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

Till nine, when I had got within piftol shot of the Menagere's quarter, and put my helm a-weather to pour inwa 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 defift firing, fhortened fail, and judging myfelt then within about five miles of the entrance of Ferrol, where they must have beard our guns, I haftened to get both fhips from off the land.

At leven P. M. my prize the

Alexander joined us. The fore. fhrouds and a great deal of running rigging being shot away, detained us; but in two hours we received 200 prifoners more, and were able to make a little fail together to westward off fhore.

At day-break we saw the island Sifargo, diftant about five or fix leagues, and in the offing the Dauphin Royal, with her main top-maft gone, and otherways dilabled; and the brig with all her mafts gone, except part of her lower mafts: I thought it however improper to risk the King's thip, 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 muft 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 instant.

On the 14th of December, at ten P. M. Capt. Stephen Gregory, of the Alexander, laid a plot to occafion 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 or dering 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 scheme of Gregory was prevented without bloodshed, 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.

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 lordships confider the force offering us battle, and at first 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 fhip, as well as in fighting her.

At ten at night I felt a terrible fhock from fome explofion, 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 short, every proof neceflary for a conviction of Gregory's having fired it for an alarm to make the prifoners rife: he had also 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 discovered and fettled, I ordered Gregory, together with thofe of his officers and men whom I fufpected concerned in the plot, to be put in irons, Killed and rounded on board the 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

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 for wards and fome abaft was hot away: alfo 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 few fhot in the bows, is all the damage we have as yet difcovered to have happened to his Majesty's fhip Mediator in the action. Killed and wounded on board the Menagere.

Monf. Darmaignac, a gentleman of property in the island of St. Domingo, and three feanen killed. Seven or eight feamen

wounded.

Alexander. Six feamen killed. Eight or nine feamen wounded.

This lift is taken from the re port of their officers; not having [S] 3

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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 island's 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 Brimstone-hill, with all the honours of war, with drums beating, colours flying, one mortar, two brass 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 fent 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 shall be exchanged. The officers are permitted to refide in any of the iflands upon their parole. The militia and armed negroes fhall return to their respective 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, fhall obtain a delay.

Art. IV. They fhall obferve an exact neutrality, and shall not be compelled to take arms against his Britannic Majefty, 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 refponfi ble 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, customs, and ordinances. Juftice shall be adminiftered by the fame perfons who are actually in office. All expences attending the adminiftration of justice fhall be defrayed by the colony.

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

Art. VII. The inhabitants and clergy fhall be supported in the poffeffion of their eftates and properties, of whatfoever 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 absentees, and those who are in the service of his Britannic Majefty, fhall be maintained in the poffeffion and enjoyment of their eftates and properties, which fhall be managed by their attornies. The inhabi, tants 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 shall ferve as a basis. ⚫ Art. IX. The ftores which may have been taken during the fiege fhall be religioufly reftored; 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

crown.

Art. XI. In cafes where the King's bufinefs may require negroes to work, they fhall be furnifhed by the inhabitants of the faid iflands, to the number of five hundred; but they fhall be paid at the rate of two bills per day each, and victualled at the expence of the King.

Art. XII, The veffels and droghers belonging to the inhabitants at the capitulation, fhall be reftored entire to their owners.

The veffels which the faid inhabitants expected from the ports of England, or from any of his Britannic Majesty's poffeffions, fhall be received in the faid colonies during the pace of fix months; and they may load them to return under neutral colours even for the ports of Great Britain, with the

particular permiffion of the governor; and if any of the veffels expected fhall ftop at any of the English iflands, the governor fhall 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 Majesty, throughout all the extent of his dominions.

Art. XIV. Whatever may have been furnished for the French army during the frege, and to this day by the faid iflands, and the loffes that the inhabitants have fultained 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 islands under the head of contribution, or indemnity for the expences of the war; but in fuch a manner, that this article shall 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 merchant fhips, thofe of privateers, and other individuals, who have no property in the faid iflands, fball depart from the fame in the fpace of fix weeks, if they are not employed in droghers, or avowed by two proprietors who will anfwer for them; and means fhall be furnished them to depart for the neutral iflands.

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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 co-
lonies belonging to his Britannic
Majefty, all powder, arms, am-
munition, 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 con-
duct of Generals Shirley and Fra-
fer, 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 tef-
tify 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 governor, may export their merchandize in neutral veffels, for all the ports

of France and America.

(Signed as above.)

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 esteem 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 thall have learnt to render

myfelf worthy of the honour of facing you as an enemy. His Highness the Duke de Bourbon,

who arrived here twenty-four hours after Comte d'Artois, defires alfo that I fhould affure you of his particular efteem. Permit me, dear general, to offer you a few little trifles for your table, of which I am fure you must stand in need. As I know you live entirely on ve Gibraltar. getables, I should be glad to know Camp of Buonavifta, Aug. 19, 1782. what kind you like beft. I shall add

Copies of two Letters which paffed berdeen the Duke de Crillen and General Eliott during the Siege of

SIR,

IS Royal Highnefs Comte

H' d'Artois, who has received

permiffion from the king his brother to aflift at this fiege as a volunteer in the combined army, of which their moft Chriftian and Catholic Majefties have honoured me with the command, arrived in

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

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

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