644 W. and M. Naval Expeditions , 6 cc. of the Englifli, Book B*

1690.

Burchett.

F. Daniel.Br. Emp. inAmerica.

Burchett.

CHAP. VI.

Naval 'Expeditions and'Transactions of the English, in the Welt-Inclies, during

the Tear, 1690.

been begun, from the Date of his Com- 169 0 ’mission, towards the End of the fore-going Year ; Yet, as it was not finished’till the Year, 1691. the whole, will, Ibelieve, appear, with a better Grace,together, than if I should give a distinct:

Account of each Year’s Transactions,in those Parts, {a)

The twenty-first of December, 1689. CaptainCaptain Lawrence Wright was appointed LawrenceCommander in Chief of the Squadron Wr j g 'f 0-designed for the Wejt-Indies, being one &

Third-Rate, seven Fourth-Rates, two America-Fifth-Rates, two Fire-ships, and oneKetch, (b)

Captain Wright sailed from Ply- j^ e part>mouth , the eighth of March, with a promtsconsiderable Number of Merchant-Ships mouth-under his Convoy ; But. such was theExtremity of the Weather, not long af-ter,

B EFORE I finish the Year, 1690.the Reader may expect I shouldgive some Account of such re-markable Transactions, as hap-pened, this Year, in the Wef-IndiesAnd I choose the rather to do it here,tho’ I am obliged to go something back,in the Order of Time, that my Relationmay be the more entire, and of a Piece.

Captain Lawrence Wright’.? Expedi-tion to the West Indies.

This Expedition, being the mostmaterial which happened in those Parts,during this Interval of Time, will bethe chief Subject of this Chapter, and Ishall, therefore, make it the first : Andtho’ this Voyage may be said to have

(a) It may not be amiss previously to informmy Readers, what was the King’s Design in thisExpedition.

His Majesty had justly considered, from theBeginning of this War, that to disturb theTrade,ruin the Settlements and interrupt the Navigationand Commerce of his Enemies, was one of thereadiest Ways to impoverilh their Subjects, disablethem in the essential Part os their Strength, andmake them weary of the War. To this End,His Majesty had sent frequent Orders and Direc-tions, to the Governours of the several Planta-tions, in America, to annoy the French in thoseParts, to the utmost of their Power: And thatthey might be the better able to do this, and be,at the fame Time, secured from any Insults fromthe French Side, he had frequently sent themsmall Squadrons of Men of War, to be alwaysready, and at their Direction, on such Occasionsas they should find necessary to employ them in.

The French, however, were so numerous intheir Colonies, and, by the Riches of their Planta-tions, were so able to fit out Privateers, to infestthe Western Islands, that a small Force was notonly insufficient to disturb them, but also unableto protect the English Settlements. His Majesty,therefore, now resolved to send a Force capableof Assaulting them, at their own Doors.

(h) Captain Wright b IntlruSlions.

“ He was ordered to rendezvous with them“ at Plymouth, there to take on Board a Regj-“ ment of Foot, of his Grace the Duke of Bol-“ ton’s, and that being done, to proceed to Bar -" badoes, where he was to consult with the Go-" vernour and Council, how he might best secure" the English Plantations, and to recover those« which might be fallen into the Hands of the

“ French ; But he was not to stay longer there“ than was absolutely necessary for refreshing the“ Regiment, and to take in such Men and Prc-" visions, as the said Governour and Council“ should think proper. And then he was to re-“ pair to such of the Leeward Caribhee-IGands,“ as (by Intelligence of the Enemy's Proceedings,“ and his advising with the aforesaid Governour“ and Council) should be thought most for the" Service : And if he saw a good Opportunity" of attacking the Enemy, or their Ships, at" Martinica, or elsewhere, in his Passage, to“ the aforesaid Islands, it was recommended Jo“ him to make the best Use thereof he pofilbly“ could.

“ At the Leeward- Islands, he was to apply“ himself to General Codrington, and in all“ Things relating to the Land-Service to act ac-“ cording to his Directions, aud the Opinion of“ a Council of War, either for Landing the Re-ts giment, or attacking the French Colonies, re-“ covering any of our Islands, or annoying the“ Enemy, in any other Manner. In Enterprizes“ at Sea, he was to act as should be advised bv" the Governour and- Councils of War, when“ he had Opportunity of consulting them, and," when it was necessary, to spare as many Sea*" men as he could, with Regard to the Safety of“ the Ships. And that the Islands might not be“ exposed to Insults, he was forbid to fend any" Ship from the Squadron, until the Governour" and Council were informed of" it, and satisfied," that the Service did not require their imine-“ diate Attendance.

“ If, when he arrived among the Leewards“ Islands, he found them all in the Possession of" the French, and that it should not be judged“ necessary to remain there, or to attempt the" Enemy in those Parts, he was, without Delay,

a to