Monthly Chronicle.

-the ship sailed faster , which the enemy perceiving , they did not draw up with us . At one o'clock discontinued the engagement with us , and hauled up for the Alexander . Had the French admiral not acted thus , we suppose he conceived both ships would getofr " , which I must say there was little probability of at that time . "The action with the Alexander was much more severe ; the first ship the Alexander engaged was so disabled in about half an hour , that she was obliged to sheer off , and make the signal for a frigate to go to her assistance . The French commodore then got with Admiral Bligh . but never fairly along-side

up , of him ; notwithstanding which , in less than an hour the Alexander made him almost a wreck on the water , having shot away the commodore's head of his main-top-mast , his main top-sail-yard in the slings , and his mizen-top-mast , consequently he was forced to give over the action . A third line of battle ship ,, never in the action before , next got up with the poor unfortunate Alexander , and engaged her closely ; this was about the time the admiral gave over the action with usand at that time we could not perceive the Alexander the least

, damaged in the sails or rigging , for she was steering a steady course with all her sails set . " The French admiral , seeing the Alexander had beat off two line of battleships , and fearing we should both get off in spite of their efforts , he in the most dastardly manner hauled up for the Alexander , being determined , I imagine , to make sure of one ship . I call it dastardly , because if three heavy line of battle ships couid not secure the Alexanderhe ought never to have gone to their

, assistance , and should himself have chased us while he had a sail to set . " The last we could distinctly see of the Alexander was past two o'clock , P . M . ( when most of the enemy ' s ships had closed in with her ) ; her colours were still flying , and she still firing away . " Soon after two o ' clock in the afternoon it came on squally and thick weather ., when we saw no more of them . " In our situation it was not possible to be of any use to the Alexanderand

, to attempt it would have been selling the Canada . Captain Hamilton wished to heave to , and fight them both , declaring he would never strike while there was a plank to stand upon ; but he was persuaded by the ollicers we had no right to do it , the enemy being of so much superiority to us ; and certainly had we done it , we should , we must have been taken . We had then nothing left to do but make the best of our way to England , which we did , and arrived . in Torbay on the Sth of this month , and found Earl Howe , to whom we communicated the intelligence ,

who immediately got under weigh with the Grand Fleet , and the wind favourably shifting soon after he sailed . " When the two line of battle ships hauled their wind from us , we could see we had damaged tbem by our shot very much in their sails and rigging . "

Nov . 19 . This day a Treaty of Amity , Commerce , and Navigation , between his Majesty and tlie United States of America , was signed by the Right Honourable Lord Grenviiie , and by the Honourable John Jay , Envoy Extraordinary from the United States of America . It is said that , by the treaty with America , the forts in dispute are immediately to be given up ; and that the Americans are to be allowed to supply our West-India Islands with lumber and provisions , in -any vessels of not more than 120 tons burthen , and to take their returns in rum and molasses .

20 . A Court of Lieutenancy was held at Guildhall , when several regulations for the militia of the city of London were settled ; several officers were appointed , and it v / as agreed upon that an application should be made to Parliament for an amendment of the late act . 28 . About live o ' clock in the morning a fire broke out at the new paper-mills pear Tooting , which were totally destroyed in a very short space of time , the workmen who were present having scarce time to stive their clothes , Sc .

30 . Dec . ] , * md 2 . The Serpentine river overflowed its embankments , and after forcing down a part of Hyde-Park wall , made its way to Knightsbridge , where a number of cellars and outhouses were filled with water , to the great injury of jMany inhabitants . A similar accident happened near thirty years since .