74 Capt. Temple. Peterborough.......64 Capt. Elliott. Befides fourteen frigates, eight brigs, and bombs, ketches, &c. innumerable. As the force under Admiral Pitt* was greatly inferior in number and weight of metal, the confequence of a general engagement was looked to by every officer in the fleet with fearful anxiety. Indeed it was the general opinion that the Admiral would give the fignal to difperfe, rather than risk a battle with fo inferior a force. The great hope is, that, by fome judicious manoeuvring, he may be able to delay a general action, until he fhall receive fome reinforcements. We understand he is alfo in expectation that a mutiny may break out in the enemy's fleet, the crews of which, from old jealoufies and heart-burnings, he flatters himfelf, cannot long act with concert and cordiality together. On the other hand, one of the crew of the Hawkesbury, who lately deferted from the combined fleet, and landed at Liverpool, reports that the enemy , are in the moft complete condition, and that the best difcipline prevails among the crews. He adds, that they had cleared their decks for feveral days paft, were ready for action, and determined to avail themfelves of the first opportunity of boarding, to which fyftem they feemed uncommonly partial; and that they had laid in an immense ftore of provifions, with which they were fupplied from Stafford, Carlisle, Norfolk, Derby, Suffolk, &c. Even the common failors had refused grog, and drank nothing but wine. * See the preceding article. The The St. Anne is the fame veffel that, in the American war, engaged the Lord North, and blew her out of the water. In the late war fhe frequently exchanged broadfides with the Premier, commanded by Admiral Pitt. In the laft engagement with that veffel, the St. Anne had her stern beaten in, her rigging all fhot away, and was obliged to cut and run. She has fince undergone an entire repair; has had all her feams caulked, and is now confidered as good as new. The St. Anne was built upon a Dutch model, and is very broad across the beams. The Pounfden is alfo a crack fhip in the enemy's fleet. Although a first-rate, and carrying as heavy metal as the St. Anne, the can, with a light breeze, outfail the lightest and fwifteft frigate. She is generally the headmoft fhip in a ftorm, and carries a lantern in her poop. The St. Mawes, with her whole crew, was taken in the present war by the St. Anne, in company with the Howic and Bedford. She carries very weighty metal, and alfo an unufual quantity of fmall arms; confifting of dirks, daggers, and other fharp inftruments, popguns, &c. The St. Mawes is not remarkable for precifion in firing. A random fhot from her, in the late war, nearly funk the Premier, which was the headmoft veffel in the fame line. The difpatches to which we allude, alfo contained an account of the proceedings of the fleet, under the command of Admiral Pitt, from the 10th to the 15th, extracted from the log-book of the Premier. The following letters were alfo received at the fame. time: Copy Copy of a Letter from G. Rofe, to the Right Honour alle W. Pitt, Admiral of the Yellow, Commander in Chief, &c. dated Paymafter, at Sea. "SIR, "Agreeable to orders, I continued with IIis Majefty's fhip under my command, cruifing in 30 degrees North latitude, between Golden Bay and the Treasury Creek, without meeting any thing worth picking up, until the morning of the 14th, when a strange fail hove in fight. From her make, I took her to be a Dutch Eaft Indiaman; fhe was fo deeply laden, as to appear to be finking. I crowded all the fail I could, and, upon coming up with her, fhe proved to be the enemy's fhip Budget, laden with ftores and provifions of all kinds for a whole year for the enemy's fleet. I immediately took her in tow, being apprehenfive, if left to herself, the might go to the bottom, from the exceffive weight of her cargo." Extract of a Letter from G. Canning, dated on board the Treafurer, in Navy Bay, on the 14th, 2 p. m. 66 SIR, "Several ftrange fail appearing in the offing, I immediately gave chafe, making fignal at the fame time for the reft of the fquadron to follow; which order, I am concerned to fay, was not obeyed. Upon coming up, I found myself unexpectedly in the midft of the enemy's fleet. The St. Anne, the Pounfden, and the Dropmore, the headmoft fhips, all three-deckers, immediately bore down upon me: unable to cope with fuch a fuperior force, I immediately ftruck, and the enemy took poffeffion of the Treafurer. In juftice to them, I mufi fay, they treated me with great politenefs. We failed in company for three days; during which time I contrived to perfuade the Captain of the Dropmore, that myfelf and crew were ready to fight проп . upon his fide. The whole fquadron fired a difcharge of 21 guns, in demonftration of their joy, and the Treafurer was no longer watched, or ordered to keep under the lee-quarter of the Dropmore, her former ftation. The Treafurer being thus, as it were, left to herself, on Saturday night I began to repair fomeTM damage the veffel had received in her bowsprit, in confequence of having run foul of the Premier when at moorings in Dover Roads. This gave me an opportunity to fall behind, without incurring fufpicion, until the rest of the fleet had fhot greatly a-head, with a fine brifk wind. I then crowded all the fail I could, and fhaped my courfe to join the fleet under your command. The St. Anne, I prefume, was the first veffel that fufpected my intention; for the moment I hoifted the Navy Jack at my top-maft-head; fhe opened a tremendous fire from the ftern-chafes, which must have blown me to pieces, had I not been three leagues off. The enemy's fleet, I fuppofe, had fome more important object in view, as they took no farther notice of my efcape. While with them, I attempted once or twice to take a peep at their book of fignals, but without effect." A neutral fleet of obfervation, under Commodore Addington, has put to fea, and was left watching the motions of the two hoftile fquadrons. Great apprehenfions were, however, entertained, that in the event of an engagement the Commodore would fide with the victor. The Commodore's fhip is pierced for 40 guns, but carries only eighteen 12-pounders and a few fwivels. The reft of his fquadron confifts of floops and gun-brigs, with fliding keels, and are badly manned. May 24. T THE DOCTOR'S SHOP. MR. EDITOR, S [From the Morning Chronicle ] As you feem defirous to convey every information to your readers refpecting the great changes which are now taking place in the world, I beg leave to fupply a fmall defect in your feries of news, by remitting you a few particulars refpecting The Sale of Effects, on the premises, of a medical gentleman, who lately failed. I know it has been faid, that his was what we call in the city a friendly bankruptcy, and that he had, in fact, no creditors. But I have every reafon to know and affert that it was a bona fide failure, although I allow that the perfons who gave him credit were very few. There might alfo be fome delay about putting the feal to the commiffion; but all this was got over in a moft furprifing manner. The fale took place a few days ago; and the reafon, I apprehend, why you have taken no notice of it is, that the effects were few, and not of that kind which, nowa-days, very much interefts the public. The purchafers likewife were very few-two perfons, Mr. Pitt and Mr. Melville, very old profeffional men, being the principal. The only articles worth mentioning were the following : The Shop was purchafed by Mr. Pitt, who means to carry on the bufinefs, and therefore took certain fixtures at a fair appraisement, a broker being appointed. on each fide. These fixtures were not of much confequence; but if removed from their places, they could not have fetched a farthing apiece. The fhop is to receive a new front and fhow-glaffes, and the whole to be new varnished. The fame gentleman alfo purchafed a quantity of yellow bafilicon, a phial of Jefuit's Drops, a cafe of inftruments, the latter very cheap, but apparently very unfafe to be employed where there is any |