dopted. After a variety of remarks upon the inaftivity of go
venment, in not fending a fleet into the Mediterranean to pre
vent a junction of the fleets of Breft and Toulon, and in many
other inftances of confluence, he moved that hit majefty fhould
be addrefltd to lay before the houfe.all the papers containing in
formation received by government concerning the equipment and
defti nation of the fleets of France and Spain.
Lord Weymouth, in defence of himfelf againft the charge of
neglect, declared that be was within a very little way to town
when the news came of d'Eftaing's departure; (hat orders were
immediately difpatched to Spithead, though contrary winds had
prevented a fleet from failing. He could fay nothing with ref
ptct to the beer, as that bufinefs was not in his department ; but
he though: it highly improper to lay before the public informati
on relative to the deftination of the fleets of Spain, which was
not ar war with us, or in an immediate probability of rupture,
or ot French fleets not yet failed. Nay, it might yet be prema
tore to poblifh what we knew of the deftination of d'Eftaing's
fl t. But as the accounts received of its equipment would an
1 tet tbc noble duke's intentions without doing injury to the na
n. tie would readily agree to hat part cf the motion. The
Duke then ag'eed to confine his motion to that point, and it was
ca red without a divifion.
May zi. Y- fterday lord North prefented to the hcufe of com
m mi I i fujtlowtnjr mefl"de from his m;jefty :
T H s n. jelty having confidered the addrefs cf this houfe, that
he will be gracioufly pleafed to Confer fomc final and lading
niutk ot Iris n al favour on the family cf the late William Pitt,
ea 1 of Ctiatham, and being defircus to comply as fpeedily as
j ofitole with the requeft of bis faLhiul commons, has given di
rections for granting to the prefent earl of Chatham, and to the
irs . f the bdy of the late William Pitt, to whom the earldom
it Chatham mav defcend, an annuity of four thoufand pounds
per annum, pa) abb out of the civil lift reverue ; but his majefly
nut having it m his power to extend the effect of the f3id grant
beyor.d rfte term cf his own life, recorameeds it to the houfe to
confider of a proper meth d cf extending, fecuring and annexing
the lame to the eapldom of Chatham, in fuch manner as fhall be
thought moll effectual lor the benefit of the family of the faid
William Pitt, arl of Chatham."
The faid inciTige wa accoidiugly rcsd by the fpeakcr. It vvas
then m ved, that the faid mtflage be refeir;d to a committee of
the hole h' uls to day, and upon the queftion being put, order
ed ncm. eon.
BOSTON, 3
WE are indebted to a gentleman in Providence for the follow
ing particulars relative to the Rhode Ifland movements:
V The French troop;, to the number of about 4000, landed
on the ifland of Conanicut, oppofite to Newport, three miles dil
tant, on Saturday night and Sunday mcrnir.g laft. The fime
time the French fleet likewife m;de a movement into New part
harbour; in palling the enemy's batteries they were fired upon
very fmarrly, but none of the fliot to k effect, except one, which
fti-uck the main fhrouds of the admiral's fhip. 1 he fleet returned
a few fliot, but with what effect we have not heard.
V Sunday the 9 b inftant, our troops, to the number of 10,000,
landed a: R ht.de III and and to.k pofictfioa of the enemy's forts
at Quaker ai d Batt's hills, and at Btittol ferry, with the whole
of the ifland north of their lines, which are about two miies '.his
fide of Newport, without a gun fired on either fide ; the en my
having evacuated the fcme, aid retreated to their works, where
(by a Hefijan lieutenant, who came off the iiland, and furrcnc.'er
ed himfelf yeftcrda) ) we are informed they intend to nuke a
Hand."
A hip is arrived at Por fmouth frcm Sr. Crpix, laden with
rum, fugar, mofelTes, &c. She is a merchantman.
The privateer Fortune, from P rtfmcuth,v has nken and car
ried in there two prizes, feden with filh. Sec. - She alfo has cap
tured feveral others, which the caprain gencroufly gave to the pri
foners, after taking out fome effects.
Laft Monday, ca se round from Newbury port the new conti
nental frigate Alliance, commanded by P. Landais, Elquire.
