put under his orders. This force was to have been joined by a French squadron commanded by an able and enterprising officer, which, however, was to have been fitted out at the expense of the Dutch; but although the money was duly paid to the French government, they never gave the promised assistance. The Dutch squadron sailed from the Texel in the spring, and the admiral, fearing to pass through the English channel, shaped his course by the eastern coast of Scotland and the Orkneys. The voyage was by this means rendered extremely tedious, which produced a discovery of its object, and the communications which government received from Admiral Pringle, who then commanded in the North Sea, being instantly forwarded to the commander-in-chief at the Cape, a superior fleet was collected to oppose it, which, had the voyage of Admiral Lucas been more expeditious would have been impossible, as Sir G. K. Elphinstone was then in the East Indies, and only a single ship of force left on the station. On the first of August a fleet bound for the East Indies arrived at the Cape, having on board the 25th and 27th light dragoons, and the 19th, 33d and 80th regiments of foot. The troops were disembarked for the purpose of refreshment, and encamped above. Simon's town, until the ships should be ready to pursue their voyage. On the 6th General Craig received information of nine Dutch men of war having been seen off Saldanha Bay, upon which he sent no less than five different vessels in quest of the English admiral. The presence of the troops bound for India now proved to be a most fortunate circumstance, as it enabled him at the same time to provide for the security of Cape Town, and to prevent the enemy from throwing a body of troops into the country, where. their force would certainly have been considerably augmented by those who were disaffected to the British government. Major-General Doyle, who was merely a passenger on board the fleet bound to India, having upon this occasion handsomely volunteered his services, General Craig gave him the command of the troops in Cape-Town and its neighbourhood, consisting of some dragoons, and three regiments of infantry, (the 19th, 95th, and 98th,) and amounting to about four thousand men. He marched himself for Saldanha Bay, a distance of ninety miles, through a country never before explored by anarmy, and destitute of resources of any kind, and arrived at his destination on the 15th at the: head of the advanced guard, consisting of the light infantry, fifty light dragoons and a body of Hottentots. He was joined on the same day: by Brigadier-General Mackenzie with the grenadiers of the 78th and 80th regiments, and with one hundred and fifty light dragoons, which made his whole force amount to two thousand five hun dred men. Meantime the Dutch fleet had cast anchor in Saldanha Bay, where they landed five hundred men on an island situated near its entrance, and were busily employed in throwing up fortifications and watering the ships. ships. As soon as Admiral Lucas discovered the troops, he sent the Havoc sloop of war close in shore, which kept up a useless fire for some time, one shot only having taken effect, by hitting a musket on the shoulder of a soldier of the 84th regiment; but Captain Robertson of the artillery, having brought up a howitzer, threw a few shells with SO much precision that she hauled out from the shore. About two hours after, the British fleet, consisting of seven sail of the line and seven small vessels* was discovered from the eminences and * List of the British Squadron under Sir G. K. ELPHINSTONE. sigual posts. They were soon afterwards descried by the Dutch, who at first imagined them to be their anxiously expected friends the French; but they were speedily undeceived, when to their great surprise the English fleet came to anchor outside of them across the neck of the bay, and drew up in line of battle. They now perceived that they were completely shut in, and no chance left for one of their ships to get off. The Dutch officers, in this dilemma, at first intended to run the ships on shore, and effect their escape into the country, but General Craig suspecting their design, sent an officer with a flag of truce to inform Admiral Lucas, that if they attempted to injure the ships, he would give them no quarter. On the morning of the 17th, Admiral Elphinstone summoned the Dutch Admiral to surrender, as resistance or escape was equally impracticable; and after an ineffectual request to obtain one of the frigates to carry him and his officers to Europe, he capitulated, and the whole armament was taken possession of by Admiral Elphinstone without firing a gun. When the British officers went on board, they found the Dutch sailors in a state of mutiny, and in the act of laying violent hands on their officers, who were rescued by the interference of the English. The crews in general were disaffected, being mostly composed of requisition-men forced into the service. Very few natives of Holland were amongst them, but they were chiefly composed of Hanoverians, Prussians, and Germans, who were almost all raw and inex perienced.* Admiral Lucas, before he sailed, remonstrated with the Dutch government on their sending out this fleet so badly appointed, but they replied, that he should lose his head if he did not immedi ately proceed on the voyage. To account in some degree for their obstinate temerity, it must be observed, that they had supposed the English fleet to be in India, or at least cruising off the Isle of France: they had also expected the co-operation of a French squadron and troops from the Mauritius and Batavia, and with this reinforcement they hoped it would be possible to surprise the Cape, which they had heard was but weakly garrisoned by the English; they also calculated upon a strong party in their favour in the interior as well as at Cape Town. But even with the expected assistance, their project would in all pro Many of the guns were brass, and the ships were well furnished with carronades. They had also on board four pieces of land-artillery. VOL. V. F CHAP. V. |