Ships and Vessels at the Leeward Ilands, to Sir Fran
Nepean, Baronet, dated on board the Gentaur, in Choc-
Bay, St. Lucia, 22d Jane, 1803.

SIR,I have the honour to acquaint you, for the information of the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that, on my arrival at Barbadoes on the 17th, late in the evening, having consulted Lieutenant-General Grinfield with respect to the intended co-operations of the army and navy, I instantly took measures to prevent further supplies being thrown into St. Lucia, (the ships on this service, under the orders of Captain O'Bryen, of the Emerald, made some captures of trading vessels), and every disposition was settled for embarking the troops and light artillery on board the ships of war, and the uccessary stores, &c. in small vessels for the expedition; by great exer tions the whole was effected on the 20th, and the arrangements complcted. The Lieutenant-General having embarked with the troops, I put to sea with the ships named in the margin; was joined next morning by the Emerald and Osprey, having Brigadier-General Prevost on board, and were all anchored by eleven o'clock in this Bay.There being a strong breeze, the boats of the squadron had a heavy pull with the first division of the army, composed of the 2d battalion of the Royals, and two field-pieces, under the command of Briga dier General Brereton; but, by the great energy and excellent disposition made by Captain Hallowell, were landed in good order about two P. M. and by the perseverance of every officer and man employed in landing the remainder of the troops, the Lieutenant-General was enabled to make an early arrangement for an attack on that very im portant and strong post, Morne Fortunée, where the force of the enemy was assembled, which, on the Commandant refusing to give up when summoned, was ordered to be attacked with that decision and promptitude which has always been the characteristic mark of Lieut. Gen. Grinfield, and carried by storm at half past four this morning, with the superior bravery which has ever distinguished the British soldier: this placed the Colony completely in our possession.To Captain Hallowell's merit it is impossible for me to give additional encomium, as it is so generally known; but 1 must beg leave to say, on this expedition, his activity could not be exceeded; and by his friendly advice I have obtained the most effectual aid to this service, for which he has been a volunteer; and, after the final disembarkation, proceeded on with the seamen to co-operate with the army. The marines of the squadron, by desire of the Lieutenant-General, were landed and ordered to take post near Gros llet, to prevent supplies being thrown into Pigeon Island, which, on the fall of Morne Fortunée, was delivered up.

We are already occupied in re-embarking troops and other necessary service for future operations.――Capt. Littlehales (of this ship, is charged with the dispatch, whose assiduity and attention I with much atisfaction acknowledge, will be able to give their Lordships any further information.—I have the honour to be, &c.

SAM. HOOD.

Dublin, Tuesday, July 26.——A Proclamation, by the Lord Lieutenant and Council of Ireland. Whereas it has become necessary to use the most speedy and effectual means to put an end to the rebellions insurrections which have broken

Centaur, Courageux, Argo, Chichester, Hornet, and Cyaae.

out, and have been attended with the most daring and flagrant outrages:-We the Lord Lieutenant have thought fit, by and with the advice of his Majesty's Privy Council, to give orders, and we have accordingly given the most positive orders to the officers commanding his Majesty's forces, to exert the utmost energy for that purpose, and accordingly to attack and disperse all assemblies of armed rebels, wherever they may be found, and to do military execution upon all such rebels as they shall find in arms -Given at the Council Chamber in Dublin, the 25th July, 1803. HARDWICKE.

(Signed

INTELLIGENCE.

FOREIGN.-The Government of Lucca has, in obedience to the commands of France, prohibited the importation of any articles of British merchandize into the ports of the Republic, and excluded the English from its territories, during the continuance of the present war.--The Convention, recently concluded between the French and Batavian Republics, has been ratified by the latter. By this Convention the Batavian Republic has agreed to take 18,000 French troops into pay during the war, and to furnish, as auxiliary of France, 16,000 of her own.--M. Schimmelpenninck, lately Ambassador from Holland to the Court of London, set out for Brussels on the 21st ult. on a mission to the First Consul.--The Dutch Government has given orders for fitting out, with all possible dispatch, 100 gun-boats and 250 flat-bottomed boats, intended to serve in the invasion of England.--The French Commander in the Island of Walcheren has published an order for all the English to leave that Island within four days. They will receive passes for the interior of Holland.--The French Chef d'Escadre, Donadieu, who held a command in the expedition destined for Louisiana, has been arrested at the Hague, upon the charge of being concerned in a plot against the life of the First Consul.--Accounts received from America, state, that the Government of the Island of St. Domingo has made some arrangement with the Chiefs of the Brigands, in consequence of which con. siderable quantities of produce have been brought into Cape François for exporta

tion.

