642 *', A. D. 1779. > 





ever colledted in one fleet, rode mafters of the Channel for a few days : 

 but they made no attempt upon the land, and did fcarccly any harm 

 upon the water, being obliged by the very fickly condition of their 

 feamen to return almoft immediately into port. Moft providentially 

 a very valuable fleet of about two himdred veflTels from Jamaica got 

 fafe home a few days before the Channel was covered by the formid- 

 able armada of the enemy, and eight homeward-bound Eaft- India flups 

 with rich cargoes, got intelligence of the danger, and made for Lime- 

 rick in Ireland, where they arrived fafe. 



The Eaft-India company, with a liberality of patrlotifm worthy of 

 the greatefl commercial company that ever exifted, and at a time too, 

 when they had fcarcely emerged from very great embarrafl'ments in 

 their own concerns, gave a large bounty for railing 6,000 feamen for 

 the public fervice ; and they moreover made a noble addition to the 

 navy of three complete fhips of 74 guns each, which were called by th« 

 appropriate names of Bombay-cajile, Carnatic, and Ganges. Their ex- 

 ample was followed by feveral other communities, both in railing men 

 and building fhips, according to their abilities. 



September — The Spanifh governor of Louifiana, having been very 

 early apprized of the commencement of hoftilities, immediately feized 

 an armed floop and fome fmall veflels carrying troops and provifions ta 

 the Britiflipofts on the River Mifliffippi, after which he found it an eafy 

 matter, with a very fuperior force, to compell their fmall garrilbns to 

 furrender prifoners of war. 



This acquifition of territory, no advantage to a nation already pof- 

 fefling more lands than people, was more than balanced by the value of 

 a number of very rich Spanifli veflels, which fell into the hands of fome 

 £ngli{h privateers ; among which may be noted, as the moft confider- 

 able, a Spanifli fliip of war from Manila to Cadiz, taken by the Ama- 

 zon of Liverpool and the Ranger of Briftol, and fuppofed the richefl: 

 prize ever taken fince Anion's capture of the galleon in the South fea ; 

 the Nueftra Senora de Piedad of 600 tuns, and carrying 16 guns and 

 70 men, taken by the Dart of Dartmouth of lefs than 200 tuns, and 

 carrying 14 guns and 60 men, with a cargo confifting of goods to the 

 value of about ^80,000, befides gold and filver in ingots to a great 

 amount, and coined money to the amount of 181,066 dollars : alfo 

 another fliip, ftill larger, from the Havannah to Cadiz, valued at 

 jC200,coo, taken by the Antigallican. 



^ September 23'* — The general aflembly of Pennfylvania by a folemn act 

 deprived the family of Penn of the property of the foil of that province, 

 and placed it, with certain reftridions, under their own diredion,as they 

 thought the polTeirion of fuch a vaft property now inconfiftent with the 

 fafety of the commonwealth. At the fime time they ordained a compenfa- 

 tion of ^('i 30,000 fterling to be paid to the proprietors, by inftallments of 



