found to be for account of either the French or Spaniards, fhould be declared lawful prizes, and confifcated; as it is by no means juft or equitable, that the republic fhould be exempt from the obfervance of their part of treaties, and England expected fully to keep to theirs." "Hague, March 29. The deputies of the ftates of the province of Holland have delivered unto the affembly of the States-General their opinion concerning the requifition of the court of G. Britain of the ftipulated fuccours; which is in fubftance as follows: "That having confidered the two memorials prefented by Sir Jofeph Yorke, ambaffador-extraordinary of the King of G. Britain, in which he claims the fuccours ftipulated by treaty, their Noble and High Mightineffes have found, that the guarantee and the fuccours ftipulated and promifed by all the treaties of alliance now exifting between this republic and the crown of G. Britain, are confined in the most explicit manner to the limits of Europe, as it is evidently and clearly expreffed in the 2d article of the treaty of 1678, in the following words, "The whole, however, within the extent of Europe only;" which has been confirmed and finally ratified by the feparate article of the treaty of the 8th of January 1717: That it is inconteftable that the prefent war began in America; and that its extenfion and communication to Europe cannot be confidered otherwife than an acceffory event to these primitive troubles; and that thus it cannot be said, that the cafe of the alliance (cafus fœderis) is in any refpect applicable to the prefent war: That from thefe motives it is further their opinion, that their High Mightineffes may excufe themfelves from granting the fuccours required by the faid ambaffador in his two memorials. The ftates of the province of Friezeland have come to the fame refolution."

weeks time, as the memorial must be deliberated upon by the different provinces, and their refolutions waited for: That their High Mightineffes are affured, his Majefty would not wish rigoroufly to keep to the before-mentioned time, that their High Mightineffes might be able to conclude upon an answer in a manner conformable to the constitution of the republic, in which they had no right to make any alteration, and they promise to accelerate the deliberations upon that head as much as poffible." It is faid, that the ambaffador having read this anfwer, excufed himself from accepting of it, on account of the King his master's orders; but faid, he did not doubt but that the representations which Count Welderen had orders to make to his court would entirely fulfil the inten tions of their High Mightineffes. It is alfo said, that Sir Jofeph Yorke commu nicated this his answer to the States-Ge neral on the 28th of this month in a con ference."

"Paris, March 12. On the day that the edict for the prorogation of the twotwentieths was registered in parliament an arret was made in that affembly, for making some representations to the King concerning that law. In confequence of this, the chief prefident, and two prefi dents of the court, repaired to Versailles on the 4th inftant; and finding the King furrounded by his minifters, the fir prefident spoke as follows.

"Sire, Your Parliament, by register ing with an unanimous voice the edið which you have been pleased to addref them, have yielded to the zeal with which they are animated for the fuccess and glory of your arms, and to the re fpect and fubmiffion with which they are filled for your facred perfon.

Your parliament, led by the most entire confidence in your juftice and goodnefs, of which you have given fuch ample proofs, find themselves incapable of making any obfervations upon the multiplicity, the nature, the duration, or the form of collecting those taxes, the prorogation of which has been decreed.

The fidelity which the parliament owes to your Majefty, makes it neceffary that they fhould humbly reprefent how extremely juft, and worthy of your Ma jefty's dignity, it is, to animate and fup port the efforts of your people. Doubtless

Doubtless it is owing to unavoidable circumftances, fuch as fidelity in the execution of old and new engagements, and exactness in the difcharge of statedebts, which have prevented your Majefty from complying with the inclination which you announced on your acceffion to the crown, to alleviate the weight of impofitions, and have compelled you to fufpend the exercife of your benevolence. But at leaft, Sire, it will be incumbent on the juftice of your Majefty to foften, at this moment, the mode of collecting the twentieths, and not to suffer the proprietors, under the pretext of establishing better regulations, to be exposed to reiterated fcrutinies, entirely incompatible with their peace.

It is equally required of your juftice, to abridge the duration of this imposition, and to put it on fuch a footing, that it shall be regarded only as an extraordinary fuccour, and not to be demanded but under fuch exigencies, as render it indifpenfable.

OEconomy, Sire, is a rich and inexhauftible fund, the prolific refources of which may be productive of the means of shortening the period of taxes.

It is by economy alone that you can eftablish that excellent proportion between expences and refources, in which confifts the grand foundation of every prudent adminiftration.

It is by œconomy alone, under the in. fluence of which your Majefty has fo happily defigned your plans, that your Majefty can procure to yourself the folid fatisfaction of seeing your kingdom flourifhing; and, what will touch your Majefty's paternal feelings ftill more forcibly, it is the only means by which you can fee them happy."

