"Republic of France, "One and Indivisible. "Head Quarters, Belleisle, 8th Messidor. "The General of Division, Boucret, to Mr. Ellison, commander of the Standard man of war, in the road of Beliciste. "We do not want the protection and stores of the king, your master. We want nothing. It depends on you to be convinced of it. To live free, or die in defence of the republic, one and indivisible, under the orders of the convention, is my vow, and also of the brave republicans I command. "I salute you, "BOUCRET." There being no appearance of the surrender of the island, Captain Ellison, after the lapse of about three weeks, sent in a second summons; of which we insert the following copy, for the first time, we believe, that it has met the public eye: "( SIR, "Standard, Belleisle Road, July 16, 1795. "Being convinced that the words of peace contained in the letter my first lieutenant, Mr. Buller, delivered to you the 27th of June, should have determined you to your true interests, in acknowledging your lawful sovereign, and accepting the protection and succours from mine; I have delayed till now executing with rigour the orders given me to blockade Belleisle closely, and, from mere benevolence for its inhabitants, have let them receive some provisions, and continue their fishing, which I know is very profitable to them; but, sir, your obstinacy, and the little regard you have paid to these my proceedings, put me under the necessity of entirely altering my conduct. "I will yet repeat to you before doing so, that both my king and your's wait only, to display all their benevolence, till you have submitted voluntarily, and given up the principles which have worked the misfortunes of France, and disturbed Europe for too long a time; besides, the motives I explained to you in my last, and those every good Frenchinan feels in his heart, the events which have passed since ought to determine you. “Monsieur, brother to Louis the Sixteenth, whom the laws of France have entitled to the sceptre factions have endeavoured to break, has been acknowledged as King of Frauce, under the name of Louis the Eighteenth, by England and all the other coalesced powers against your unhappy country, or rather against those who for these five years past have laid it waste. General Charette has taken arms again, and obtained already important successes, The royalists of Britanny, whom we have provided with arms, threaten the entire destruction of the few republican troops which may yet oppose them in this province. A landing has been effected near Brieau. Normandy shews forth, by assuming arms, the wish of almost all France for a king. We are masters of the important peninsula of Quiberon its garrison, having voluntarily surrendered, have been treated with a benevolence they did not hope for, and the greatest part have enlisted with the royalists. "These events should determine you, should you not anticipate the time to come. The destruction of the French navy, the augmentation of our fleet since its victory, and the powerful reinforcements of troops which are expected, besides those just arrived; the impossibility of your receiving any succours by seas: all must induce you to think seriously of the evils a longer resistance must bring upon your island, and for which the English and royalist generals will call you personally, sir, and the municipality, to an account, if they are obliged to reduce you by force. "I send to you, with my letter, some copies of the manifesto published by the general in chief of the royalists; it must convince you of the purity of his designs, and desires of conciliating all interests. "Direct to the royalist commissioners I have on board (in case you soon submit): they will fall, in unison with me, all the promises made you in this declaration. We are authorised, first, to preserve the pay and rank to the officers and soldiers of your garrison who will join the royalist army. Secondly, to afford proper means of living in a foreign country, to those who, fearing revenge (which the royalists are averse to), would not be exposed in their own country to continual disquiet. Thirdly, to let return to their families those who wish for the tranquility they hope to enjoy there. Fourthly, to reward generously those who by their influence will do yet greater service for their country. "Weigh these advantages, sir, and consider that a longer resistance will deprive you of them all. Enable me to follow my most ardent desire in contributing to make happy the inhabitants of the island where you command. "I ordered Mr. Buller not to receive from you any answer to this letter, as I wish to pay to the officer you may be pleased to send the same attentions you did to my first lieutenant. "I have the honour of being, sir, "Your humble servant, "JOSEPH ELLISON." To M. Boucret, General of Division, Commander-in-Chief at Belleisle. ANSWER. "The General of Division, Boucret, to Mr. Ellison, commander of the man of war the Standard, 28th Messidor, the third year of the Republic, one and indivisible. 