A. D. 17S-1 709 



The act for allowing the exportation of wheat to the Britiih fugar 

 colonies only, continued till 1" May 1783. [22 Geo. Ill, c. 13.] 



The ad, allowing merchant ihips to have foreign feamen for three 

 fourths of their complement, was alio continued till 25 '' March 1783. 

 [22 Geo. Ill, c. 16.] 



April 12' — In the Weft-Indies a general engagement took place 

 between the Briiifli fleet commanded by Admiral Rodney and the 

 French fleet commanded by the comte de Grafle. The battle, which 

 began in the morning, was kept up the whole day with unremitting 

 fury on both fides, and terminated in the evening by a complete vic- 

 tory gained by the Britifli fleet. One French fliip of the line was funk, 

 and five were taken, one of which, called the Villc de Paris, was a pre- 

 fent made by the city of Paris to the king at the expenfe of ^(^176, 000 : 

 fhe carried 1 10 guns, and was efleemed the finefl: fhip that ever fwam 

 upon the ocean *. The comte de Grafle, who was onboard her, confe- 

 quently augmented the fpleudour of the vidory by the capture of the 

 commander-in-chief. As the whole train of artillery, intended for a 

 grand attack upon Jamaica, was onboard the fliips which were taken, 

 this vidlory mayjuitly be confidered as having efl;'ecled the fafety of that 

 important colony, and alio as having given a complete check to the 

 career of French conqueft in the Weft-Indies, where for fome time paft 

 almoft every event had been adverfe to the intereft of Great Britain. 

 And it was not lefs critically fortunate to the reputation and intereft of 

 the admiral, as it prevented him from being fuperfeded in the command, 

 and from being fubjedled to a rigorous parliamentary inquiry refpecting 

 the tranfactions at S'. Euftaihius, and alfo procured him the thanks of 

 both houffs of parliament, together with a peerage accompanied by a 

 penfion to himlelf and his heirs. 



April 22'' — After Mr. Adams had fpent a whole year in foliciting the 

 Dutch to acknowlege the independence of the United rtates of America, 

 and to enter into an alliance with them, as the republic in the whole 

 world moft fimilar to their own, in religion, in manners, and even in 

 the events by which both had obtained their independence, they at laft, 

 with their national dilatorinels of confuhation, publicly received him as 

 ambaflador from the United Hates, whole independence they only now 

 acknowleged ; though they had from the beginning of the conteft 

 covertly, and for fome time paft overtly, done all in their power to allift 

 them againft Great Britain. It is worthy of remark, that the public re- 

 ception of the American ambaflador took place at the very time, when 

 propofals for a feparate peace with the Dutch, under the mediation of 

 Rulfia, and admitting a free navigation on the full principles of the 

 armed neutrality, were offered by Great Britain. 



• Tills proud troriiy of ilic Biitifli vidory was loft at fca. But aiiuthcr fljip of rqii«l magniiuJc 

 \\.i9 imincdiatcly buili lo caiiy licr name. » 



