Aug. 29.
Barbado. |
69. Governor Lowther to the Council of Trade and Plantations. I am extreamly sorry to acquaint your Lordships
yt. Monsieur Cassert landed about 3500 men at Montsieurat
on the 8th and 9th of July last, and did carry away about 1200
negroes besides coppers, stills and other valuable things; his
force in shipping as I am informed consisted of one ship of 64
guns, one of 56, one of 54, two of 44, one 38, and one of 28. This
great misfortune in my opinion is owing in all probability to the
conduct of some of the Commanders of H.M. ships. But in
regard those gentlemen do in some measure excuse themselves
by endeavouring to asperse and misrepresent that part I have
acted in the matter, I therefore hope your Lordships will suffer
me to give you a full and faithfull narrative of what concerns
me and of what hath come within my knowledge, etc. Ye
fleet from London arriv'd in Carlisle Bay June 22nd, under
convoy of the Woolwich, Lime and Swallow, and there were
then in Carlisle Bay H.M.S. Panther and Burlington. But Mr.
Constable and Clark, the Commanders of the said ships did
not continue long in the road after the arrival of the London
fleet, for instead of staying to protect the fleet, and of fitting
themselves in order to convoy back the sd. fleet to London, they
left the Island without haveing my orders or without giving me
any notice of it, and did not return to Barbados till July 14th.
On ye 13th of July last between the hours of 9 and 10 in the morning I received a letter by an express boat from the Generall
of the Leward Islands, dated the 9th of July, wherein he informed
me yt. Antegoa was alarm'd on the 4th of July last by the
appearance of a great number of ships from Guardeloope standing
for Antegoa, and therefore desired that I would dispatch H.M.
ships yt. were here to his assistance. This letter is entered at
large in the Minutes of Council herewith sent. Upon the receipt
of this letter, I immediatly sent for Capt. Hamilton, Commander
of H.M.S. the Woolwich, and communicated to him the said
letter, and then gave him orders to gett his own ship, as also
those under his command in readiness forthwith, and to make
the best of his way to the Island of Antegoa for the releif of that,
and the rest of the Leward Islands. I also issued a warrant for
the takeing up all deserters, and stragling sailors, to be put on
board H.M. ships. I likewise laid an embargo upon all mercht.
ships and other vessells. On the 14th of July last Capt. Constable
and Clark arriv'd in Carlisle Bay with H.M.S. the Panther and
Burlington, and about 10 a'clock in the morning Mr. Constable
sent me a letter dated the 14th of July, wherein he informed
me yt. on the 2nd of July last, he saw off of Guardeloope 10 ships,
and that the Burlington and he chaced them till they found yt.
five of them were larger than themselves, and yt. then the French
ships chaced for about two hours, and yt. when they left them
they saw four more, which the others went in order to joyne;
he adds yt. on Sunday following a ship came directly towards
him, wch. he chaced for some time, and then left off; but the
boat happened to break from the stern of that ship wch. he chaced,
and ye two persons yt. were in it informed him, yt. the ship they
belonged to was the Valuer of 44 guns, as also yt. ye ships he
had seen were seaven of them men of war, from 56 to 76 guns.
This letter is incerted at large in the Minutes of Council, I therefore beg leave to refer yr. Lordships to it. Mr. Hamilton was
as yet in the road. I therefore immediatly communicated the
said letter to him, and desired him to hold a Council of war with
the Commanders of H.M. ships upon the advice I had received
from General Douglas, and the letter I reced. from Mr. Constable,
and to signe their opinions, and to attend me in Council at four
a clock in the afternoon being the 14th of July. I also upon the
receipt of ye said letter from Mr. Constable caused an alarm
to be put about; I also directed the Council to meet me at 4
a clock in ye afternoon of the same day, and ordered all the
Masters of mercht. men to attend me at the same time. There
was not a quorum of the Council till it was five a clock, but the
Capts. of H.M. ships came to my house about four a clock the
said afternoon, and Mr. Hamilton delivered me the opinion of
the Councill of war, to wch. I refer, it being entered in the Minutes
of Councill: before the Councill sat I had some conversation
with the Commanders of H.M. ships concerning ye strength of
the enemy, and abt. their goeing down to the relief of the Leeward
Islands: upon wch. some Gentlemen very much magnified the
enemy's strength, and talked much of the largeness of their
ships, and of their being double mann'd: whereupon I told them
that when they six were joyned with the four men of war yt.
were at Antegoa, they would be strong enough to encounter the
enemy; upon this Capt. Elford asked me if I knew what a
seaventy gun ship was, and further said yt. he must tell me yt.
one seaventy gun ship was better than two fifty gun ships. Upon
this I asked him his reason for asking me that question, to wch.
he answered because I had never been much at sea, to this I only
replied yt. tho' a man had never been much at sea, yet he might
easily know what a 70 gun ship was, whereupon he answered in a
very disdainfull manner, yt. he knew what he said, for he was
only talking to the Governor of Barbados; as he was proceeding
in this kind of rude discourse yt. was nothing to the purpose,
I bid him hold his tongue, and some smal time after I went into
another room to discourse with some gentlemen I had sent for:
whereupon Capt. Constable, Clarke and Elford went their ways
without takeing any further notice of me, or staying to consult
with the Councill and myself upon the relief of the Leward
Islands. A quorum of the Council met according to summons
abt. 5 a clock in the afternoon, and after I had acquainted them
with the cause of their being summoned, I laid before them
Generall Douglas's letter, Mr. Constable's letter, as likewise the
opinion of the Council of war, etc. I also laid before the Council
a letter I received from Generall Douglas at 4 a clock this afternoon
(by a second advice boat) dated July 9th, 1712. Hereupon it
was the unanimous opinion of the board yt. all H.M. ships now in
Carlisle Bay should forthwith go down to the relief of the Leeward
Islands; after the Board had come to this resolution the Captains
were desired to come into the Council Chamber, but none appeared
but Capt. Hamilton, Gunman and Drake. I acquainted them
with the Board's opinion, and then Mr. Hamilton laid before the
Board a letter he had received from Mr. Constable dated July
14, 1712, wch. was read, and ordered to be entred in the Minutes
of Council, after wch. Mr. Hamilton, Gunman, and Drake declared
yt. it was their opinion if the six men of war here should
joyne those at Antegoa with the addition of 400 seamen, they
might divert the enemy, if not do better service; but that their
three ships alone could not possibly do any good, but would be
made a sacrifice: after this declaration they withdrew, and then
I ordered all the masters of the mercht. men to be called in, and I
informed them of the French's attacking Montsieurat, and wt.
danger H.M. Leward Islands were in, and yt. it was the opinion
of the Board, yt. all H.M. ships now in Carlisle Bay should go
to the releif of the Leward Islands, and I desired yt. they would
lend the said men of warr 400 seamen out of the 632 yt. were on
board their ships; but most of them refused to lend any of their
men; only Mr. Gill, commander of the John galley, and Capt.
