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HHfiARI.HSTON', March 6.
-J|V A L ACTI O N.
HH'f a /,’ >-t a midjhijman on b'.ard
«■ tied id alt's flip Conftllat'nu, to lu
BMIIBk in this ci'y, timed i)th beb. i 000.
A: have had a severe engagement
HjwHß*eni::i na'iou.d frvatc of tiftv-four
HHRipward-., which lasted five h'ntrs.
HH| I' men killed, and a; wounded.
HHB.crv was complcatly lilenceJ, and
■jjjß'ed off from uv We lliouid have
RRHRifljfii)!) of her, had not our main-
HRBlifen-top-rn irt, &c. went over the
||lS-,he in >merit we wore (hip to Hand
RRHHr, Whicl I ren Icred a purl,lit irnprac-
HHH 1 would be more particular, but
HHfo busy in lcfiuing 11 if (hip, tnat 1
HjHcarceiv time to write you Hide few
Kingston, (Jat7l.) Feb. i
accunt '/the engagement be
th, United Stales frigate Cmftella
of 7b guns, and a French nationalfri
mm off \ guns, on the id February , iBoO,
MJ/, lot < Truxton’s journal, Jz.
W Saturday, \jl February, 1800.
HR half pa ft 7, a. m. the Road of Bafla-
H Guadaloupe, be.<ringcaff five leagues
HjHicc. saw a fail in tlie S. E. Handing
IHHH wed ward, which from her situation,
HHirft took for a large Hi ip from Mar-
Bn >, and hoisted Englifti colors on giv
■Ll.ace by wav of inducement for her
HHamc down and speak me, which would
|HT saved a long chace to leeward of my
ground. But finding lhe did not
Hpipt to alter her courle, i examined her
Mre particularly as we approached her,
H difeovered that flic was a heavy French
mounting at leaH 54 guns ; I im-
gave orders for the yards to be
with chains, top-fails flieets, &c.
Biped, and the Hiip cleared ready for ac-
and hauled down the English colors.
M noon the wind lifetime light, and I ob-
Hved the chace that we had before been
Kning fart on, held way with us; but l
His determined ro continue the pursuit,
Hiugh the running to leeward I was con-
Kced would be attended with many feri
■s difad vantages, efpccially if the objeft
■ my wiflies was not gratified.
■ “‘Sunday, 2d. Feb.— At one r. M. the
■ind being somewhat frtfher than the
Baon preceding, and an appearance of its
K*ttinuanc«, our profpeft of bringing the
Race'*r. n<i e. 1 . * 1 >• *.l .*» anv 1 1
Big set that could be of service, except the
Rag reefs which I kept in the top-fails, in
Rale of the enemy finding an escape from
Rur thunder impracticable, rtiould haul on
■ wind and give us fair battle; but this
Hid not prove to be her commander’s in
■ention. 1 however got within hail of him,
Hr.B p. m. hoifttd our ensign, and had the
Handles in the lanthorns ail lighted, and
was in the lee gang way ready to speak
aim, and to demand a furren;ler of hi-. Hi ip
:o the United Stares of America, when at
hat aidant he commenced a fire from his
stern and quarter guns, directed at our
•igging and spars. No parley being then
neceffirv, I fentmy principalaid-de-camp,
Mr. Vandyke, to the different officers coin
mand’mg divisions on the main battery,
to repeat ftriftly my orders before given—
Not to throw away a single charge of pow
der and (hot, but to take good atm and to
fire direCtly into the hull of the enemy,
and to load principally with two round
phot, and now and then with a round ftiot
[and stand of grape, ike. to encourage the
inen at their quarters, to cause or futfer no
hoife or confuiion whatever, but to load
and fire as fart as poflible when it could be
done with certain rffcCh
“ Tliefe orders being given, in a few
moments I gained a pofttion on his wea
ther quarter that enabled us to return effec
tually his salute ; and thus as close and as
lharp an aCtiou as ever was fought be
tween two frigates commenced, and con
tinued until within a few minutes of one
a. m. when the enemy's was completely
iilenced and he was again (Leering off.
