During the recess of Parliament, the Earl of Stormont, late Ambassador at Paris, was made Secretary of State in the room of the Earl of Suffolk deceased. The Earl of Weymouth a second time refigned the Seals of the Southern Department, which were transferred to the Earl of Hillfborough; and Earl Bathurst, late Chancellor of Great Britain, was nominated President of the Council, in the room of Earl Gower. The Great Seal had been consigned, in the course of the preceding year, to the Attorney-General Thurlow, created Baron Thurlow, a man endowed by nature with uncommon talents, which were concealed, and in effect lost to the world, under an almost impervious veil of moroseness, bigotry, and malevolence.

The

The state of affairs on the other fide of the Atlantic once more demands our attention. reduction of Georgia by General Prevost and Col. Campbell, though in itself of no great importance, excited just alarm in the inhabitants of the Carolinas, which were protected only by their own militia, and an inconfiderable body of continental troops under the command of General Lincoln, who lay encamped at Purisburg, on the north fide of the river Savannah, about twenty miles above the town of that name. At the end of April 1779, this officer left that advantageous position, which enabled him effectually to cover the pro

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vince, and marched along the banks of the river to Augusta, where he expected to be joined by powerful reinforcements; and he hoped, by paffing the river, to cut off the communication of General Prevost with the back country, whence he received his supplies. But General Prevost was no fooner apprised of this movement, than he determined to pass the Savannah at Purifburg, and make a rapid march towards Charlestown. This, the small force left by General Lincoln to guard the paffage of the Savannah was not able to prevent; and the English army, confifting of about 4000 men, including Indians, arrived in the vicinity of that city on the 11th of May. To the chagrin of the English General, he found the place strongly fortified and well secured by the numerous militia which had now collected for its defence. After summoning the city in vain to furrender, he determined, on hearing that General Lincoln was on his march back to Carolina, to decamp that very night, and took poft, after some detours, in the ifland of Port Royal, to the south of Charlestown harbor. In the mean time Sir Henry Clinton was engaged, in conformity to the policy of the English Court, whence he derived his instructions, in various predatory expeditions. Sir George Collier and General Matthew, in a descent upon Virginia, burnt the town of Suffolk, and destroyed the vessels, provifions and stores found there, and

at

at Gofport, Jenner's Creek, and various other places in that quarter. Sir H. Clinton in person proceeded up the North River, and carried, by great exertions of gallantry, the two important posts of Stoney Point and Verplanks, which the Americans had diligently fortified to preserve the communication between the Eastern and Western Colonies. Another expedition under Sir George Collier, Governor Tryon commanding the land forces, was projected nearly at the same time against Newhaven in Connecticut, which they plundered, and afterwards proceeded to Fairfield and Norwalk, which they laid in ashes; and also the buildings and farm-houses to the compass of two miles round. At the same time a Proclamation was issued by them, declaring " the existence of a fingle house on the coast to be a striking monument of British mercy." A far more important enterprise was next undertaken by the fame officer, for the relief of a fortress lately constructed at the mouth of the river Penobscot, in the eastern confines of New England, and garri foned by a detachment of King's troops from Nova Scotia. This poft had been for fsome time closely invested by an armament of confiderable force from Boston, which was attacked lying in the river and almost entirely destroyed by Sir George Collier, who took two frigates of twenty and eighteen guns, the remainder to the amount of seven

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teen vessels being stranded and burnt. The fu perior weight of metal on the part of the English Commodore, who hoisted his broad pendant on board the Raisonnable, of 64 guns, and whose whole squadron confifted of fix ships only, far more thân counterbalance the superiority of numbers on the part of the enemy. On the other hand, the Americans were not without their successes. After the capture of Stoney Point and Verplanks by the English, no pains were spared to make them impregnable to the attacks of the enemy; notwithstanding which, a plan was formed by the American General Wayne, for the furprisal of this poft, which was carried into execution with great refolution on the night of the 15th of July. Neither the deep morass in front of the lines, the double rows of abattis, or the inceffant and tremendous fire from the batteries, could damp the ardor of the troops, who, attacking with fixed bayonets, carried the works with refistless intrepidity. The clemency of the conquerors was no less confpicuous than their bravery; for, though they had repeatedly been refused quarter in fimilar fituations, the lives of more than 500 men, who threw down their arms, were generoufly granted.

In a few days, another British post at Paulus I look was furprised in a fimilar manner; but a better defence being made, the Americans, after storming two redoubts, were repulfed, and obliged to retire, not however without carrying off with them near 200 prifoners.

In the West Indies, foon after the defeat of D'Estaing, at St. Lucie, Admiral Barrington was joined by Admiral Byron; and the English fleet being now fuperior to that of the French, endeavors were used to force the enemy to a general engagement; but they chose, rather than encounter this risque, to remain inactive in the harbor of Fort Royal. Admiral Byron, however, deeming it expedient to convoy the trade ships collected at St. Chriftopher's in June, part of their voyage; Count d'Estaing took the opportunity of detaching a confiderable force to the Island of St. Vincent, which furrendered, though garrifoned by seven companies of regular troops, without firing a shot. This is afcribed to the dread entertained of an infurrection of the Caribbs, who still entertained a deep resentment of the injuries they had sustained. The French Commander, being now joined by a large reinforcement of ships and troops, failed with twenty-fix ships of the line from Fort Royal, in the beginning of July, and steered his course to the Island of Grenada, which, though bravely defended by the Governor Lord Macartney, was compelled in a short time to furrender at difcretion. Admiral Byron on his return, receiving intelligence of the capture of St. Vincent's, im