ftates. Nevertheless the English court pofitively refufed, as the manifefto proceeds to affirm, its affent to the propofitions contained in this ultimatum; declaring, moreover, that France should not interfere in the arrangement of the interests of those the affects to call her allies: and, in fine, the English court had the effrontery to fay, that the drift of Spain was to form, from the pretenfions of the colonies to independence, one common caufe with them and with France. On the contrary, his Catholic majesty declares, that these last proposals were not even communicated to France before they were tranfmitted to the court of London; fo that the haughty expreffions of the English miniftry amount merely to this conclufion, that in spite of the overture made by themselves, they prefer war to peace, or a treaty under the mediation of the Catholic king, whom they provokingly infulted, treating him as partial, inconfiftent, and leagued with the enemies of Great Britain; notwithstanding which his Catholic majesty did not iffue orders for reprifals, but in confequence of the actual commencement of hoftilities on the part of Great Britain." Upon the whole it is evident, from the explicit and curious detail of the whole negotiation given in this manifefto, clothed as it is in the ftately language of Caftilian pride, tinctured with abfurdity, that Spain acted in this bufinefs with generofity, openness, and honor. It was undoubtedly determined by both branches of the houfe of Bourbon, to establish the permanent independency of America; but this SPAIN at least wished to effect without involving herself in a war with England; and the expedient fuggefted by his Catholic majefty was certainly the wifeft and best which in prefent circumftances could be adopted; but the pride of the English court was not yet fufficiently humbled to affent to the emancipation of America, though the idea of fubjugation became every day more palpably chimerical and extravagant.

During the recefs of parliament, the earl of Stormont, late ambaffador at Paris, was made fecretary of state in the room of the earl of Suffolk deceased. The earl of Weymouth a second time refigned the feals of the southern department, which were transferred to the earl of Hillfborough; and earl Bathurst, late chancellor of Great Britain, was nominated president of the council, in the room of earl Gower. The great feal had been configned, in the course of the preceding year, to the attorney-general Thurlow, created baron Thurlow, a man endowed by nature with uncommon talents, which were concealed, and in effect loft to the world, under an almoft impervious veil of morofenefs, bigotry, and malevolence.

The state of affairs on the other fide of the Atlantic once more demands our attention. The reduction of Georgia by general Prevoft and colonel Campbell, though in itself of no great importance, excited just alarm in the inhabitants of the Carolinas, which were protected only by their own militia, and an inconfiderable body of continental troops under the command of general Lincoln, who lay encamped at Purisburg, on the north fide of the river Savannah, about twenty miles above the town of that name. At the end of April 1779, this officer left that advantageous pofition, which enabled him effectually to cover the province, and marched along the banks of the river to Augufta, where he expected to be joined by powerful reinforcements; and he hoped, by paffing the river, to cut off the communication of general Prevost with the back country, whence he received his fupplies. But general Prevoft was no fooner apprifed of this movement, than he determined to pafs the Savannah at Purisburg, and make a rapid march towards Charlestown. This, the fmall force left by general Lincoln to guard the paffage of the Savannah was not able to prevent; and the English army, confifting of about 4000 men, including Indians, arrived in the vicinity of that city on the 11th of May.

To

To the chagrin of the English general, he found the place ftrongly fortified and well fecured by the numerous militia which had now collected for its defence. After fummoning the city in vain to surrender, he determined, on hearing that general Lincoln was on his march back to Carolina, to decamp that very night, and took post, after fome detours, in the island of Port Royal, to the fouth of Charlestown harbor. In the mean time Sir Henry Clinton was engaged, in conformity to the policy of the English court, whence he derived his inftructions, in various predatory expeditions. Sir George Collier and general Matthew, in a descent upon Virginia, burnt the town of Suffolk, and deftroyed the veffels, provifions and ftores found there, and at Gofport, Jenner's Creek, and various other places in that quarter. Sir H. Clinton in perfon proceeded up the North River, and carried, by great exertions of gallantry, the two important pofts of Stoney Point and Verplanks, which the Americans had diligently fortified to preferve the communication between the eastern and western colonies. Another expedition under Sir George Collier, governor Tryon commanding the land forces, was projected nearly at the fame time against Newhaven in Connecticut, which they plundered, and afterwards proceeded to Fairfield and Norwalk, which they laid in afhes; and also the buildings and farm-houses to the compafs of two miles round. At the fame time a proclamation was issued by them, declaring "the existence of a fingle houfe on the coast to be a striking monument of British mercy." A far more important enterprise was next undertaken by the fame officer, for the relief of a fortrefs lately constructed at the mouth of the river Penobscot, in the eastern confines of New England, and garrifoned by a detachment of king's troops from Nova Scotia. This poft had been for fome time closely invested by an armament of confiderable force from Bofton, which was attacked lying in the river and almost entirely deftroyed by Sir George Collier, who