John Wilkinson, commander of the ship Sea-nymph offered to
lend their ships for the service. When the Captains of the
mercht. men were withdrawn, I told the Council I would go down
in person to the assistance of ye Leward Islands, if I could gett
a sufficient number of the gentlemen and inhabitants of this
Island to attend me, and for that end I had caused an alarm to
be put about the sooner to know the inclinations of the people
touching this proposition, after this I ordered the several aide-decampes to be called in, and ordered them to repair forthwith to
the severall forts where the forces were mett, and to acquaint
them yt. H.M. Leward Islands were attacked by the French,
and yt. unless they had speedy releif, they would be utterly
ruined, and that therefore I would go in person agt. the enemy
provided I could get a sufficient number of the gentlemen and
other inhabitants of this Island to go with me, and yt. for this
reason I had ordered an alarm to be put about this day, in order
to communicate this matter to them, and to require their assistance, and yt. if any of them were inclinable to attend me, I should
take it as a great favour, and that they must be ready by twelve
a clock to-morrow in the forenoon at Needham's Fort, in order
to embarque on board the six men of war in this road, and the
two mercht. ships; after the several aide-de-campes were charged
with these orders Capt. Hamilton was called into the Council
Chamber, and I communicated to him my intentions of going
to the Leward Islands, and acquainted him with the orders I
had given the aid-de-campes, whereupon he told me he had no
room to accomodate any such persons, for yt. his ship was very
much pestered; I was therefore (upon this and the reluctancy
the other Commanders of H.M. ships had shewen) obliged to
recall the orders I had given the aid-de-campes and to content
myself at that time with directing the Provost-Marshall to go
early the next morning on board the severall mercht. ships and
vessells and to desire the severall commanders thereof to give
him in a list of what men they could spare, yt. he might carry the
same to Capt. Hamilton to make a distribucon thereof on board
the severall men of war; I likewise sent my Secretary Mr. Upton
upon the same errand, and gave out warrts. to take up all stragling
seamen; I also laid another embargo upon shipping. This
was ye utmost I could possibly do, since I had no power to press
seamen out of the mercht. ships; therefore on July 15th at
12 a clock at noon, I sent my Secretary with orders to Capt.
Hamilton to gett his own ship, and all H.M. ships of war then
rideing at anchor in Carlisle Bay forthwith in readiness to saile,
and to proceed with all speed to ye Island of Antegoa, and there
to joyne with H.M. ships of war attending yt. Govermt., and to
do all they could to protect those Islands and destroy the enemy,
and yt. after he apprehended those Islands were out of danger,
then to return to Carlisle Bay and to lay before me a journall of
his proceedings; I likewise directed him to give Capt. Constable
a copy of those orders (entered in Minutes of Council). After
Mr. Hamilton had received these orders, he putt on an air of
alacrity of going to the assistance of the Leward Islands, but at
the same time pretended he could not tell what measures to
take till he knew whether I could supply H.M. ships with 400
seamen, hereby he would not only have suggested yt. he was
ignorant of wt. power I had, but also of the endeavours I had
used to procure the said men; as to the first of these I informed
him but the Sunday before yt. I had no power to press seamen
out of the merchts'. ships, as to the other part my actions were
so publick yt. none in the Island was ignorant of them, another
pertence of delay was that he wanted powder, arms and ammunition, but did not inform me wt. quantity he wanted. In answer
to this I gave him to understand yt. he should be forthwith
supplied with any stores he wanted so soon as I knew what
quantity of each species he stood in need of, upon this he made a
demand of fusees, swords, powder, smal shot etc. and I immediately gave Col. Lasley the store-keeper an order to supply him
with the said arms, and stores. Col. Lasley immediately got
the same ready, and sent Mr. Hamilton word thereof who returned
answer yt. he would forthwith come and fetch them, but instead
thereof caused him to waite a whole day, and made him beleive
to the very last that he would have them (deposition enclosed).
On the 17th of July the Panther, Burlington, Experiment, Woolwich, Swallow and Lyme took their departure from hence and
came to an anchor off of St. Johns Harbour on the 20th July in
the evening. On the 19th of July the enemy left Montsieurat,
and went all to an anchor at Guardeloope. I now beg leave to
remark that after the London fleet arrived in Carlisle Bay, it
was no longer under the care of Mr. Hamilton, who brought it
hither; but committed to the care and protection of Mr. Constable, who was to reconvoy it to London, and yt. he ought not
to have exposed the fleet to the least hazard, or insults of an
enemy, by leaving it, nor have run the risque of disabling the
Queen's ships by ill weather, or any other accident, or of putting
them in any danger of being taken by the enemy, without the
Queen's service did absolutely require it. Now tho' no misfortune
befell the fleet during the absence of Mr. Constable, and Clerk,
and tho' they met with no storms or ill weather to disable the
Queen's ships and tho' they had extraordinary good fortune
to escape being taken by the enemy yet the misfortune yt. befell
Montseiurat had been prevented if Mr. Constable and Clark had
continued with the fleet at Barbados and had lost no time in
fitting themselves with all necessaries for their voiage to great
Brittain according to the instructions they received from the
Lords of the Admiralty, for then all the six men of war might have
gone from hence on the 13th of July, but they did not go till
the 17th, by reason neither Mr. Constable, Clark or Elford were
ready and therefor those pertences were made use of to delay
ye time yt. I have already related, whereas if they had gone from
hence the 13th, they had prevented in all probabilyty the
misfortune that hath befell that unhappy Island, because the
French did not go from Montsieurat till the 19th of July. How
Mr. Constable and Hamilton behaved when they ariv'd, and
continued at Antegoa, I beg leave to refer yr. Lordships to the
accounts wch. Generall Douglas, and the other gentlemen there
will give you: But I think it incumbent upon me to inform your
Lordships, that Capt. Constable, Clark and Elford with H.M.