1: was at this moment that I confuiered
him ns my prize, and was irimmtpg in the
b-'it manner l could my much (battered
fti , vt heu I found the main mart was to
tally unsupported by ringing, every lhroud
be ig slut away, and I‘omeof them in
n;.i iv places as to render rtoppers useless,
and couM not be apple l with ttfeCt; I
tneu gave orders for all the men to be
lent up from the gun deck to endeavour
to fee.ure ihe rrrft, in order that we might
--long fide-tlie enemy again as fcon as
poflible, hut every effort was in vain,for
it went over the fide in a few minutes af
ter, and carried with ic the fop men,among
w horn was an amiable young gentleman,
who commanded the main top, Mr. James
Jarvis, ton of James Jarvis, Esq. of Xew
tor*. Itus young gentleman it ftem<,
'ta; apprized ot his daugtsr bv an old lev
man, but he had already so much the prin
ciple of an officer engrafted on his mind
not to leave his quarters, that he replied, if
the mart went they must go with it, which
was the case, and only one of them was
saved —1 regret much his loss as a proiruf
ing young officer and amiable young man,
as well on account of a long intimacy that
has subsisted between his father and my
felf, but have great fatisfaftion in finding
that 1 have loft no other, and only two or
three (lightly wounded —out of 39 of the
crew killed and wounded, 14 of the form
er and 25 of the latter. As soon as the
main mart went, every effect was made to
clear the wreck from the fliip as soon a»
poflible, which was effefled in about an
hour, and as her security was then the
great objedt, it being impossible to pursue
the enemy, I immediatly bore away for
Jamaica for repairs, &c. finding it imprac
ticable to reach a friendly port in any of
the Blands to windward.
“ I fliould be wanting in common jus
tice was I to omit here to journalize the
rteady attention of order, and the great ex
ertion and bravery (hewn by all my offi
cers, feamen,and marines in this adtion,
many of whom I had fufficiently tried be
fore on a similar occasion, (the capture of
Plnlurgente) and all their names are re
corded in the muster-roll I sent to the se
cretary of the navy, dated the 19th of De
cember last, signed by myfelf.”
In adtiilion to the above account , the following
particulars are communicated by Captain
Fulford.
x The Constellation and Infurgt. f e had
beers ending in company for near fix
weeks, on the look out for the French fri
gate, and their information dated her to
be a cut down 74, with 24 pounders on
her gun deck ;4he Infurgente parted with
the Constellation in the night of Friday
3 ift January, and on the morning of the
ill February, Captain Truxton firft got
fight of the French frigate. ,r
Capt. Fulford was On board the Con
stellation in Kingston harbour, and from
her fliattered appearance, concludes the
adtion to have been as hard and warm as
any ever fought ; the Constellation had
almost every article of her rigging (hot a
way, and on her quarter some of the (hot
had penetrated through her live oak tim
bers, 18 inches in thickness. The officers
informed Capt. Fulford, that they lay
within pistol (hot of each other during the
whole engagement, which lasted 5 hours,
arms of the two (hips were in contaft.—
It was the general opinion on board the
Constellation, that the Frenchman had
(truck his colors to the gallant Truxton,
but took advantage of his mainmast going
overboard, to Iheer off. The two (hips
feperated at 2 a. m. and from the light
winds which prevailed, and the undoubt
ed disabled state of the Frenchman, it was
importable (lie could be more than a few
knots a head, if a float. At day light
however, (lie was not visible from the
mast head ; and it was concluded that (he
had funk in the night.
The Insurgent arrived at Kingston a
day or two before capt. Fulford failed.
SAVANNAH, March 7.
Yesterday we were favoured by a friend,
with London papers down to the Bth of
January, and a Liverpool paper of the
9th, received by the Ship Hope Captain
Callaghan, 54 days from Liverpool; they
contain nothing of moment, except the
following interesting correspondence:
L O N D O N, January 6.
(Publijhed by Authority.)
Letters from the Minister of Foreign
Affairs in France, and from General Buo
naparte, with the answers to them by the
Right Honorable Lord Grenville, his Ma
jeliy’s PrincipF Secretary of State for
Foreign Affairs.
TRANSLATION.
