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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 proposed building a fhip 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 proposal answered a good purpose, as may be seen by the following extract of a letter from Wm. Middleton efq; to the corporation of Ipswich." 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 diftinguish→ ed 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 fubfcriptions 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, afto nished at fuch an unexampled inftance of generofity in a private gentleman, affured Sir James that his requeft fhould be inftantly complied with, which it accordingly

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1782. was; and the king received the offer with that mark of

refpect which became his majesty.

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 alfo 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 risk he ran appears from hence, that the last cask of water was broached on the day that land was discovered. 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 traversed a space 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 biscuit and water had been made, to their inexpreffible joy they discovered the Portugueze ifland of Fayal, where

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they fafely arrived at night. The American cruisers 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

FRIEND G,

XII.

Paris, Dec. 30, 1783.

THE Governor of the Univerfe, to whofe juftice

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 Auguft, labored to obtain a reception in his public character; but received from the Ruffian minister, in answer to his application, the following de claration." I have to renew to you, Sir, the expresfion 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

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1782. she will acknowledge you with pleasure in that quality, the inftant that the definitive treaties which are at the eve of being concluded, fhall have been executed-her delicacy being a law to her, not to take, before that time, a step which might not be confidered as corresponding with those which have characterized her strict neutrality during the course of the late war. Notwith

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standing which the empress repeats, that you may enjoy not only for your own honor, but alfo 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 which the emprefs 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 afpect on the British intereft in that quar1782. ter. Adm. Suffrein, with twelve fhips 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 coaft of Coromandel. When the preliminary articles between Britain, France and Spain were exchanged, on the 3d of last February, further advices were received

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from the East Indies, giving an account, that notwith- 1782. ftanding a victory which Sin 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 harafs 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 close action with Monf, de Suffrein. 6. Both fleets fuffered much, and at night anchored at no great distance from each other. In the morning the French fhips failed to Cuddalore; while the British were fo damaged in their rigging that they could not purfue. Suf frein 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 inftantly 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, 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,

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