The King returned the following reply to this addrefs." It is with great fatisfaction that I obferve the zeal of my parliaments, and the confidence that they repofe in those measures which I have adopted for avoiding, as much as in me lies, any augmentation of the charges of my people. I rely upon their fubmiffion, and upon their fidelity: they may fafely rely upon my protection."

SPAIN.

Copies of an edict were ftuck up in all the ports and principal towns in France, in January laft, forbidding artificers of any kind to imbark for America without leave, and laying heavy penalties on commanders taking them without licence,

During this manœuvre the weather having cleared up a little, they perceived, from the top-mafts of my fhip, which formed the vanguard, twenty fails, N. N. W. I did not alter my station, but gave the fignal for forming the line, and preparing for action. This line was formed by my nine veffels, Le Phoenix, Le St Auguftin, Le St Eugene, Le St Dominique, Le St Laurent, La Prin❤ ceffa, Le Diligent, Le Monarque, and Le St Julien. I placed to the leeward of us our frigates, La Sante Rofalie, and La Sante Cecile, together with the four prizes I had made. We remained on the main-top-mafts to make observations on the ftrength of the fhips which went upon the fame tack with us, and to take fuch measures as prudence should direct. At two o'clock we began to distinguish from below twenty large fails, and fixty fmall ditto. We judged them, from their fignals, to be enemies, but were not able to discover their force. While they remained at the distance of three leagues from us, we counted twentytwo fhips of the line, of two and three decks, and feveral frigates; which were divided in two columns, the one running northward, and the other feeming to intend doubling upon our line, and thereby cutting off our retreat.

The fuperiority of the enemy determined me to take advantage of the weather, to inquire of the commanders by fignal, if they did not think it advisable to gain the firft port; and their opinions being unanimous for it, I gave orders for ma

Ling

king the first port in the order of retreat, by a forced fail.

At three o'clock I bore eaftward to engage the enemy to run into the bay of Cadiz, if they perfifted to chafe us; but they always came up with us by a forced fail; and the Edgar, the beft failer of them, approached Le St Dominique, which having loft her main yard in a hard gale of wind on the 13th, could not follow us. The Edgar fecured her flag; Le St Dominique did the fame, with an intention of defending it; and at half after four, the Englith gave a broadfide; which our veffel returned from the larboard fide. The fire of the latter was fo well directed, that the Edgar was obliged to retire, and Le St Dominique made up to us; when he was enclosed by two of the enemy's fhips, and put between two fires; but nevertheless the continued firing, both on the ftarboard and larboard, with the utmost spirit, particularly with her guns of retreat. We were in admiration of the gallant defence the made, and the bravery of the captain, the officers, and the crew, when, after a thick smoke, this unfortumate veffel difappeared. I prefume fhe muft have blown up, by the firing of her proper guns of retreat. Such was the tragie end of the valiant Spaniards who were on board, whofe noble defence merited a better fate.

At the fame time three other fhips of the line engaged La Princeffa; who defended herself alone by a forced fail, and an exceeding brisk fire, till La Diligent came to her affiftance.

At funfet the English fhip the Defence of 74 guns, 32 on her firft deck, and 18 on her fecond, began to attack the Phcenix, which I commanded, mounting 80 guns, 24 and 18 pounders. The brifknefs of our fire obliged the enemy to retire, and attack us on the larboard fide, while we were engaged on the ftarboard with the Le Bienfaisant of 64 guns, 24 and 18 pounders. I got within piftolfhot of the Defence, which appeared to have fuffered very much, my intention being to rid myfelf of one of my enemies; and I was equally determined to stop the bea failers among the English fhips, to give our veffels time to escape: but I found myfelf immediately attacked by a third veffel of 90 guns, commanded, as they faid, by Adm. Rofs; and who, in one of her broadfides, cut off eur mizen-maft, the fall of which, for a

few minutes interrupted the fire of fome of our larboard guns; but we, however, foon difengaged ourselves. At fix o'clock in the morning I received a musket-ball near my left ear: I continued in the forecastle giving the neceffary orders, and the action continued without interruption, notwithstanding the enemy's fuperior force.

Owing to the high fea, and few batteries we had, we were so overflowed with water between decks, that we were obliged to order feveral new fcupperholes to be made to carry it off. At feven o'clock a fourth veffel came upon our poop, and foon after I received a wound in my right thigh, and immediately after another in my head, which made me faint away; and they carried me into the furgeon's room. A fifth fhip now came up, and fired a broadfide into us, which broke off our large fcuttle-maft, which fell on the deck, together with the yard and the top-gallantmaft.

