proved ineffectual if Rear-admiral Sir H. C. Christian, and the royal navy, had not stepped forward with the alacrity which has been so conspicuous in forwarding the most arduous part of the public service: to their skill and unremitting labour is in a great measure owing the success which has attended his Majesty's arms. T. BUSBY, Assistant Adjutant-General.

(Signed)

A List of the Squadron employed at the Attack and Reduction of St. Lucia, under Rear-admiral Christian, in May 1796.

There were besides these many other ships of war on the West-India station, both to windward and to leeward.

In the month of April Captain R. W. Otway, in the Thorn sloop of war, captured a large schooner, carrying out French officers, and a cargo of national cockades, to Martinique, in hopes of inducing the inhabitants to rise in arms against us. This project entirely failed, owing to the vigilance and good fortune of Captain Otway, who, in the course of the next month, captured, after a very severe action, the Courier, a French corvette of 18 guns, and 119 men, 27 of whom were killed or wounded, without the loss of one man in the Thorn.

Captain Henry Warre, in the Mermaid, of 32 guns, in October of the same year, fell in with a ship and a brig off Grenada; the brig ran in, and got aground, and the Mermaid, in the eagerness of pursuit, ran on shore close alongside of her; but the whole crew of the enemy's vessel, 120 in number, landed and escaped: the vessel was got off; she was called the Brutus. Captain Warre then went in search of the ship, which, after a chase of one day, he had the good fortune to capture. She engaged the Mermaid for half an hour, and, having 20 of her men killed and wounded, struck. Her name was the Republican, mounting 18 guns, and having 250 men, many of whom were soldiers, who, with a general officer, were intended to support the rebellion in Grenada.

After the successful attack upon St. Lucia, Rear-admiral Christian detached Captain Woolley with a small squadron to assist General Abercrombie in subduing the rebels and Caribs of St. Vincent and Grenada. The internal tranquillity of these islands was soon restored. The frigates on the station were active and successful, and many captures were made of the enemy's cruisers.

The author of the Continuation of Edward's West Indies* says that the Caribs, men, women, and children, to the number of nearly 5,000, were removed from the island, and sent to the island of Rattan, in the bay of Honduras. The only part of this statement we are inclined to doubt is the number, which we cannot believe ever amounted to what is here stated.

The following facts respecting the Caribs, or Charaibs, the author obtained while serving in the West Indies in 1808, from a gentleman at St. Vincent.

They were not finally subdued till 1797, after having, for two years, kept the settlers in a state of constant alarm and warfare; but at length, their villages being all burnt, and their plantations laid waste, they capitulated, and rations were allowed them to subsist on by the British government, until it was found advisable to transport them, as before stated. The black Caribs were the only people who disputed the possession of the island with the English. The yellow Caribs, so called from the colour of their skin, are a distinct and peculiar people; being few and harmless, and having escaped the general proscription, they yet reside in the island, and still boast among them of two races of their kings.

In June Rear-admiral Henry Harvey arrived in the Prince of Wales, and relieved Sir Hugh Christian, who, soon after,

*Vol. iv. page 47.

with Rear-admiral Pole, returned to England in the Beaulieu frigate.

That monster of cruelty, the offspring of the French revolution, the infamous Victor Hugues, unable to conquer, was resolved to destroy; he therefore sent an expedition against the little defenceless colony of Anguilla. The force consisted of two vessels, the Decius, of 28 guns, and the brig Le Vaillant, of 4 guns, of heavy caliber; they were manned with about 170 seamen, and had on board 300 soldiers.

Captain Barton, of the Lapwing, of 28 guns, received the news of this invasion as he lay at St. Kitt's, and with courage and alacrity flew to the relief of his countrymen. Quitting other service upon which he was ordered, he took on himself the responsibility of disobedience, and soon appeared off Anguilla, where he found the enemy were on shore, and had begun to riot in the full enjoyment of plunder, conflagration, and massacre. On the appearance of the British ship they thought only of escape, but that was denied them. Captain Barton brought both vessels to close action; the large one, after severe chastisement, struck, and, out of 300 people on board, she appears to have had 120 killed and wounded.