ships under their commands, arrived here in Carlisle Bay the
3rd of Aug. last from Antegoa and yt. Mr. Constable writ me
a letter dated Aug. 3rd, and ye chief reason he gave me for
leaving Antegoa was yt. the Queen's ships he left there were
capable to prevent any further designes the enemy might have
upon the Leeward Islands: after I had read this letter (entered
in Minutes of Council) I commanded one of my serts. to bid
the person who brought it to acquaint Mr. Constable, that I
should be glad to see him in order to discourse him upon
the subject matter of his letter, but Mr. Constable did not think
fitt to come to me or to take any further notice of it. On Aug.
7th, Capt. Hamilton, Gunman and Drake with H.M. ships
under their commands did also arrive in Carlisle Bay from
Antegoa, and on ye 8th Mr. Hamilton paid me a visit and informed
me amongst other things yt. ye reason why he left Antegoa was
because the enemy were so superior to him, and ye rest of H.M.
ships Mr. Constable had left at Antegoa, that they could neither
encounter them nor prevent any attempt the enemy might
make upon any of H.M. Leward Islands, being the enemy consisted of one ship of 64 guns, one of 56, one of 54, two of 44, one
of 38 and of 28. Mr. Slingsby, H.M. Attorney Generall and
Mr. Upton were with me when Mr. Hamilton gave me this and
some other informations, and they have given their depositions
of it, wch. are also entered at large in the Councill Books, etc.
So soon as Mr. Hamilton had left me I writt a letter to Mr.
Constable dated Aug. 8, and did not only inform him of the
reasons Mr. Hamilton had given me for his leaving of Antegoa,
but did represent the danger H.M. Leward Islands were in, and
did also tell him, that if Mr. Hamilton's information were true,
yt. then nothing could prevent the loss and ruin of the Leward
Islands, but a conjunction of all H.M. ships both here and at
Antegoa, and yt. therefore I thought it absolutely necessary for
H.M. service, and the preservation of those Islands, yt. all H.M.
ships here should forthwith joyne those at Antegoa, and yt.
after they were so united yt. they should continue together till
the storm wch. so much threatned H.M. subjects was blown over.
Mr. Upon delivered this letter to Mr. Constable on Aug. 8th, and
I desired him to return an answer by him, but he bid the said
Upton tell me yt. he would neither answer my letter nor would
he go to the Leward Islands (letter and depositions entered in
the Councill Books). Besides this, Mr. Hamilton informed me
yt. there was a report yt. Monsieur de Guy was arrived from
France at Martinique with five ships of war, and yt. they had
some land forces on board; I therefore thought it absolutely
necessary after Mr. Constable had refused to joyne H.M. ships
at Leward to give Mr. Hamilton orders to cruise abt. this Island
with the ships under his command to prevent any sudden surprise
of this Island; these orders are dated Aug. 9th, and are entered
at large in the Council Books, and Mr. Upton delivered these
orders to Mr. Hamilton; upon wch. he told ye said Upton
yt. he had as good a Governmt. as I had, and yt. he would not
change with me, and as to those orders he did not look upon them
as any orders at all, and would take no notice of them. Mr.
Upton delivering me this message from Mr. Hamilton, and finding
yt. no assistance was to be expected from the ships of war, I
thought it absolutely necessary for the defence and security of
this Island, to bring down some of the Militia to guard the severall
forts, and batterys of this Island, and on the 13th of Aug. I
required the Council to give me their opinion, whether it was not
adviseable, considering the present posture of affairs (and yt.
ye mattrosses did not do their dutys at the severall forts and
batterys as they ought to do) yt. ye Militia should be continued
to guard ye same, till we should receive some intelligence of the
enemy's designes and what was become of them. Whereupon
Mr. Pilgrim, Hallet, Frere, Barwick, and Maxwell were of opinion
yt. ye Militia should be continued; but Mr. Walker, Alleyne,
Beresford and Salter, were of a contrary opinion, notwithstanding
wch. I gave orders for the Militia to continue. On the 21st
Aug. about 11 a'clock at night I received a letter (entered in
Council Book) by an express from ye General of the Leward
Islands, dated 13th Aug., wherein he informed me yt. on the 12th
and 13th Aug. their spy-boats had discovered the motions of
the enemy, and from thence he did conclude yt. the enemy would
attack them very suddenly, if not within the space of six hours,
and therefore desired yt. I would send all H.M. ships here to his
assistance. I immediately dispatched one William Tonstall
a servt. of mine to Mr. Upton my Secretary with orders to waite
upon Mr. Hamilton, and to acquaint him with the advice I had
received from Generall Douglass, and to desire him to attend me
immediately upon it at my house; but the said Hamilton sent
me word by Mr. Upton yt. he would not come yt. night, but
yt. he would in the morning, and yt. his ship, and the others under
his command were ready, and yt. he had no excuse but could sail
about eight or nine a clock in the morning; he said a good deal
more as appears by Mr. Tonstall's deposition entered in ye
Minutes of Council. On Aug. 22 between 7 and 8 a clock in ye
morning I ordered Mr. Grace the Provost Marshall to go to Capt.