The continual fire of the five English veffels, which attacked us now in all quarters at once, alongfide, ahead, and aftern, deprived us entirely of all power of management, and prevented all our manœuvres. Without rigging, our mainfail shot through and through like a five, our fcuttle and top-gallant-maft fallen, our mizen-mast quite gone, our main-mast injured in a variety of places, and pierced with grape and other fhot, and our hold full of water, having nothing but our forefail, the maft of which had given way, and the fcuttle and topgallant-mafts, neither of which could carry fail, without hope of mending our fituation, or of receiving any relief,

- fuch was our condition, when at the very last extremity, about ten in the evening, we ftruck the flag, which we had defended for the glory of our king and country, againft fuch a fuperiority of force, as made defence all that could poffibly be expected, and left no doubt as to the iffue of our fate.-The enemies themselves will bear witness to the truth of this relation.

In the morning, as foon as their little boat could carry, Mr Macbride, captain of the Bienfaifant, came to fee me, and complimented me much.- He faid, (if I may ufe his own expreffion), that a defence fo glorious under fuch an inequality of ftrength was more to be envied than their victory; and informed me,

that

that when we were in harbour, he would communicate fome circumftances to me, which he himself had observed, which reflected the higheft honour upon our conduct, and which have escaped my obfervation or recollection. He did me the honour, contrary to the general prac. fice, to fuffered our national flag, and that of my command, to remain in the Phoe nix, and fuffered the whole crew to continue on board, becaufe the fmall-pox was in the Bienfaisant [98.].-The fame day, being the 18th, the English fquadron and its convoy paffed the ftraits; but as a dead calm was fet into the lee ward of Gibraltar, they anchored to the eftward of that place. The Phoenix entered the bay on the 19th, with the two veffels in her company, the Bienfaifant and the Defence; and I received in Gibraltar all the politeness poffible, from Adm. Duff who commands there, from the Governor of the place, and from Adm. Digby, the fecond in the marine command in the fquadron of Adm. Rodney, who himself paid me the fame honour.

For the protection of my honour, and for the fatisfaction of my confcience, I have thought it neceffary to give your Excellency an account of the courage, of the intrepidity, of the coolnefs, and of the perfeverance which all the officers difcovered during the whole of the action. Our two marine guards, alfo the three conter Enfeigne of his Sicilian Majefty, and the whole crew of the Phoenix, gave the ftrongeft teftimonies of the most undoubted bravery and zeal; their wounds could not detain them in the hold; they would not ftay to have them dreffed; but rushed again to their pofts upon deck, eager to acquire and participate in new glories. I reprefent all this to your Excellency, that you may explain to his Majefty how much his fubjects on board the Phoenix were disposed for his fervice, and how ardently they wished to facrifice their lives, and every thing, for the glory and honour of his arms.

The English fleet not having yet arrived in this port, I cannot give your Excellency an exact or minute account of the conduct of the other veffels in my fquadron; but the general voice of the enemy pronounces their defence to have been in the greatest degree glorious. have the honour to be, &c.

ARA."

DON JUAN DE LANGARA.'

I

PORTUGAL.

According to a letter from Lifbon of Feb. 27. an academy of fciences is eftablished in that capital, under the Royal protection;-to confift of twelve honorary members, chofen from among the principal perfonages of the kingdom, twenty-four academicians, twenty-four fupernumeraries, and a competent number of free affociates, and correfpondents in foreign countries. The objects of the labours of this fociety will be, natural philofophy, mathematics, scientific obfervations and calculations, especially as to the relation which they may have with agriculture, arts, and industry; and likewife as to whatever concerns the language, hiftory, and literature of the Portuguefe. The academy are beginning to form a library, and a national mufeum; and they intend every year to propofe premiums for thofe perfons who fhall moft ably treat the subjects whichi may be chofen as the moft proper for the advancement of the fciences.

ENGLAN D. [103.]

Adm. Digby, with his fquadron, brought to at Spithead in the morning of March 6. [99.], with three Spanish men of war, the Prothée, a French 64 gun fhip, and four tranfports bound to the Mauritius. - Pr. William arrived at the Queen's palace on the 8th, and was joyfully received by the Royal Family, Adm. Digby came to town at the fame time. - On the 22d his R. Highnefs carried the Spanish and French colours to the tower, to be hung up as military trophies. The tower-guns were fired on the occafion.

At a court of common council of the city of London, March 6. a motion was made, feconded, and agreed to unanimously, "That the freedom of the city be prefented, in a gold box, to Sir George Brydges Rodney, Bt, as a token of the grateful fenfe the court entertain of the fignal fervices rendered by him to his country, by the defeat of the Spanifh fleet under the command of Don Juan de Langara; the box to be of the value of one hundred guineas." [151.]

"London, March 23. His Majefty's fhip Charon is anchored in the Downs from the Gulph of Honduras, but last from Jamaica; where the arrived in the middle of December, with the Loweftoffe, Pomona, and their two prize re

gifter