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1779. or fympathetic inks, the one for writing, and the other for rendering what is written vifible; the former of that nature as not to become visible by any mean whatever, but by having the latter rubbed over it.

April

5.

The king's fpeech on opening the feffion of parliament, has been circulated through the United States more than a month ago. The popular leaders have been diverting themselves with it. They triumph at obferving, that it is replete with complaints of the unexampled and unprovoked hoftility of the court of France

that while the profeffions of neutral powers are reprefented as friendly, their armaments are mentioned as fufpicious-and that there is a total filence with regard to the American war.

A number of loyal refugees had petitioned, and been permitted by Sir Henry Clinton to embody under proper officers, and to retaliate and make reprifals upon the Americans declared to be in actual rebellion against their fovereign. A party of them, who had formerly belonged to the Maffachusetts, made an attempt upon Falmouth in Barnftable county, but were repulfed by the militia. They renewed it, but not fucceeding, went off to Nantucket, and landed 200 men, entered the town, broke open warehouses, and carried off large quantities of oil, whalebone, molaffes, fugar, coffee, and every thing that fell in their way. They alfo carried off two brigs, loaded for the West Indies, two or three fchooners, and a large number of boats. In a proclamation they left behind, they took notice of their having been imprifoned, compelled to abandon their dwellings, friends and connections, had their eftates fequeftered, and been themselves formally banished, never to return on pain

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of death. Thus circumftanced, they conceived them- 1778. felves warranted, by the laws of God and man, to wage war against their perfecutors, and to use every mean in their power to obtain compenfation for their fufferings.

The news of the French king's declaration of war, published at Martinico in the middle of last Auguft, but figned at Versailles the 28th of June, and the capture of Dominica by the French, reached the continent as early as could be expected. By the accounts that are given, the British government had been at an unusual expence in fortifying that ifland, and the works had been lately covered with a numerous artillery, fent from Britain for the purpose. But though there were 160 pieces. of cannon and 20 mortars, the regular troops who compofed the garrifon amounted only to about a hundred. Neither the importance nor the weakness of Dominica, escaped the attention of the marquis de Bouille, governor general of the French windward islands, whose refidence was at Martinico. He therefore landed on the inland with about 2000 men, under cover of some frigates and privateers, about day break of last September the 7th, and proceeded to attack the different batteries and forts by land, as his marine force did by fea. The handful of regulars, with the militia and inhabitants in general, did all that could be expected, but defence was fruitless, fo that the lieutenant governor Stuart, to fave the inhabitants from plunder and ruin, entered into a capitulation, which was foon concluded. The terms were the most moderate that could be conceived; the marquis, out of his great humanity, having nearly agreed, without difcuffion or reserve, to every condition propofed in favor of the people, whofe only change was that of so

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THE

HISTORY OF THE

1779. vereignty. The smallest disorder or pillage was not per

mitted; and the marquis, in lieu of plunder, rewarded the foldiers and volunteers with a confiderable gratuity in ready money. His ftay was fhort: he left a garrifon of 1500 men behind him, who with the ftrength of the works, and the powerful artillery in their hands, will be able to defend Dominica effectually. We are in expectation of hearing foon of count d'Eftaing's opera

tionss

An embargo having been laid in the fouthern ftates on the exportation of grain and flour to thefe eaftern ones, occafioned a fcarcity of bread at Bofton. What from drought the last fummer, a blight on the rye, the neglect of tillage by the hufbandman's being called off to the army, and divers other causes, the inhabitants of the farming towns could not afford a fufficient fupply to the fea-ports. These have fitted out à number of cruifers, which in fome inftances have procured a temporary relief; but "the trade and harbours upon the Maffachusetts fea coafts have been left in fuch an unguarded and defenceless fituation, that where the Bay-men have taken one veffel from the enemy, their fmall privateers out of New York have taken ten from them*." The laft month the Boftonians were in great diftrefs for want of flour: but the other day a cargo of it happily arrived April 12. from Baltimore. The Maffachufett's houfe of affembly, judging it abfolutely neceffary that fo the army might be kept together, have engaged to make good the wages of the officers and foldiers raised in this ftate, at the close of the conteft, provided it is not done by congrefs.

*The Maffachusetts council.

LETTER VII.

FRIEND G.

Rotterdam, May 14, 1779.

THE prefent letter shall begin with what was a chief 1778. fubject in the former-our British admiral Keppel. When he returned to Plymouth, he experienced the benefit arifing from temperate conduct. Unanimity prevailed among the officers, and every exertion was made in refitting the fhips: fo that he failed on his second cruise the 24th of Auguft, and kept the fea as long as the approaching winter could admit. The French fleet left Breft a week before; but fteered to the fouthward, and amused themselves about Cape Finisterre; thus their own coafts and the bay were abandoned to the British, who were in vain endeavouring to obtain intelligence of them. The French commerce now became a prey to the British cruifers, in a degree which few former wars had equalled for the time, while the trade of Britain arrived in a state of fecurity, fcarcely exceeded by that of peace.

The reception which adm. Keppel met with on his return from fea, both at court and at the admiralty, equalled his most fanguine expectations. An attempt however was made on his character from an unexpected quarter. Sir Hugh Pallifer, on the 9th of December, preferred to the lords of the admiralty articles of accufation against him, for offences fupposed to have been

1778. committed on the 27th of the preceding July, after having withheld them near five months. A few hours after the charges were laid, the admiralty, without further inquiry, fent him notice to prepare for his trial. Sir Hugh mentioning in the house of commons, his having demanded a court martial on adm. Keppel, had the mortification to hear his conduct in fo doing, and alfo in publishing, a month before, in the newspaper, a vindication of his own behaviour on the 27th of July, openly and without referve condemned by every gentleman, of whatever fide or party, who fpoke on the occafion. The admiral's trial commenced at Portsmouth 1779. on the 7th of January. He gave notice to the admiralty, that he might find it useful to his defence to produce his instructions. The admiralty communicated to him his majesty's pleasure, and informed him, that they could not confent that the fame fhould be laid before his council, or be produced at the court martial ̧ Being willing to run any hazard for the benefit of the ftate, he neither produced them to his council, nor communicated their contents. His trial was not clofed till the 11th of February; when the court acquitted him of every charge in the fullest, clearest, and to him moft honorable terms; further declaring, that he had behaved as became a judicious, brave, and experienced officer. They marked the conduct of his accufer in the body of the fentence, by declaring that the charge was malicious and ill-founded." The fentence was a matter of notoriety the next day at Westminster, when it was carried in the house of commons, with only one diffenting voice, "That the thanks of this houfe be given to admiral Auguftus Keppel, &c. for his having

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