DOMESTIC.- -The British Government has issued an order for the blockade of the River Weser, and has declared, that as soon as the French troops on that river will evacuate their positions, the ships blockading it shall be withdrawn.*-- The rebellion in Ireland appears to have almost entirely

See page 171.

subsided. Many of the conspirators in different parts of the country have been arrested and their papers taken. Great quantities of arms, ammunition, clothing, &c. &c. intended for the rebel armies have been discovered and seized. Some counties, which were reported to be on the eve of insurrection, remain quiet; and, from the vigilance and activity which the government has displayed since the commencement of the disturbances, there is every reason to believe that, for the present, the rebellion will be suppressed.--A meeting of the Freeholders of Middlesex was convened at Hackney, on the 2d inst. for the purpose of addressing the King. Au address was brought forward and approved, and was directed to be presented by the Sheriffs and Mr. Byng, one of the members for the County. Sir Francis Burdett was present, but the sentiments he avowed were so offensive to the meeting, that, although one of their representatives in Parliament, he was not appointed to attend the Sheriffs with the address.On the 2d of August a motion was brought forward in the House of Commons by Col. Craufurd, recommending the immediate execution of a plan for the fortification of the metropolis.+ After a very long discussion the motion was withdrawn. On the same day, Mr. Fox moved that an address should be presented to his Majesty, praying him to appoint a Military Council. After some debate the House divided, and the motion was negatived 38 to 63. The following gentlemen voted in the minority.

Adair, Robert-Barclay, George-Parham, Joseph Foster-Calcraft, John-Chapman, Charles→→→ Combe, Harvey-Dent, John-Dillon, Họn. Aug. --Elford, Sir Wm Elliott, William-Erskine, Sir Wm. Bart.-Folkstone, Viscount-Fonblanque, John-Fortescue, Wm. Charles-Fox, Hon. Chas.

Francis, Phillip-Gower, Lod G. L.-Giles, Daniel-Hughes, Wm. Lewis-Hurst, RobertHutchinson, Hon. C.-Johnstone, George-Kensington, Lord-Laurence, French-Macmahon, John Morpeth, Viscount-North, DudleyPhipps, Hon. Edmund-Pulteney, Sir Wm. Bart. -St. John, Hon. Sr. A.-Shum, George-Smith, Wm. (Norwich -Spencer, Lord Robert-Tyrrwhitt, Thomas--Ward, Hon. J. W.-Williams, Sir R. Bart-Windham, Right Hon. W-Wood, Mark. Tellers-J. Craufurd-R. B. Sheridan. .

On the 3d, the Secretary at War brought in a bill to enable his Majesty to suspend the execution of the General Arming Bill, at his discretion.

MILITARY. -The greatest part of the Hanoverian army is already disbanded and disarmed, and those who composed it are re

turning home in different directions. The French troops which had posted themselves on the Elbe for the purpose of disarming the Hanoverians are also returning. A part of these troops is immediately to be sent into Holland, and others are already marching towards Hanover to replace them. Fifteen thousand men are to occupy the district of Lauenburgh, and the magazines which were recently established there for the Hanoverian army will be appropriated to their use. Three millions of francs have been exacted of the Hanoverians, for the support of Gen. Mortier's army; and the inhabitants of Luneburg have been required to furnish, without delay, 30,000 shirts, 15,000 pair of shoes, and various other articles of clothing. A camp of French and Batavian troops is forming on Gressel-heath near-Dewenter, and, is to be furnished with a very strong train of artillery. French troops are now spread over the greatest part of Italy, and additional corps continue daily to arrive. Gen. Verdier, with a body of 10,000 men has marched along the coast of the Adriatic, as far as Tarentum, where the head quarters are established.-It is said that the First

Consul will assume the title of Commander in Chief of the Army of England, which is to consist of 200,000 men, The head-quarters are to be established pro tempore at Compeigne. This army is to form a cordon from the mouth of the Elbe to Rochelle and Rochfort, and is to be subdivided into four separate armies; the first of which is to extend from the Mouth of the Elbe to Flush. ing, and to comprehend the troops dispersed in the Electorate of Hanover and the Batavian Republic; the second is to be formed by the troops in Belgium, and to extend from Flushing to Dunkirk: the third is to extend from Dunkirk to Cherbourg, and to comprise the troops cantoned in the departments of the North, the Pas-de-Calais, la Somme, and Basse Loire, and the fourth is to extend from Cherbourg to Brest and Rochfort, and to comprehend all the troops distributed in the departments of the West. -In conformity to the orders issued by his Majesty's government for the commencement of hostilities in the West-Indies, Lieut. Gen. Grinfield, in conjunction with Commodore Hood made preparations in June last, for an attack upon St. Lucia. The British forces arrived off the North end of the Island on the morning of the 21st and disembarked in Choque Bay. In the afternoon the outposts of the enemy were driven in, the town of Castres taken, and the commander of the troops of the French Republic summoned to surrender. In consequence of

