and chearfulness with which the troops fubmitted to the greateft hardships. Admiralty-Office, Jan. 31. Copy of a Letter from Richard Onflow, Efq. Vice-Admiral of the Red, to Mr Nepean, dated on board his Majefty's fhip Naffau, Yarmouth Roads, Jan. 29, 1797. SIR, Be pleased to inform my Lords Commiflioners of the Admiralty, that his Majefty's hired armed cutter Griffin anchored in thefe Roads yesterday morning, at ten o'clock, with the French privateer lugger, La Liberte, her prize, carrying three carriage guns, four fwivels, and eighteen men: She was taken at the entrance of the Ship Wafh, after a chace of three hours and a half. This is one of the veffels that has infefted the coaft for fome time paft. I am, Sir, Your moft obedient humble fervant, Admiralty-Office, Feb. 7.. Inclofed herewith is a copy of a letter I have received from Captain Bazely, of his Majefty's floop Harpy, giving an account of the Lion cutter having captured a fmall French privateer off Dungenels. I am, Sir, &c. &c. John Bazely. Harpy, off Dungeness, February 3, 1797, Six o'clock P. M. SIR, I have the honour to acquaint you, that, at five o'clock this morning, fireich ing clofe in with Dungeness Point, we fell in with his Majefty's armed cutter Lion, bringing too a floop, aftern of a convoy running to the eastward, which proved to be the Reguin, Republican privateer, belonging to Dieppe, with 20 men, and armed with mufquets. I have the honour to be, &c. Admiralty-Office, Feb. 14. Copy of a letter from Captain Goffelin, Commander of his Majesty's fhip Syren, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated off Cherburg, February 2, 1797. SIR, You will be pleafed to inform the Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that being off Cherburg with his Majef ty's fhip under my command, I this day captured Le Spanfeur French cutter privateer, carrying two fwivels, fome fmall arms, and eighteen men. She left Cherburg the 5th of January, and had not taken any thing. I have the honour to be, &c. &c. From the London Gazette, Feb. 18. Extract of a letter from Vice-Admiral Onflow, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated on board his Majesty's fhip Naffau, in Yarmouth Roads, Feb. 27. 1797. SIR, Efpion at Sea, Feb. 16, 1797. I have the honour to inform you, that at ten, A. M. on the 14th inft. the Texel bearing S. E. diftant eighteen leagues, chace was given to a fhip under Danish colours, on the weather bow, which, after making every effort to get away, was overpreffed with fail, and at fix P. M. brought to by Efpion and Martin. She proved to be Le Buonaparte French privateer, mounting 16 fix-pounders, and one long twelve-pounder, with a complement of 110 men, but had only 81 on board; fhe failed from Cherburg on the ift inft. fince which he had cruized on the coaft of Scotland, and had only captured a floop in ballaft which was liberated; eight fix-pounders were thrown overboard during the purfuit; all the day the weather was extremely boisterous, and it was with infinite difficulty and hazard the exchange of prisoners was ef fected. One boat belonging to the Ef pion was loft, but happily no lives; and it is but juftice to the officers and feamen of both hips to declare they performed the fervice with manly spirit and determination; as during the night it blew very hard at N. N. W. the Martin and prize unavoidably feparated from the Efpion; Capt. Sutton had been previously defired to ftay by the prize, and see her into Yarmouth. The privateer is quite new, fails remarkably markably faft, and is in every respect well found as a veffel of war. I have the honour to be, &c. (Signed) Manley Dixon. Admiralty Office, Feb 18. Copy of a letter from Capt. Halfted, Commander of his Majesty's fhip Phanix, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated at Sea, Feb. II, 1797.. SIR, Be pleafed to acquaint their Lordships, that the Jeune Emilie, a French privateer brig, of ten guns and fixty-two men, was captured by his Majefty's fhip Triton this evening. She has been only forty days from St Maloes, has taken an Eng. lith floop called the Friendship from Lifbon to Liverpool, with fruit, and an English fhip Letter of Marque, of ten nine pounders and twenty-men, called the Battalion, from Liverpool to Jamaica, after an action of three quarters of an hour. I have alfo to acquaint you, for their Lordships further information, that the Triton captured the French privateer cutter Recovery, of fourteen guns and forty-fix mer, on the 10th inftant, which had been a few days from Havre, and had taken an English (muggler, and an American hip bound to Bombay; the latter was retaken a few hours afterwards by the Stag. I have the honour to be, &c, L. W. Halfted. From the London Gazette, Feb. 21. Extract of a letter from Admiral Sir Peter Parker, Bart. Commander in Chief of his Majesty's ships and veffels at Portsmouth, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated February 17, 1797•, Lieut. Sanders, of