They were generally anfwered in this inftance, as in fome others, by a repetition of the well-founded confidence repofed in the pacific difpofition and good intentions of our neighbours. But the fimple matter of fact, undoubtedly was, that our military force and provifion by fea and land, were fo completely fwallowed up in the vortex of the American war, and the demands were still so inceffant and urgent, that the fources of fupply were conftantly drained and exhausted, fo that other objects, however important, were of neceffity obliged to be committed, in a great measure, to the blind difpofition of chance or fortune.

The island of Dominica was a part of thofe compenfations, acquired by the treaty of Paris, for the expences of a war, very glorious indeed, but very burthenfome. To these expences and glories, the whole of the ceffions was not adequate. Confidered independently of this comparative eftimate, Dominica was an acquifition of no inconfiderable importance; and its fituation, lying between Martinico and Guadaloupe, and within view of each, would have rendered it of the utmost importance in time of war. This circumftance feems to have been fo well understood by government, that it went to a great and unufual expence in fortifying the ifland, and the works had been lately covered with a numerous artillery, fent for the purpose from England; but the garrifon, if it could deferve to be called by that name, was totally incompetent to the defence of the one, or to the ufe of the other.

Neither the importance nor the

Sept. 7th.

weakness of the island, efcaped the attention of the Marquis de Bouille, Governor-general of Martinico. He accordingly landed with about 2000 men, 1778. under the cover of fome frigates and privateers, about daybreak at Dominica, and proceeded to attack the different batteries and forts by land, as his marine force did by fea. The handful of regular troops, amounting only to about a hundred men, together with the militia and inhabitants in general, did all that could be expected against fuch a fuperiority of force, and under fuch circumftances of furprize. But the French having taken thofe detached and halfmanned batteries which lay first in their way, and advanced by noon to attack the little capital of Rofeau, by fea and land, which likewife comprehended the principal fortifications of the island, LieutenantGovernor Stuart, with the military officers and council, feeing all defence fruitless, thought it neceffary to fave the inhabitants from plunder and ruin, by entering into a capitulation.

This was foon concluded. The terms were the most moderate that could be conceived; the Marquis de Bouille having nearly agreed, without difcuffion or referve, to every condition that was proposed in favour of the inhabitants. Befides the honours of war, and the liberty of retaining their arms, with the fulleft fecurity to their eftates, property of every fort, rights, privileges, and immunities, they were allowed to retain their civil and religious governments in all their parts, with all their laws, cuftoms, ordinances, courts, and minifters of justice, until the con[C] 3

clufion

clufion of a peace; and at that period, if the island fhould be ceded to France, they were to have it in choice, whether to adhere to their own political form of government, or to accept that established in the French iflands. And in either event, fuch of the inhabitants as did not chufe to continue under a French government, were to be at liberty to fell all their eftates real and perfonal, and to retire with their effects wherever they pleased. Other conditions of lefs importance, were equally favourable in their degree to the inhabitants; nor were they bound to any duty to the French King, more than what they had owed to their natural fovereign. In a word, a mere change of fovereignty was the only change in the condition of the inhabitants.

How much of the favour and lenity of thefe conditions may be attributed to the moderation and humanity of the Marquis de Bouille, how much to the policy of inducing the lefs refiftance in other English islands, or how much to the apprehenfion of Admiral Barrington's arrival with a fuperior naval force from Barbadoes, are queftions not to be abfolutely decided upon. It is, however, equitable, to attribute juft or humane actions to the moft laudable motives, where the contrary does not appear from any strong concurrent or fubfequent circumftances. The matter of fact is certain, that the smallest disorder or pillage was not permitted, and that the French commander, in lieu of plunder, rewarded the foldiers and volunteers with a confiderable gratuity in ready money.

The French found 164 pieces of cannon, and 24 brass mortars, with a confiderable quantity of military ftores and ammunition in the works. The public effects, with the British veffels in the harbour, became a prize to the conquerors. The stay of the Marquis de Bouille in the inland was very fhort; but he left a garrifon of 1500 men behind him; which, with the strength of the works, and the powerful artillery in their hands, have hitherto unfortunately fuperfeded all attempts for its recovery.

Many circumstances concurred in rendering the lofs of this island grievous. The large fums expended upon its fortifications, and the numerous and weighty artillery fent out for its defence, indicated a full knowledge of its importance in cafe of a war. Its fituation, on which this importance depended, equally pointed out the danger to which it was expofed, and that it muft neceffarily be the firft object of the enemy's enterprize; whilft its naked works and valuable artillery, feemed held out as a prize, to direct and quicken their operations. To increase the vexation, Rear Admiral Barrington, with two fhips of the line, and fome frigates, was lying at the fmall ditance of Barbadoes, where he had been chained down for more than two months, waiting merely for inftructions, which he had been ordered to expect at that place, and which, from whatever cause or misfortune, were not yet arrived, Small as this force was, it would have been fully fufficient, had time and his orders allowed it, for the prefervation of Dominica, and the protection of the other iflands før

the prefent, as the French had not a fingle fhip of the line in that

quarter.