the refusal of Brigade Gen. Nogués to accede to any terms, the fortress of Morne Fortunée was attacked early the next day and carried by assault, after an obstinate resistance. The possession of this important post placed the whole island under the dominion of the British.

NAVAL--The Lord Warden of the Cinque Ports has presented to the Admiralty an offer from the whole body of pilots and mariners of Deal, to give their personal service to the Country in any manner which may be desired, and to equip fifty gun boats. -Dispatches were received on Sunday last, from Admiral Cornwallis, informing government that six sail of French line of battle ships had moved from Brest Harbour into the outer road; and that several frigates and gun-boats were assembling at the same place. On the 25th June, the French corvette L'Enfant Prodigue of 10 guns, was captured by the Emerald, one of the ships under the command of Commodore Hood.

On the 13th ult. Capt. Griffiths, in the Constance, captured the French privateer Le Furch, two days from Boulogne. On the 16th Capt. Parker in the Amazon, eaptured the French privateer Le Felix, of 16 guns and 96 men 24 days from Rochelle ——On the 26th Capt. Bedford, in the Thunderer, captured the French privateer Venus, of 18 guns and 150 men, 5 days from Bourdeaux.-His Majesty's frigate Le Seine, of 42 guns lately got on a sand bank near Schelling, and the crew being unable to get her off set fire to her and left her. Lord Nelson is stated to have circulated a Manifesto, declaring his determination to capture all vessels coming from the Ports of France, or those Italian Ports which are occupied by French troops.- Accounts have been recently received of the safe arrival at Ferrol, of four French ships of the line from St. Domingo. The British squadron stationed off the Spanish coast was gone in pursuit of the Dutch Admiral Hartsink.——On the 18th July, 300 English merchant ships sailed from Elsineur for the North Sea under convoy. The whole of the Russian fleet at Cronstadt, consisting of about twenty ships of war, will be immediately fitted for sea. Statement of the Distribution of the British Naval Force, on the First of August, 1803.

In port and titting, and with sealed orders 88 ships of the line, fifties, frigates, and sloops; in the English and Irish Channels 73; on the Downs and North Sea Stations 67; in the West-Indies 47 ; on the American Station 11; at the Cape of Good Hope and in the East-Indies 25; on the Coas: of Africa 2; at Portugal and Gibraltar, and in the Mediterranean 46; Hospital and Prison Ships 9; mounting altogether to 373. There are besides, 14 Receiving Ships, 27 repairing, 180 in ordinary,

and 42 building, making in all 636 in commission. -The ordinary at Portsmouth is 57. at Plymouth 59, at Chatham 56, at Sheerness 14, and in the River 35 in all 221.

Address of the Freeholders and Inbabitants of the County of Middlesex:

TO THE KING'S MOST EXCELLENT MAJESTY.

We, your Majesty's most dutiful and loyal subjects, freeholders and inhabitants of the County of Middlesex, impressed with the ardent love of our Country, and the blessings we enjoy under the British Constitution, the palladium of our personal security, liberty, and property, induced by that merited esteem due to a gracious Sovereign and his Royal Fa Family, approach your sacred Person, to express our warm indignation against the disturbers of the peace, comforts, and consolations of mankind, to proclaim our just abhorrence of the treacherous designs of deJuded and domestic foes, and to declare our patriotic disdain of the threats and vauntings of our foreign enemies. Actuated by such loyal and constitutional sentiments, we solemnly pledge our united assistance by the offer of our personal service and property, to defend and preserve inviolate your Majesty's person and government, our laws, liberties, and religion, and our long established constitution, purchased for us by the blood of our ancestors, the pride of Britons, and the envy of the world.-Permit us, Most Gracious Sovereign, to assure your Majesty, that no hostile threats can intimidate a people animated by the love of liberty, and inspired with a sense of duty and affection; who, confiding in the Divine Providence, the wisdom of your Councils, and the valour of your subjects, are resolved to employ their utmost efforts to repel the insults, and defeat the attempts of our inveterate and destructive enemies,

SUMMARY OF POLITICS.