Hamilton and Capt. Constable, and to acquaint them yt. I had
received last night an express from General Douglas, yt. he was
in dayly apprehensions of being attacqued by a very considerable
French force, and intreated the assistance of all H.M. ships here,
and yt. therefore I desired them to meet me in Councill with the
Capts. under their commands at 12 a clock, to consult wt. was
proper to be done for H.M. service, and ye protection of the
Leward Islands, Mr. Hamilton bid the said Grace tell me yt.
he would waite upon me if he could get convenience by coach,
or horses for himself, and ye Captains under his command. But
Mr. Constable bid the said Grace tell me yt. ye last time he
with the Capts. under his command attended me on the like
occasion, I used them so ill, yt. they thought they had no further
business with me, and further yt. he was preparing every thing to
go to England with the Fleet, who ought to have sailed this
day; but upon the petition of severall merchants and ye masters
of ships yt. he would stay four days longer, he had granted
their petition for two days, and yt. on Sunday he would accordingly sail; the ill usuage yt. Mr. Constable hints at was my
bidding Mr. Elford hold his tongue; but haveing already faithfully recited yt. matter I shall not here trouble yr. Lordships
with a repetition of it. I summoned the Council to meet on the
22nd of Augt. at 12 a clock in the morning, and a little after 12
I sent ye Provost Marshall to the Council Chamber to see whether
there was a quorum of the Council, and ye said Provost Marshal
brought me word yt. there was not, but yt. Mr. Hamilton and the
two Capts. under his command had been there, and ordered him
to acquaint me yt. they would go to dinner, and return again
abt. three a clock; abt. half an hour after two a quorum of the
gentlemen of the Council mett, and I communicated to them
Generall Douglas's letter, and examined upon oath Capt. John
Green, Commander of the sloop William, and William Vanhurst,
lately Commander of the sloop Rochell, what they knew concerning
the enemy's strength, and of their designes (entered in the Council
Book). The Board and I were unanimously of opinion yt. it
was highly necessary for H.M. service, and the preservation
of the Leward Islands, yt. all the men of war here should forthwith joyne those at Antegoa: after this I read to the Board some
paragraphs out of Capt. Hamilton's letter of Aug. 13th, and then
made some remarks upon them, all wch. is entered in the Council
Books. About 5 a clock in the afternoon Mr. Hamilton, Constable
and all the other Capts. came to the House where the Councill
and I were sitting; but we being then very busy they were not
imediately called in, but so soon as the said business was over, I
enquired where the said Capts. were, and John Newland and
Pat. Beacham deposed yt. they staid abt. 12 minutes, and
then went away damning the Council and me. Refers to their
depositions. About two hours after Mr. Hamilton and Constable
had left the House where the Councill and I were sitting they sent
the Councill, and me a letter, Aug. 22, wch. is entered in the
Councill Books, wherein they sett forth yt. they and the other
Commanders of H.M. ships upon my request by the Provost
Marshall readily repaired to the Council Chamber at the hour
appointed, and after staying a hour they at last saw the Provost
Marshall, and desired him to acquaint me yt. they had stayed
there so long in vain; but that they would be at Councill between
the hours of 3 and 4 in the afternoon, and they assert yt. they
came up again between the hours of 3 and 4 in the afternoon,
and staid there half an hour, without so much as gentlemanlike
usage, and therefore they thought themselves in honour obliged
to resent it by returning to their dutys. In the first place I
crave leave to take notice, yt. neither Mr. Constable, Clark, nor
Elford were with Mr. Hamilton, Gunman and Drake at the House
where the Council meets at 12 a clock, as they assert, nor did
any of those three gent. at that time speak with the Provost
Marshall as Mr. Constable alleadges. It is true I summoned the
Council to meet at 12 a clock, and yt. they did not meet before half
an hour after two, but that is not to be wondered at considering
the great distance yt. some of them lives at, and the shortnes
of the notice they had, wch. was however the soonest yt. could
be given them upon that occasion, for I summoned them upon an
express I had received from Generall Douglas on 21st Aug.
between 10 and 11 at night, and the summons ran to meet me at
twelve a clock at noon the next day, and this I did because the
matter was of great importance, and required dispatch: as to
Mr. Constable's and Hamilton's asserting yt. they stayed near
half a hour, I was informed in Council (as appears by the
Minutes) yt. they only staid 12 minutes. Mr. Hamilton in his
letter of Aug. 13th, haveing desired a copy of what was then
entered in the Council Books in relation to him, I not only ordered
yt. he should have a copy of those Minutes, but that the Clerk of
the Council should forthwith (after the Council was adjourned)
waite on Capt. Hamilton, and Constable, and read to them the
Minutes of Aug. 22, as also the letters, and advices I had received
from the Generall of the Leeward Islands, a little while after the
Councill broke up, I sent Mr. Hamilton orders dated Aug. 22
at nine a clock at night, to gett his own ship, and all H.M. ships
then rideing at anchor in Carlisle Bay forthwith in readyness,
and immediately to saile to Antegoa, and if possible to joyne
with H.M. ships there, and to do all he could to protect the Leward
Islands and destroy the enemy, and to return to Carlisle Bay so
soon as he apprehended those Islands were out of danger. On
Aug. 23, the Councill mett again, and Mr. Barron informed us yt.
he had waited on Mr. Hamilton and Constable and read to them
the Minutes of Councill of Aug. 22, etc. and deposed that Mr.
Hamilton said yt. if he had me on board he would keele haul me,
and that he called me a son of a whore, rascall, villain, and rogue
(deposition enclosed). I was advised by several to resent this
barbarous and vile usage in the manner it deserved, and to have
immediately taken up Mr. Hamilton for it, but I did not think
fitt at that time to follow their advice, least the Capts. of the
Queen's ships (who had already shewed too great a reluctancy
and had made soe many frivolous delays in goeing to the assistance of H.M. distressed subjects,) should even make that a pertence of not goeing to the relief of the Leward Islands, wch.
were then in such eminent danger. On Aug. 24, Mr. William
Walker, and Major Cogan delivered me a letter abt. 2 a clock in
the afternoon signed by the Commanders of H.M. ships here;
wherein they sett forth yt. they had come to an unanimous resolution to proceed to Leward, to gain further intelligence of the
enemy's motions; but that they wanted ten barrells of powder,
and near 300 effective men to proceed on that service; they also
desired two sloops to gain intelligence yt. they might not seperate
their present strength, for yt. the enemy was too strong for
them till they were joyned with the ships to Leward, and then
add yt. nothing would contribute more to H.M. service, than my
comeing to a speedy resolution to exert my power in granting
their request, hereby they would excuse their not goeing to the
assistance of the Leward Islands, on ye 22nd Augt. in pursuance
of the orders I had given them, by suggesting that they wanted
300 effective men, and two sloops, and yt. it was in my power
to supply them with the said men and sloops: whereas they very
well knew yt. it was no more in my power to press men out of
the mercht. ships than it was to take away the ships from the
owners, nor yt. it was in my power to supply them with two sloops.