66 SIR, "You will have the goodness not to make any propositions to me henceforth. My first letter must have convinced you of my sentiments. If you persevere, and give me opportunity, my answer shall be sustained with thirty-six pounders. "I salute you, "BOUCRET." During the time that Captain Ellison remained before Belleisle, he received frequent presents of fruit and fish from the governor; two of whose aides-de-camp also once visited the Standard, with an invitation for him to go on shore; notwithstanding which, he was almost constantly annoyed by shot from the garrison. The British commander, it is scarcely necessary to say, declined the governor's polite offer. Captain Ellison, who, it will be recollected, had been employed on a similar service, off the same place, with Sir Edward Hawke, kept his station for many weeks, in hopes of accomplishing the surrender of the island; after which, the object becoming hopeless, and his men suffering much from the scurvy, he was ordered to the island of Hedic; where, having landed them, he blew up the forts, pitched tents, and formed them into a little encampment, during their recovery. In about six weeks, his ship's company having been restored to health, he received orders from Sir John Warren to sail with the Thunderer, Captain Bertie, to Noirmoutier, for the purpose of conducting the Comte d'Artois and his suite, who wished to take a survey of that island. During this expedition, they captured several American merchant vessels, which were bound to Belleisle, with flour, &c.-Having remained at anchor, off Noirmoutier, for some days, they returned to Quiberon Bay. At the close of the year, the expedition against the French coast having failed, the Standard was ordered to return to Plymouth Sound, where she accordingly arrived, after an absence of seven months. Captain Ellison then went into Hamoaze, to fit for foreign service. When complete, the Standard was ordered into Cawsand Bay; and, soon afterwards, on the 24th of February, 1796, she sailed with sealed orders. On opening his orders, Captain Ellison found himself directed to proced to St. Helena, and to convoy to England a fleet of East Indiamen which were assembling at that island. His conduct at St. Helena will be best estimated, after a perusal of the following letter, from Robert Brooke, Esq. the governor : To Commodore Ellison, Esq. &c. &c. May 31, 1796. 66 SIR, "I cannot allow you to depart without acknowledging the obligations I think the service under to your zeal to oblige, and preserve harmony and good order in the flect under your charge. "May the continuance of your exertions meet with equal success on the passage home, and may you carry the whole thereof in safety, to the satisfaction of your country, and the Hon. Company, who are most deeply interested on the occasion, is the most fervent hope of him who has the honour to be, sir, "Your most faithful and obliged servant, Rob. Brook Captain Ellison sailed from St. Helena on the 1st of June, and arrived safely in the Downs, with the whole of his convoy, nothing particular having occurred on the passage, on the 2d of August. Having duly announced his arrival to the Admiralty, he received, in answer, the following letter of thanks, from Sir Evan Nepean: SIR, Admiralty Office, August 5, 1796. "Having laid before my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your letter of the 2d inst. acquainting me of your arrival in the Downs with the ship you command, and the whole of the convoy from St. Helena; I ain commanded by their lordships to acquaint you, that they are much satisfied with you for the attention you have paid to your convoy, and of all your proceedings since you have been employed on this service. "I am, sir, "Your very humble servant, Exaintenan Captain Ellison, Standard, Downs. For this service, Captain Ellison also received the subjoined thanks of the Court of Directors of the East India Company, with. a present of four hundred guineas, for the purchase of a piece of plate : "SIR, East India House, September 1, 1796. "I have great pleasure in obeying the commands of the Court of Directors of the East Iudia Company, by communicating to you their thanks for your care and attention in convoying from St. Helena to England eleven of the Company's ships, together with several extra ships, laden with rice, &c. and in acquainting you that they have resolved to present you with the sum of four hundred guineas, for the purchase of a piece of plate, as dri acknowledgment of the above services, and that a warrant for that sum is made out accordingly, and may be received any day after Wednesday next, I am, sir, "Your most obedient humble servant, Mamay Captain Joseph Ellison, of his Majesty's ship Standard. "Secretary." The following is Captain Ellison's acknowledgment of the above: " SIR, "I beg you will be pleased to communicate to the Honourable Court of Directors of the East India Company my grateful thanks for the very great honour they have done me in their approbation of my conduct in convoying their fleet from St. Helena; and should I ever have the pleasure of being again employed in their service, this flattering mark of their attention will be an additional inducement to performning my duty. I request they will also accept my warmest acknowledgments for the present they have had the goodness to bestow on me, and am respectfully, sir, "Your most obedient humble servant, "JOSEPH ELLISON." Shortly after Captain Ellison's return to England, he received the following very friendly epistle from Captain Suasse, one of his colleagues in the Belleisle expedition; which will be regarded as no bad specimen of English composition, from a French soldier : DEAR CAPTAIN, "No. 51, French-Street, Southampton, August 24, 1796. "Permit me to express to you the great satisfaction I have received from your safe arrival in England, after so long a voyage. I should not have so long delayed writing to you, had I known where to direct my letter. My friend Pioger has just given me a proper information he received from one of your officers he met with in London. I know you are now in the midst of your family, and I must obey the dictates of my heart, in sending my sincerest compliments to you. Indeed, my dear captain, I should have been much more pleased with hearing you had brought some Dutch Indiamen with you, than I have been with your convoying home those of the English company. However, I hope, and most ardently wish, that |