From the LONDON GAZETTE
Admiralty - Office, Nov. 14, 1778
Extracts of dispatches from vice-admiral Montagu comander in chief of his
majesty's ships and vessels at Newfoundland, to Mr. Stephens, received by the
Hawke sloop, lately arrived from that island at Spithead.
Extract of a
Letter from Vice-Admiral Montagu to Mr. Stephens, dated at St. John's Newfoundland,
October 5, 1778.
FOR the information of my lords commissioners of the admiralty,
I beg to acquaint you that as soon as I received certain intelligence that hostilities
were commenced by count d'Estaing in North America, I dispatched commodore
Evans
in the Romney, with the Pallas, Surprise, Martin, and Bonavista armed sloop, under
his command, with two field-pieces, a party of artillery, and 200 marines under
the command of major Wemys, to put in execution his majesty's commands to me (under
his sign manual) to attack, reduce, and take possession of the islands of St.
Pierre and Miquelon; which service, I have the honor to acquaint their lordships,
he has performed; and enclosed I transmit you a copy of the commodore's letter
to me of the 17th ult. since which I have not heard from hom, owing to the very
think fogs and easterly winds which have prevailed these three weeks past. As
soon as I can get a particular account from the commodore I will dispatch the
Hawke with it.
Captain Linzee of the Surprize, returned from the coast of
Labrador on the 9th ult. He was too late on the coast for the privateer he went
after, but on his way back took a schooner privaterr of 10 three-pounders, eight
swivels, and 40 men, in Trinity-bay, called the Harlequin, belonging to Salem,
which I have bought into the service.
Extract of a Letter from Commodore Evans
to Vice-Admiral Montagu, dated St. Peter's road, Sept. 17.
I Arrived here
the 14th instant, wich his majesty's ship under my command, and immediately sent
captain Montagu to the governor, to acquaint him, that as the French had committed
hostilities in America, I came here to demand a surrender of the islands of St.
Peter's, Miquelon, and its dependencies, to his Britannic majesty, and demanded
an answer in half an hour.
The governor sent the inclosed proposals to which
I returned the answer also inclosed, and sent captain King of the Pallas, and
major Wemyss, with 117 marines and aparty of artillery, to take possession of
the place, which aws immediately delivered up to them.
I have not yet been
able to get an exact return of the arms and ammunition in the islands; but the
number of inhabitants is said to be about 3000, the greater part of them capable
of bearing arms. I have dispatched the Bonavista sloop to Halifax, agreeable
to your order, to desire a number of transports may be sent here to carry the
inhabitants to France, there being here only two brigs, one snow, and a few small
schooners; and the scarcity of provisions in the islands will not admit of victualling
properly even the few inhabitants they can contain, neither are there any water
casks here fit to hold water in : however, I popose to send away the governor,
his council, troops, and principal inhabitants in the vessels that are here, as
soon as possible ; but to accomplish that will require more time than was expected.I
shall destroy all the fishing-stages, storehouses and shallops, and the houses
in the town, as the inhabitants embark from them.
I shall send captain Chamberlayne,
of his majesty's sloop Martin, to Miquelon to-night, if the wind will permit,
to send round the civil and military officers to be embarked with the governor
for France, when a vessel can be got ready. Copy of a Letter from the Baron
de l'Esperance to Commodore Evans, dated at St. Peter's, Sept. 14.
It
is with the greatest surprise I have received from you a summons to deliver up
this government into the possession of his Britannic majesty, not having received
advice of a declaration of war between the two nations, from my court. The formidable
force you have brought with you, knowing I had it not in my power to oppose it,
obliges me to condescend to your summons, on conditions, that myself and the small
garrison shall quit with all the honours of war, as the officer who brought your
orders has promised.
I flatter myself I may expect from your generosity every
thing that is in your power to grant to the unfortunate inhabitants under my care.