The brig Le Vaillant ran on shore upon St. Martin's, where she was destroyed by the fire of the Lapwing, whose loss upon this well-executed service amounted to one man killed and seven wounded.

CHAPTER XIV.

Hostility of America towards Great Britain-Deserters protected-Loss of a lieutenant and twelve midshipmen of the Assistance-Farther causes of disgust and alienation-Stopping ships, and impressment of American seamen-Boston and Ambuscade-Death of Captain Courteney-Causes of disagreement between France and America— Commercial treaty between England and America-Insolence of the Directory and their agents-Spirited conduct of the American government-Right of search and detention acknowledged by AmericaCorrespondence between M. Adet and Mr. Pickering-Articles of the treaty-Angry feelings of the French and Americans towards each other-Effects-Decree of France to put to death all English seamen found in neutral vessels-Not executed-Directory wish to borrow money of America-Sensation felt at the proposal-America armsEmbarrassment of France-Affair of Cochrane and Beresford with five French ships-Conduct of Richery at Newfoundland-He threatens St. John's-Retreats-Destroys settlement at Bay of Bulls-Loss of the Tribune at Halifax-Reflections.

THE Conduct of the United States of North America, after the acknowledgment of their independence, had manifested irritation and unfriendliness towards Great Britain. While the French met with the most cordial reception in their ports, we were scarcely admitted to the common rights of hospitality. In the whole of our intercourse with them, from the year 1783 to 1812, insult and injury constantly attended the arrival of every British ship in what were called "the waters of the United States." If a boat landed, the seamen were enticed to desert, and often openly paraded the streets in defiance of their officers; the magistrates of the republic refused to interfere, and exulted in the mortification of their hated and unwelcome visitors.

About the year 1787 a boat was run away with by some of the crew of the Assistance, of 50 guns, then bearing the flag of Sir Charles Douglas, and lying at Sandy Hook; the first lieutenant and 12 midshipmen pursued them in the barge, and the whole of these gallant and promising young officers were found dead the next morning: the boat had grounded in the

mud, in which they were all frozen as they attempted to reach firm ground, nor did we ever hear of the seamen being restored to their ship.

The war of the French revolution increased this hostile feeling. The trade of America, no doubt, suffered much interruption from French as well as British cruisers. The condemnation of her ships in the ports of France was in violation of every principle of justice. While in England they had at least a fair and impartial trial, yet France, with her arbitrary exercise of power, was the favourite, and found numerous advocates in America, where the legal acts of Britain met with unmerited censure. England, it must be acknowledged, committed an act for which France had no temptation-she detained her merchantmen, and took from them all British subjects, in doing which, it frequently happened that an American seaman was taken among the number. The seamen of both countries, speaking the same language, and being governed by the same manners and customs, no mark remained by which to distinguish the natives of the one from those of the other country. Desertion from the British navy had become a most alarming evil, and while England was contending for existence against the united powers of Europe, America was known to encourage her seamen in this disgraceful practice. It was, therefore, a duty incumbent on England to maintain her rights over her seamen, though in a manner the least incompatible with those of America. That American seamen were occasionally impressed I have admitted; I also know, that when claimed, and proved to be such, they were invariably released; and from my own experience I can assert, that when the impolicy of the American government in 1812 had induced it to declare war against us, all American seamen serving in our ships were gratuitously sent to their own country.

When, in the year 1794, the French West India trade put into the Chesapeake for convoy and fictitious papers, Great Britain was justly incensed. The transhipment of French cargoes into American bottoms, and the use of simulated papers to cover the property of our enemies, excited suspicions which increased the breach between the two nations. Had the great convoy, which it was the object of Lord Howe and Admiral Montagu to intercept and of Villaret to save, been captured, the open hostility of America might probably have followed the event. By the return of the British admirals into port, after the battle of the 1st of June, the Americans escaped the intended blow, and preserved a sort of armed neutrality for a few years longer, always exhibiting a partiality in favour of France. The Ambuscade, a French frigate of the large class,