Chap.XVIIL from the Revolution to the Death of K. William

^*695. Captain Robert Wilmot was appoint-ed Commander in chief of a Squadronfrktecicom Sk^P s > composed of one Third-Rate,^der of a three Fourth-Rates, one Fifth-Rate,^iron. an d two Fire-ships. The fourteenth ofJanuary, 1695. he received Orders, toproceed from Plymouth, with theseShips, and twelve other Vessels, ap-pointed to transport Soldiers, Stores andProvisions, towards America, where hewas to take under his Command, twoFourth and one Fifth-Rate.

It was thought necessary, to keep 1695.the Service, on which he was design 'd&s insiruc-a Secret, (c) even from himself; Knd ttons not t0therefore , the General Instructionsff,/-^ 2 ^(d) by which he was to be governed/s Sea™™ 5in the JVeJl-Indies, were sealed up,withpositive Orders to him, not to openthem, before he came into the Latitudeof forty Degrees, and then to do it inthe Presence of the Commander inChiefof the Land Forces.

Pursuant

" fortune not to have one Circumstance of his“ whole Account be true ; And if proving this“ happens to be too much a Mortification to“ him, I am sorry I am obliged to be the Occa-" lion.

r, (c) It was to be a Secret, 'till he came to a

/^killing- certain Latitude, where he was to open his In-Nh Re- ftructions, (according to Colonel Lilhngjlon ) in^^vLi,p.8. the Presence of a Council of War, of all theOfficers, both of the Fleet, and Land-Forces ;“ But (continues he) he broke his Order, and“ opened his Instructions, no Body being present“ but he and I, and made them up again, after“ having plentifully cursed Blaithwait , and then« made a Signal for the Officers to come onBoard,“ to the Opening his Orders.

(d) By these Instructions he was directed :

1. To fail to Jamaica.

2. To consider with the Governour of that I-sland, at a Council of War, what might be doneagainst the Enemy ; And, if he should think fit,he was ordered to proceed to Petit Guanas, (aTown and Harbour in that Part of Hifpaniolapossessed by the French) according to such Infor-mations as could be gained of the Posture of theEnemy ; And to take with him so many of theLand-Soldiers, and of the Militia of -Jamaica, asthe Governour should appoint.

3. To order some of his Squadron to cruiseoff of Petit Guanas , and, by all other Ways, tointercept Supplies going to the French from Eu-rope, or any of the Windward Islands.

4. Upon landing the Troops at Petit Guanas,or any other Part of the Coast of Hifpaniola, inthe Possession of the French, (if it should bethought proper to do the same, at a Council ofWar) he was to use his utmost Endeavours, toreduce the Forts, &'c. and to destroy the Sugar-Works, Engines and Plantations.

3. If Petit Guanas could be taken by ourForces, he was to dispose Matters so, as that Pos-session thereof might be kept.

6 . To give Notice to the Commander in Chiefof the Island of Hifpaniola, or the City of St.Domingo, of his Arrival near that Coast, and todesire his Assistance, by Shipping, and the Con-junction of the Forces, or Militia there, for de-stroying the Enemy, on that, and the adjacent I-llands; To which End, the said Governor had re-ceived Instructions, from the Iving of hpain, his

7. But if, by the Readiness of the Preparations,at. Hifpaniola, or Advices from the Governour ofJamaica, it -should be judged adviseable, at aCouncil of War, to attack the French before hisgoing to Jamaica, he was to do it.

8 . If he gain'd Intelligence, at his coming toJamaica, or before his Arrival there, that theFrench were possessed of that Island, he was toendeavour to recover it, either by a Diversion, orotherwise, as a Council of War should judge mostproper.

9. To hold Councils of War, as Often qs thereshould be Occasion, to consist of the LieutenantGovernour of Jamaica, himself, the Rest of theSea Captains, and of the Colonel, Major, andCaptains of the Regiment, when those Personsshould be on the Place, the Governor being topreside if present, otherwise himself; And in°hisAbsence and that of the Lieutenant Governour osJamaica, the Colonel, or Commander in Chief ofthe Regiment.

10. If the Councils of War were held at Ja-maicd, there were to be added thereunto thechief Officers of the Militia, not exceeding six *Yet in no other Cafe but when the Matters to bedebated should relate to the Defence of the I-sland: But the Governour was not to meddlewith the Discipline of the Squadron; Nor was theCommadore to fend any of the Ships to cruise, re-mote from the Island, without the Consent of thesaid Governour and Council, if it might be con-veniently had.

11. The Spoil His Majesty gave between,him-self, the Officers, Seamen, Soldiers, and MiLtia,except Guns, Ammunition, aad Naval Stores,according to the Distribution, which will be here-after mentioned.

12. After he had done his utmost, to annoythe Enemy, and for the Security of the Island,and remained thereabouts not longer than twoor three Months, unless a Council of War judg’dit absolutely necessary, for some especial Services,he was to return to England, and to leave fiveFourth-Rates, and one Sixth-Rate, for the Guardof Jamaica: But, in his Passage, (if the Season ofthe Year should not be too far advanced) he wasto call at the French Settlement in Newfoundland,and endeavour to destroy their, and protect ourFishery; After which he was to do the like ontheir Vessels, on the Bank.

Lastly j And since the Success of this Expedi-tion depended very much upon the good Agree-ment, between him and the Commander in Chiefof the Land Forces (which was* indeed, not onlyin this Cafe, but many others, found a very diffi-cult Thing) he was enjoined to take Care, toprevent any unnecessary Scruples, or Difficulties jon that Account-

The Distribution of the Prizes and Booty, thatshould be taken in the West-Indies.

1. All Prizes taken at Sea were to be distri-buted according to an Act of Parliament, in thatBehalf: And of all the Booty at Land, a ThirdPart was to be set aside for the Lieutenant-Gover-nor of Jamaica, when Commander in Chief, onany Expedition, or to the Commander in Chief,for the Time being ; The other two thirds, tobe distributed among the Officers and Soldiers, aswill be hereafter more particularly expressed.

s. His