THE CAPTURE OF ST. LUCIA was, last Saturday, celebrated with those marks of joy, with which, in such cases, the govern ment usually sets an example to the people. But, with the smoke of the Park and Tower guns, evaporated, not the public joy, for none was either expressed or felt, but the small portion of curiosity, excited by the discharge of those guns. The first fire did, we are informed, excite a momentary hope of peace, in the minds of the stock dealers; but, when the people came to learn the real cause of the firing, they seemed to hang their heads with shame. This capture is the first blow of that "five years of successful war," which, as Mr. Windham truly stated, it will require to place us, with re

spect to France, where we were previous to the peace of Amiens.--Nothing is said: the people are perfectly indifferent to these things: fear has so completely possessed them, that their minds have no room for indignation against those who have brought them to the verge of destruction: they hear of an expedition, where British ships and British regiments are engaged; where a battle is fought; where an island is cap. tored; where a considerable number of French are made prisoners; where many Englishmen are killed and wounded: they hear of all this, and take no more notice of it, than of the whistling of the wind: they do not inquire what harm this conquest will do the enemy, or what good it will do us; they do not ask the minister how he can answer to that tender conscience of his for having already expended a hundred thousand pounds, and sacrificed many lives in the recapture of about one hundredth part of that strength and wealth, which he yielded to our enemy apparently for no other purpose than that of retaining his illgotten emoluments and power. No; they do not ask him this; nor do they ask him what will become of the Island of St. Lucia at the next peace; whether it be given as a ransom for some part of England or Ireland, or whether it be, amongst other colonies, again to be given back to France, in order that, by such restoration, we may, accord. ing to the opinion of the wise Lord Castlereagh, thereby "regain our influence in the "Continent of Europe!" About these things the people make no inquiry: they are alarmed for their money and their lives; and, if the minister will but insure these, he may do what he pleases with their liber. ties, and with the dominions of their sovereign. We fear, alas! that Mr. Addingtons insurance will be like that of LORD PETER, and that "the poor caitiffs who "trust to it will lose their lives and their money too."

ST. DOMINGO, which, according to the statements of the London newspapers, was, long since evacuated, for the last time, is, it appears, now in a better state than ever, "promises again to become a flourishing "colony," and this information comes, too, through the channel of these very newspapers. Agreeably to the maxims, on which the ministers grounded their justification for having permitted the French expedition to sail for the West-Indies, they never can adopt any measure for severing this island from France. They clearly stated, that it was better for an hostile French army to exist constantly in St. Domingo,

than that St. Domingo should remain under the black usurpation;" whence it follows, that we must take the island ourselves, or leave it quietly in the hands of an hostile French army, because, if we annoy and finally defeat that army, without defeating the blacks at the same time, we restore the terrific black usurpation. As to taking the island ourselves, as to subduing the blacks and the French both at once, that, we should suppose, would be hardly attempted, till, at least, time has worn away the recollection of Colonel Maitland's economical and heroic campaigns. The French army must, then, be left in the island, the ports of which cannot be completely blockaded, and, if they could be and were to be so blockaded, the black usurpation would thereby be revived. The conclusion therefore is, that, according to the maxims of the ministers, St. Domingo must remain a most formidable military rendezvous, and Jamaica'must remain in a state of constant danger, a just punishment, indeed, for those planters of that island, who rejoiced at the peace, but a very serious evil to this country.

THE BLOCKADE OF THE WESER has, very properly, followed that of the Elbe. This measure has created great distress in the north of Germany, particularly in the states of the King of Prussia, and, for this very reason, if for no other, we highly approve of it. Every place, be it in whose dominions soever it may, which submits to the arms or to the decrees of France, we ought to proceed against as our enemy.

NEGOTIATION WITH RUSSIA. The ob. ject of this negotiation is, on the part of Russia, certainly not amicable towards Great-Britain, however it may so appear. The Cabinet of St. Petersburgh has views on a part of India, and their project of expelling the Turks from Europe will never be abandoned. These objects, it is thought, cannot be accomplished without the co operation of France, and that co-operation cannot be obtained, so long as we have the possession of Malta. It is therefore determined, at St. Petersburgh, to use every means to induce us to evacuate that island. At present the Emperor, who is a very gen. tle and humane man, is governed entirely by the Empress, who has a friend, a Prince CZARTORISKY, a Pole, devoted to France; while the prime minister, Count Alexander Woronzow, is, we understand, the avowed enemy of this country: so that, notwithstanding the sanguine expectations of Mr. Fox, we shall have every thing to fear and nothing to hope from the disposition of