the Phoenix, who has charge of the Difficile privateer, informs me he was captured by the Phonix, Tritoy, and Scourge laft Sunday night, at half paft eleven o'clock. She mounts eighteen guns, had two hundred and fix men on board, and failed three days before from Breft. Admiralty-Office, Feb. 21. Copy of a letter from Capt. Young, Commander of his Majefty's fhip Greyhound, to Evan Nepean, Efq. dated at Spithead, Feb. 18, 1797. SIR, I request you will inform my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that on the 18th inftant, at feven A M. I fell in with, five leagues to the weftward of Beachy-Head, Le Tartane French privateer brig, of fixteen guns, four-pounders, and fixty men, from Dieppe, on a "cruize, had taken nothing. I feel myfelf much obliged to Capt. Chefshyre, of his Majefty's floop Plover, on feeing the Greyhound in chace, and his being to leeward, by hawling athwart, occafioned the capture of the privateer much fooner than the other wife would have been. I have the honour to be, &c. James Young. Admiralty-Office, Feb. 21, 1797. Copy of a Letter from Rear Admiral Bazely, commanding his Majefty's fhips and veffels in the Downs, to Mr Nepean, dated February 19, 1797. You will be pleased to acquaint their Lordships, that his Majefty's fhip Eurydice, Captain Talbot, arrived here yefterday, and has brought in with him a fine French lugger privateer. I inclofe herewith a copy of his letter to me, giving an account of her capture. Eurydice, in the Downs, Feb. 11, 1797. SIR, Laft Sunday morning, immediately on receiving the intelligence you fent me by the Phoenix cutter, relative to the privateers which have failed from Ofend and Dunkirk, I proceeded, together with the Queen and Narciffus cutters, to the northward, in hopes of meeting with fome of them. On Monday night, at half past nine o'clock, being then a few leagues to the fouthward and weftward of the Galloper, we fell in with and captured, after a chace of three hours and a half, Le Flbufiier, French lugger privateer, of fixty tons, mounting fourteen four and three pounders, with fix fwivels, and manned with fixty-three men: she had failed the night before from Dunkirk, and had not taken any thing; is a very fine veffel, fails faft, and was bound to the northward to cruize for our Baltic trade. I have the honour to be, &c. Admiralty-Office, Feb. 25. SIR, I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of my Lords Commiffioners of the Admiralty, that his Majef Rr 2 ty's ty's floop Scourge, under my command, at half past twelve P. M. on the 21ft inft. the land bearing N. E. by E. diftant five or fix leagues, captured, after a chace of three hours, a French privateer called Le Furet, pierced for 14 but only mounting to guns, having the other four in her hold. She had on board, when taken, 50 men, befides 22 English prifoners, feven of whom were wounded; he is commanded by Benoith Giron, had been 20 days from L'Orient, is coppered, and a faft failer. I have the honour to be, &c. H. R. Glynn. From the London Gazette, Feb. 25. Whitehall, Feb. 25. A letter this day received by the Duke of Portland, from Lord Milford, Lord Lieutenant of the county of Pembroke, dated Haverfordweft, February 23. five P. M. contains information that two fri gates, a corvette, and a lugger, appeared off the coaft of Pembrokeshire the 22d inftant; and on the evening of that day difembarked fome troops, reported by deferters to be about twelve hundred, but without field pieces. It appears that the most active exertions were made by the Lord Lieutenant and gentlemen of the county, and its neighbourhood, in taking proper meafures on this occafion; and that the greateft zeal and loyalty were manifefted by all ranks of people, who crowded to offer their fervices against the enemy. Extra of a letter from Lieut.-Col. Orchard, commanding the North Devon Volunteers, to the Duke of Portland, dated Hartland Abbey, Feb. 23. 1797. I think it my duty to ftate to your Grace, that I yefterday received an exprefs from. Ilfracombe, mentioning that there were * three French fhips off that place; that they had fcuttled feveral merchantmen, and were attempting to deftroy the fhipping in the harbour. They begged that I would immediately order the North Devon Volunteers under my command to march to the affiftance. In confequence of this reprefentation, I ordered my men to get ready to march as foon as poffible. I have great fatisfaction in faying, that in four hours I found every officer and man that was ordered on the parade at Bideford (fifteen miles from home) ready and willing to march to any place they should be commanded to go. I cannot exprefs the fatisfaction I felt on feeing the men fo willing to defend their King and country, at the fame time as filent, orderly, and fober, as might be expected at a morning parade of an old regiment. The greatest exertions were made by all descriptions of people to affift, and to render every fervice in their power. As I was preparing to march, I received an account from Ilfracombe, that the French fhips were gone from the coaft, and that tranquillity was again reftored to the town. How far the report was well founded I cannot poffibly fay; but as this affair may be mifreprefented and exaggerated, I truft your Grace will excufe my troubling you with this letter; and I flatter myself it must give you pleafure to hear of the loyalty of this neighbourhood, and that the behaviour of the Volunteers and inhabitants will meet the approbation of his Majefty. From the London Gazette, Feb. 26. 