My Lord,
I djfpatch, by order of General Buona
parte, First Confulof the French Repub
lic, a messenger to London: he is the bear
er of a letter from the First Consul of the
Republic to his Majesty the King of Eng
land. I request you to give the necefl’ary
orders that he may be enabled to deliver it
direftly into your own hands.—This step,
in itfelf, announces the importance of its
obje«st.
Accept, mv Lord, the assurance of my
highell confiderntion.
(Signed) Ch Mau. Taleyr and.
Paris the qih Nivofe, S s h year of the
French Republic, (Dec. 25, 1799 )
Translation.
French Republic—Sovereignty of the Peo
ple—Liberty—Equality.
Buonaparte, First Consul of the Republic,
to bis Majesty the King of Great Bri
tain and of Ireland,
Paris, the gth Nivfff, 8 tit year of the Republic.
Called by the willies of the French na
tion to occupy the firft magistracy of the
Republic, I think it proper on entering
into office, to make a direct communica
tion of it to your Majesty.
The war which for eight years has
avaged the four quarters of the world, must
it be eternal ? Are there no means of com
ing to an understanding ?
How can the two mod enlightened na
tions of Europe, powerful and strong be
yond what their fafery and independence
require, facrifice to ideas of vain greatness,
the benefits of commerce, internal prospe
rity, and the happiness of families ? How
is it that they do not feel that peace is of
the firft neceftity, as well as of the firft
glory ?
These sentiments cannot be foreign to
the heart of your Majesty, who reigns
over a free nation, and with the foie view
of rendering it happy.
Your Majesty will only fee in this over
ture my sincere desire to contribute effica
cioufiy, for the second time, to a general
pacification by a step, speedily, entirely
of confidence, and disengaged from those
forms which, neceftary perhaps to difguile
the dependance of weak states; prove only
in those which are strong and mutual de
sire of deceiving each other.
France and England, by the abuse of
their strength, may still, for a long time,
for the misfortune of all nations, retard
the period of their being exhausted. But
I will venture to fay it, the fate of all civi
lized nations is attached to the termination
of a war which involves the whdle world.
Os vour Majesty,
(Signed) BUONAPARTE.
Doivning-freet, Jan. 4, 1800.
Sir,
I have received and lain before the
King the two letters which you have
transmitted to me , and his Majesty, fee
ing no reafen to depart from those forms
which have long been eftablilhed in Eu
rope for tranfa&ing business with foreign
dates, has commanded me to return in his
name, the official answer which I fend you
herewith indofed.
I have the honor to be,
With high confideratioii, Sir,
Your mod obedient humble servant,
(Signed) GRENVILLE.
To the il 'Unifier of Foreign Affairs } &c. at
Paris.
1\ U i'is.
The King has given frequent proofs of
his sincere desire for the re-eftablifliment of
secure and permanent tranquility in Eu
rope—He neither is, or has been engaged
in any contest for a vain and falfe glorv.
He has had no other view than that of
maintaining, against all aggression, the
rights and happiness of his fubjetfts.
For these he has contended against an
unprovoked attack ; and for the fame ob
jects he is still obliged to contend; nor can
he hope that this necessity could be re
moved by entering, at the present moment,
into negociation with those whom a frelh
revolution has so recently placed in exer
cise of power in France.—Since no real
advantage can arise from such negociation
to the great and desirable object of General
Peace, until it shall diftindly appear that
those causes have ceased to operate, which
originally produced the war, and by which
it has since been |protra«fted, and, in more
than one instance renewed.
The fame system, to the prevalence of
which France justly afcribesall her present
iniferies, is that which has also involved
the rest of Europe in a long and destruc
tive warefare, of a nature long since un
known to the practice of civilized na
tions.
For the extention of this system, and for
the extermination of all established Go
vernments, the resources of France having
from year to year, and in the midst of the
most unparalleled distress, been laviflied
and exhausted. To this indiferiminate
ipirit of diftrwftion, the Netherlands, the
United Provinces, the Swiss Cantons, (hts
Majesty’s ancient Friends and Allies,) have
fufficiently been facrificed. Germany has
been ravaged : Italy, though now relcued
from its invaders, has been made the feene
of unbounded rapine and anarchy. His
Majesty has himfelf been compelled to
maintain an arduous and burthenfome con
test for the Independence and exiftance
of his Kingdom.
