of the no less horrible scourge of famine. Nor should it be passed over in silence by a sincere friend of truth and honorable deeds, that the Spanish prisoners of war, at this time considerably numerous in Barbadoes, under the conduct of don Pedro San Jago, did every thing that could be expected of brave and generous soldiers. Far from profiting of this calamitous conjuncture to abuse their liberty, they voluntarily encountered perils of every kind to succour the unfortunate islanders, who warmly acknowledged their services. The other islands, French as well as English, were not much less devastated than Barbadoes. At Jamaica, a violent earthquake added its horrors to the rage of the tornado; the sea rose and overflowed its bounds with such impetuosity, that the inundation extended far into the interior of the island.

In consequence of the direction of the wind, the effects of the seaflood were the most destructive in the districts of Hanover and Westmoreland. While the inhabitants of Savanna la Mer, a considerable village of Westmoreland, stood observing with dismay the extraordinary swell of the sea, the accumulated surge broke over them, and in an instant, men, animals, habitations, every thing, was carried with it into the abyss. Not a vestige remained of that unhappy town. More than three hundred persons were thus swallowed up by the waves. The most fertile fields were left overspread with a deep stratum of steril sand. The most opulent families were reduced in a moment to the extreme of indigence, If the fate of those on shore was deplorable beyond all expression, the condition of those who were upon the water was not less to be pitied. Some of the vessels were dashed upon shoals and breakers, others foundered in the open ocean, a few made their way good into port, but grievously battered and damaged. The tempest was not only fatal to ships under sail; it spared not even those that were at anchor in the securest havens. Some bilged in port, and many were drifted out to sea by the resistless fury of the billows. Among the first was the Thunderer, of seventy-four guns, which sunk with all on board. Several frigates were so shattered that they were not thought worth repairing. The English bad to regret, in all, one ship of seventy-four, two of sixtyfour, and one of fifty guns, besides seven or eight frigates.

Amidst so many disasters, they found, at least, some succour in the humanity of the marquis de Bouille. A number of English sailors, the wretched relics of the crews of the Laurel and Andromeda, wrecked upon the coasts of Martinico, fell into the power of that general. He sent them free to St. Lucia, saying, that he would not treat as prisoners men who had escaped the rage of the elements. He expressed a hope that the English would exercise the same generosity towards those Frenchmen whom a similar destiny might have delivered into their power. He testified his regrets that he had only been able to save so few of the English seamen, and that

among them there was not a single officer. He concluded with observing that, as the calamity had been common and general, humanity should be extended alike towards all its victims. The merchants of Kingston, the capital of Jamaica, animated by the most honorable social sentiments, immediately made a subscription of ten thousand pounds sterling for the relief of the sufferers. The parliament, as soon as it was apprised of this catastrophe, voted, notwithstanding the pressure of the expenses of the war, a donation of eighty thousand pounds sterling to the inhabitants of Barbadoes, and another of forty thousand to those of Jamaica. Nor was public munificence the only source of their succours; a great number of private citizens likewise contributed largely to alleviate the distresses of these unfortunate West Indians.

The fleet of the count de Guichen, and that of admiral Rodney, were not exposed to the hurricane. The first was already departed for Europe, in the month of August, escorting, with fourteen sail of the line, a rich and numerous fleet of merchantmen. In consequence of his departure, and in ignorance of his designs, Rodney, to whom, moreover, the Spanish troops landed at the Havannah gave no little disquietude, detached a part of his force to cover Jamaica, and made sail with the rest for New York. But before he reached the American continent, and even before he departed from the West Indies, there had happened a surprising revolution in public affairs, of which we shall give an account in due time. While men were engaged in so fierce a war upon the continent, and in the islands of America, while they had to combat there the fury of the elements, the bellige rent powers were far from remaining inactive in Europe. Greater unity was observable in the counsels of England; but, however excellent her marine, it was inferior in force to that of the allied courts. These, on the other hand, had more ships and more soldiers ;but often directed towards very different objects, by opposite interests, they did not obtain the success to which they might have aspired. Thus, for example, the Spaniards, always principally aiming at the conquest of Gibraltar, assembled their forces, and lavished their trea sure at the foot of that fortress. From the same motive they kept their ships in the port of Cadiz, instead of joining them with those of France, and attempting in concert to strike a decisive blow at the British power. It followed that France was obliged to send her squadrons into that same port; and, meanwhile, the British fleets were blockading her atlantic ports, intercepting her commerce, capturing her convoys, and the frigates that escorted them.

