The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 04
History
The Diplomatic Correspondence of the American Revolution, Vol. 04
United States -- Foreign relations -- 1775-1783; United States -- History -- Revolution, 1775-1783 -- Sources
One cannot but be struck with the rapid series of fortunate incidents
for the English, which have been published here in about the course of
three months, that I have been in Europe. The little affair of Omoa
began it, the repulse at Savannah succeeded, with all its
consequences, the Curraçoa fleet was next, Langara's fleet soon
followed; Gibraltar was relieved; Don Gaston's squadron was dispersed
by a storm; and Admiral Rodney had opportunity to get safe out of
Gibraltar. The French East India fleet brings up the rear. There is
hardly in history such a series of events, that no human wisdom could
provide against or foresee. Yet after all, the advantages gained are
by no means decisive, although no doubt it will raise the ambition of
the English, and in some degree damp the ardor of their enemies.
It must not have this effect however upon America. Let the maritime
powers fare as they will, we must be free, and I trust in God we shall
be so, whatever be their fate. The events of war are uncertain at sea,
more than even by land; but America has resources for the final
defence of her liberty, which Britain will never be able to exhaust,
though she should exhaust France and Spain, and it may not impossibly
be our hard fate, but it will be our unfading glory finally to turn
the scale of the war, to humble the pride, which is so terrible to the
commercial nations of Europe, and to produce a balance of power on the
seas. To this end Americans must be soldiers and seamen.
It is proper, however, to keep constantly in sight, the power against
which we have to contend; the English have in all the ports of
England, in a condition for actual service, or at least given out and
reported to be so, twenty ships of the line. In the course of the
spring and the month of June, eight others which are now repairing,
and three new ones in the course of the year. The whole squadron for
the Channel will be thirtyone. The squadron of Arbuthnot, at New York,
consists of five. That of Jarvis at the Western Islands is two,
including the Dublin, which was detached from Admiral Rodney, and is
now in bad condition at Lisbon. One only at Jamaica, for the Lion is
too far ruined to be counted. The fleet at the other islands, joined
by the Hector, detached from Rodney, the Triumph and the Intrepid,
lately sailed from England, are nineteen, seven of which at least are
in too bad a condition for actual service. That of India, including
two which serve for convoys, consists of ten, two of which however are
returning to be repaired or condemned; the Lenox is a guard ship in
Ireland.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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