N° 15. Sir, Lord George Germain to Governor Tryon. [New-York P»per« (S. P. O.) CLXIX.] Whitehall 1. July 1778. On the 6th of last month I received your dispatches N°* 60 and 61. with the duplicate of 49, & a few days after the original of that dispatch with the printed paper of Intelligence referred to therein, was brought by the Packet from Philadelphia. The arrival of the Acts and of the Commiss" apointed by His Maj' to treat with the Colonies, which, 1 hope, will have happened shortly after the date of your last dispatch, must enable us to discover whether the disposition we have been so often told prevailed among the people at large to return to their allegiance really exists, or that they are determined upon a separation from this Country; I trust the former will prove to be the case, and that the next accounts we receive, will inform us of the commencement of a Treaty. I am ettc. Geo: Germain. Governor Tryon to Lord George Germain. [New-York Papers (S. P. O.) CLXIX. ] N° 55. My Lord, New York. 8 July 1778 I am honored with your Lord's Dispatches of the first of April and have circulated the communications directed. As the necessary Authority from the Lords Commissioners of Admiralty to grant letters of Marque has not reached me, no Privateers have, or can be fitted out from this Port; two or three private ships have gone from hence indeed to East Florida and got letters of Marque from that Govern'; such is the present discouragement the Inhabitants here labour under. I apprehend when the powers do arrive, the opportunity will be lost. The King's Commiss" arrived in this City last week; as their powers are competent to appoint Governors, I beg His Majw will recall me from my Govern', being perfectly convinced I can no longer be serviceable in my civil line. I am most respectfully My Lord, Your Lord's most obedient servant N° 16. Lord George Germain to Governor Tryon. [New-York rapert (8. T. O.) CLXIX.] Whitehall. 6. August. 1778. Sir, I have received your Dispatches, No 52, 53. & 54. and thank you for the papers inclosed, which add to the many proofs we before had of the insiduous designs of France in encouraging and abetting the Rebellion. My circular letter of this day's date will inform you of the resolution His Majesty has come to respecting that Court, which makes it unnecessary for me to say more here upon the subject, than to express my hopes of seeing all his Majesty's Loyal American subjects again at liberty to exert themselves in distressing the Trade and punishing the perfidy of our natural Enemies. I am ettc. The French King have issued orders for seizing or destroying all ships or vessels belonging to His Maj1* or His Subjects, it has been judged proper by His Majw in Council to authorize the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty to grant Commissions of Marque & reprisals for seizing or destroying the ships and vessels of the French King and his Subjects. Their Lord's have, in pursuance of this authority, delegated the same powers to the King's Gov" in the American Colonies, and you will receive from their LordPP's by this conveyance the proper instruments for that purpose, together with Instructions for your guidance in the execution of those powers. I have only to add to those Instructions that it is the Kings express command that you do not grant any Commissions but to persons whose Characters and properties are such as shall be a sufficient pledge and assurance of their strict observance of their instructions, and that you do take every precaution to prevent any injury or molestation to the Trade of His Catholick Maj" subjects, or any just ground of complaint from any neutral power. I am ettc. GEO: GERMAIN. In addition to my Secret and Confidential Circular letter of the 5th inst:, I am commanded by the King to acquaint you, that, His Maj" judging it highly proper that all succour & assistance should be cut off from the Enemy, it is His Ma]*'* pleasure, that you do take every precaution in your power, to prevent any intercourse with, or supplies of any sort whatever being sent to the subjects of France from Your Govern'; and that you do seize & confiscate to His Maju use, all ships & commodities of what nature soever that may be attempted to be carried out of the Prince to any of the territories of France, or to be delivered at sea for the supply or use of the French King or any of his subjects. — Island. I am further to signify to you His Maj" pleasure, that you do permit all French prisoners brought into your Government to be set on shore, and that you do confine them until they shall be exchanged or released in like manner as was practised in the late War with France. I am ettc. I have received your letter N° 55. and have laid before the King your request contained in it, of leave to quit your Govern'; and I am commanded by His Maj" to acquaint you, that in the present circumstances of affairs in America, while there is hope, that an accommodation with the revolted Colonies may take place, His Majesty thinks, your presence at New York necessary for his service; but that as soon as peace is made, or all hope is lost, of the province you are appointed to govern, returning to its allegiance, His Majesty will grant you the permission You request. I am ettc. GEO: GERMAIN. N° 56. Governor Tryon to Lord George Germain. [New-York Pipers (S. P. O.) CLXIX. ] New York. 5 Sept 177S. My Lord, I am honored with the Duplicate N° 14. and original N° 15. of your Lord's Dispatches, also with the necessary powers for granting letters of Marque, near forty vessels are fitting out here, which when ready to sail, will take letters of Marque. 