'their Lordships, that his Majesty's order in 'council, of the 25th of March, 1761, relative

Ito the prisoners of war being under the di"rection of the commanding sea officer, has

⚫ not as yet been transmitted to the governors ' of Barbadoes and the Leeward Islands.'

The following letter, written under feelings of considerable irritation, in consequence of an unfair and unwarrantable act, as he conceived, of General Moncton, in having appointed certain officers to dispose of the prizes brought into the ports of Martinique, &c. &c., was addressed by Admiral Rodney to Lord Anson, who at that period was at the head of the Admiralty. The Admiral was not a man that would tamely submit to a proceeding which appeared to him to be perfectly illegal and arbitrary, as well as injurious to the rights and interests of those under his command.

'TO LORD ANSON.

Antigua, July 22d, 1762.

It was with infinite concern I heard of your Lordship's bad state of health, and I most

'sincerely hope that long ere this it is per

'fectly restored. To have a confirmation of ' it will be the most pleasing news that can be ⚫ brought me*.

'As I presume your Lordship will be glad to know the state of the conquered islands, I must acquaint you that every thing re→ 'mains in the same situation as when first 'taken possession of, there being only a gar'rison in Martinique and Grenada, the islands of St. Lucie and St. Vincent remaining as they were inhabited by the French, 'who lately submitted.

'I cannot help again pressing your Lordship that orders may be given relative to the carenage and the ports, Mr. Moncton having 'thought proper, at the instigation of his

North American followers, to appoint a ' number of officers, such as naval officers, to 'the different ports, in direct contradiction to 'the usage of the English islands, and who

think they have nothing to do but to impose 'arbitrary fines upon all merchant ships anchoring in the ports; in short, my Lord, the whole is a scramble who shall cheat his 'Majesty and the nation most, not one of the

* Lord Anson and Admiral Rodney had always lived on terms of the greatest intimacy and mutual regard.

'persons appointed to office belonging to the army, or even gentlemen; and so much had 'these sort of people imposed on Mr. Monc'ton's understanding, that during my absence,' and when they imagined I had quitted these 'seas to protect Jamaica, they induced him "to appoint two of them vendue masters by commissions, with an arbitrary power to sell all such prizes as were brought into Martinique, and to detain one per cent. of all 'such prizes. The agent for the naval officers ' on this station, refusing to pay their unjust ' demand, was sent for to Mr. Moncton by a file of muskets, and threatened to be sent to prison if he dared to sell any of the prizes in any other manner than through the vendue 'masters. Thus, my Lord, in violation of the act for the encouragement of seamen, and directly contrary to the express words, have the officers and seamen of his Majesty's 'fleet been compelled to pay a considerable

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sum by an arbitrary act imposed upon them by the very person who is most indebted to them for the conquest of Martinique, a hard ' return for the part they had taken in the 'reduction of that island.

'Your Lordship may be sure I did not sub

mit to this arbitrary proceeding upon my ' return to Martinique; but as Mr. Moncton was gone before this affair came to my 'knowledge, I had not an opportunity to point ' out to him his unlawful proceedings against 'the navy.

'I have acquainted the commanding officer 'left at Martinique, that I will not suffer any 'impositions to be laid on the sea service, ' and that I expect a full liberty for my agent 'to dispose of all captures in such a manner

6

' as he shall think most beneficial for the

captors. His answer is, "that he found

6.66

things in such a situation, and should con""tinue them as Mr. Moncton left them."

The person who was Mr. Moncton's chief adviser in this affair is one Mr. M, an apothecary of New York, who is appointed 'Collector of the Customs at Martinique, and who, during my illness, had suffered a prodigious quantity of the produce of the island to be cleared out for St. Christopher's, "though he knew it was in plain contradiction ' to the capitulation, and that such a clearance was only a blind to carry the sugars and 'coffee to St. Eustatia.

The moment I heard of this iniquitous

'affair, which, if continued, would have de

prived England of the benefits of her con

quests, and enriched Holland, I sent notice 'to the Custom House, and acquainted Ge'neral Moncton that I insisted upon no clear'ances being allowed to any ship or vessel 'whatever, loaded with the commodities of the

conquered islands bound to any place but 'Great Britain, agreeable to the spirit and 'intention of the capitulation; and that I had 'given orders to the captains of the ships under my command, to seize all vessels 'cleared out for any other place, until his 'Majesty's pleasure was known.'

No event of importance occurred in the Leeward Island squadron during the remainder of the war. In the course of the summer, negociations for a general peace between the contending powers had been set on foot, and the Earl of Bute, in whom, on the resignation of Mr. Pitt, the entire direction of the affairs at home was vested, being anxious to put an end to the war, sent the Duke of Bedford to Fontainebleau, where,

VOL. I.

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