The defect of intelligence accompanied that of inftructions, or orders how to act. A French document executed at Paris on the 28th of June, and published at Martinico in the middle of Auguft, amounting, in effect, to a declaration of war in the Weft-Indies, afforded the first information of hoftilities to Admiral Barrington, and to the neighbouring iflands. The lofs of two of Sir Peter Parker's frigates, which were taken by the French on the coaft of Hifpaniola, afforded alfo the firft means of information to that admiral, as well as to the government of Jamaica, where he was ftationed, of the commencement of hoftilities.

As foon as Admiral Barrington received intelligence of the invafion of Dominica, he difpenfed with the violation of his orders in that inftance, and proceeded with the utmost dispatch to its intended relief. Although it was impoffible he could prevent a conqueft, which was only the work of a fingle day, the prefence of his small squadron, however, had the happy effect, of removing the panic which had fpread through the neighbouring iflands, and of effectually curbing the further enterprizes of the enemy. The confequences of the lofs of Dominica were experienced, both by fea and land, in the courfe of the operations of the enfuing WeftIndia campaign.

As Monf. D'Estaing was now to hear a principal part on the Weft-India theatre of action, it will be neceffary to take fome notice of his fituation and proceedings, from the time of our leaving him in the

harbour of Boston. Neither the care of the governing powers in that town, nor the ideas of benefits received, or to be derived, from the alliance with France, were fufficient, during the ftay of the French fleet in that port, wholly to cure the ancient prejudices and hereditary animofity of the populace, with refpect to a nation, which they had fo long confidered as a rival, and fo frequently encountered as an enemy. The difference of religion, language, and manners, could not fail to hold a confiderable fhare in keeping these animofities ftill alive,; although, fo far as it can be judged from appearances at this distance, the French have fudied more in their commerce with the Americans, to evade the effe&t of these peculiarities, and have fhewn a greater deference to the prejudices, and conformity to the manners and opinions of the people, than they perhaps ever practifed in their connections with any other part of mankind. Indeed a mode of conduct directly contrary, has for many ages been confidered, as one of the ftriking characteristics of that nation; and has, not unfrequently, been productive of the moft fatal confequences to themfelves, as well as to others.

accommodate matters in fuch a manner, as that no fting fhould remain behind on either fide, a great referve was obferved with refpect to the particulars of the riot, as well as of the circumftances which led to it; and the curfory imperfect sketches that were published, fhewed evidently that they were not to be relied

on.

A proclamation was iffued by the council of ftate on the fol lowing day, ftrictly urging the magiftrates to use their utmost endeavours for bringing the offenders to juftice, and offering a reward of 300 dollars, for the difcovery of any of the parties concerned in the riot. And to remove the impreffion of its arifing from any popular animofity to the French, the Boston prints laboured to fix it upon fome un known captured British feamen, and deferters from Burgoyne's army, who had enlifted in their privateers. D'Estaing had the addrefs to give into this idea, and to appear throughly fatisfied with the fatisfaction he received. high reward produced no manner of difcovery.

The

The fame fpirit operated juft about the fame time, and in the fame manner, but much more violent in degree, and fatal in confequence, between the American and French feamen, in the city and port of Charlestown, South Carolina. The quarrel there began, as at Bofton, afhore, and at night, and ended in the Jaft extreme of hoftility, an open

fight with cannon and fmall arms; the French firing from their fhips, whither they had been haftily driven from the town,

and the Americans from the adjoining wharfs and fhore. Several lives were acknowledged to be loft, and a much greater number were of courfe wounded.

Mr. Lowndes, the prefident and commander in chief of that colony, in the proclamation which he iffued upon the fubject, fufficiently points out the caufes of the quarrel, by charging the magiftrates in the ftrongest terms, that, along with the difcovery and profecution of the rioters, they fhould ufe every poffible means in their power to prevent, for the future, all indecent, illiberal, and national reflections, against the subjects of their great and good ally, as tending to excite refentment and ill-will among thofe, whom, by intereft, treaty, and alliance, they were bound to regard as friends, and who were particularly entitled to their favour and affection. In his meffage to the affembly, he alfo ftrongly recommends the framing of fuch regulations, as would effectually prevent this licentioufnefs, whether in words or in actions: and that body confidered the matter to be of fo ferious a nature, that they appointed a committee to revife the laws relative to feamen in that port, and to confider of effectual means for preventing and fuppreffing riots in the town. A reward of a thousand pounds was offered for the discovery of the particular perfons, who had fired fome guns, which were fatal in their effect, from one of the wharfs. We have not heard that this great reward produced any difcovery.

As the northern Colonies, particularly the province of Maffachusetts,