the fettlements at Hudfon's-bay. He computes, the 1782. lofs fuftained by the Hudfon's-bay Company at about 500,000l. fterling.

The gentlemen of the county of Suffolk propofed building a ship of the line for the use of government, and began a fubfcription for the purpose. The plan was to be carried into immediate execution, when twelve other counties had agreed to follow the example. There was fubfcribed in the whole 210671. 19s. 6d. The propofal answered a good purpose, as may be seen by the following extract of a letter from Wm. Middleton efq; to the corporation of Ipfwich.- Sept. 7. It is with fingular fatisfaction I can inform you, that the fpirited refolve of this county, has already had its defired effect on the court of France. Mr. Fitzherbert, now at Paris, writes word, that nothing but a decifive victory at fea, could have had fo ftriking an effect on that court, as the refolves of this and the other counties, to build fhips of war by voluntary contributions, for the ufe of the public." But Sir James Lowther diftinguished himself by a noble fingularity, which few had power to follow. On the 6th of September, he waited on lord Keppel, and after expreffing his concern that county subscriptions for building men of war went on languidly, requested his lordship to prefent his duty to the king, and at the fame time befeech his majefty to accept a man of war of the line from him, completely manned, victualled, and fitted for action. Lord Keppel, astonished at fuch an unexampled inftance of generofity in a private gentleman, affured Sir James that his request hould be inftantly complied with, which it accordingly

1782. was; and the king received the offer with that mark of refpect which became his majefty.

Ten men of war (including count de Graffe's fhips taken by admiral Rodney) with a large fleet of merchantmen from Jamaica, fuffered exceedingly by a tremendous gale of wind off Newfoundland on the 17th of September, and fince by captures. The Ville de Paris, and the Glorieux foundered, and only one man out of the compliment of both fhips escaped to tell their melancholy fate. The Hector also funk; but being defcried in time by a fnow that made toward them, the crew were faved. The captain's name was John Hill, though his veffel was fmall for the purpose, yet he took on board upward of 200 men belonging to the Hector. He threw part of his cargo overboard to make room for them; and generously fhared his provifions with them to the hazard of wanting himself. The greatness of the rifk he ran appears from hence, that the last cask of water was broached on the day that land was difcovered. The Ramilies went down, but her people were faved by the merchantmen in company. The Centaur was likewife loft, and all her company, except twelve, with the captain, who got into the only remaining boat. They traverfed a fpace of near 800 miles in the Atlantic ocean, without compafs or quadrant, and with a blanket for a fail. They had only two biscuits divided among them every twenty-four hours; and as much water during that space to every man, as the neck of a wine bottle broken off would hold. At the expiration of fixteen days, when the laft divifion of bifcuit and water had been made, to their inexpreffible joy they difcovered the Portugueze island of Fayal, where they

they fafely arrived at night. The American cruifers car- 1782. ried into L'Orient 17 of the Jamaica fleet. The whole number of prizes brought into that port by them, from the beginning of the year to the end of October, amounts to 32; exclusive of what have arrived in other ports of France.

LETTER XII.

Paris, Dec. 30, 1783.

FRIEND G.

HE Governor of the Universe, to whofe juftice

THE

and determination all the late belligerent powers 1783. appealed, having fo ordered events that peace is at length fully restored, the prefent letter fhall clofe my correfpondence upon affairs of a public nature,

Mr. Francis Dana, your late American refident at Petersburgh, but who failed from thence for America on the 7th of August, labored to obtain a reception in his public character; but received from the Ruffian minifter, in answer to his application, the following declaration." I have to renew to you, Sir, the expreffion of fatisfaction with which her Imperial majefty is impreffed by the mark of attention which your conftituents have paid her, in fending to her a perfon exprefsly clothed with a public character; and to affure you, that

Z 4

fhe

1782. The will acknowledge you with pleasure in that quality, the inftant that the definitive treaties which are at the eve of being concluded, shall have been executed-her delicacy being a law to her, not to take, before that time, a step which might not be confidered as correfponding with those which have characterized her strict neutrality during the courfe of the late war. Notwithstanding which the emprefs repeats, that you may enjoy not only for your own honor, but also for your countrymen, who may come into her empire on commercial business, or otherwife, the most favorable reception and the protection of the laws of nations. The conduct

12.

which the empress has held during the course of the war, fufficiently witneffes in favor of the impartiality of her fentiments, and puts an end to every difcuffion on that point, and ought to make you entirely easy."

While the negotiations for peace were carrying on between Great Britain, France, Spain and Holland, news - was received from the East Indies, but fuch as had not a favorable aspect on the British interest in that quar1782. ter. Adm. Suffrein, with twelve ships of the line, and April adm. Hughes with eleven, engaged afresh on the 12th of April 1782. This action appears to have been the most bloody that had been fought during the war, down to that period, in proportion to the number of fhips. The British had 144 killed, and 430 wounded. The French after that proceeded to land a body of troops, which, being joined by fome thousand feapoys fent by Hyder Ally, invested and reduced Cuddalore on the coast of Coromandel. When the preliminary articles between Britain, France and Spain were exchanged, on the 3d of laft February, further advices were received from

6.

from the East Indies, giving an account, that notwith- 1782. standing a victory which Sir Eyre Coote gained over Hyder Ally on the 2d of June 1782, the latter kept the field; and fix days after, by the help of his numerous cavalry, furrounded and cut off an advanced body of the British army, and continued, to harass it much in its march. Shortly after Sir Eyre's bad health obliged him to relinquish his command. The French fleet being fully repaired left Cuddalore, and on the 5th of July came in fight of the British at Negapatam. Sir Edward Hughes immediately put to fea. The next day July he commenced a clofe action with Monf. de Suffrein. Both fleets fuffered much, and at night anchored at no great. distance from each other. In the morning the French ships failed to Cuddalore; while the British were fo damaged in their rigging that they could not purfue. Suffrein refitted his fquadron with the utmost expedition, put to fea the beginning of Auguft, formed a junction with a number of French transports and fome men of war, and failed directly for Trincomale, which furrendered to him on the last day of the month. Hughes upon, gaining intelligence at Madras of what was going forward, failed instantly for the relief of the place; but did not arrive before it till the 2d of September. The next morning Suffrein came out of the bay with 15 fhips Sept. of the line, including 3 fifties.. Hughes, with only twelve, 3. including one fifty, was ready to receive him. The engagement began about noon with great fury on each fide; and continued with equal obftinacy till about seven, when the French admiral drew off, after having loft both his mizen and main-maft, and had several ships greatly damaged. He returned to Trincomale at night,

but