I enclofe, for the information of their lordships, a copy of a letter I have received from lieutenant William Wood Senhouse, of his majef. ty's fhip Prince of Wales, commanding the Alexander armed tender.

The very gallant and fpirited conduct of Mr. Senhoufe, by the capture of a privateer fo fuperior in force, together with his former fervices on a fimilar occafion, will, I am perfuaded, recommend him to their lordships' particular favour.

The Alexander's force was fix guns and thirty-eight men, that of the French privateer eight guns and feventy-four men.

I have the honour to acquaint you, that, after delivering your difpatches to the governor of Demarary, and captain Manwaring of the Babet, on the first inftant, we immediately, in pursuance of your - orders, made fail for Barbadoes, and at day-light on the 4th, that iland then bearing weft five or fix leagues, we obferved a schooner on our quarter, making fail after an American brig to leeward; we continued our courfe, but the difcovering us to be an armed veffe!, hauled her wind to the northward, as we did in chace of her; and at nine, A. M. brought her to a clofe action of fifty minutes, when the ftruck, proving to be L'Erpicharis French privateer, mounting eight

carriage guns, and having on board feventy-four men, belonging to Guadaloupe.

It is with regret I add, that this was not accomplished without the lofs of an excellent feaman, and four others wounded, one, I fear, mortally. The lofs of the enemy, I have reafon to think, was great, as on our taking poffeffion of her four men were found laying dead on her deck, and twelve feverely wounded.

The mufter-roll of the privateer being loft, and the captain's account not agreeing with the num. ber found, I have mentioned seventy-four, as the number actually counted by us when the struck. I have, &c.

W. W.SENHOUSE. Rear-Admiral Harvey, &c. Leeward Islands.

17. Advices are received from the West Indies of a dreadful mutiny, on the 22d of September, on board the Hermione frigate, when captain Pigot, and all his officers, except the furgeon and one mafter's mate, were murdered, as well as most of the marines-in all, more than 40 perfons. They carried the frigate to Laguana, intending to deliver her up to the Spanish governor, on a capitulation to be paid their arrears of pay, to be received as Spanish fubjects, and not to be returned at the end of the war.

The mutiny was headed by captain Pigot's own coxfwain, who had been in different thips four or five years with him. He cut off the captain's head while afleep.

Letters from Portsmouth mention the death of captain Parker, of the Intrepid, as particularly fingular, as well as truly unfortunate. He was fitting in his cabin, when, upon a fudden heel of the fhip, and his chair giving way, he fell against the fafh window of one of the port

holes,

holes, which he went through into the fea. It blew fo ftrong, that before any affiftance could be given by backing the fails, he unhappily difappeared. Captain Parker was brother to vice-admiral fir William Parker, at Lisbon.

Dublin, Dec. 18: Yesterday intelligence was received in town of the death of colonel Fitzgerald, who was lately guilty of a moft fhameful and difhonourable act in the family of the prefent earl of Kingston, by feducing a daughter of that muchrefpected nobleman, to whom he was allied, and in whofe family he had been a conftant vifitor. He met with his death in the following

manner:

After the discovery of this unfortunate criminal intercourse, which occurred in England, and in confequence of which a duel had taken place between the brother of the young lady (who is now lord King borough) and the deceafed colonel Fitzgerald, he was removed to the country refidence of her noble father, now the earl of Kingston, at Mitchelftown, near Kilworth, in this kingdom. The deceafed, feeling no remorfe for what he had done, in difhonouring, by the most artful ftratagems, an illuftrious family, had the audacity and hardihood to follow the young lady to Ireland; it is fuppofed, with a view to wrest her by violence from her parents, and took lodgings at an inn in Kilworth. The colonel had been there fome days before his arrival at Kilworth was known, or the object of his expedition was difcover. ed. He was obferved to walk out in the night, and conceal himself in the day, and the fervants at length noticed him lurking about Mitchels town houfe at unfeafonable hours. The intelligence having reached lord Kingborough, who had had

