Captain Reynolds, on the 4th of February, captured all the Dutch convoy, and the Mars, Dutch ship of war, of sixty guns: a Dutch admiral was killed on board her. Admiral Rodney, in a letter of the 6th of February, states, that three large Dutch ships from Amsterdam, laden with naval stores, were also taken. General Vaughan, in his report, dated the 7th of February, says, "We took possession to the amount of at least £3,000,000 of money; and what gives me particular pleasure to find is, that Amsterdam will bear the chief weight of the loss." We have continued the Dutch flag, which answers extremely well, as there have been no less than seventeen ships come into the port since it has been captured." A squadron of privateers, mostly belonging to Bristol, entered the rivers Demerary and Essequibo, and brought out, from under the guns of the Dutch forts, almost all the valuable vessels in both rivers. The Dutch governors and principal inhabitants of Surinam, sensible of their defenceless situation, and fearful of falling a prey to privateers, made a tender of their submission to the governor of Barbadoes, requiring no other terms but a participation of those which had been granted to St. Eustatia-both parties ignorant of what they were. In a dispatch, dated March the 17th, Admiral Rodney says, that in addition to the islands of St. Eustatia, St. Martin's, Saba, and St. Bartholomew, the colonies of Demerary and Essequibo had surrendered, "upon the supposed terms given to St. Eustatia: yet General Vaughan and myself thought they ought to be put quite on a different footing, and not treated as an island whose inhabitants, though belonging to a state who, by public treaty, was bound to assist Great Britain against her avowed enemies, had, nevertheless, openly assisted her public enemy and the rebels to her state, with every necessary and implement of war and provisions, perfidiously breaking the treaties they had sworn to maintain. "We, therefore, to ease the minds of the inhabitants of those colonies, and to enable them to experience the happiness and security of British government, dispatched their deputies back with the enclosed terms, which, we flatter ourselves, will meet with his Majesty's royal approbation. Great merit is due to General Cunningham, governor of Barbadoes, who sent a summons by Captain Pender, of his Majesty's sloop Barbuda, and the Surprise, Captain Day, whom I had ordered to be stationed off that coast, in order to blockade those rivers. These Annual Register, 1781, Public Papers. colonies, in the hands of Great Britain, if properly encouraged, in a few years will employ more ships, and produce more revenue to the crown, than all the British West India islands united." In another letter of the same date, Sir George says, "The capture of St. Eustatia has distressed the French islands beyond conception; they are greatly in want of every species of provisions and stores. I will use my best endeavours to blockade them, in such a manner as, I hope, will prevent their receiving any. The only danger is from the British islands, whose merchants, regardless of the duty they owe their country, have already contracted with the enemy to supply them with provisions and naval stores. My utmost attention shall be used to prevent their treason taking place." P. Van Schuylenburgh, the governor of Demerary, and the council, sent Messrs. Joseph Bourda and J. Haslin, two of the principal inhabitants, with Captain Pender, who offered them a passage to Admiral Sir G. Rodney and General Vaughan, who granted them the following terms: "Whereas the inhabitants of Demerary and the River Essequibo, and dependencies, have surrendered at discretion to the arms of His Britannic Majesty: it is hereby granted to the inhabitants to remain in full possession of their property, and to be governed by their present laws, till his Majesty's pleasure is known. "All the property, stores, &c. belonging to the Dutch West India Company, to be delivered up to His Britannic Majesty's officers. "The inhabitants to take the oaths of allegiance to, and be admitted under protection of the crown of Great Britain; and will be allowed to export their produce to Great Britain, or the British islands of Tobago and Barbadoes, in British bottoms, and treated in all respects as British subjects, till his Majesty's pleasure be known. "The commandant and the other officers have leave to go to Holland in a cartel, taking with them all their effects, of whatever nature; the troops to have the same indulgence. "Given under our hands, in St. Eustatia, this 14th March, 1781. "G. B. RODNEY. "JOHN VAUGHAN." "The present annual produce of the infant colonies of Demerary and Essequibo:-10,000 hhds. of sugar; rum in proportion; 5,000,000 lbs. of coffee; 800,000 lbs. of cotton; cocoa and indigo not ascertained as yet." The Jews petitioned Admiral Rodney and General Vaughan: they stated, that some of them were natural-born subjects of Great Britain, and that all of them were ready to prove their fidelity, and repeat their oaths of allegiance. The orders which had been given, they said, "have not only been productive of the most horrid and melancholy scenes of distress and confusion that ever British eyes beheld under the fatal consequences of a rigid war, but numbers of families are now helpless and desolate, and in an absolute state of indigence and despair. If any among us have committed a crime for which they are punishable, we humbly beg those crimes may be pointed out, and that such persons may be purged from among us. But if nothing can be alleged against us, but the religion of our forefathers, we hope that will not be considered a crime." And afterwards they say, "May the God of all mercies incline your hearts to listen to the prayers and supplications of your petitioners!" The petition is dated February the 16th. Except for warlike stores, St. Eustatia became one of the greatest auctions that ever was opened in the universe. Invitation was given and protection afforded to purchasers of all nations, and of all sorts. Never was a better market for buyers. Great part of the treasure was sent to Europe under Commodore Hotham and a small squadron. At this time, M. de Grasse, with twenty sail of the