ardor to the way of arms. Meanwhile, the Congress had returned to Philadelphia, a few days after the English evacuated that city. On the sixth of August they received publicly, and with all the ceremonies usual on similar occasions, M. Gerard, minister plenipotentiary of the king of France. This envoy delivered at first his letters of credence, which were signed by Lewis XVI. and directed to his very dear great friends and allies, the president and members of the general Congress of the United States of America. He made a very apposite speech, in which he set forth the benevolent intentions of France towards the United States, and the reciprocal obligation of the two contracting parties to execute the engagements stipulated in the eventual treaty, in order to defeat the hostile measures and designs of the common enemy. He announced, that on his part, his most christian majesty had already sent to their assistance a numerous and powerful fleet. He closed, with expressing a hope that the principles which might be adopted by the respective governments would tend to strengthen those bonds of union, which had originated in the mutual interest of the two nations.

The president, Henry Laurens, answered with much ease and dignity; that the present treaties sufficed to demonstrate the wisdom and magnanimity of the most christian king; that the virtuous citizens of America could never cease to acknowledge the hand of a gracious Providence, in raising them up so powerful and illustrious a friend. That the Congress had no doubt, but that the confidence his majesty reposed in the firmness of the United States would receive additional strength from every day's experience. That since England, from her insatiable lust of domination, was resolved to prolong the war; and with it the miseries of mankind, they were determined to fulfill all the conditions of the eventual treaty, although they had no more ardent wish than to spare human blood, by laying down at once their resentments and their arms; that they hoped the assistance of so wise and generous an ally, would at length open the eyes of Great Britain, and bring her to a sense of justice and moderation. The authorities of Pennsylvania, many strangers of note, the officers of the army, and a great number of distinguished citizens were present at this audience. The public joy was now at its height. All hearts were filled, not only with the hope of independence, for that was considered as no longer doubtful, but also with brilliant anticipations of future prosperity; the American empire, with the interference of France, appeared already established for ever.

Thus a king extended an auxiliary hand to a republic against another king! Thus the French nation came to the succour of one English people against another English people; thus the European powers, who until then had acknowledged no other independent nations in America, except the savages and barbarians, looking upon all the others as subjects, began to recognise as independent and sove

reign a civilised nation, and to form alliance with it, as such, by authentic treaties. An event assuredly worthy to arrest our particular attention; since the discovery of America by Columbus, none of equal or of similar importance had passed before the eyes of men. Such, in America, were the fruits either of the love of liberty or the desire of independence. Such were the consequences, in Europe, of a blind obstinacy, or of a pride perhaps necessary on the one part; of jealousy of power and a thirst of vengeance on the other!

The fourteenth of September the Congress appointed doctor Benjamin Franklin minister plenipotentiary of the United States at the court of France.

We have already related how, and by what causes, the expedition of the Delaware, by which the allies had hoped to destroy the British fleet and army at a single blow, had failed to have effect. Desirous, therefore, of achieving some other enterprise of importance, which might both honor their arins, and procure them an essential advantage, they resolved to direct their operations against Rhode Island. This expedition offered them greater facilities than any other; the situation of places being such that the land troops of the Americans, and the naval forces of the French could lend each other mutual assistance, and bring their joint energies to bear upon the same point. This design had been concerted between the generals. of Congress and d'Estaing, while he lay at anchor off Sandy Hook. General Sullivan had already been sent into that part, in order to take the command of the troops destined for the expedition, and in the meantime to assemble the militia of New England. General Greene had likewise been directed to proceed to Rhode Island; born in that province, he possessed great credit and influence among its inhabitants. The general of the British army, having penetrated the design of the allies, had sent from New York considerable reenforcements to major-general Pigot, who commanded in Rhode Island, which carried his garrison to six thousand men. General Sullivan had established his camp near Providence; it was composed of about ten thousand men, including militia. The plan which had been agreed upon was, that while Sullivan should make a descent upon the island from the northward, d' Estaing was to force the harbor of Newport from the south, destroy the British shipping at anchor there, and assault the town with vigor. The British garrison, thus pressed between two fires, it was thought would soon, of necessity, be compelled to surrender.

The state of Rhode Island is principally composed of several adjacent islands, the largest of which gives its name to the whole province. Between the eastern coast of this island and the main land, is an arm of the sea, which, extending considerably towards the north, expands into the bay of Mount Hope. This arm is denominated Seaconnet, or the eastern passage. Between Rhode Island and the island of Conanicut is another very narrow passage, named the Main

Channel. Finally, between the western coast of Conanicut island and the main land is found a third arm of the sea, known by the name of the western, or Narraganset passage. The town of Newport is situated upon the western shore of Rhode Island Proper, opposite to the island of Conanicut. At a short distance from the town, to the northeast, rise a chain of hills which stretch almost across the island from the eastern passage to the Main Channel. The English had fortified these heights with much care, in order to cover the town against an attack from the Americans, who were likely to approach by the north part of the island.

General Pigot prepared himself for an able and vigorous defence. He very prudently recalled the garrison of Conanicut island, and concentrated his forces about Newport. He also withdrew into the town the artillery and the cattle. The posts that were dispersed in different parts of the island, and especially the soldiers who occupied the northern point, were ordered to fall back upon the town as soon as they should discover the enemy's approach. The part of the town which looked towards the sea was fortified with extreme diligence; vessels of transport were sunk in such places as night obstruct the approaches by water to the most important batteries, the rest were burned. The frigates were removed higher up for safer moorings. But to provide for the worst, they were stripped of their artillery and stores. The seamen belonging to the vessels sunk or destroyed, were employed to serve the artillery of the ramparts; a service they well understood, and greatly coveted.

