cafe and happiness of his people, by advifing, or by 1782. any means attempting, the further profecution of offenfive war on the continent of North America, for the purpose of reducing the colonies to obedience by force.” Government made a feeble oppofition to the motion, and at length fuffered it to pafs without a divifion. On that day also, a commiffion paffed the great feal, appointing Sir Guy Carleton commander in chief in America.

The refolutions that were paffed in the house, and the warm reception they met with from the public, ferved to fhow that a complete revolution in the internal policy of government must fucceed, which was an event no wife agreeable to the fentiments of the court.

8.

The oppofition fought to obtain a vote, from which it might appear, that the house of commons had totally withdrawn its confidence from the prefent adminiftration. Lord John Cavendish made feveral motior.s with that view, and a long debate enfued, when the houfe divided at last on the order of the day, which had been moved for and was carried by a majority of 10. That day week, a motion was made by Sir John Rous, 15. in which it was proposed to refolve, that the house could have no further confidence in the minifters, who had the direction of public affairs. On this occafion the strength of both parties was mustered. Near 480 members were prefent; and on the divifion the question was negatived by a majority of only 9. Notice was given after the divifion, that a motion to the fame effect would be made on the Wednesday following.

On that day, the houfe was again uncommonly crowd- 20. ed; when after a while, lord North affured the house

1782. with authority, that the adminiftration, against which the intended motion was levelled, did no longer exift; and that his majefty was come to a full determination of changing his minifters. He then moved for an adjournment, that leifure might be given for the forming of a new adminiftration. He afterward took leave of the house as minifter. His fpeech was decent and pathetic. He thanked them for the honorable fupport they had given him during fo long a courfe of years, and in fo many trying fituations; and concluded with fignifying, that he was both ready and defirous to encounter the ftricteft fcrutiny into his conduct.

During the adjournment, which was to the 25th, the new administration was formed under the aufpices of the marquis of Rockingham, on whofe public principles and private honor, the nation can rely with confidence, after the violent struggle with which it has been agitated. The cabinet, including the marquis as firft commiffioner of the treafury, is compofed of the earl of Shelburne and Mr. Fox, who have been appointed fecretaries of state; lord Camden, prefident of the council; the duke of Grafton, privy feal; lord John Cavendish, chancellor of the Exchequer; admiral Keppel, firft commiffioner of the admiralty; general Conway, commander in chief of the forces; the duke of Richmond, mafter-general of the ordnance; Barre, treafurer of the navy; and Edmund Burke, paymafter general.

The public meafures for which the new minifter is faid to have ftipulated with the court, before he would confent to enter into any negotiation for office, are these

1. Peace with the Americans; and the acknowledgment of their independence not to be a bar to the at

tainment

tainment of the fame-2. A fubftantial reform in the fe- 1782. veral branches of the civil lift expenditure, on the plan of Mr. Burke-3. The diminution of the influence of the crown, under which article the bills for excluding contractors from feats in parliament, and difqualifying the revenue officers from voting in the election of members were included.

The revolution that has taken place in the British adminiftration, is chiefly owing to the capture of lord Cornwallis and his army; and muft diffufe a general joy through the United States of America, whenever the account reaches them; by exciting their hopes of foon poffeffing the great object for which they have been contending. But the difagreeable intelligence received at the admiralty office from the Weft Indies on the 12th and 26th of March, did undoubtedly promote and confirm the faid revolution.

The fuperiority of the French by sea and land in that part of the world, enabled them to undertake what they pleafed. The lofs of Statia was but the prelude to further misfortunes on the fide of Britain. St. Kitt's was doomed to become a victim to the policy and power of France. The marquis de Bouille landed 8000 men on Jan. the island, and was fupported by count de Graffe, with 11. 32 fhips of the line. The garrifon under gen. Fraser 1 did not exceed 600 effective men: fo that the great fuperiority of the enemy prevented all refiftance to their landing. The garrifon retired to Brimftone-hill, which, befide fome newly erected fortifications, was confidered from its height and almoft inacceffible fituation, as one of the strongest pofts in the Weft India iflands. But the troops were too few for its defence through a long fiege.

The

1782.

Jan.

25.

The British fleet under Sir Samuel Hood, confifting of 22 fhips of the line, was then at Barbadoes. That ifland was the original object of the French commanders; but they were driven fo far to the leeward by con- · trary winds, that they found it neceffary to change their defign, and direct their attack againft St. Kitt's. Sir Samuel notwithstanding his inferiority, determined upon boldly attempting the prefervation of the island. He accordingly failed to Antigua, where he took gen. Pref cott on board, with the few troops that could be spared; and from thence proceeding in the evening for BaffeTerre road, where de Graffe lay at anchor, began at day break to form his line of battle, for the purpose of bearing down upon and attacking them. The accident of two fhips running foul of each other, interrupted the profecution of this defign; and the fleet was obliged to lie to for a day, during the repair of the damage which one of them had sustained, A French frigate from Martinico, full of shells and ordnance ftores, for the fiege of Brimftone-hill, which fell into the hands of the British, seemed to compenfate in fome measure for this delay. De Graffe, who could not but be surprised at this unlooked for vifit, quitted his anchorage, that fo by putting out to fea and gaining a good offing, his fhips might have full room to act, and thereby fecure all the advantages of their fuperiority in number.

Sir Samuel inftantly perceived how he might profit by this movement. The enemy formed in a line of battle a-head. He carried on every appearance of a determined and immediate attack, whereby he drew them further from the fhore. He then pushed directly for Baffe-Terre road, and took poffeffion of that anchorage

ground,

ground, which the count had quitted on the preceding 1782. evening. A fenfe of the poffible confequence of this movement, in cutting the French fleet off from all communication with their army on fhore, led them to fall upon commodore Affleck with the utmost fury. He commanded and clofed the rear of the British fquadron, and they were in no finall hope of cutting off that divifion. The commodore with his two brave seconds, lord Robert Manners and capt. Cornwallis, kept up fo able and unceasing a fire, that with little lofs and damage to themselves, they contributed much to the covering of the other fhips of the divifion, while they were getting into their stations. After a fharp conflict, the French were obliged to bear away.

The next morning by eight o'clock, the British line 26. was attacked from van to rear, by 29 fail of the enemy, for nearly two hours, without having the least visible impreffion made upon it. The French then wore and ftood off again to fea. De Graffe not yet difcouraged, renewed the engagement in the afternoon, and directed his attack principally against the centre and rear divifions. These he hoped to overwhelm by the fuperiority of his force: but he was again repulfed with greater lofs and damage than before. His own fhip, the Ville de Paris, fuffered feverely, and received no less than 84 fhot in her hull. It was faid, that the French fent a thousand wounded to Statia. The lofs of the British in all the attacks is ftated at 72 killed and 244 wounded. From that time the count kept at a diftance, but continued conftantly in fight, appearing one day with 32 two, decked fhips, and another with only 29.

The