I immediately returned them an answer, and sent it by the person
yt. brought me theirs, wherein I told them amongst other things
yt. I did admire they had been so long in comeing to a resolution
of goeing to the assistance of the Leward Islands, especially
after they had received my orders, as also yt. they did not acquaint
me before, yt. they wanted men, for yt. if they had, all proper
means would have been used to have got them, but as they had
delayed the matter so long without any justifiable reason yt.
I saw, and had then asked wt. was impossible for me to comply
with on a sudden, they ought to go in the condition they were
in, and not to loose any more time upon any pretence wt. ever,
being the Leeward Islands were in such eminent danger. Their
letter and my answer thereto are entered in the Minutes of Council.
After I had writt this letter, I immediately ordered the storekeeper to supply them with 10 barrells of powder, and sent a
warrt. to take up all deserters and stragling seamen. On Aug.
25th one John Airey a servt. of mine met Capt. Hamilton in the
Bridge Town, in the morning, and Mr. Hamilton asked him if
he had any commands from me to him, ye said Airey replied yt.
he had not; whereupon Mr. Hamilton bid him tell me, yt. I
was a French bastard, and yt. he did not think I would have given
him so much trouble agt. the French; I likewise took no notice
of this abuse least it should impeed the Queen's service, and be
made a pertence by the other Commanders of the Queen's ships
for not goeing to ye assistance of the Leward Islands. On Aug.
26th last between the hours of ten, and eleaven in the morning,
Mr. Arthur Upton delivered me paper sealed up under a cover,
and directed to me in the form of a letter, and at the same time
informed me yt. his wife gave him the said letter, and yt. Mr.
William Gordon, Minister of St. Georges, delivered it to her abt.
seaven or eight a clock on Monday night last, and acquainted
her yt. ye Capts. of the men of war would stay half an hour
for an answer; I cannot but observe yt. if the said letter had
been delivered to me at the same time Mr. Gordon gave it to
Mr. Upton's wife, yet it had been impossible to have sent an
answer to it, in so short a time as half an hour, being my residence
is a mile from the harbour, and the ships were then under sail;
Mr. Upton was examined in relation to this matter in Councill
upon oath, as your Lordships will see by the Minutes. Upon
breaking open the seal, I found under the cover a paper intituled
A remonstrance of the severall Commanders of H.M. ships whose
names are hereunto subscribed. The time, circumstance, and
manner of sending it, and ye stile in wch. it is writ, are so very
extraordinary, considering all the affronts and abuses they had
before given me, yt. I shall humbly leave it to yr. Lordships
to make what observations thereon you think fitt. But as to
the severall facts yt. are there laid down, and the severall unjust
reflections they make, I shall endeavour to give your Lordships
full satisfaction. They first suggest yt. I obstructed and delayed
their goeing to the assistance of the Leward Islands, and then by
artfull insinuations laid the blame upon them, and in order to
excuse their own conduct, and to make out those suggestions,
and to fix the fault of their delay in not goeing immediately
to the assistance of H.M. distressed subjects to Leward, they first
represent that they attended at ye Council house on Aug. 22nd
last at 12 a clock according to the message I sent them by Mr.
Grace, the Provost Marshall; but yt. neither I nor any of the
Councill being there, Mr. Hamilton bid ye said Grace tell me yt.
they would return again abt. three a clock, and yt. in the afternoon
they came to the Councill House; in a quarter of an hours
time they sent up two messages waiteing all the while amongst
the footmen, but did not receive any answer, and therefore they
returned to town, and sent a very civill letter to lett me know
the cause of their comeing away to wch. as my usuall manner
was I did not return any answer. As to this part of their remonstrance, it is admitted yt. Mr. Hamilton, Gunman and Drake,
did attend at the Council House at 12 a clock, and yt. Mr.
Hamilton bid Mr. Grace inform me yt. he and those two gentlemen would be there again at three. But neither Mr. Constable,
Clark nor Elford were there with Mr. Hamilton and the other
gentlemen as is suggested in their remonstrance; it is true the
Councill did not meet at 12 a clock according to the summons
I sent them etc. as supra. As to their suggesting yt. they waited
amongst the footmen and servts., to this I can say nothing; but
if they did, it was their own fault, because there were two very
good rooms in either of wch. they might have been as private
as they pleased; as to the civill letter they mention, it is
entered in the Council Books, and your Lordships will find it is
directed to ye Council as well as me; however after it was read
at the Board, I ordered Coll. Barwick yt. is one of the Council,
to return an answer to it, wch. accordingly he did, and Mr.
Grace the Provost Marshall delivered it to the said Gentlemen,
as appears by his deposition. The Gentlemen in their remonstrance further sett forth yt. one Mr. Barron who executes
the office of Secretary told them, yt. he was sent by me to them
to read the minutes of yt. days proceeding, wch. he did in the
hearing of severall gentlemen of the Island, and merchts. in town;
they add yt. they are amazed at ye unparralleld insolence, of the
treatment that I should averr facts in the minutes wch. they can
so notoriously disprove, and should pick out that time, to send
for them to Councill, to charge them with crimes to their faces
yt. they were never guilty of, to rip up old differences, and stories
invidiously contrived to excite their resentments agt. me, and
to sett them at variance one agt. another, and then to send my
Secretary into publick company to expose and insult them with
reading them openly, thereby to surprise them into some extravigant passion, and resentmts., and then to gett my officers to
inform and give depositions. This representation I hope to
make to appear to your Lordships to be very dishonourable
and unjust. It is very true Mr. Barron was ordered to waite
upon Capt. Hamilton, and Constable forthwith after the Council
was adjourned, and to read to them yt. day's minutes, as also
the letter and advices I had received from General Douglas; this
order was partly occasioned by their not staying to be called
into Councill; but chiefly from Mr. Hamilton's complaining in
his letter of Aug. 13 that I had caused a narrative of letters,
orders and messages wch. had passed between him and me to
be entered in the Councill Books, and yt. in such an unfair
manner yt. he found himself under a necessity to ask a copy of
what had been entered, and therefore to anticipate all extravagant
and unreasonable murmurings and complaints of this kind, Mr.
