ed to perpetuate the memory of the furprize, as warning to future times against similar negligeole

Such was the iffue of the fecond attempt made by France in this war upon the island of Jerfey.

The neceflity of the times had occafioned much too long a delay in the relief or fupply of the important fortrefs of Gibraltar. The unconfumed part of the provision which had been conveyed to that place by Admiral Rodney's fleet in the beginning of the preceding year, had by this paled its proper time of keeping, and befides its being generally bad in quality, was fo much reduced in quantity, as to afford room for the moft ferious apprehenfions. So early as the preceding month of October, their wary and provident governor, found it neceffary to make a reduction of a quarter of a pound from each man's daily allowance of bread. Their quantity of meat was likewife reduced to a pound and a half in the week; and that became latterly fo bad as to be scarcely eatable. The officers were even forbid the ufe of powder in their hair; a regula tion of economy, which though not very essential in itself, could not but po luce a good effect in reconciling the minds of the common men to the neceffity of their fituation. Of all poffible tefts of the difcipline, attachment and virtue of an army, a restriction of food has ever, with juf tice, been deemed the greateft. To the honour of the foldiery, in the prefent inftance, they not only fubmitted to it without murmur, but with univerfal chearfulness and good temper.

If fuch were the ftreights of the garrifon, under the care and providence of government for their support, what will be thought of the diftreffes of the unfortunate inhabitants, who were far too numerous for fo new and unexpected a fituation, and were much increased by the families of the married officers. The former were chained to the place by their houses, property and occupation, as well as by habit, and connexion, and the not knowing whither to remove. From the time of the laft fupply from England, and even earlier, not a fingle veffel had arrived with provisions or neceffa ics, either from the neighbouring Barbary thores, or from any of the more diftant coats of Africa; fo that, along with every other misfortune, they were at once cut off from that great and long established fource of a cheap and plentiful market, and reduced to depend entirely for relief, on the ca fual arrival of a few fmall Minorquin veffels, whole fupply was infufficient, and prices immo

derate.

As it has not been the fortune of the English for many years past to have acted much upon the defenfive in ficges, an account of the market prices at Gibraltar, during that period, may probably be confidered as a matter of fome curiofity; but it is of much more moment, as a means of conveying information to the public, of the obligations they are under to thofe brave officers, who fo long fuftained the honour and intereft of their country, by their glous defence of Gibraltar.

Of the most commonand indifpenfable neceffaries of life, bad fhip bifcuit, full of worms, was fold at a hilling a pound; flour, is not much

better condition, at the fame price; old dried peale, at a third more; the worst falt, half dirt, the fweeping of fhips bottoms and ftorehouses, at eight-pence; old Irish falt butter, at half-a-crown; the worst fort of brown fugar, brought the farme price; and Englifh farthing candles were fold at fix-pence a piece.

But fresh provifions bore ftill more exorbitant prices. Even when the arrival of veffels from the Mediteranean opened a market, turkies fold at 31. 125. a piece; fucking pigs at two guineas; ducks; at half-a-guinea, and fmall hens fold at nine fhillings a piece. A guinea was refufed for a calf's pluck; and 11. 7. asked for an oxe head. To heighten every diftrefs, the firing was fo nearly exhaufted, as fcarcely to afford a fufficiency for the moft indifpenfable culinary pur poles, fo that all the linnen of the town and garrifon was wathed in cold water, and worn without ironing. This was feverely felt in the wet feafon; which, notwithstanding the general warmth of the climate, is exceedingly cold at Gibraltar.

From this fate of things fome idea may be formed of the diftreffes of the inhabitants; and it need be little wondered at, if fuch officers as were not high in command, and who had families to maintain, fhould have been exceedingly embarrassed and distressed in their circumstances. Such men have the faireft claim, not only upon the benevolence but the juftice of their country.

The interefts and honour of Great Britain were deeply engaged in the timely relief of that important fortress. It was accordingly one of the firft objects of government in the commencement of the year 1781, and the grand fleet, under the conduct of the admirals Darby, Digby, and Sir J. Lockhart Rofs, was fitted out early for this fervice. It was divided into three fquadrons under their respective commanders; but though France as well as Spain, had loudly boafted, that they would not only difpute, buc abfolutely defeat the execution of this defign, yet, to widely extended was the war, and fo numerous and detached were the fervices of the British navy, that only 28 fail of the line could be spared for fo great an object.

