fury and violence on both fides. The cannonade continued without intermiffion for three hours and forty minutes. Some of our fhips fired 2500 fhot each. The effect of the ancient naval emulation was eminently difplayed in the obftinacy of the battle. one of the Dutch line-of-battle was commenced with the utmoft fhips had, through fome accident, returned to port, yet, as the Argo of 44 guns was fubftituted in her place, their line ftill confifted of eight two-decked fhips. Admiral Parker perceiving the number and ftrength of the enemy's frigates, detached the convoy, with orders to keep their wind, fending his own frigates along with them for their protection; and as foon as this difpofition was made, he threw out a general fignal to the fquadron to chace the enemy. The Dutch were by no means difpofed to fun the conflict; they likewife detached their convoy to fome diftance, when they drew up with great coolnefs in order of battle, and waited the fhock with the utmost compofure. This action, though upon a fmall feale, was conducted and fought in fuch a manner, that it recals fresh to the mind thofe dreadful fea-fights between England and Holland which the last century witneffed; and which seem to indicate, that thofe nations contend with the greatest animofitý, whofe intereft it is not to contend at all. None of that manoeuvring was now practifed on either fide, through which the French in the prefent war have eluded the complete decifion of fo many naval actions. The parties were equally determined to fight it out to the laft: a gloomy filence, expreffive of the most fixed determination, prevailed; and not a fingle gun was fired until the hoftile fleets were within little more than pistol fhot diftance. Admiral Parker, in the Fortitude, then ranging a-breast of Mr. Zoutman's hip, the Admiral Ruyter, the action The Dutch fhips were much fu perior in weight of metal to the English of the fame rates. This difference, however, was but little confidered; but their heavy frigates, as well as the CharlesTown, having intermixed with their line, took a very effective part in the action, and did much mifchief by raking our hips, and firing at their rigging, while clofely and defperately engaged with a fuperior enemy. Such returns were, however, at length made, that they paid dearly for their temerity; and the CharlesTown, among others, fuffered fo feverely, that it was long fuppofed the had gone down, either in or foon after the action. At the expiration of the term we have stated, the fhips were fo ruined on both fides, that they lay like logs upon the water, and were incapable of answering fo much command as would keep them within the distance neceffary for mutual annoyance; while the combatants were unwillingly feparated by the mere action of the water. The English fhips were chiefly wounded in their masts and rigging, which rendered them incapable of pursuing and profiting of their victory; but as they fired entirely at the hulls of the enemy, and by their fuperior alertness and expedition difcharged a much greater quantity of Lot, the greater greater part of the Dutch fhips miral's lieutenants, an officer of were fo woefully torn, that it was forty years fervice, and of the most with the utmost difficulty they diftinguifhed merit, was mortally were kept above water until they, wounded. Though this gentlereached, feparately, and in the man poffeffed an affluent fortune, utmoft diftrefs, (notwithstanding and that his promotion had by no the aid of their numerous frigates) means correfponded with his meluch of their own nearest ports as rit, yet he nobly difdained to they could first fetch. But the withdraw his profeffional abilities Hollandia, of 68 guns, and one from the service and defence of his of their best ships, went down in country in this trying feason. the night of the engagement; and Other brave officers fell in this the danger was fo fudden and ex- action; and the proportion of the treme, that the crew were re- wounded to the number engaged duced to the melancholy neceffity was very confiderable. Admiral of abandoning their wounded in Parker's letter, giving an account quitting the flip. Her topmafts, of the action, was diftinguifhed by though he was funk in 22 fa- its concifenefs and bluntnefs, by thoms, being ftill above water, its modefty with refpect to his own and her pendant flying, he was fide, and by the full honour which difcovered in the morning by one it pays to the valour of the enemy. of the English frigates, who ftruck and brought off her colours as a trophy. The action was very bloody. Even on the fide of the English, who were by much the leaft fufferers in that refpect, 104 men were killed, and 359 wounded, in the feven fhips. Of thefe, 20 were killed and 67 wounded in the Fortitude only. The lofs in the Berwick, Princefs Amelia, and Buffalo, was not much lefs. The death of the gallant Captain Macartney (who left a widow and large family unprovided for) was much regretted. His fon, a boy of feven years old, was by his fide when he was killed; and his fortitude, as well upon that occafion, as through the whole action, aftonifhed the boldeft feamen in the hip. Capt. Græme, who