She mounts 36 guns, but will carry 4.0.
Capt. Lamb, commander cf the private armed bricant;.. r.
vounte, nas taiten ana lent into a iaic porta prize ihjD fPA ,
TV Cll XUU1C9, UUUUU IV.WIMN! vu nitu JUtWUOQ, frr Tl I
prize mounts 16 four pounders and a number of fwiveh -j 1
navigated by a fufficient number of men.
Tucfday laft arrived here capt. Chafe, in a brig from M.. 1
nique, laden with molofles, &c. In her came paiTengers ca
Coit, of Connecticut, and a number of other gentlemen. !
Nine of the new levies defened from Rhode Ifland on WAj
ay laft.
By a French gentleman, juft arrived in town from Rhode If!
land, we are informed that the French fleet had taken two of tJj
enemy's 64 gun fhips, and anchored them fafe in Newport ha I
Dour. He naa nis intelligence irom tne nnt lieutenant of coun
d'EftaingVlhip. . H
Friday laft ihe independent company cominanded by colonel
Hatchborn, and the company of light infantry commanded
capt. Hinckley, both of this town, fet out for head quarters.
Likewife, fame day, two troops of horfe from New HamplhiW
p.iffed through this town, on their way to head quarters.
Saturday laft a company from cape Anne palled through this!
place for head quarters. c, j
Since the above fomc hundreds have pafled through this toW
from the ftate of New Hamcfhire and the eaftern part of tmV
ftate, to join the army under general Sullivan at or near New-i
port.
Exlratt of a letter from Major Lyman to Major General Heath, dat
cd Tiverton, Auvnjl 10.
f We are this moment arrived oppofite the ferry, and am &i4
down to give you ail the intelligence we have been able to col J
leer. General Sullivan wiih the troops under his command
went on to Rhode Iiland yellerday, at fix o'clock in the morn!
ing, marched about five miles and encamped; we dun't learn!
that they are advancing to day. A brifk cannonade has been
heard fince 8 o'clock, fuppofed to be from the fhipping, and the!
prefumption is, that it is between the fleet from Ne-York,
der the command of lord Howe, anJ count. d'Eftaing. The pre-j
fump'ion is this moment confirmed we are impatient to knol
the iffue the firing has ceafe i about ten minutes. We occupy
the whole cxtmt of the ifland for eight miles. The firing cora-l
merjces. -The
following is a copy of a Utter from the honourable major general1
John Hancock, dated Rhode Iflind, 4guft t 1778, ts
the honour a ole Jeremiah Iowell, bjq ; pr if dent of the honj
council cf this fate.
S I R.
' THE cannonading in major Lymans Iertsr to major gen. I
Heath, which we hrirdtrd to your honourable board, proved to bei
between the barterTea at Newport and the French mips paffinp I
them." A flret of fhips being feen off, the French admiral went!
in purfuit cf them, and wnile the day light lafted, he was feenf
firing his bow chafes, and the Britifh their ftern chafes. Thii
u-i we ruppnic 10 or jrorn icv-1 wk, unoer lord tiowe; t or, M
by an exprefs that arrived yefterday from general Wafhington to 1
general Sullivan, he acquaints bim of lord Howe's failing from I
New-York with his fleet ; a lift of which I do my Calf the honour!
to enclofr. I
General S.uliivan intends to advance to morrow, and if th
French fleet returns, to attack the next day, I (hall communicate!
every occurrence worthy of notice. i . , '
. f am, Sir; your humble fervant, l
J U U IN HAN vl. O C .1
7he Hon. feremiah Pozvel, Efq ; r
7 7 -x" n' rt 1 a- t o tt--- c- r t t ra o . o '
Guns. ):... Guns. !
Centurion, 64 Ardent, h 64!
Trident, 64 Experiment, 50
Ills, 50 S6mertet, 164 1
Albion, 64 Eagle, . 64 1
Two 40 gun fhjps, names unknown 13 frigates.
Guns. 1
Daphne, . 20
Tamer, 28
graeraid, 30
Laying at Staten Iiland.