Gazette Of The United States, & Philadelphia Daily Advertiser

From the London Gazette.
Admiralty-Office, October 15.
Extract of a letter from Captain Mowat, of his Majesty's ship Assistance, dated Halifax, Sept. 14, '96.

"I have to acquaint you, for the information of my lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, that on the 28th of last month, about 4 leagues E. S. E. from Cape Henry in Virginia, the Thisbe who had been sent to look out in the E. N. E. quarter, a little after 5 in the morning, made the signal for three strange ships being in the E. S. E. The Bermuda, who had been in chase of a brig the evening before in that quarter, and who was 7 or 8 miles nearer the strange ships than any of the squadron, the Thisbe excepted, repeated or made the signal, that the ships seen were the enemy's ships; upon which the Admiral immediately made the signal for a general chase. The squadron was then composed of the flag ship, the Assistance, Thetis, Thisbe, Topaz, and Bermuda. So very light was the breeze, and withal partial, that the ships did not steer for some time. The Topaze was the first ship that had the breeze, the Thetis being at some distance from her was the next, and the flag ship soon after. The squadron continued in pursuit, and about half past five in the evening the Topaz, brought the nearest ship to action, upon which he returned a broadside and hauled down his colours. The Bermuda being near, bore down to the prize, & the Assistance's signal was made to take possession of her. The flag ship and the frigates, without a moment's loss of time, continued to chase the other two frigates. The Admiral's verbal message to me by capt. Maxtone, was to proceed to Halifax, with the prize: upon my taking possession of her I found her to be the La P'Elisabeth, mounting 36 guns, 24 pounders on her main deck, and 12 nines on her quarter deck and forecastle, a large ship, said to be about 1000 tons."