fought the Dolphin with the greatest valour, loft an arm; and his fhip's company fuffered confiderably. Mr. Harrington, one of the ad On the other hand, the Dutch gazettes tarnished the honour which their countrymen had defervedly obtained in battle, by the exaggerated accounts which they contained, and the gasconades with which they were stuffed. The truth, however, as is ufually the cafe, in defpite of authorized mifreprefentation, by degrees appeared. The confequences fufficiently told their defeat. Exclufive of the total lofs of the Hollandia, two, at least, of their capital fhips were fo totally ruined in the engagement, as to be declared incapable of farther fervice. Their lofs of men, which was reprefented as being more trifling than appeared confiftent with their own accounts of the nature of the action, and of the damage done to their hips, appears, by authenticated private intelligence, to have exceeded 1100 men, in killed, wounded, and funk. Their convoy, as well as the fhips of war, returned home, fcattered, fcattered, and in great diforder and confufion; every idea of profecuting the voyage to the Baltic, was of neceffity given up; all means of procuring naval ftores cut off; and that immenfe carry ing trade between the northern and fouthern nations of Europe, which, along with their fisheries, had been the great fource of the Dutch power and wealth, was, along with them, for this year, annihilated. As this was the first naval action of any value or confequence in which Holland had been engaged for much the greater part of a century, the States General Avere beyond meafure liberal in the praite, rewards, and honours, which they bestowed upon their officers. Admiral Zoutman and Commodore Kindbergen were immediately promoted; and moft, if not all of the first and fecond captains, as well as feveral of the lientenants, were either rifen in rank and command, or flattered with fome peculiar mark of diftinction. The gallant Count Benrinck, who bravely fought the Batavia, and who, though mortally wounded, and informed that his hip was in danger of finking, would not liften to a propofal for quitting his ftation, was foothed in his last moments by every mark of honour and testimony of regard which his country and his prince could bestow. In the few days that he lived after being put a-fhore, he was created Rear Admiral of Holland and Weft Friedland, and appointed Adjutant General to the Prince Stadtholder; and his funeral was not more honourable to the brave dead than to the grateful living. In England, though the condu& and valour displayed in this action met with great and general approbation, yet the imputed neglect in government or the admiralty, of furnishing Admiral Parker with a force equal to the accomplishment of the great objects which he had in view, excited no lefs generál diffatisfaction. This was not likely to be leffened by the prevalent opinion, that his want of fupport proceeded merely from the fuppofed circumftance of his not being a favourite: a fituation indeed, however ufeful or flattering, to which his difpofition and habits were by no means likely to lead him. It was faid, in fupport of the popular opinion, that the admiralty could not be ignorant of the fuperior force which had been fo long fitting out in the Texel, and whofe object was everywhere known;- that there were at the very time, as many fhips lying idle in port, or waiting for orders in the Downs, as would have enabled Admiral Parker to bring the whole Dutch fleet and convoy into England: That fo fignal and fatal a ftroke, must have been decifive of the war with Holland; and by compelling that republic to a feparate peace, would have freed us from one of our numerous foes. But, that in confequence of the ruinous conduct which had been obferved, instead of the poffibility of taking the Dutch convoy, the prefervation of our own, upon which fo much depended, was left to rest folely upon the fuperiority of our feamen, and the extraordinary bravery and conduct of our officers. The admiral's fubfequent conduct, as well as fome intimation given in his letter to the admiralty, ferred strongly to confirm the public opinion; and fufficiently indiced that he was no lefs diffatiffed at the want of fupport, than they were at its not being given. Those who imagine themfelves capable of diving into the myfteries of courts, night poffibly attribute, in fome degree, to this public diffatisfaction and complaint, the extraordinary favour thewn to the admiral, by a royal vifit, upon his arrival with his Shattered fquadron at the Nore. It is not, however, to be doubted that the royal vifit was intended to be diftinguifhed by fome fignal and permanent marks of favour and honour to the admiral. But the rough and veteran commander, who was equally incapable of difguife and flattery, as he fcorned to conceal his diffatisfaction, had too much pride and sturdiness in his nature to be foothed out of it; and it was foon underfood that no intended promotion or honour would be accepted. The king went on board the Fortitude, where he had a levee of all the officers of the fquadron, who were received with the most gracious attention; and the admiral