1797 Whitehall, Feb. 26. Letters, of which the following are ex tracts, have been this day received from the Right Hon. Lord Milford, Lord Lieutenant of the county of Pembroke, by his Grace the Duke of Portland, bis Majefty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department. Haverfordwest, Feb. 24. 6 o'clock, A. M. Since I had the honour of writing laft ed information of the French fhips hav to your Grace by exprefs, I have receiving failed and left three hundred men be hind, who have furrendered themselves prifoners. The great fpirit and loyalty that the gentlemen and peafantry have fhewn on this occafion exceeds defcription. Many thousands of the latter affembled, armed with pikes and scythes, and attacked the enemy, previous to the arrival of the troops that were fent against them. Haverfordwest, Feb. 24. 9 o'clock, P. M. I have the honour and pleasure to inform your Grace, that the whole of the French troops, amounting to near fourteen hundred men, have surrendered, and are now on their march to Haverfordweft. I have taken the firft opportunity of announ *Thefe are the fame veffels mentioned in the above letter from Lord Milford. announcing this good news to your Grace, and fhall have the honour of writing again to your Grace by to-inorrow's poft. From the London Gazette, Feb. 27. Whitehall, Feb. 27, 1797. A letter, of which the following is a copy, has been this day received from the Right Hon. Lord Cawdor by his Grace the Duke of Portland, his Majesty's Principal Secretary of State for the Home Department. Fishguard, Friday, Feb. 24. 1797. My Lord, In confequence of having received information, on Wednesday night at eleven o'clock, that three large fhips of war, and a lugger had anchored in a small roadftead upon the coaft in the neighbourhood of this town, I proceeded immediately, with a detachment of the Cardigan militia and all the provincial force I could collect, to the place. I foon gained pofitive intelligence they had dif embarked about 1200 men, but no can non. Upon the night's fetting in, a French officer, whom I found to be the fecond in command, came in with a letter, a copy of which I have the honour to inclofe to your Grace, together with my anfwer: in confequence of which they determined to furrender themselves prifoners of war, and accordingly laid down their arms this day at two o'clock. I cannot at this moment inform your Grace of the exact number of prisoners, but I believe it to be their whole force. It is my intention to march them this night to Haverfordweft, where I fhall make the beft diftribution in my power. The frigates, corvette, and lugger, got under weigh yefterday evening, and were this morning entirely out of fight. The fatigue we have experienced will, I truft, excufe me to your Grace for not giving a more particular detail; but my anxiety to do juftice to the officers and men I had the honour to command, will Induce me to attend your Grace with as little delay as poffible to ftate their merits, and at the fame time to give you every information in my power upon this fubject. body of the French troops under my To the Officer commanding his Tate, Chief de Brigade SIR, Fishguard, Feb. 23, 1797. The fuperiority of the force under my muft prevent my treating upon any terms command, which is hourly increasing, fhort of your furrendering your whole force prifoners of war. I enter fully into your with of preventing an unneceffa ry effufion of blood, which yuur fpeedy furrender can alone prevent, and which will entitle you to that confideration it is ever the wifh of British troops to fhew an enemy, whose numbers are inferior. and I fhall expect your determination by My Major will deliver you this letter, ten o'clock, by your officer, whom I have furnished with an efcort, that will conduct him to me without moleftation. I Cawdor am, &c. To the Officer commanding the French troops. SCOTLAND. High Court of Jufticiary, April 3. This day came on the trial of James line, accufed of being concerned in the Harknefs, late clerk to a writer in Mauchmurder, or culpable homicide of Mungo Miller, late tanner at Mauchline. At the affizes held at Ayr in Autumn 1795, John Thomson, inn-keeper in Mauchline, with his wife, a fon and daughter, were tried for the murder of Mungo Miller, tanner in Mauchline, who had been found dead on the street of that village, on the morning of the 19th of March 1793. All