lic utility, and the importance of the object, fhould fuperfede or fupply the defects of, at leaft, general orders, and that no object of his cruize could poffibly ftand in any degree of comparative value, with the proper application of that knowledge which he had now accidentally acquired; he accordingly inftantly proceeded, with the utmost expedition, to the Weft Indies, in order to communicate the intelligence to Sir George Rodney. That commander, who was then at Carlisle Bay in the ifland of Barbadoes, whither, we have formerly fhewn, he had repaired, after his laft action with, and long pursuit of M. de Guichen, in order to victual, water, and refit his fleet, upon receiving this intelligence by the Cerberus, used the utmost diligence in putting to fea in order to intercept the Spanish fleet and convoy, before they could join the French, who were then in Fort-Royal Bay, Martinique, and had not yet recovered the effects of the late rough encounters. Nothing could have been more happy, fignal, or decifive in its confequences in this defign, if it had taken effect. But the views and hopes of the British commander were fruftrated through the caution of the Spanish admiral. Had he proceeded directly to Fort-Royal Bay, which was his object, and the appointed place of rendezvous to all his fquadron and convoy, he could fcarcely have avoided falling in with the British fleet, and the event would not admit of a doubt. But Don Solano, apprehenfive, though not informed of the danger, prudently ftopped fhort on his approach to the nearest islands, and dispatched an expeditious failing frigate, to inform M. de Guichen of his fitua tion, and to require a speedy junction of the fleets where he then was. The French commander immediately failed from Martinique, with 18 fhips of the line, being all that were yet in readi nefs, and keeping close June 10. to leeward of the islands, joined the Spaniards under Dominique. The combined fleets, when all united, amounted to no less than 36 fail of the line; which, with their combined land forces, formed fuch an apparent fuperiority, as nothing in thofe feas or iflands feemed at all capable of refifting. The danger of Jamaica appeared to be great indeed; and the other iflands, which are called leeward, from their fituation with respect to Europe and North America, though windward with refpect to that, could fcarcely hope for any other fecurity than what might arife from the pursuit of a greater object. But it happened fortunately for the British interest, that this great hoftile force carried within itself the fources of inefficacy, weakness, and decay. The Spanish troops being too much crowded on board their tranfports, that circumstance operating with the length of the voyage, the change of climate and diet, and above all, with their peculiar lazinefs, and want of cleanlinefs, the whole of those combined caufes generated a moit mortal and contagious diforder, which firft infecting their own feamen, at length fpread, though not entirely with fo fatal an effect, through the French fleet and land forces. forces. Befides a great mortality on the paffage, the Spaniards had landed no lefs than 1200 fick, on their first arrival at Dominique, and a much greater number afterwards, at Gaudaloupe and Martinique. Thus the spirit of enterprize was not only damped, but fome part of the means were taken away. This in part accounts for their not having taken all the advantages against us, that was dreaded from the junction of the fleets: but it does by no means clear the matter fufficiently. It has been faid, that the Spanish admiral had no orders to co-operate in any offenfive meafures with the French. This is not the only inftance in which the want of concert between thofe allies has faved Great Britain. Sir George Rodney, upon the junction of the enemy's fleets, retired to Grofs-Iflet Bay, in St. Lucia, where he was equally well fituated, for obferving their motions; for counteracting, fo far as he was able, their defigns with refpect to the other islands, whenever they should become manifeft; and for felf-defence, if their fuperiority fhould prompt them to venture upon an attack, The air and refreshments of the French iflands, did not produce the good effects with refpect to the Spanish fick, or in reftraining the progrefs and violence of the diforder, which had been expected, or were even usual, in fuch cafes. The diftemper was little lefs contagious or fatal than a peftilence; and if the mortality was apparent ly leffened, it feemed only to be reftrained by the decreafed number of the victims. In thefe diftreffing circumstances, the Spanish commanders re-embarked their people, and the combined fleets proceeded, before the middle of July, with the Spanish convoy, to the weftward. It appeared afterwards, that M. de Guichen, having escorted the Spaniards as far as the island of St. Domingo, and knowing there was no enemy in the way, he left them to proceed fingly to the Havana, while he put in himself at Cape François. In the mean time, Commodore Walfingham had arrived from England at St. Lucia, with a few fhips of the line, and