1 I arrived last evening from the East End of the Island, with a Detachment of near one Thousand provincials, where I had marched to secure the peaceable behaviour of the disaffected inhabitants in that quarter, and assist the Commissary in obtaining about one Thousand fat Cattle for the Army. Inclosed is the oath I administered to all the Inhabitants, on the North side of the Island, giving them the alternative either to take the oath or remove with their families and furniture to Connecticut; not one of the whole chose the latter, even the hottest Rebels said, my proposal was generous, and took the oath, which convinces me that the acrimony of opposition is much softened by the late concessions of Government. Were I at this crisis, to dare to give an opinion on public affairs, it would be, that the British Forces on the Continent (taking the present ground of the War) were never in so good a condition as at present to reconcile America to the dependency on Great Brittain; the Army being as it were united and in posession of the four Islands: New York, Long Island, Staten Island and Rhode Island, (the center of the American Coast) from whence it might make such vigorous and hostile depridations, on the continent as would oblige America to call aloud for the settlement offered by the King's Commiss"; but if large detachments are made from this Army, and the Troops thereby obliged to remain defensive on the Continent, I apprehend, American dependency on Great Britain will be precarious indeed. Mr W Smith the Counsellor is returned to Town, and declares the Rebels are in a bad condition, and impotent in force as in courage, and who only expect success from procrastination. I am hopefull, he may be usefull to the Commiss" no one is better informed of the politicks of America, and I trust he means to mark his endeavours, to promote a reconciliation on the terms proposed, if liberally encouraged, he could give much weight to Govern' from his abilities. The late fire and explosion of the Powder Vessel, has done great mischief to this City, upwards of sixty houses, having been destroyed, and many greatly damaged. The perpetrators of the conflagration are still unknown. I am with all possible respect, My Lord, Your Lord's most obedient humble servant Wm Tkton. 'See VII., 909, not* 2. — ED. N° 57. My Lord, Governor Tryon to Lord George Germain. [New-York Papers (B. P. O. ) CLXII. ] New York. 6 Sept 1778. The honor of your Lorde's duplicate Dispatch N° 14. conveyed to me the grateful information of my succeeding to the 70th Regiment, and also obtaining my Rank in America agreable to my seniority in the Army; both which Commiss" are safely arrived. These most gracious marks of His Majesty's bounty towards me has filled my mind with gratitude for such Royal benevolence. I shall most cheerfully serve thro' this campaign, at the expiration of which, unless very opening prospect should present itself to render some essential service on this continent, I shall entreat the Commander in Chiefs permission to quit America that I may lay in, a better stock of health for future services, and settle my private affairs in England, which daily become more pressing. In the mean time I shall be happy whenever His Majesty shall think proper to exchange my present Civil for a Military Govern' as before solicited. Soon after dispatching my letter of March last, I received one from Sir William Howe,1 approving much of my former proposal, & requiring me to lay before him a state of such 1 WILLIAM, 5th Viscount How, on the Irish Peerage, fifth son of Edmund Scrope, second Viscount, and in 1732 Governor of Barbadoes, was born about the year 1729. He was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel of the 58th foot, 17 December, 1767; served in the expedition against Louisbourg the year his brother was killed at Ticonderoga, and commanded the Light Infantry the following campaign at the siege of Quebec. He was one of the Brigadiers in 1761 in the expedition against Belleisle, on the coast of France, and in 1762 was Adjutant-General of the army employed against Havana. He was appointed Colonel of the 46th regiment, 21 November, 1764; Lieutenant-Governor of the Isle of Wight in 1768, and MajorGeneral 25th May, 1772. He became Colonel of the 23d or Royal Welsh Fuzileers, 11th May, 1775, about which time he arrived in Boston as Commander-in-Chief of the army in America. He commanded at the Battle of Bunker Hill; in August, 1776, landed at Staten Island, and participated in the several operations of the army that year. Many of his acts are said to have betrayed ignorance iu the art of war. He was advanced to the rank of Lieutenant-General, 29 August, 1777, and entered Philadelphia in September following; defeated the Americans at Germantown in October, and was superseded by Sir Henry Clinton in 1778. On his return to England he defended his conduct in his place in the House of Commons, and in 1780, published a Narrative of his command in North America. In 1782 he succeeded Lord Amherst as Colonel en second of the Artillery and Lieutenant-General of the Ordnance, and on 21st April, 1786, became Colonel of the 19th Light Dragoons. He next succeeded his brother in his Irish title; received the sinecure appointment of Governor of Berwick; was promoted to the rank of General, 12th October, 1793, and in 1808 became Governor of Plymouth. Viscount Howe died without issue in 1814, when the Irish title became extinct. Army Listi; Beatson'i Naval and Military Memoir*, III., 176, 227, 330, 395; VI., 28, 32, Debrett. - ED. |