France had, at the fame time, a fleet little inferior either in number or force, nearly ready for the fea at Breft, and Don Lewis de Cordova, with about 30 Spanish fhips of the line, was continually parading in and out of Cadiz, avow edly to fight the British fleet, and to intercept the fuccours. But to prevent all trouble in the bufinels, his force was magnified far beyond its realitate; and it was farther pretended, that it was to be joined by ftrong reinforcements, as weli from Toulon, as from the French ports in the ocean. The matter of fact was, that France was too anxious and eager for the completion of her own great fcheme in the Weft Indies and North America, and for retrieving her affairs in the Eastern world, to be diverted from their purfuit by attending to the views of Spain with respect to Gibraltar. She accordingly directed her whole attention and industry, to the early fitting out, and the effectual equipment, of the fleet which was to fail from Breft, under the conduct of M. de Graffe, for the Welt Kk 2

Indi

Indies, and to the fquadron under M. de Suffein, which was to proceed in company, on its way to the East Indies. On the other hand, Spain, being diffident of her own ftrength to prevent the fuccour of Gibraltar, boafted loudly of her courage, and of the greatnels of her force, hoping thereby to deter her enemy from the attempt.

The fleet failed from St. March 1 13th, * 1781. Helen's, with the great Eatt and Weft India convoys, betore the middle of March; but met with fome delay on the coaft of Ireland, in waiting for the victuallers from Cake, which were to proceed with them to Gibraltar. It was probably owing to this delay, that they miffed falling in with M. de Graffe's fleet of 26 ships of the line, which failed fom Breft on the 22d of March. This circumftance has occafioned a queftion, which has lince been not a little agitated both in parliament and out, whether the intercepting of De Graffe should not have been the first object of our fleet, instead of lofing time in going to Ireland, and thereby miffing the opportunity.

On the affirmative fide of the question it was faid, that the measure would have been the means of totally overthrowing the great defigns formed by France both in the Eastern and the Western world. That our Weft India Inlands would have been preferved, Lord Cornwallis's army faved from the fatal catastrophe at York Town, and our hopes and claims not only kept alive, but with great probability of fuccefs in North America.-To this it was answered, that no certain knowledge could be obtained of the time that the Breft fleet would fail; that the measure of intercepting it would be a matter of great uncertainty, and the attempt attended with much delay; and that the confequent detention of the great outward-bound convoys, which were under the care of Admiral Darby, would have been highly deftructive to our commerce, and ruinous to the merchants. That in cafe of fuccefs, the lofs of Gibraltar must be the certain confequence; as it could not be fuppofed, that after the rough encounter of two fleets fo nearly equal in force, Admiral Darby fhould be in condition to proceed to a fresh engagement with the Spanish feet at Cadiz, which was fuperior, at leaft in number, to either. And, that the relief of Gibraltar, as it was executed, was highly honourable to this country; and, befides. the importance of the object in itfelt, was abfolutely neceflary for the support of our character and confequence with the other powers of Europe.

The Eaft and Weft India convoys, amounting to about 300 fail, having proceeded on their re fpective voyages, the British feet, with 97 tranfports, ftorefhips, and victuallers, kept on its courfe for Gibraltar; and meeting no enemy, which they expected to have done, in the latitnde of Cape St. Vincent's, arrived off Cadiz before the middle of April, and looking into the harbour, faw the Spanish fleet lying peaceably at zachor, without the fmalleft appearance of any intention to disturb their purpose. It has fince appeared, that Don Cordova with his fleet had kept the fea for about a month before, and had narrowly escaped an unwilling encounter with the English; but having the fortune to receive

May,

notice from a neutral fhip of their near approach, all the vaunts which had been fo long thrown out, of his determination and eagerness to fight them, were at once given up, and he made the beft of his way into Cadiz. On the fame day, Spanish fleet, Admiral Darby for- April 12th after exploring the fituation of the warded the convoy, with fome men of war and frigates to cover them, to Gibraltar, as well as Minorca, whilft he cruized with the main body 13 lail into the Mediterranean, on their way to of the fleet off the Streight's mouth, in order to watch the motions of the enemy if they should venture to put to sea.