the duel with the colonel, and refolved to defeat his antagonist's project, he left his father's houfe, and went to Kilworth, where, having enquired if that gentleman was in the houfe, and being informed he was, he went to the apartment he was directed to that the colonel lodged in. Lord Kingsborough rapped at the door, requiring admittance: the other, knowing his voice, replied that he was locked in, and could not open the door; but, if he had any thing to fay to him, he would receive it in writing under the door. This enraged the young nobleman, and he forced open the door, and running to a cafe of piftols in the room, took one, and defired the colonel to take the other and defend himself; he was refolved to have fatisfaction for the scheme the deceafed had formed against his fifter, and which he came to this place to put in execution. On both feifing the piftols, they grappled with each other, and were fruggling, when the earl of Kingfton, who had been apprifed of his fon's departure in purfuit of the colonel, and quickly followed the young lord, entered the room, and finding them in the conteft, and that his fon muft lofe his life from the fituation the deceased had him in, the earl fired upon the colonel, not we believe with an intent to kill him, though his aggravation was great; but the fhot however took effect, and the colonel loft his life, but not lamented by any one who has heard of his very difhonourable conduct in this affair.

When mifs King was taken by her father from England, on account of her difgrace, it was difcovered, on her arrival in Dubin, that the fervant-maid who accom panied her, favoured the views of the feducer, On her confequent dif

miffal from the fervice, the returned to England, and was the bearer of a private letter to col. Fitzgerald, the contents of which were, it is faid, fufficient to induce the colonel, even at the risk of his life, to make an effort to regain the young lady; but his finances not enabling him to undertake the journey, he borrowed a fum of money of an amiable woman, who ought ever to have been moft dear to him, un der the pretence of making a vifit to Dorfetfhire. Thus accommodated, he fet out for the fifter kingdom, and arrived at the village of Kilworth, near Mitchelstown, the refidence of the noble family, the place where the young lady was then kept, and whofe conduct was then watched with particular vigilance.

An admiralty feffions was held at the Old Bailey, when three prifoners were tried, one of whom was capitally convicted, viz. George Jay, for that he, being a natural-born fubject of this kingdom, was, on the 4th day of June laft, taken on board a French privateer, fighting against the fubjects of this country, and received judgment of death. Two were acquitted; and four difcharged by proclamation.

Admiralty Office, Dec. 19. This gazette contains an account of the capture of a faft-failing French privateer La Mouche, of 18 guns and 222 men, by his majefty's fhip Diana, captain Faulknor.

The national thanksgiving for the three great naval victories of lords Howe, St. Vincent, and Duncan, took place this morning. Never, perhaps, was there fo fine a fpectacle exhibited; and the recollection of the ever memorable events which gave rife to it added in no small degree to the gaiety of the scene. The remarkable beauty and clear

nefs of the day (the finest which had taken place for many weeks) greatly increased the splendour and brilliancy of the fpectacle.

Long before day-light the houfes through which the proceffion passed began to fill.

The military, confifting of the three brigades of foot guards, the horfe guards, not immediately employed about the king's perfon, the volunteer corps of London and Westminster light horse, came upon duty at feven o'clock; the latter affembled in Hyde Park, and before eight moved down Conftitu tion Hill, on their route through Pall-Mall and to the city. His majefty, feeing them pafs, did them the honour to require them to countermarch by the gate next Pimlico, where his majefty was pleafed to ftand to fee them march past him. His majefty was moft graciously pleafed to exprefs his high confide ration of the corps in the moft gra tifying terms. About feven, the military moved to their ftations in the different streets which they were appointed to line. The foot-guards took the duty from St. James's to Temple Bar, infide of which the ftreets were lined by the two regiments of city militia, the two regi. ments of Eaft India volunteers, and feveral other corps of the fame defcription, to whofe military and decorous conduct, we are happy we can bear the moft decifive teftimony.

At eight o'clock, the feamen and marines, chofen to efcort the colours, formed before the admiralty, They were fine-looking men; and the trophies of their bravery were labeled June, 1794," " Febru ary, 1797,"" October, 1797," &c.

The proceffion began with two colours taken from the French, three from the Spaniards, and four from

the

the Dutch; the colours carried on artillery waggons, and each fet followed by a party of naval lieute nants on foot, who had ferved in the feveral engagements in which they were won. A very large detachment of marines, with mufic playing, followed; and the whole corps were ranged in the cathedral from the weft door to the choir. The following admirals, in carriages, brought up the rear of this part of the proceffion: Lord vifcount Duncan, fir Charics Thompfon, fir Richard Onflow, fir Alan Gardner, fir Thomas Paifley, fir Roger Curtis, fir Horatio Nelfon, lord Hugh Seymour, Caldwell, Waldegrave, Hamilton, Goodall, Young, Lindfay, Gambier, Bazeley, captain fir Henry Trollope. This was by far the most interefting part of the fpectacle. The deportment of thefe gallant fons of the ocean was extremely dignified.

