7029. Admiral Hugh Pigot, on board the 'Formidable', Gros Islet Bay, St Lucia to...

7029. Admiral Hugh Pigot, on board the 'Formidable', Gros Islet Bay, St Lucia to Carleton. Regrets his inability to reply sooner nor to offer good news. Cites the long distance between Jamaica and St Lucia and the weak defensive state of both locations (making it a difficult task for him to know how to act). According to recent dispatches received he believes a large enemy force is upon the point of sailing, if not already embarked from Cadiz to the West Indies. Notes that ten ships of the line are being sent to reinforce him, but fears that as they are in convoy they may arrive too late. Has intelligence that the enemy will have 40 ships of the line but knows not where they will strike first, St Lucia or Jamaica. Refers to letters exchanged with Admiral Lord Hood who must by now have called in to Jamaica for water. As a result the Marquis de Vaudreuil has gone to the Cape (?). He has no intelligence of the Spanish situation at 'the Havanna', although he is certain they are at Porto Rico. News received from England indicates that two ships of the line along with a frigate are conveying some 1,600 men and will call firstly at Barbados and then Jamaica. Another 1,000 are following on merchant ships bound for Barbados. He understands that Carleton has been ordered to send 1,600 men to Barbados. With these reinforecements he hopes he will be able to defend the islands effectively but trusts that Royal Navy vessels are watching Cadiz. He needs news from Jamaica to measure what level of force he needs to send and when. He believes it strange that with all these forces at Britain's disposal she is negotiating for peace; suspecting French motives as they are ('trifling with us'). A ship of his force (the 'Leander') recently was in action against the enemy and may have sunk a vessel. Referring to his letter to Admiral Digby, he reports the taking of Vaudreuil's great store ship by the 'Juniper' which brought her into English Harbour (Antigua); 'this will distress him, and give us the masts and other stores we were much in want of'.