But though Spain dared not to encounter the British fleet at fea, she had by this time prepared, a new, exceedingly troublelome, and not a little itfelf, upon which the depended, not only for de dangerous, enemy, within the Bay of Gibraltar feating the defign of relief to that fortrefs, but for barning the convoy in the attempt. We have heretofore had occafion to take notice, of the trouble, which a few gun-boats they had conftructed at Algeziras, (on the oppofite fide of the bay to Gibraltar) had frequently given, by coming from their retreat, and firing upon the town and garrifon under the covert of the night. opportunity which it afforded, for invention, The long leiture of the fiege, and the continual experiment, and practical improvement, had enabled the Spaniards to arrive at the highest per fection in the conftruction and management of this fort of veffels, and to increase their number fo as to form a little fleet of gun-boats. Each of thefe was worked by 20 oars, and carried a long 26 pounder in its prow, which threw fhot much farther than any hip guns could reach; and this kind of force was rendered fill more formidable and dangerous, by the addition of feveral bomb boats upon a fimilar construction. Belides, they had (to the great misfortune of the garrifon, in having no fimilar, or other force to oppose them) been to long in the uninterrupted poffeffion of the bay, that they had by this time measured all their diftances, and knew the effect of their fire in every direction.

bay, about 20 of thefe, under the conduct of a During the continuance of the convoy in the Don Moreno, who appeared in his barge giving orders, fallied, under the benefit of the early calm, every morning from Algeziras, and with a bombarded our fhips; but as foon as the wind, fixed and fteady aim, regularly cannonaded and at its itated hour, began to fping up, they imattacks were fo dangerous to the convoy, that mediately fled, and were purfued in vain. Thefe Sir John Lockhart Rois, with his whole divifion of two-decked ships, was fent in to their protection; and every captain in his iquadron, as well as the other officers, was obliged to take a perfare. Nothing was ever more vexatious to the fonal and active part in this contemptible warfeamen, or excited their indignation in a greates degree, than the fuccefful audacity of this petty enemy. As their prows were only expofed to view, the object was fo fmall, that when they ventured within reach of our fhot, it was ftill no more than a bare poffibility to hit the mark; and the repeated exertions of fome of the braveit officers and best feamen in fac world to cut off

their

117

their retreat was fruitlefs. The Spaniards how ever failed in their grand object; their continued efforts were only capable of producing trouble and vexation; and fo far from burning the convoy, no material damage was done to any part of the shipping.

Nothing could be more grievous to Spain than this relief, nor more mortifying to her pride, than the difgrace, after so much boasting, which her navy now fuffered in the eyes of all Europe. She had let her heart to entirely on the recovery of Gibraltar, that the fcarcely feemed to have another object in the war. She lavished her trealures with an unfparing hand in that purfuit. The labour of the nation was exhaufted in the ftupendous works which the railed before the place, and they were now covered with the most tremendous artillery that has perh, been known in any fiege. Indeed the whole naval and milisary torce of the ftate, and its refources of every fort, feemed directed to that single object.

All thele powers were now called into action, and the unfortunate town, with its miferable inhabitants, were the victims to her indignation, 170 pieces of cannon of the heaviest metal, and fourfcore mortars, dilgorged their tremendous torrents of fire all at once upon that narrow ipot. It icemed as if not only the works, but the rock itfell, mult have been overwhelmed. This dreadful cannonade and bombardment, was cona tinued night and day, for a confiderable time, without intermiffion. It is faid, and may well be fuppofed, that nothing could be more fplen didly magnificent, or dreadfully fublime, than the view and the report of this tremendous fcene, to thole who oblerved them from the neighbour ing hills of Barbary and Spain during the night, especially in the beginning, when the cannonade of the enemy being returned, with till fuperior power, and greater fiercenels by General Elliot, the whole rock feemed to vomit out fire, and all diftinction of parts was loft in flame and imoke.

It was computed by the artillery officers and engineers in the garrifon, that during more than three weeks from the first attack, the enemy continued regularly to expend, at leaft, a thou fand barrels of gunpowder, of an hundred pound weight each, and to fire from four to five thousand thot and theli, in every twenty-four hours upon the fortref. No powers of fupply, could long fupport this expenditure. After difcharging 75,000 shot, and 25,000 fhells, in this courle of firing, it was then lowered to about 600 of both in the 24 hours; at which reduced fcale it was continued for feveral weeks lenger.