The lords and commons having affembled at eight, their proceffion began foon afterwards in the following order:

The commons in carriages followed by the fpeaker in his state-carriage, with his mace-bearer and chaplain.

Three knight marfhalmen. Clerks of the crown. Masters in chancery. The twelve judges. The peers in the order of their rank, the youngeft baron firft, and the fenior duke bringing up the rear.

Lord high chancellor. Thefe parts of the proceffion having reached St. Paul's before nine, the firing of the Park guns announced, foon after ten, that their majefties had entered their carriages at St. James's; and

THE ROYAL PROCESSION began in the following order, each carriage being drawn by fix capa1797.

Third coach-equerries. coach-ladies of the bedchamber.

Fourth

Fifth coach-matter of the horse. King's Houfehold. Sixth coach-gentlemen ushers of the privy chamber. Seventh coach-equerries. Eighth coach-lord fteward, &c. Ninth coach-lords of the bedchamber.

Tenth coach-mafter of the horse. THEIR MAJESTIES; with the mistress of the robes to the queen, and the lady of the bedchamber in waiting. PRINCESSES.

Attendants on the princeffes. The princeffes were dreffed in purple fatins, trimmed with gold, and wore bandeaus of purple and gold in their hair.

The horfes of the twenty car riages of ftate, amounting to 122, formed, perhaps, the fineft equeftrian fight ever feen in any country. Thofe of the duke of Gloucefter were bays, of the duke of York white, of the duke of Clarence roans, of their majefty's household black.

The crowd in the ftreets, from St. James's to the cathedral, was immenfe; but the carriage-way was kept entirely clear for the proceffion, which reached the cathedral (M) without

without the fmallest delay or interruption. The city militia, light horfe affociation, and the gentlemen of the artillery company, kept the stricteft regularity in the city; while the various detachments of troops in other quarters added to the grandeur of the fcene, and preferved the completest order.

During the proceffion of the houfe of commons down the left fide of Fleet-ftreet, the lord mayor, the two fheriffs, four of the common council (as reprefentatives of the corporation) in their carriages, preceded by the marshals and city officers, went to Temple Bar, where they waited to receive his majefty; to whom the lord mayor delivered the city fword; which being graciously returned by the king, the lord mayor, with the fheriffs and city deputation *,. all elegantly dreffed in their gowns of office, rode bare-headed before his majef ty to the cathedral church.

His majefty was received with every mark of attention, refpect, and applaufe, which his goodnefs of heart, and love for his people, fo eminently merit. Particular marks of refpect were also bestowed on many others; among whom we were glad to notice Mr. Pitt; the plaudits bestowed on him filenced and overpowered the hiffes and clamours of a few malcontents, planted in different places apparently to infult him.

When the proceffion reached St. Paul's, the lieutenants, taking the flags from the waggons, attended by the feamen and marines, divided themselves for their captains to pafs up the body of the church, to their feats in the galleries on each fide of the choir. The colours, on being brought within the church,

were carried in proceffion under the loudest fhouts of applaufe, and grand martial mufic, to the middle of the dome, where they were placed in a circle. The princeffes, with the dukes of York and Clarence, prince Erneft, and the duke of Gloucester, and their respective fuites, on their alighting, formed a circle within the church, regularly from the right of the great weit door, with the lord mayor, theriffs, aldermen, and the admirals on the oppofite fide, where they waited to receive their majefties. The common council of London, in their mazarine gowns, were ranged, with their ladies, in two fpacious galleries, which filled the femicircle of the dome; and, from the number of beautiful women prefent, added not a little to the grandeur of the fpectacle.

The king, on his alighting at the church, was received by the bishops of London and Lincoln, who walked on each fide of his majesty, preceded by the heralds at arms, and prebendaries of the cathedral. Hermajef ty, led by earl Morton, followed with her fuite; and the princes and princeffes, according to their rank, with their attendants, in proceffion. On the arrival of their majefties and the princeffes within the circle formed by the colours, they were lowered; and the royal family refpectively made their obeifances to the company affembled in the dif ferent parts of the church, which were returned with the loudest acclamations and congratulations ever perhaps heard on any occafion,

The fervice was chaunted by the minor canons, the leffons by the fub-dean. At the end of the first leffon, the flag-officers entered in two divifions, right and left of the