Barron was sent to read the Minutes of Council to Mr. Hamilton,
and Constable without any of those ridiculous views, as is disingeniously and absurdly suggested; but I hope yr. Lordships
will believe yt. it was high time to make them sensible (by all
just means) of their delitoriness, and ill conduct when so many of
the lives and fortunes of H.M. subjects depended in all probaility
upon their expedition, courage and prudence; as to Mr. Barron's
reading the minutes to them in publick company, it was both
without my order and knowledge, and they have nobody to
blame for it but themselves; for if they had desired to have them
in private none can doubt but he must and would have attended
them; As to the reflections they make of being informed agt.
by my officers, yr. Lordships will be so farr from thinking that a
fault, or the least imputation upon those persons, yt. you will
judge it a matter both of duty, and meritt, especially since the
persons they informed against reposed no trust or secrecy in
them. As to the facts I have charged them with I do not only
take upon me to aver yt. they are all true; but in some measure
do appeal to their own Journalls concerning the veracity thereof,
and in others to their letters and my answers thereto, in others
to the Minutes of Councill, and to the severall informations
and depositions of credible persons yt. are entered in the Minutes
of Councill: I will be bold to say yt. there's no fact I have charged
them with but what will thus be made appear, save only the
interlocutory discourse I have related on the 14th July, when
there was nobody with us, and it's so faithfully related yt. I
cannot think they can possibly deny it. They say in their
remonstrance yt. it was a happy thing they came away from the
Councill, for had they staid to have heard those minutes read,
they do not know what length of passion might have hurried
some of them. I take upon me to assure yr. Lordships yt.
there's none yt. sitts at Board yt. either is, or would have been
deterred (by any airs they could have given themselves) either
from not doeing their duty, or representing the truth. However,
I humbly leave it to your Lordships to consider, the height, the
quality and consequence of such a menacing, and do not doubt
but your Lordships will so represent it to H.M. as to prevent
the like for the future. They further say in their remonstrance
yt. they were in hopes to have found in the minutes some resolutions relateing to the relief of the Leward Islands, as also mine
and the Council's opinion wt. were the properest measures to take,
what assistance the Island would give, that the Assembly would
have been suffered to sitt to raise money to hire men and sloops
for intelligence, wch. they are informed they are ready to do,
if I would give them leave to sitt, but instead of all this they had
nothing read to them but calumnies, accusations, and scandalous
reflections; they add that this procedure is so very surprizeing,
yt. they cannot forbear again exclaiming with a just indignation.
As to their suggesting that we came to no resolutions in relation
to the relief of the Leward Islands; I do aver the contrary and
do appeal to the Minutes, wch. they own Mr. Barron read to them;
your Lordships will see that both the Councill and I were of opinion
yt. all H.M. ships here should forthwith go to their assistance.
This was with submission the best resolution we could come to
in the present posture of affairs; for General Douglass in his
letter to me of Aug. 13th said, yt. he expected yt. the enemy
would attack him in six hours, and Capt. John Green who brought
the said letter deposed amongst other things, yt. a little after he
left Antegoa, he heard the alarm gun fired from Monk's Hill,
where the chief fortification of Antegoa is, by wch. he believed
yt. the French were then in sight of the said Island, we therefore
not only thought it expedient beyond all other things yt. H.M.
ships here should go to the relief of Antegoa; but that they should
proceed thither with all imaginable expedition, yt. they might
not only come in time to save Antegoa, but to prevent in some
measure the damage H.M. subjects might otherwise have sustained:
we made no doubt but that the six men of war (tho not joyned
with those at Antegoa) were of sufficient strength to give a good
account of the enemy, and we were the more sanguin in our
hopes of their success, because Mr. Constable in his letter, Aug. 3,
said yt. he then knew the enemys strength and thought yt. the
ships he left at Antegoa were capable to prevent any further
designes of the enemy: now those ships everybody must own
were much inferiour to the six men of war yt. were here. As
to the reflections they make about ye Assembly, we wanted no
intelligence at that time, for Capt. Green gave us as good, and
as fresh intelligence, as was possible to be had: as to what men
they wanted of their complement, I can say nothing to: but I
must again observe yt. Mr. Upton did on Aug. 21st acquaint Mr.
Hamilton by my order of the danger Antegoa was in, and yt. he
bid Upton tell me yt. he could or would not waite upon me yt.
night, but yt. he would in the morning, and further yt. his ship
and those under his command were ready, and yt. he had no excuse
but could sail by eight or nine a clock in the morning. I would
further observe yt. it was not easy to suppose yt. the ships under
Capt. Constables command wanted either men or anything yt.
was necessary; because they returned from Antegoa Aug. 3rd,
and were to have gone from hence on Aug. 22 as convoy to the
London fleet; therefore if they had not their full complement of
men or wanted anything, yt. this place could have accommodated
them with, they should have made a representacon thereof to
me, and if I had not done all yt. lay in my power to have supplied
them, then the fault had laid at my door: but since Mr. Hamilton
sent me word by Mr. Upton yt. his ship, and those under his
command were ready, and yt. he had no excuse for not sailing,
and since yt. Mr. Constable, and the ships under his command
made no application for men: I hope yr. Lordships won't wonder
yt. not consideration of yt. was had in Council, especially since all
long considerations and dilatory proceedings appeared then to
be as fatall to Antegoa, as the not sending them any relief at all,
etc. I further take the liberty to say in answer to that reflection
they make yt. the Assembly should have been suffered to have
sat to raise money to hire men, and sloops, yt. there were severall
persons in the Assembly, at that time, yt. would have perplexed,
and baffled, any such proposition, and refer your Lordships to
the Minutes of Councill on Aug. 31st last, wherein your Lordships
will see yt. they would not come into those measures wch. at
that time seemed absolutely necessary for the preservation
of their own country. The next paragraph in their remonstrance
runs, On the Thursday night the Genl. and merchts. of the
Island presented us with a petition to go down: whereupon
we called a consultation the next morning, and unanimously
resolved we thought it Capt. Constable's duty to break thro'
his orders, and go in conjunction with the rest, wch. we imediately
acquainted you with in a letter, as also yt. our ships wanted
300 effective men, some of our ships having now about 40 sick,
and we flattered ourselves yt. you would have exerted the prerogative upon this so emergent occasion, since you are so tender of
preserving it upon others, but to our great surprise we received
in answer yt. it was impossible for you now to do it, tho' you
own in the same letter yt. it was possible two days agoe, and yt.