While the fleet continued in the Bay, Gen. Ellot retorted the enemy's attack with a prodigious fhower of fire; but as it was a flanding maxim with that experienced commander never to waste his ammunition, and that the great, and evident ly increasing difficulty of fupply, rendered that caution ftill more effentially neceffary, he foon ctrenched in that respect, and seemed to behold unconcerned the fury and violence of the enemy. The lofs of men on the fide of the garrifon, during this unexampled cannonade and bombardment, was much less than could have been pofbly imagined, even, without confidering the narrownel's of the ground which they defended, its high fituation above the works, and the great

proportion of their number which were continually expofed, in the duty and relief of their nu merous guards. The whole lofs, from the 12th of April to the end of June, amounted only to one commiffioned officer, and 52 private men killed, and feven officers, and 253 others wounded. The damage to the works was too trifling to give any concern to the defenders; but the duty and fatigne were extreme, and they experienced in a high degree all the incom→ modities and rigours of a fiege, famine and pettilence only excepted.

The town and its inhabitants were the facrifice. It could not be large, but it was extremely populous. Though the number of houses was under five hundred, the inhabitants (at least in the beginning of the siege) confiderably exseeded three thousand. Thele were compofed of various nations and religions, the English only amounting to 500, the Roman Catholics to near 2000, and the Jews were little thort of 900. They had been formed, early in the reign of George the Second, into a corporation, with a mayor and aldermen (according to the English model) for their government. The wives and families of the officers and garrifon, it is probable, are not included in this eftimate.

Upon thefe fell, almoft, the whole weight of this cruel cannonade and bombardment. Such as were not buried in the ruins of their houses, or torn to pieces by the fhells, in the general deItruction of the first night, fled, many of them nearly naked, to the remote parts of the rock. But the fhells from the batteries reached to places which had always been deemed fécure; and where thefe failed, the gun-boats lurking in the dark, poured death and destruction during the night to the moft fequeftered receffes. No fcene could be more deplorable. It is faid, that mothers and children, clafped in each others arm, were, at the fame inftant, fo compleatly brown to pieces by the bomb, that it feemed rather an annihilation, than a difperfion of their shattered fragments. The cafemates, which could alone afford fecurity, were filled by the garrison; and happy did ladies of the greatest fenfibility and molt delicate habits deem it, to be admitted to a few hours repole in them, amidst all the noife of a crowded foldiery, and the groans of the wounded who were brought in from their works.

Time and fear, by degrees, led to the difco very of new places of fecurity; nor was the fire of the enemy at all times equally fatal in thofe within reach, but when a ceffation of its violence enlued, the furviving inhabitants having loft their houfes and property, could no longer live in the place. They accordingly, including the families of the officers, eagerly feized every opportunity of shipping that offered for an escape, whether to England or to the neighbouring countries.

It feemed as if the spoil of the Dutch island of St. Euftatius had been subject to fome fatality, which was to deprive the nation as well as the captors of its benefit. A rich convoy, freighted with the most valuable commodities taken at that ifland, was on its way to England, at the time that Admiral Darby failed to the relief of Gibraltar. France, determining to profit of the

able.

nine and ten in the morning, a ftrange April 16, fquadron, coming clofe round under 1781. a narrow flip of land the extreme point of which forms the eastern angle at the entrance of the harbour; and although the land of the intervening neck was high, fo much was feen of their fignals and manner of working, that they were eafily perceived to be an enemy, and judged to be French. The alarm being given, fignals for unmooling, for preparing for action, and for recalling the people on fhore, were Speedily thrown out; for though the port was neutral, it was well known that the French, where advantage offered, were feldom ferupu lous in the obfervation of it; and befides, as the Portuguese fort and garrifon were utterly incapable of maintaining the rights of fovereignty, it might be fuppofed that they would be lefs attended to.