Meanwhile, the count d'Estaing, on his departure from Sandy Hook, after standing to the southward as far as the mouth of the Delaware, changed his course and bore to the northeast upon Rhode Island. He arrived the twenty-ninth of July at Point Judith, and anchored with the most of his ships just without Brenton's Ledge, about five miles from Newport. Two of his vessels went up the Narraganset passage, and cast anchor to the north of Conanicut. Several frigates entered the Seaconnet passage; the English on their approach set fire to a corvette and two armed gallies which had been stationed there. During several days the French admiral made no attempt to penetrate the Main Channel, in order to attack the town of Newport, as it had been concerted with the Americans. This delay was occasioned by that of the reenforcements of militia which general Sullivan expected, and which were deemed essential to the security of the enterprise. Finally, the eighth of August, all the preparations being completed, and the wind favorable, the French squadron entered the harbor of Newport, and coasting the town, discharged their broadsides into it, and received the fire of the batteries on shore; but little execution was done on either side. They anchored a little above the town, between Goats Island and Conanicut, but nearest to the latter, which was already occupied by the Americans.

The English, in the meantime, finding they could not save several frigates and other vessels of less force, concluded to burn them.

The next day, general Sullivan, who had moved from Providence down to that part of the main land which bears from the east upon Rhode Island, crossed the Seaconnet passage at Howlands Ferry, and landed with all his troops upon the north end of the island. It appears that this movement was highly offensive to the count d' Estaing, who expected to have been the first to set foot on shore in the island. General Sullivan hoped that the attack would now be delayed no longer, when the same day, the ninth of August, signals announced the whole squadron of lord Howe, who, on receiving intelligence that Rhode Island was menaced by the French, had hastened to the succour of general Pigot. Notwithstanding the reenforcement he had lately received, he was still inferior to his enemy, considering the size of his ships, and their weight of metal. His squadron, though more numerous, consisted of only one ship of seventy-four, seven of sixty-four, and five of fifty guns, with several frigates. He hoped, however, that fortune would offer him an occasion to join battle with the advantage of wind, or of some other circumstances. And certainly if, from the time he had taken the resolution of moving to the relief of Rhode Island, the winds had not retarded his progress, he would have arrived at the very inoment when the French squadron was dispersed in the different channels formed by the adjacent islands; in which case he would have had all the chances of victory in his favor. But his passage was so difficult, that he was unable to arrive till the day after that in which the count d'Estaing had put himself in safety with all his fleet in the Main Channel.

Having carefully examined, as well the nature of the places, as the position of the French ships, and having also communicated to the same end with general Pigot, the British admiral concluded that there was no hope left him of succouring the town, especially as the winds continued contrary. The harbor was so situated, the entrance so narrow, the apparatus of defence in the island of Conanicut so formidable, that the enterprise could not have been attempted, not only by an inferior squadron, as was that of Howe, but even by a greatly superior force, without temerity. For the same cause, if the French admiral, agreeably to the plan concerted with Sullivan, had been disposed to persist, and not to quit his station until he had afforded that general all the cooperation in his power, there is good reason to believe that the town of Newport would have fallen into the hands of the allies.

But the count d'Estaing, like a true Frenchman, full of ardor and impatience, upon a change of wind to the northeast, in the morning of the tenth, was seized with an impulse that he could not master, to profit of this circumstance to sail out of the harbor, in

order to attack the enemy. He accordingly stood out to sea, in search of the British fleet. Admiral Howe, on seeing so formidable an armament advance to engage him, and being under the wind, which gave the French the weathergage, declined coming to action, and manœuvred with great ability in order to gain that advantage for himself. A contest ensued for it, which lasted the whole day; the French admiral striving to retain it with equal eagerness. The wind still continuing on the eleventh unfavorable to the British, Howe resolved notwithstanding to meet the enemy. He therefore formed his squadron so that it could be joined by three fire-ships, which were towed by the frigates. The French also disposed their ships in order of battle, and the moment already approached that was to decide which of the two powerful adversaries should remain master of the American seas. But at the same instant, a strong gale commenced, which, soon after increasing, became a violent storm. The tempest, which lasted forty-eight hours, not only separated and dispersed the two fleets, but did them so much damage, that they were both rendered unfit for action, and compelled to put into port to repair. The French squadron suffered even more than the English, especially in their masts and rigging. The Languedoc, of ninety guns, the admiral's ship, lost her rudder and all her masts. Floating in this condition, at the mercy of the currents, she was met by the English ship Renown, of fifty guns, commanded by captain Dawson, who attacked her with so much vigor and dexterity, that had not darkness interposed, together with the gale, which had not yet sufficiently abated, she must inevitably have struck; as she could only use seven or eight of her guns. Some French ships appeared with the return of day. They bore down upon captain Dawson, and gave chase, though without being able to come up with him. But they at least delivered their admiral from the imminent peril to which they found himn exposed.

The same day, the English ship Preston, of fifty guns, fell in with the Tonnant, of eighty, with only her mainmast standing. He attacked her; but was compelled by the coming on of night, to discontinue the engagement till next morning, when the appearance of several French ships constrained him to withdraw. The British squadron returned to Sandy Hook and New York, for the purpose of refitting; the repairs were pushed with the greatest diligence. The French recovered the harbor of Newport.

In the meantime, general Sullivan, though impeded by bad weather, and other difficulties which had retarded the arrival of his stores and artillery, had advanced very near to Newport. He already had occupied Honeymans Hill, and was engaged with great activity in constructing batteries. The besieged were not wanting to themselves; they erected new fortifications and new batteries, to answer those of the Americans. But notwithstanding their efforts, if the count d' Es