you admire we have not obeyed the orders you sent us, whereas
we admire more yt. you should take upon you to issue orders,
wch. you have no authority to give, or yt. you should fancy we
would obey them, when the Capts. of the Stations have so often
told you they would not receive any orders without being consulted with, when we are so expressly directed by our Instructions
first to advise and consult with you, and then to receive orders,
and you know yt. you have no authority, or power over Capt.
Constable or the ships under his command. In answer to this
paragraph, your Lordships will give me leave to say yt. I know
nothing of the consultations they mention; but I do own they
did send me a letter by Wm. Walker and Major Cogan on Aug.
24th about two a clock in the afternoon, and both their letter
and my answer thereto are entered in the Minutes of Council,
but since they endeavour to reflect upon me by misreciteing it,
I lay it here verbatim before yr. Lordships:—"I have just
received yours, and I do wonder you have been so long in comeing
to a resolution of goeing to the assistance of the Leward Islands
espescialy after you received my orders wch. I sent you by and
with the advice of H.M. Councill to go thither. I also admire
yt. you did not acquaint me before now yt. you wanted men to
proceed on yt. service, if you had, all proper means would have
been used to have got you them, before this, but as you have
delayed the matter thus long without any justifiable reason yt.
I can see, and have now asked wt. is impossible for me to comply
with on a sudden, I must therefore tell you yt. the Leward Islands
are in such eminent danger, yt. you ought to go in the condition
you are in, and not to loose any more time upon any pertence
wt. ever, but obey the orders I have given you; I have directed
Mr. Faucet to supply the Experiment with 10 barrells of powder."
I shall now take notice yt. they say yt. I to their great surprise
told them in answer to their demand for men, yt. it was impossible
for me now to do it, tho' they say I own yt. it was possible two
days ago, your Lordships will easily perceive the occasion of this
incongruity; for if they had not left out these words (on a sudden)
they had been baulked of their satisfaction, of being greatly
surprized: yr. Lordpps. cannot but take notice yt. they say they
admire yt. I should take upon me to issue orders, etc. In answer
to this I must remind yr. Lordships, yt. ye Gent. of the station
have in severall important cases refused to consult, and advise
with me, and sometimes upon very frivolous pretences, and
sometimes without assigning any reason at all. Repeats story of
July 14 and Aug. 8, 22 etc. I had much rather they should thus
clamour agt. my giving them proper orders without consulting,
and adviseing with them, than they should excuse their not doeing
their duty, or any part of their ill conduct, by pretending they
wanted my orders, but under the pretence of their not being
obliged to receive orders without first being advised and consulted
with, they have found out a way to evade the receiving any
orders at all; for if they are not humoured like children, if
everything is not exactly complied with according to their
mind, and if they are not suffered to stay as long in the road
as they please, they either give out yt. they are ill-treated, or
used with ill manners, and therefore absolved from comeing
any more to advise and consult with me. Mr. Constable's
Journals will sufficiently convince your Lordships yt. he
hath gone from hence a great many times without my orders, and
I must assure your Lordpps. without so much as letting me
know where he went or when he would return: But your
Lordships wont wonder at these libertys, after I have taken upon
me to tell you that Mr. Hamilton hath not scrupled even to disobey
orders yt. have been issued for H.M. espescial service, and ye
preservation of her Colonies, even tho' he had been consulted
thereupon, and yt. they were issued by and with the advice of H.M.
Councill here. Refers again to the orders of July 15, and Messrs.
Constable and Hamilton leaving Antigua. Continues:—Though
the inhabitants of Antegoa were under most terrible apprehensions,
of being invaded by the enemy, and therefore made all the
pressing instances and kind offers yt. was possible to engage them
to stay a few days with them, yet nothing would prevail upon
them, notwithstanding they were obliged to do it by their orders,
their honour and common humanity; so Mr. Constable on Aug.
26th and Mr. Hamilton on the 27th left the distressed Antegonians
to bewail their misfortunes, and to expect the greatest harm
the enemy could do them, this in my poor opinion, is the most
indiscreet, the most inhumane and dishonourable act yt. ever
was committed by persons of their station. It is said in ye
remonstrance yt. I know yt. I have no manner of power over
Capt. Constable, etc. All yt. I can say to this is yt. I have not
seen Capt. Constable's last Instructions, nor know nothing of
them more than wt. is menconed in a paper yt. contains the
opinion of a Councill of war, yt. was held on board the Woolwich
on July 14th last, and is entered in the Minutes of Council, the
Gent. who signed that paper sett forth, yt. Mr. Constable was of
opinion yt. he could not enter into any consultation with them yt.
might cause any alterations in his proceedings contrary to what
he had this day acquainted me with, without my application to
him, for so doeing, he beleiving he could not be safe otherwise;
from hence I concluded yt. I had a power to give him orders, for
if I had no such power then my application or orders could have
been of no manner of safety or benefit to him. The next paragraph in ye remonstrance runs: "On the afternoon of the same
day haveing been offered by Mr. Walker, Mr. Newport and Major
Cogan £600 for the encouragemt. of 300 men at 40s. a man to
go with us, we sent up Mr. Chaplin of H.M.S. the Lyme with a
message to you to desire leave to beat up for volunteers, in hopes
yt. he being a Gent. of good esteem in this Island might have
mollified you into a compliance but as he informed us under his
hand upon his return when he sent your servt. whom he saw
speak to you to acquaint you yt. he was come from us on H.M.