line, and a fifty gun ship, with a convoy, was expected at Martinico. Admirals Sir Samuel Hood and Drake, with seventeen sail of the line, were sent to cruize off Fort Royal, to prevent him from joining the squadron in that port. Upon the 28th of April, the English saw the French to windward of Point Salines, and hoped to cut them off from Fort Royal. In the morning of the 29th, the convoy kept close in under the land; and De Grasse formed the line of battle abreast for their protection, and was joined by four ships of the line and a fifty, from Fort Royal harbour; and the Royal William joined Sir Samuel Hood. The French had the weather-gage, and all Sir Samuel Hood's efforts to bring him to close action were ineffectual. "Never," said that officer," was more powder and shot thrown away in one day." The action lasted about three hours: only thirty-six men were killed, and one hundred and sixty-one wounded, in the English fleet. Captain Nott, of the Centaur, was killed, and the Russel received so much damage, that she was obliged to bear away for St. Eustatia, and was with difficulty preserved from sinking on her passage. The next day, the French seemed more disposed to bring on Barlow's History of England, pp. 106. 108. a decisive action. Sir Samuel Hood manoeuvred, with the hope of cutting off the van and centre of their fleet, who were separated from their rear: he was very near succeeding. At night, the situation of the disabled ships induced Admiral Hood to bear up for Antigua. At day-light, the French, elated at the appearance of a flight, pursued them, and the Torbay having fallen considerably astern, received some damage before she could be supported. The appearance of pursuit was kept up for the remainder of the day. Upon the arrival of the Russel at St. Eustatia, she was refitted with all possible dispatch; and three days afterwards, Admiral Rodney, with the Sandwich, Triumph, and Russel, sailed for Antigua, where he joined the rest of the fleet, and as soon as they were refitted, he proceeded to Barbadoes. In the mean time, upon the 10th of May, the Marquis de Bouille, with a body of troops under the Viscount Damas, landed in the night at St. Lucia. They took post at Gros Islet, hoping to cut off the 46th regiment, but only succeeded in taking some sick who were in the hospital, a centinel, and an officer, the whole of whom were sent to Martinico. They then summoned the commander of Pigeon Island to surrender, but a spirited refusal checked their hopes and their progress. The accidental arrival of a frigate and two sloops, whose crews were landed to man the batteries, contributed to the preservation of the island. In the night the marquis marched towards Morne Fortune, and the next morning the French fleet, of twenty-five sail of the line, bore down towards Gros Islet Bay, and the Marquis de Bouille continued his dispositions to attack Morne Fortune. The fire from Pigeon Island obliged the fleet to haul off in evident confusion, and in the night the marquis reimbarked all his troops. Next morning, the whole fleet were seen standing for Martinico. Upon Easter Sunday, five hundred houses were burnt in Roseau, Dominica, and property to the amount of £200,000 destroyed. - it was The town was set on fire by the French soldiers supposed, by orders from the Marquis Duchilleau, the governor, who was present at the event, and would not suffer his troops to assist in extinguishing the flames in the houses belonging to the English, but suffered them to plunder during the conflagration. Duchilleau was succeeded by the Count de Bourgoinne, who was recalled for mal-administration, and M. de Beaupe appointed governor, who continued in command of the island until it was restored. Captain George Brown, of the 60th, with a few regular troops and some Baymen, sailed from the island of Rattan, in the beginning of June, to attack St. Pedro Sualo, in the Gulf of Dolce: they landed, and had proceeded a considerable way into the country before they were discovered — when one of their prisoners made his escape, and their only guide was killed. They found the village deserted, and set it on fire destroyed 400 barrels of gunpowder, 5000 stand of arms, and 500 complete sets of horse furniture-several stores of rich merchandize, and some of flour and indigo. The whole being consumed, they returned to their vessels, having lost only two men. Upon the 5th of June, his Majesty's ship Ulysses, Captain Thomas, on the Jamaica station, engaged the Surveillante French frigate, but did not take her. On the 19th of April, his Majesty's ship Resource, twentyeight guns, Captain Rowley, off Cape Blaise, captured the Unicorn French frigate, of thirty-seven guns and 181 men, after an action of one hour and a half, in which the French had eight killed and thirty wounded, and the English fifteen killed and thirty wounded. His Majesty's ship Pelican, Captain Collingwood, was wrecked upon the Morant Quays, in a violent gale of wind, on the 2d of August. December the 15th, Major-General Christie, in his letter to the secretary of state from Barbadoes, says, "It is with real grief I am obliged to communicate to your lordship the disagreeable news of the capture of St. Eustatia and St. Martin's, on the 26th and 27th ultimo, by a handful of the enemy, not exceeding 300 men, landed from three frigates and some small craft in Jenkin's Bay, at the back of the island, under the command of the Marquis de Bouille, without the smallest opposition from the garrisons; the former consisting of 723, and the latter of sixty-three effective men, including officers." The Marquis de Bouille, informed of the negligence of the governor and garrison at St. Eustatia, was induced to undertake the otherwise hopeless task of surprising and reducing that island he sailed with 2000 picked men, in some small vessels, from Martinico; and knowing that the only practicable landing place in the island was left open and unguarded, he took his measures in such a manner as to arrive before it betimes in the night of the 25th of November. The landing was, however, so bad, the surf so high, and the sunken rocks so numerous and dangerous, that he lost his boats, and had many of his men Beatson's Memoirs, vol. v. pp. 207. 208. 210. |