No fleet could be taken at a greater difadvantage; and among their various embarraf ments it was not the leaft, that the decks of most of the fhips were encumbered with water cafks and live ftock, while the fuddennefs of the attack afforded no time for their being cleared. M. de Suffrein, having feparated from the convoy, and hauling clote round the eastern point of land, with his five fail of the line, was very foon in the centre of the British fleet, the French fhips firing on both fides as they paffed. The Hannibal, of 74 guns, M. de Tremignon, led the way with great intrepidity; and when he got as near our fhips (the Hero, of 74 guns, Captain Hawker, the Monmouth of 64, Captain Alms, and the Jupiter of 50, Captain Parfley, as he could fetch, dropped his anchors with a noble air of refolution, which gained the applause even of his enemies. The Heros, of the fame force, M. de Suffrein's own fhip, took the next place; and the Artefien, of 64 guns, anchored a-stern of the Hero. The Vengeur and Sphynx, of 64 guns each, ranged up and down, as they could, through the croud of fhips, and fired, on either fide, at every ship as they paffed. The Romney, of 50 guns, the commodore's own fh p, being too far advanced towards the bottom of the bay, and too much interrupted by the yeffels that lay between to take an effective part in the action, Mr. Johnftone accordingly quitted her, and went on

board the Hero.

The engagement lafted from first to laft about an hour and half; and the fhips being very clofe, and the English firing only from one fide,the guns were inceffantly played, and the cannonade was extremely heavy. In tome time after the action began, feveral of the India fhips, having recovered from their firft furprize, filed with good effect on the enemy. On the other hand, the two French feventy-fours carried much hea. vier metal than the English, their loweft tiers of 36 pounders throwing shot equal to 42 pounds of our weight; and the lus, as well as the Romney, was by fituation cut off from any great fhare in the action; although the former fuffered feverely from the fire of the enemy as they paffed.

In about an hour, the fituation of the three French fhips at ancho became too intolerable to be endured, and M. de Cardaillac, a knight of

Malta, and captain of the Artefien, being killed, that ship cut her cable, and endeavoured to make the best of her way out. M. de Suffrein, thus delerted by his fecond a-ftern found the danger fo great, and the adventure fo hopelets, that he followed the example. The unfortunate Hannibal was now left alone as a mark to be fired at, by every fhip in the feet whofe guns could be brought to bear upon the object; while he was herfeif so dismantled and ruined, that her returns were flow and ineffective. Overwhelmed by fuch a weight and quantity of fire, fhe exhibited an extraordinary fpectacle of dif trefs and gallantry; the only comfort left in to terrible a fituation, being the impoffibility of its long continuance. She had already loft her foremalt and bowfprit, and her cable being either cut or fhot away in the effort of hoifting more fail to get out of the fire, both her main and mizen malts went overboard, fo that the remained a mere hulk upon the water. It is not eafy to be understood by land-men, how the could elcape in fuch a condition her colours were either ftruck, or fhot away; the former being afferted on one fide, and denied on the other. She, however, joined the other hips at the mouth of the bay; and was towed off, and affifted in erecting jury mafts by them. As their attack was fudden, their retreat was fo precipi tate, that the Sphynx, of 64 guns, narrowly efcaped being loft upon a reef of rocks which runs out from the western point of the ha bour.

Commodore Johnstone pursued the enemy, and endeavoured to renew the engagement. But various obftacles, among which were the damage fuftained by the Ifis, the nature of the winds and currents, and the late time of day at which there feemed any poffibility of its being done, all concurred in defeating this purpose. The Hinchingbrooke Eaft-Indiaman, which, after a gallant refiftance, and being much torn, had been carried out by the enemy, was retaken; and, as if it had been decreed, that they should bear away no trophy from this action, the Infernal fire-fhip, which (by unluckily lying too near the mouth of the bay) had likewife been carried off, was recovered by her own crew.

Such was the iffue of this ftrangely conducted, irregular, and confufed action, in which M. de Suftrein made no great difplay of those eminent qualities, which have fince, through the ferias of hard fought and defperate conflicts he fuftained against Sir Edward Hughes in India, rendered his name fo highly and fo defervedly renowned. The French feem to have built too much upon the advantages of their furprize; and to have acted as if they had been rushing on to a certain prey, rather than to the rough encounter of an enemy, who was in all circumftances and fituations truly formidable; a few of our land officers and foldiers, who were paifengers on board the India fhips and transports, were killed or wounded; but the lot's of men upon the whole, confidering the clofenefs of the action, the fmoothness of the water, with the number and crowded fituation of the shipping, was very fmall; and fuch as it was, was fo divided, that almoft every veffel of the fleet and convoy fuftained fome part. The merchant thipping received; however, confiderable damage in

the