speciall and imediate service, with a message relateing to the relief
of the Leward Islands, the servt. returned in answer yt. you were
busy and would not be spooke with, or receive any message, and
yt. afterwards he desired the same servt. to call your private
Secrey. to have spooke with him, and yt. he returned the same
answer." As to the offer they say they had made of £600 I can
say nothing to, not knowing whether it was so, or not, nor
whether Parson Gordon is chaplin of the Lyme, or whether anybody here hath power to make him so, or to make a sinecure of
the place of chaplin to a man of war; but I do submitt it to your
Lordships whether such things are not very great abuses upon the
publick, and very great hardships upon the poor seamen; as to
the esteem and character Mr. Gordon hath in the island, I am
unwilling to speak much of it, but it is so very bad, yt. I never
shewed him any countenance, or cared yt. he should come within
my doors, this severall of the Capts. of the men of war knew, and
therefore very innocently sent this pious man to mollifie me
into a compliance, they had never proposed to me, nor wt. I could
have had no objection to, if they had been sincere in it and would
not even have made it a pretence for delay. When Mr. Gordon
came to my house he sent one Lancelot Bainbridge a servt. of
mine into the garden to tell me yt. he desired to speak with me,
I ordered the servt. to acquaint him yt. I was busy, he then sent
the same message by the said servt. to Mr. Upton, and the like
answer was returned, and this is all yt. I knew of his business,
as appears by the depositions of Mr. Upton and Lancelot Bainbridge wch. are entered in the Minutes of Councill herewith sent.
The next paragraph setts forth yt. in the evening I sent Capt.
Hamilton one single order directed to the Constables to take up
deserters, and stragling sailors; but would not make use of my
authority to press or give us leave to beat up for volunteers upon
ye aforementioned encouragement. In answer to this I must
desire your Lordships to call to mind yt. it was but on the 24th
of Augt. in the afternoon, yt. they informed me that they wanted
seamen, and in the evening, I sent Mr. Hamilton a warrt. to
take up all deserters, and stragling seamen wch. was sufficient
for the town of St. Michael; for the danger the Leward Islands
were in, was so great, and the Capts. of the men of war had
industriously lost so much time, yt. I did not think it proper to
send warrts. into the severall parishes of the Island, to take up
seamen, and to keep the ships here from goeing to the assistance
of the Leward Islands, till returns were made thereof. As to
my not pressing seamen out of the mercht. ships, I must again
say I have no power to do it, and as to my not suffering them to
beat up for volunteers, I deny yt. they desired any such thing of
me, or anybody in behalf of them. In the next paragraph they
say yt. upon the whole affair they shall submitt it to the world,
whether it is not plain even to a demonstration yt. all my aim
and design hath been to retard and prevent their goeing, and then
they add yt. the first step I took was to slight and affront them,
to rip up old differences, throw dirt, abuse and endeavour to
devide us, to issue insulting, peremptory orders, wch. you have
no authority to give; to deny supplying us with men, not to suffer
the Assembly to sitt to raise money for their encouragement, not
to lett us have a tender even tho' there was one ready, and at
last not to admit our officers, and refuse to receive any message
from us, the naturall conclusion from all wch. is yt. so you could
lay the blame upon us, you would be glad the Leward Islands
perished. The first step they assert I took was to slight and
affront them, and endeavouring to divide them. I do utterly
deny it unless they do hereby mean the facts yt. are incerted in
the Minutes of Councill to demonstrate their ill conduct, and I
hope your Lordships will see there was an absolute necessity of
doeing this, since one of the Queen's Islands was destroyed, and
many others exposed to the mercy of the enemy. As to their
asserting yt. I sent them insulting peremptory orders, wch. I
had no authority to give, I must refer yr. Lordships to those
orders, and do hope you will not think there's anything rude,
insulting or improper in them, but adapted to the then circumstances of affairs. I do also humbly submitt it to your Lordships,
whether I had not power to issue them, but I must take the liberty
to say that I veryly beleive if I had not issued them, that they
would have not gone to the relief of the Leward Islands, and
would have afterwards thrown the blame upon me, for not giving
them orders. I have already given my reasons for the Assembly's
not sitting, and have made it appear yt. I have neither denyed
the Capts. men, nor anything else for the service of the Queen
and the Leward Islands yt. laid in my power to grant, nor do I
know they have been treated with the least disrespect or incivility,
and I am sure I have been far from giving them any reason
to say, yt. so I could lay the blame upon them I should be glad
the Leward Islands perished. This is so very severe a charge
yt. if it could but be probably made out I should be so far from
thinking myself entituled to any share of the Queen's favour, or
the friendship of any good man, yt. I freely own there's no punishment upon earth too great for me, etc. I cannot conclude this
long letter without once more observing yt. upon my sending
Mr. Grace the Provost Marshall to Capt. Constable on Aug. 22
last, to acquaint him in what eminent danger the Leward Islands
were in, and to desire him to meet me in Councill att twelve a
clock the same day, to consult about their preservation yt. he
sent me word by the said Grace yt., he had no business with me,
and yt. he would sail on Sunday (being the 24th Aug.) with the
fleet, to prevent wch. I directed the severall officers not to clear
the mercht. ships. So from this single instance, I submit it to
your Lordships, whether Mr. Constable or I had the intrest of
the Leward Islands most at heart. I hope yr. Lordships will
pardon this crude and prolix account, and beleive I would have
put it into better method, and language, if time and the business
of the Govermt. would have allowed it, but I have been so
streightened in the one, and taken up with the other, yt. I have
had only leisure thus to relate the facts and circumstances
thereto belonging. I have only to add yt. the members of H.M.
Council here did unanimously desire me on Aug. 25th last upon
reading the remonstrance of the Capts. of H.M. ships yt. I would
lay before H.M. the insolent and outragious behaviour of the sd.
Capts. as also the many unjust, and scandalous reflections they
have thrown upon the Council and me without any colour of
reason, and yt. I would humbly desire her most sacred Majesty
to grant us such relief herein as to her great wisdom shall seem
most meet: from hence I humbly intreat yr. Lordships to lay the
contents of this letter before H.M. Signed, Rob. Lowther. Endorsed, Recd. 26th, Read 27th Nov. 1712. 24½ pp. Enclosed, |