Admiral Geary, who, on the death of sir Charles Hardy, had been appointed to the command of the channel fleet, bad put to sea with about thirty sail of the line. He fell in, the third of July, with a fleet of French merchantmen, loaded with cochineal, sugar, coffee, and cotton, under the guard of the ship of war Le Fier, of fifty guns.

The English gave chase, and captured twelve sail, and probably would have swept the whole convoy, but for a thick fog and the great proximity of the coasts of France; the rest made their ports in safety. Several other French ships, and even some frigates, fell a short time after, into the power of the English, but not without a gallant resistance. As we cannot go into a narrative of all the encounters that took place, we will not, however, omit the name at least of the chevalier de Kergarion, captain of the Belle Poule, who with that frigate, of only thirty-two guns, defended himself a long time against the Nonesuch man of war, of sixty-four, conimanded by James Wallace. Nor was it till after the death of the intrepid Kergarion, that his successor, M. de la Motte Tabouret, yielded to the necessity of striking . his colors; his frigate was completely dismasted; the greater part of the crew had perished.

The allies made themselves ample amends for these losses on the ninth of August. Towards the latter end of July, a numerous fleet of king's ships and merchantmen, had set sail from the ports of England for the two Indies. Five of the first, besides much of munitions of war, arms and artillery, were loaded with an immense quantity of rigging for the use of the British fleet, stationed in those distant seas. Eighteen others were either victualling ships or transports, carrying military stores and recruits, to reenforce the army of America. The others were vessels of commerce, whose cargoes were extremely valuable. This fleet was escorted by the Romulus ship of the line, and three frigates. It was pursuing its voyage, having in sight, at a great distance, the coasts of Spain, when, in the night of the eighth of August, it fell into the midst of a squadron of the combined fleet, which was cruising upon the accustomed route of ships destined for the East or West Indies. The hostile squadron was commanded by admiral don Lewis de Cordova. The English mistook his lanterns at mast head for those of their own commander, and steered accordingly. At break of day, they found themselves intermingled with the Spanish fleet. Don Cordova enveloped them, and shifted the crews of sixty vessels; the ships of war escaped him. His return to Cadiz was a real triumph. The people flocked to behold the prisoners, and this rich booty; a spectacle the more grateful for being uncommon, and little expected. Near three thousand prisoners were put ashore, of every condition, and of every age. Of this number, were sixteen hundred sailors, a heavy loss for England, and passengers not a few. The English even regretted much less the cargoes of commercial articles than the munitions of war, of which their armies and fleets in both Indies experienced the most pressing need. So brilliant a success was received by the Spanish nation with infinite exultation. The news of it spread, on the contrary, a sort of consternation in Great Britain. The ministers found themselves the object of the bitterest reproaches; the public voice

accused them of temerity. They knew,' it was exclaimed, that the allies had a formidable force at Cadiz; why did they not direct the convoy to avoid the coasts of Spain?'