Nor have these calamities been confined
to Europe alone: They have been extend
ed to the most distant quarters of the
world, and even to countries so remote
both in lituation and interests from the
present contest, that the very existence of
such a war was perhaps unknown to those
who found themselves suddenly involved
in all its horrors.
While such a system continues to pre
vail, and while the l4cod and treature of
a numerous and powerful nation can be
lavished in its i'uppcrt, experience hr.": v
flievvn that no defence but that of open and
steady hostility can be availing. The molt
folenin treaties have only prepared the way
for frefli aggressions; and it is to a deter
mined refinance alone that is now due
whatever remains in Europe of liability
for property, for personal liberty, for soci
al order, or for the free exercise of re
ligion.
For the ftcurity, therefore, of ahefe
eflential objects, his Majesty cannot place
his reliance on the mere renewal of gener
al profeffions of pacific dispositions. Such
profeffions have been repeatedly held out
by allthofe who have fuccellively directed
the resources of France to the diftruc
tion of Europe; and ;whorn the present
rules have declared to have been all, from
the beginning, and uniformly, incapable of
maintaining the relations of amity and
peace.
Greatly, indeed, will his Majesty re
joice, whenever it shall appear that the
danger to which his own dominions, and
those of his allies, have been so long ex
posed, has really ceased; whenever he
shall be fatisfied that the necessity of re
sistance is at an end ; that after the ex
perience of so many years of crimes and
miseries, better principles have ultimately
prevailed in France; and that all the gi
gantic projects of ambition, and all the
restless schemes of diftru&ion which have
endangered the very exiftance of civil so
ciety, have at length been finally relin
quished :—But the convi&ion of such a
change, however agreable to his majesty’s
vvifhes, can result only from experience,
and from the evidence of fafts.
The best and most natural pledge of its
reality and permanence, would be the res
toration of that line of Princes which for
so many centuries maintained the French
nation in profperitv at home, and in consi
deration and refpeft abroad :—Such an e
vent would at once have removed, and
will at anv time remove all obstacles in the
way of negociation or peace. It would
confirm to France the unmolested enjoy
ment of its ancient territory ; and it would
give to all the other nations in Europe, in
tranquility and peace, that security which
they are now compelled to seek by other
means.
But, deferable as such an event must be,
both to France and to the world, it is not
to this mode exclusively that his Majesty
limits the poflibility of fectVje and folid'pa
ii psfeftbe »>sac i e fl wfis'aßia ,,^* i !S
form of her government, or in whose
hands file shall vest the authority necefla
ry for conducing the affairs of a great and
powerful nation.
His Majesty looks only to the security
of his own dominions and those of his al
lies, and to the general fafety of Europe.
Whenever we (hall judge that such securi
ty can in any manner be attained, as re
fusing either from the internal situation of
that country, from whose internal situa
tion the danger has risen, or from such o
ther circumstances of whatever nature as
may produce the fame end.—His Majesty
will eagerly embrace the opportunity to
concert with his allies the means of imme
diate and general pacification.
Unhappily no such security hitherto ex
ists: No fufficient evidence of the princi
ples by which the new government will be
directed ; no refonable ground by which
to judge of its liability. In this situation
it can for the present only remain for his
Majesty to pursue, in conjunction with
other powers, those exertions of just and
defenfive war, which his regard to the hap
piness of his fubjeCts will never permit
him either to continue beyond the necessi
ty in which they originated, or to termi
nate on any other grounds, than such as
may best contribute to the secure enjoy
ment of their tranquility, their Constitu
tion, and Independence.
(Signed) GRENVILLE.
Downing-street, Jan. 4, 1800.
To the Minifer for foreign affairs ,
&c. at Paris.
John Bacon, & Co.
HAVING JUST RECEIVED
Per the Helen , Julius Pringle , and other lat:
arrivals from England.
A HANDSOME ASSORTMENT OF
European GOODS,
SUITABLE TO THE PRESENT SEASON,
Which they are now opening and dispo
sing of at the most reduced prices for cash
and all kinds of produce, in the Store
lately occupied byMeiTrs.Drew df Wallace,
second door to John Wilson, & Co-
Broad-street.
I hey have likevjij'e an Afflrtmeut of
GROCERIE S.
December 25.