four regiments under his convoy for Jamaica. The commander in chief, who was in the dark as to the defigns of the enemy, but informed of their departure from FortRoyal, failed with the whole fleet, as well to obferve their mo tions, as to fee the convoy well on their way. Being foon fatis fied as to the immediate deftination of the enemy, he dispatched Admiral Rowley, along with Mi. Walfington and the convoy, to Jamaica; thefe commanders taking ten fail of the line along with them, to reinforce Sir Peter Parker, and thereby insure the security of that ifland. Sir George Rodney kept the remainder of the fleet, in order to observe the future motions of the enemy, and to cover the Leeward Iflands. The fickness among the Spaniards, with the apparent want of concert between the fleets, went far beyond, in their confequences, the immediate fcene, and near views of action. In a word, they were the means of overthrowing the whole scheme and defign of the campaign, not in the Weft Indies only, but in North Ame rica likewife; and feemed to change, in no fmall degree, the fortune and nature of the war. France had defigns for the earlier part of the campaign in the Weft Indies, in which the cooperation of Spain would be neceffary. She concerted another with the Americans, which was to take place, on their fide, in the latter; and both together went to the direct annihilation (and with a very fufficiently apparent force for the purpose) of the British power, in both parts of the new World. The fuccefs of the scheme was founded upon many ftrong grounds of hope and expectation; but like all complex machines, it was liable to be difordered in the whole, by the failure only of fome of its parts. It was expected that the great fuperiority of the combined fleets would have enabled them, without much lofs or damage, entirely to crush the British naval force in the Weft Indies; that, with the great land force, which it was fuppofed would be in their hands, the reduction of Jamaica would not be an object of much difficulty or delay; that fome or all of the fmaller islands would follow of courfe; but that, without spending too much time upon leffer matters, M. de Guichen fhould proceed with his whole force to the coafts of North America, where being joined by Ternay's fresh fhips, and Rochambeau's fresh troops, they fhould, in concert with Washington, attack New York by fea and land. As the Americans would ftrain every nerve on the occafion, no doubt of fuccefs in that part of the defign could be entertained; and the reduction of Lord Corn wallis's forces, with the driving of the British finally from the continent, were confidered only as matters of course. It was undoubtedly in confe- . quence, and for the rounding and completion of this fcheme, that preparations were made by the Americans for a winter expedition to Canada, the conduct of which was to be committed to the Marquis de la Fayette. That officer publifhed accordingly a preparatory memorial addreffed to the French Canadians, and calling upon them by all the ancient ties of allegiance, blood, religion, and country, as well as by the natural and fervent defire of recovering their own freedom, to be in preparation to affift, join, and support him upon his arrival; but holding out all the feverities of war, and all the terrors of military execution, to thofe, if any fuch there could be, who blindly perverfe to their own interefts, and forgetful of all thofe ties and duties, fhould in any manner oppofe the arms, or impede the generous defigns of their deliverers. The failure, with refpect to the great objects of the defign, occafioned the laying by for the prefent of this detached part. It is not to be wondered at, that the near contemplation of fuch vaft objects, and the flattering light in which they appeared, fhould wonderfully elevate the fpirits of the Americans, and greatly invigorate their measures and counfels. Washington's army was accordingly recruited and filled up with fuch diligence, that it was faid to exceed 20,000 men; and the northern provinces were in readinefs to fend their militia, and and every denomination of military, to take fhare, along with him and their French allies, in the final overthrow of New York. Nor was it even apprehended, that the failure of the preliminary parts of the plan in the Weft Indies, could at all have affected the main object with respect to North America. But it was impoffible that any judgment formed at a diftance, could interfere with M. de Guichen's knowledge of the ftate and condition of his own force. Befides the ficklynefs of his people, he was fenfible that his hips had fuffered fo much by long fervice' in the West Indies, as well as in the feveral engagements, that they were not by any means in a condition to encounter, either the roughness of the fervice or of the climate, which they muft neceffarily undergo in the North American campaign. This know ledge, and the determination founded upon it, were, however, ftrictly referved to himself, or to thofe in his immediate confidence. And when he took a great convoy from the French illands under his protection, it