfelf worthy of the honour of an enemy. His facing you as who arrived here twenty-four Highnefs the Duke de Bourbon, hours after Comte d'Artois, defires alfo that I fhould affure you of his particular efteem. Permit me, dear trifles for your table, of which I general, to offer you a few little As I know you live entirely on veyou must ftand in need. getables, I fhould be glad to know

am fure

a few partridges for the gentlemen which I prefume will not be dif of your household, and tome ice, agiccable, in the exceffive heat of this climate, at this feafon of the year. hope you will be obliging tion which I fend with this letter. enough to accept the fmall por

I have the honour to be, &c. His Excellency Cen. Eliott, &c.