The Virginia Gazette

LONDON.

Whitehall, July 23. On Saturday last the Hon. Capt. Montague, Commander of his Majesty's Ship the Mermaid, arrived with Letters to his Grace the Duke of Newcastle, one of his Majesty's principal Secretaries of State, from Commodore Warren and Mr. Pepperell, who has the Command of the Forces employed in the Expedition against Cape Breton; giving an Account of the Surrender of the Town and Fortress of Louisburg, and the Territories thereunto belonging, after a Siege of Forty-nine Days, on the Terms of Capitulation proposed by Commodore Warren and Mr. Pepperell, and agreed to by M. Chambron, the Governor of Louisburg. We have already published the Terms in this Paper.

LONDON, July 23.

The Reduction of the Isle of Cape Breton, is a Piece of News of so great Consequence, and does so much Honour to the Officers concerned therein, and to the Colony that had so large a Share in this great Enterprize, that without Doubt the Reader will be very well pleased to find some Particulars in this Expedition collected here.

The Island of Cape Breton is indented on every Side by large Bays, upon one of which Louisburg is situated, and the Place is so extremely well fortified, that the attacking it ought to be considered as one of the hardiest Attempts that has been made in that Part of the World, since the Commencement of the present War.

The whole Plan of the Expedition was laid, or at least concerted, in New-England, where the whole Business was perfectly well understood; and where such Persons might be consulted, as were to be entrusted with the Execution of it. As this gave great Hopes of the Design, so the Choice made of Commodore Warren was another good Omen; for as he has always been an active and vigorous, so, in the Judgment of the Seamen, he has been ever a fortunate and prosperous Commander. Agreeable to these good Omens, the whole Expedition has been a continued Scene of Success. [Here followed the Particulars of the Operations before the Place, concluding] The Reduction of Louisburg has not only put the whole Island of Cape Breton into our Hands, but also the Island of St. John, and other adjacent Places of less Consequence, where all the Stages, and other Works belonging to the French Fishery, are absolutely destroyed, and those Coasts effectually cleared.
In Consequence of this glorious Success, the following Advantages will undoubtedly accrue to the Subjects of Great-Britain. 1. The French will be entirely deprived of a very beneficial Fishery, in which a vast Number of Ships are annually employed, insomuch, that it was considered as the great Nursery of their Seamen. 2. All the Northern Colonies will be delivered from the Apprehension of French Privateers, that were wont to skulk in the Creeks and small Ports of these Islands, which were extremely commodious for that Purpose. 3. All their Commerce to the great River of St. Lawrence, and indeed to all Canada, must be henceforward very precarious; and as there is no Fear of seeing this Place given up again by another Treaty like that of Utrecht, we may safely congratulate our Countrymen upon the obtaining this great and solid Advantage, which will in some Measure compensate the Expense of the War, at least on this Side.
We hear that 2000 Land Forces will be soon sent from hence to garrison Cape Breton, and they will be formed into two Regiments, the Commands of which are, it is said, to be given to General Pepperell and William Shirley, Esq; It is also said that General Pepperell, for his Conduct in the Reduction of Cape Breton, will be created a Baronet, and that Commodore Warren will be rewarded with a Flag.