The events of maritime war, did not divert attention from the siege of Gibraltar. Spain, as we have already seen, attached an extreme importance to the conquest of this place. She appeared to make it the capital object of the war, and the aim of all her efforts. It must be admitted, in effect, that, apart from all political considerations, so powerful a monarch could not have seen without indignation, a fortress upon his own territory possessed by foreigners, who, from its summit, appeared to set him at defiance. Gibraltar revived the bistory of Calais, which had also long appertained to England, but which the French at length recovered; the Spaniards promised themselves the like good fortune. Accordingly, after that place had been revictualled by Rodney, the Spanish admiral, don Barcelo, exerted all his vigilance to prevent its receiving any fresh succours. On the other hand, general Mendoza, who commanded the troops on shore, endeavored to press the fortress on the land side. He daily added new works to his camp of St. Roch, and pushed his approaches with all possible diligence. But whatever was the assiduity and ability of the Spanish commanders, they were so thwarted by the instability of the winds and.sea, and the British officers displayed so much talent and activity, that, from time to time, victualling transports found their way into the place. The garrison forgot their sufferings, and resumed courage, while the Spaniards could but gnash with rage at seeing the resistance protracted so long beyond their confident expectations.

The efforts of the garrison were powerfully seconded by some ships of war which admiral Rodney had left in the port; one of this number was the Panther, of seventy-four guns. To remove so troublesome an obstacle, the Spaniards formed a design to burn this squadron with the transport vessels at anchor behind it. They hoped even to involve in the conflagration the immense magazines of munitions which had been constructed upon the shore. They prepared for this purpose seven fire-ships, which were to be accompanied by an immense number of armed gallies and boats. Don Barcelo advanced his fleet, and formed it in line of battle across the mouth of the harbor, as well to direct and second the attack, as to intercept any vessel that should attempt to escape. On the side of the land, don Mendoza held himself in readiness to menace the garrison upon all points; he was to commence the most vigorous bombardment as soon as the fire should break out on board the British squadron. The night of the sixth of June was chosen for the enterprise. The darkness, the wind, and the tide, were alike propitious. The English manifested a perfect security. The fire-ships advanced, and every thing promised success, when the Spaniards, either through impatience, or, from the extreme obscurity of the night, misjudging their

distance, or else not wishing to approach nearer, applied the fire with too much precipitation. This unexpected sight apprised the English of their danger. Immediately, without terror, and without confusion, officers and soldiers throw themselves into boats, intrepidly approach the fire-ships, make fast to them, and tow them off to places where they can do no mischief. The Spaniards, after this fruitless attempt, withdrew.

Meanwhile, don Mendoza busied himself with unremitting ardor in urging the labors of his lines. General Elliot, to whom the king of England had confided the defence of the place, suffered his adversary to go on; but when he saw his works well nigh completed, he opened upon them so violent a cannonade, that in a short time he demolished and ruined them entirely. He also made frequent sallies, in which he filled up the trenches and spiked the artillery of the besiegers. The English became daily more confident, the Spaniards, on the contrary, seemed less animated and sanguine. Chagrined that a handful of men, since the garrison of Gibraltar, including officers, did not exceed six thousand combatants, should not only presume to resist them, but even to attack them with success, they had recourse to an expedient, which at length rendered the defence of the place exceedingly difficult and perilous, and finally operated the total destruction of the city; and that was, to construct an immense number of craft, which they called gun-boats. Their burthen was from thirty to forty tons, and their crew from forty to fifty men; they were armed at the prow with a twenty-six pounder; others mounted mortars. Besides a large sail, they had fifteen oars on each side. As they were easily worked, it was intended to employ them to overwhelm the town and forts with bombs and balls during the nights, and even, if the opportunity should present itself, to attack the frigates. It was believed that two of these gun-boats might engage a frigate with advantage, because of their little elevation above the water, and the diminutive scope they afforded to the balls of the enemy. The governor of Gibraltar, not having a similar flotilla at his disposal, it became almost impossible for him to avoid its effects. The Spaniards were sensible. of it, and this consideration revived their ardor, and reanimated their hopes.

While the arms of England prevailed upon the American continent; while those of the two ancient rivals balanced each other in the West Indies, and the war was carried on in Europe with such variety of success that it was singularly difficult to conjecture what would be the issue of the mighty struggle, the situation of affairs in the United Provinces, which had hitherto offered only doubt and incertitude, began to assume a less ambiguous aspect. It seemed to have been decreed by destiny, that the quarrel of America should shake the whole globe. The coalition of the arms of Holland with those of the Bourbons and of the Congress, seemed to consummate the formida