took

t

took two frigates of twenty and eighteen guns, the remainder to the amount of seventeen veffels being ftranded and burnt. The fuperior weight of metal on the part of the English commodore, who hoifted his broad pennant on board the Raifonnable, of 64 guns, and whose whole fquadron confifted of fix fhips only, far more than counterbalanced the fuperiority of numbers on the part of the enemy. On the other hand, the Americans were not without their fucceffes. After the capture of Stoney Point and Verplanks by the English, no pains were fpared to make them impregnable to the attacks of the enemy; notwithftanding which, a plan was formed by the American general Wayne, for the surprisal of this poft, which was carried into execution with great resolution on the night of the 15th of July. Neither the deep morafs in front of the lines, the double rows of abattis, or the inceffant and tremendous fire from the batteries, could damp the ardor of the troops, who, attacking with fixed bayonets, carried, the works with refiftlefs intrepidity. The clemency of the conquerors was no lefs confpicuous than their bravery; for though they had repeatedly been refufed quarter in fimilar fituations, the lives of more than 500 men, who threw down their arms, were generously granted.

In a few days, another British poft at Paulus Hook was furprised in a fimilar manner; but a better defence being made, the Americans, after ftorming two redoubts, were repulfed, and obliged to retire, not however without carrying off with them near 200 prifoners.

In the Weft Indies, foon after the defeat of D'Estaing, at St. Lucie, admiral Barrington was joined by Admiral Byron; and the English fleet being now fuperior to that of the French, endeavors were used to force the enemy to a general engagement; but they chofe, rather than encounter this rifque to remain inactive in the harbor of Fort Royal. Admiral Byron, however, deeming it expedient to convoy the trade fhips collected at St. Chrifto

pher's

pher's in June, part of their voyage; count d'Estaing took the opportunity of detaching a confiderable force to the ifland of St. Vincent, which furrendered, though garrifoned by feven companies of regular troops, without firing a shot. This is afcribed to the dread entertained of an infurrection of the Caribbs, who ftill entertained a deep refentment of the injuries they had fuftained. The French commander, being now joined by a large reinforcement of fhips and troops, failed with twenty-fix fhips of the line from Fort Royal, in the beginning of July, and steered his courfe to the Ifland of Grenada, which, though bravely defended by the governor lord Macartney, was compelled in a fhort time to surrender at difcretion. Admiral Byron on his return, receiving intelligence of the capture of St. Vincent's, immediately determined to make an effort for its recovery; but, on his paffage thither, heard the ftill more unwelcome tidings of the attack of Grenada, of which he now refolved to attempt the relief.

On the 6th of July the two fleets came in fight; but the French, having already effected their purpose, were little inclined, notwithstanding their prefent fuperiority, to rifque a close engagement. A warm but indecifive action enfued between the van divisions of the two fleets, in the course of which the English discovered to their astonifhment the French colors flying on the fortrefs of St. George. In the refult, the English fleet bore away for Antigua, and the French returned to Grenada.

Count d'Estaing being fully informed of the critical fituation of the fouthern provinces of America, now, unexpectedly directing his courfe to Georgia, made an eafy capture of the Experiment of 50 guns with fupplies of various kinds on board for Savannah, and three other frigates, which he fell in with on his way.

On the 9th of September, he anchored off the mouth of the Savannah, to which general Prevoft bad again retired, and fent a haughty fummons to that officer to furren

der