Rohan, struck, having suffered greatly in her hull, and had 61 men killed, and 100 men wounded. She was going from l'Orient to Brest, a new ship, not above four or five months off the stocks. The Dorsetshire's masts, yards, and sails, were greatly shattered. She had 15 men killed, and 21 wounded, in the action; and one of the wounded is since dead.
By the French accounts the Raisonable, with the Hero, Formidable, and Intrepide, and two frigates, were designed for Canada; to which place and Louisbourg they have sent feveral little squadrons, at different times; one under M. de Bauffier sailed to the latter place on the 5th of April.
One Robert Anderson was carried on board the Norfolk man of war, Commodore Brett, in the Downs, by the master of a Deal boat. The account he gave was this; that about three months ago, he was trepanned into the Irish brigades in the French king's service; that about two o'clock on the 11th in the morning, when he was relieved from his post of centry by the water side at Graveling, he seized a small boat within ten yards of his box, came down the canal two miles, in which he passed two captains guards, and several advanced posts: that he then seized a fishing boat, and set sail for our coast, with the small boat in tow: and that he steered directly for the Downs, with an intention to run into Ramsgate, where his wife lives; but was boarded by the Deal boat as above. He has brought musket, bayonet, and all his accoutrements with him; is a very likely fellow, a gardener by trade, and all the knowledge he had of a boat was from being often a fishing for his amusement. He fleered by the stars till daylight, and then had the sight of our coast. He had planned his design three weeks before, and had made himself perfectly master of the canal from constant observation, and knew by the same means the stated times when the fishermen arrived. Sir Piercy, with his wonted good-nature, ordered the boat to be sold for the man's benefit.—This account is taken from part of a letter from an officer on board the Norfolk; and what corroborates it is, an imperfect relation from Broad-Stairs, of the arrival there of a French fishing-boat with two Englishmen in it, and a German, a soldier in the French King's service, who assisted the Englishmen to make their escape, and for whose use the boat was put up to auction, and sold for 9l. 5s.
17th. Twelve flat-bottomed boats, of a new construction, were launched at Portsmouth, to be employed in landing the troops then going on the enterprize to France. They carry 63 men each, are rowed with 12 oars, and draw not above two feet water.
18th. A young grenadier, aged about 27, was shot at Plymouth for desertion; what is remarkable, being to receive goo lashes by the sentence of a regimental court-martial, he chose to appeal to a general court-martial, who instead of confirming his former sentence, inflicted that of death. The young man suffered with great fortitude, having done nothing, he said, to offend his Saviour.
19th. By an advertisement it appeared, that 933l. 7s. 6d. had been subscribed to carry Mr. Fielding's plan into execution.
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