these perfons were acquitted by the verdict of the Jury. Bur David Thomfon, formerly baker in Mauchline, and then a foldier in the Elgin Fencible regiment, who had been indicted along with them, was outlawed for not appearing. In Auguft laft, this David Thomfon returned from Ireland, where his regiment was upon duty, and and was apprehended, upon the petition of the father of the decealed. While in jail he got the fentence of outlawry recalled, and in December laft, Dav.Thomfon, who, till that time, had denied all knowledge of the circumftances attending the death of Mungo Miller, emitted à declaration, accufing James Harknefs, clerk to Mr Hamilton, writer in Mauchline; and Harkne's having voluntarily gone to Ayr, on hearing of this accufation, and furrendered himself, was committed to prifon, and afterwards executed his letters of intimation to bring on a trial. -The public mind had been long and much agitated, on the supposed crimes, and the cafe excited much curiofity. The libel was found relevant, the evidence for the profecution was led, the only part of which, that tended material ly to criminate the prifoner, was the teftimony of David Thomfon, the foldie, who pofitively fwore, that on the night between the 18th and 19th of March 1793, he had been called out of his houfe by Janet Thomfon, daughter of John Thomson, the innkeeper, who had been formerly tried; and that, on following her to her father's houfe, he was taken by her into a low room, where he found her father, mother, and her brother, alongft with James Harkness, standing by the dead body of Mungo Miller. That Harkness confeffed himlelf to have been the murderer, and offered the witnefs money, to affift in carrying the body to the place where it was found next morning, which he refufing, the perfons prefent, with the affiftance of another man then in the house, carried out the body themselves. In this story, he was directly contradicted by the family of John Thomfon, and the other perfon, whom he alledged to have been employed in carrying out the body. Ilis account of the wounds was alfo not confiftent with the fact, as proved by the furgeons examined, and others; and there were feveral improbabilities in his narrative.-Indeed, feveral of the witnelles gave very contradictory evidence, On the part of the prifoner it was proved by his mafter, Mr Hamilton, that he had performed bufinets for him, an the evening of the alledged murder, and went to his bed at the ufual hour, with out any appearance of guilt in his conduct. His character was established to be good, by the fame evidence; and Janet Thomion entirely contradicted the ftory of the foldier. The evidence being clofed, the Solici tor-General stated the import, with the utmoft candour, on the part of the Crown; and the Hou. Henry Erskine fpoke, with his ufual ability, for the prifoner. After which, Lord Efkgrove, the Prefi ling Judge, diftinctly fummed up the whole, and recommended to the Jury, if they fhould think the evidence defective, but fhould entertain a fufpicion of the guiit of the prifoner, to bring in a verdict, finding the libel Not Proven,” and if they entertained no fuch fufpicion, to find him "Not Guilty." The Jury were inclofed at 2 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and unanimously found the prisoner Not Guilty. Perth, April 3. The Circuit Court of Jufticiary was opened here on the first curt. by the Right Hon. the Lords Swinton and Dunfinnan.-Robt. Watson and Katharine Muir, accused of theft, petitioned for banishment; to which the Advocate Depute confented; and Wat fon is banished from Scotland for life, and Muir for feven Years. Pat. Blair of Norriefton, and John Laing, accused of affault, failing to appear, were outlawed. The Advocate-Depute deferted the diet pro loco et tempore, against Charles Graham, tinker, accused of houfe-breaking and theft, and horse-stealing, and he was recommitted on a new warrant.Alexander Muir was accused of Culp able Homicide; but the Jury found the libel Not Proven; whereupon he was acquitted. Jedburgh, April 5. The Circuit Court of Jufticiary was opened here this day by the Right Hon. Lord Justice Clerk.Ifobel Fleeming, accufed of child-murder, was banished from Scotland for life, upon her own petition, with the confent of the Advocate Depute. There was no other bufinefs of a criminal nature before the Court. Aberdeen, April 11. The Circuit Court of Jufticiary was opened here on Friday, by the Right Hon. Lords Swinton and Dunfinnan-James Stewart at Etrach, was tried for adminiftering poison to John Glafs, by which his life was put in imminent danger. The libel was reftricted to an arbitrary punishment.—He was found Guilty, and fentenced to be tranf ported for fourteen years-John Davidfor, from Rathen, was tried for hamefucken and beating Margaret Kerr and her niece. Verdict Not Guilty.-A'exander Donald from Aftied, was tried for ftealing an ox. Verdict Not Proven. This finished the Circuit here." Dum |