t 
310 
retory, and which was now only fuf- 
pend d by their act. 
** With regard to the refumption of the 
conferences, Lord Ma imefbury could only 
refer to his la? note.’ 
On the 11th of Oétober, the Englith 
fleet, under Admiral Duncan, gained’ a 
diftinguithed and decifive victory over the 
Dutch fleet, near the coaft of Holland, 
under the command of Admiral ae 
Winter. This a€tion tock placé within 
view of many thoufand inhabitants on 
fhore, who had the mortification of being 
eye-witnefies to the deftruction of their 
own fleet. 
Tt is generally acknowledged that a 
more bloody confliét never occurred in 
the naval hiftory of this country. The 
Englifh had the fuperiority in guns and 
men, and fome of the Dutch men of war. 
did not fufficiently fupport their brave 
countrymen. The killed and wounded 
bn board the Dutch fhips muft, ef courte, 
have been dreadful, as more obftinacy 
and Dee a8) it appears, were never dif- 
played than that which the Dutch Re- 
publicans oppofed to the fuccefsful cou 
rage of the Englith failors. 
This fignal viétory was obtained in 
the following manner : Admiral Duncan, 
after blocking up the Dutch fleet im the 
Texel for’ teveral months, quitted his 
{tation to order to refit, leaving the Ruflel 
man of war to watch the motions of the 
enemy, who, taking advantage of the 
abfence of the Englith fleet, failed out of 
Texel. The Englith Admiral, however, 
foon obtained intelligence of their move- 
ments, and in the night of ‘the roth of 
Oatober, placed his fquadron i in fuch a 
fiiuation as to prevent the Dutch from re- 
turning into the Texel -without his fall- 
ing in with them. At nine o’clock in 
the morning of the arth, he obtained 
fight of Captain Trollope’s {quadron, 
with fignals flying for an enemy to the 
leeward.; Admiral Duncan immediately 
bore up and made the fignal for a general 
chafe, and foon got fight. of ee form - 
ing a line on the larboard tack, to re- 
ceive the Englifh, the wind at NW. 
As the Britthh ‘admiral approached, he 
‘made the fenal for the fquadron to 
fhorten fail, in order to conneét them ; 
foon after he faw the land between Cam-~ 
perdown and Egmont, about nine miles 
to the leeward of the enemy 3 and find- 
ing there was notime to be loft in making 
the attack, he made the fignal to. bear up, 
to break the enemy’s line, and for every 
fhip to engage her opponent; by thefe 
means he got between the Dutch faips 
Public Afaiter.—Greab Britain. 
‘ments of the people ; 
{O&. 
and the land, whither they were fat ap- 
proaching. His fignals were promptly 
obevedy and- Vice-admiral Onilow, in 
the’ iMunasaby galiantly .bore down on 
the enemy’s coat, his divifion following 
his example ; and the aétion commenced 
about forty minutes paft tweve o'clock. 
The Venerable foon got through the 
enemy's line, and the Admiral began a 
clofe aétidn with his divifion on their 
van, which lafted- near two. hours and a 
half, when he obferved ail: the mafts of 
the Dutch Admirai’s fhip to.go by the 
board. She. was, however, for fome 
time defended with great bravery; bue 
being overpreffed by numbers, ber’ co- 
lours were ftruck, and Admiral de Win- 
ter ‘was foon brought on board the Vene- 
rable, At this time the flag of the 
Dutch Vice-admiral was allo difmafed, 
and be had furrendered to Viceshidgiral 
Onflow, many others had likewife ftruck. 
The Ene lith Admiral finding his fquadron 
in- nine fathoms water, and not farther 
than five miles-from the land; his at- 
tention was fo much engaged 1 is getting 
ae heads of the difabled: dhips off fhore, 
hat he was unable to diftinguifh the 
ie: of {hips captured. ‘He foon 
found, however, ‘that the fleet under his 
command, had. taken poffeffion of ‘eight 
or nine, more of them had ftruck, but 
taking advantage of the night and being 
fo near their own coaft, they fucceeded in 
getting off, and fome of them were feen 
guing into the Texel the next morning. 
Captain Burgefs, an officer of much 
worth, fell in the aétion, and,» with 
him, we lament to fay, forty-one of his 
gallant countrymen.. On board his veffel 
aione (the Ardent) one hundred. and 
feven men were wounded. ; 
Seven or eicht- of the captured fhips 
have fince arrived in the Britith ports, 
but the Delft af, 56 guns, was lott at fee, 
and allo a-fri igure: 
Difinguifhed and {piendid as this vic- 
tory cert ainty was, it remains to be proved 
how far it will be ultimately beneficial — 
to the nation; 
it will principal! ly ferve to procraftinate a 
peace,and prcleng the miferies this couna. 
try has fo jong “laboured under. 
Mr, Fox, in his addrefs to the friends 
of { Teedom,at the ShakefpearTavern''We 
have-feen,’ 
Var, an utter contempt for the fenti- 
nor can you be 
firangers to the means which have been 
taken to prevent the Houfe of Commons 
from being of any ufe whatever to the 
publics as a check or control upon: the 
Mil- 
” faid he, ‘¢ in the’ courfe ef this | 
japy are of opinion that 
em aes Sy 
NE 
A TS = ER ee = — 