In consequence of which, Sir, I demand First, That all the attention in your
power may be paid to the officers in the civil and military departments in my
government : Secondly, That the inhabitants shall take away their effects from
their houses, and also their fish; and that they shall be sent to France in a
sufficient number of transports, that there may be no risk of their perishing
before their arrival, Thirdly, That we shall enjoy the exercise of our religion
during our stay in the colony, Fourthly, That the small number of vessels in these
islands shall remain property of their respective proprietors. Lastly, Sir, I
expect you will will take care to place proper guards to prevent any insults to
my prople. In proof of my condescension to your demand, I send you three hostages,
viz. Mons. D'Angeac de la Loge, second captain of the troops; Bertin, officer
of the government ; and Des Roches, a principal inhabitant.
Nothing but the
appearance of such a squadron could have obliged me to consent to your summons,
which I do in order to spare the blood of my colonists, not fearing for myself
had I only the feeling of an officer to consult.
PS: I dare hope that you
will grant every thing I ask, and send an answer. Copy of Letter from Commodore
Evans, to the Baron de l'Esperance, dated St. John's- road. Sept. 15.
IN
answer to your letter of yesterday, by the officer whom I sent to you, to summons
you to surrender the islands of St. Pierre and Miquelon to his Britannic majesty,
which you have thought proper to do, under particular articles ; agreeable to
your request, the troops shall be permitted to march out of th town with all the
honours of war ; the officers, civil and military, and the other inhabitants of
the town, may remain in their respective houses, till an opportunity offers of
sending them to France.  There
will be no interruption in the exercise of their religion, and care shall be taken
that no insults be given them.
In consideration of my granting you these terms,
you shall upon your honor give a true and faithful account of the number of inhabitants,
distinguishing their sexes, with an account of all ordnance, arms, ammunition,
and all other warlike stores; together with the number of vessels, fishing-boats,
fish, oil, and other merchandise, that are in the said islands; all which shal
be delivered up to such officers as I may think proper to appoint to receive them,
and to be disposed of in such manner as I think proper. And the inhabitants may
be assured of all the indulgence it may be in my power to grand them, during their
stay on these islands. I shall land a detachment of troops on the islands, when
the officer returns, who is charged with this letter, and the hostages will be
delivered up as soon as English colours will be hoisted at St. Peter's.
Extract
of a Letter from Vice-admiral Montagu, to Mr. Stephens, dated St. John's, Oct
16.
( ) his majesty's ship Guadaloup, that failed ( ) from hence
the 7th inst. I did myself the honour to write you by way of Lisbon, and enclosed
you a copy of commodore Evan's letter to me from St. Pierre's, of the 17th of
Sept. with copies of what had passed between him and the governor of that island,
to that time. Duplicates of which I transmitted the 8th inst. by a merchant vessel
bound to ireland.
On the 11th inst. the commodore arrived here in his majesty's
ship Romney (not thinking it prudent to remain any longer with so large a ship,
in that road, so late in the season) , and brought with him his majesty's ship
Pallas, a French letter of marque of 400 tons, and a snow, from Bourdeaux, loaded
with provisions for St. Pierre and Miquelon. They both went into St. Pierre's-road,
after the place had surrendered.
I am now to inform you, that the Commodore
has (in the vessels he found at St. Pierre's) embarked the governor and his suite,
with the troops and all the principal inhabitants, women and children, amounting
in the whole to 932, and sent them to France, before he left the place; and as
transports were daily expected from Halifax, to take the remainder of the inhabitants
(whom he supposes to be about 1000) he has left the Surprise and Martin to see
them embarked, with orders to destroy the houses, stores, &c. that were remaining.
Inclosed I transmit to you an account of the fish and oil found at St. Pierre's
and Miquelon, together with the number of boats and small arms, agreeable to the
return made to me by commodore Evants.
No. I.An Account of the
Small Arms and Accoutrements found at St. Pierre's and Miquelon, belonging to
the French King, viz.
Total number of musquets, 175 ; bayonets, 173 ; cartouch-boxes,
172; swords, 88 ; belts, 106. J. MONTAGU. No. II.An Account of
Shallops, Fish, Oil, and Salt, found at St. Pierre's and Miquelon, belonging to
the Inhabitants of the said Islands, viz.
Total number of shallops with fishing
decks, 10 ; shallops with fixed decks, 22; shallops without decks, 165l canoes,
82 ; fish in quintals, 16,225 ; oil in hogsheads, 201; salt in hogsheads, 244.
J. MONTAGU. |