was ftill thought or expected on all hands, that as foon as he had feen them fo far on their way as to be out of danger, he would then proceed to the coaft of America, for the accomplishment of the projected enterprize. But that commander proceeded directly to Europe with his fleet and convoy; and the bad ftate of his fhips, when he arrived at Cadiz, fufficiently juftified his conduct. Nothing was ever more galling to the Americans than this difappointment. It is even faid, that Washington himself could not entirely preferve that command of countenance, and equanimity of temper, by both of which he is fo much distinguished. All the views of France and America, with refpect to the campaign, were now finally fhut up; and the force fent by the former to Rhode Island, with a view of general co-opera`tion, was now reduced to act only upon the defenfive as a garrifon. Undoubtedly Great Britain had a wonderful efcape from the dangers of the prefent campaign; and the island of Jamaica has experienced a fingular fortune, in the various hair-breadth rifques which fhe has encountered during the war. Through all this courfe of tranfaction, the Admirals Arbuthnot and Graves kept the French fquadron as closely blockaded at Rhode Island, as the advantage derived from the occafional shelter of fome neighbouring iflands could afford, and the uncertainty of the winds and feas would admit. In the mean time, Sir George Rodney being aware of the original defign againft New York; and apprehenfive that both the British land and naval force would be entirely overwhelmed by the vast fuperiority of the enemy, as foon as he had received certain intelligence of the departure of M. de Guichen from Cape François, immediately failed himfelf, with eleven capital fhips, and four frigates, to their fuppofed affiftance and relief. Although he Sept. 14. found, foon after his arrival at New York, that this effort of zeal for the public fervice, which had arisen from the fpur of the occafion, might have been difpenfed with; yet he discovered in the end, that he had no caufe to .....; and feemed to n no mall degree, the formace and nature of the war. France had designs for the earhe rest of the campaign in the West Indies, in which the cooperacion of Spain would be necef She concerted another with Americans, which was to take place, on their fide, in the latter; and both together went to the direct annihilation (and with a very fufficiently apparent force for the purpose) of the British power, in both parts of the new World. The fuccefs of the scheme was founded upon many ftrong grounds of hope and expectation; but like all complex machines, it was liable to be difordered in the whole, by the failure only of fome of its parts. It was expected that the great fuperiority of the combined fleets would have enabled them, without much lofs or damage, entirely to crush the British naval force in the West Indies; that, with the great land force, which it was fuppofed would be in their hands, the reduction of Jamaica would not be an object of much difficulty or delay; that fome or all of the smaller islands would follow of courfe; but that, without spending too much time upon leffer matters, M. de Guichen fhould proceed with his whole force to the coafts of North America, where being joined by Ternay's fresh fhips, and Rochambeau's fresh troops, they fhould, in concert with Washington, attack New York by fea and land. As the Americans would ftrain every nerve on the occafion, no doubt of fuccefs in that part of the defign could be entertained; and the reduction of Lord Corn wallis's forces, with the driving of the British finally from the continent, were confidered only as matters of course. It was undoubtedly in confe- . quence, and for the rounding and completion of this fcheme, that preparations were made by the Americans for a winter expedition to Canada, the conduct of which was to be committed to the Marquis de la Fayette. That officer publifhed accordingly a preparatory memorial addreffed to the French Canadians, and calling upon them by all the ancient ties of allegiance, blood, religion, and country, as well as by the natural and fervent defire of recovering their own freedom, to be in preparation to affift, join, and support him upon his arrival; but holding out all the severities of war, and all the terrors of military execution, to those, if any fuch there could be, who blindly perverse to their own interefts, and forgetful of all thofe ties and duties, fhould in any manner oppose the arms, or impede the generous defigns of their deliverers. The failure, with refpect to the great objects of the defign, occafioned the laying by for the prefent of this detached part. It is not to be wondered at, that the near contemplation of fuch vaft objects, and the flattering light in which they appeared, fhould wonderfully elevate the fpirits of the Americans, and greatly invigorate their measures and counfels. Washington's army was accordingly recruited and filled up with fuch diligence, that it was faid to exceed 20,000 men; and the northern provinces were in readiness to fend their militia, and |