had the honour of dining with his Majefty and the Prince of Wales, on board the royal yacht. It was faid upon that occafion, (the first lord of the admiralty and a number of naval officers being prefent) that the admiral took an opportunity of hinting both his diffatisfaction and intention of retiring, by the following words to his fovereign:-" That "he wifhed him younger officers "and better fhips! he was grown "too old for the fervice;" and that though he received the moft flattering compliments, and the greatest acknowledgments of his diftinguifhed fervices to his country, thefe were not capable of producing any change in his determination. It was related likewife as an anecdote at the time, that young Macartney being prefented on board the Fortitude, and a royal intention of providing for him, for the fake of his brave father, being declared, the admiral apologized for informing his Majelly, that he had already adopted him as his fon. The admiral refigned his command immediately after; and it was, notwithstanding, probably intended as a mark of favour and regard to him, that his fon, Sir Hyde Parker, who, for his gal lantry in North America and the Weft Indies, had fome time before the honour of being knighted, was now appointed to the command of a fquadron of frigates which were employed in blocking up the Dutch ports during the remainder of the feafon. The utmost expedition had been ufed at Brett, after the return of M. de Guichen from his craize, in refitting and preparing the French fleet for fea, notwithstanding the latenefs of the featon. The objects in view were of fuflicient confequence to excite this diligence. It was neceflary to reinforce the Count de Graffe with both troops and fhips of war in the West Indies, and it was determined to fend a confiderable reinforcement of both to fupport M. de Orves and De Suffrein, in the Eaft. But fhips and troops were not fufficient for either fervice. It was well forefeen that M, de Graffe, after the hard fer vice vice on the coafts of North America in the preceding campaign, must stand in need of an immenfe fupply of naval and military ftores of every fort, both for the land and the fea fervice, and that his station in the West India islands would extend the want to almoft every article of provifion and neceffary of life. The demand for Daval and military stores in the Eaft Indies was no lefs urgent. A numerous convoy of transports, ftore-fhips, and provifion-veffels, were accordingly prepared and provided with the fame diligence as the fleet: and as it was likewife neceffary to guard against the defigns of the English, the preparation was extended to fuch a number of men of war as was thought equal to the protection of the whole, until they had got out of reach. This part of the fervice, as well as the conduct of the whole while he continued in company, was committed to the Count de Guichen; and the command of the fquadron and fleet destined for the West Indies, to M. de Vaudrevil. The former was accompanied by Monf. de la Motte Picquet and M. De Beauffet; and when he feparated from the convoy, was to join the Spanish fleet at Cadiz, in order to defeat any attempt that might be made from England for the relief of the ifland of Minorca. M. de Vaudrevil carried out a confiderable body of land-forces, with a full confidence on the fide both of France and Spain, of now carrying into complete execution the 10 often laid project of reducing the ifland of Jamaica. Intelligence of this preparation, and, in a great measure, of its object, being received in England, Admiral Kempenfeldt was dif. patched in the beginning of December, with twelve fail of the line, one 50 gun fhip, and four frigates, in order to intercept the French fquadron and convoy. The event of the war, at least in the Welt Indies, and scarcely less so in the Eaft, feemed in a great meafure to hang upon the complete execution of this defiga. The blow, in its full weight, must have produced very confiderable and unexpected effects. But, through bad intelligence, or, as fome perhaps may rather think, through a certain marked fatality, which feems to have generally attended our operations through the course of the prefent war, the French fleet was fo much fuperior to what had been conceived, as well as to the Admiral Kempenfeldt's force, that the danger of being intercepted (if fuch had been the object of the enemy) lay entirely on his fide, The Count de Guichen had no leis than nineteen fail of heavy line of battle fhips under his command, befides two more armed en Aute, as the French call it, that is, their lower deck guns placed in the hold, in order to make room for the conveyance of a moderate cargo; and of the former, five were of that vaft fize which we have already defcribed, four carrying 110, and the fifth 112 guns. 1781. The English admiral, totally ignorant of the fuperiority of the enemy, and expecting that he had only an equal force at Dec. 12th, the most to encounter, had the fortune to fall in with them in a hard gale of wind, when both the fleet and convoy were a good deal difperfed, and the latter had fallen confiderably after. Mr. Kempenfeldt, with that pro feffional |