The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-11-19 00:00:00, page 2

tilt chip Alexander, arrived at Bellon is gi days
from 1 rance, we have the following Advices.
PARIS, August 9.
A Peace is now talked of. We are even assured,
that the last proposition made in the name of
England by Mr. Fitzherbert, minifies plenipotentia
ry from Great Britain to bruffels, who is at Versailles
with two Bnglifh messengers of state, are extremely
pleasing ib our court, which has given information
thereof to the amhaffadors of France and Holland, as
well as to the plenipotentiary of theunited states : and
that there ministers, especially the two former, have
already publicly declared, that they no longer doubt
that peace is about to take place.
M. de thofia, at the heid of 1800 men, French and
Americans, is charged with an expedition against St.
John's in Newfoundland.
LEYDE N, August ri.
The following Declara ton was made by the principal
Repr tentants of Geneva, before they opened tie
Gates of that City to the combined Forces of France,
Sardinia and Bom.
WE, citizens, townsmen, natives, inhabitants
and subj As of Geneva declare, that being
made fully acquainted with the letters addressed to
their lordfllips the fyndicks, by their excellencies the
generals of the king of France, the king of Sardinia
and the laudable canton of Bern;the declarations which
accompany them, and the hostile preparations m # de
agAinft our city, to force us to acquiesce therein: that
having seriously reflected on the inutility of refinance
on our pirt; on the horrid catastrophe in which it
would involve our city ; and willing to spare the effu
fion of the blood of so many virtuous men who would
fall under the ruins of our country, we have at length
determined not to submit, but to yield to the conditi
on,, however hard, which are imposed upon us. At
the fame time we declare, that unable any longer to
Confider as our Country, a ciy occupied by foreign
troops ; whose best citizens will be forced to forfake it ;
whose laws will no longer be the result of the free voices
of the plurality of her people, and whose government
will hereafter be exercised by men whom we can nei
ther esteem nor trull, we fliall depart in fea^ch of some
dfftant country, where we may peaceably breath the
pure air of liberty ; and the only favour we ask of the
three powers, whose troops turround us is, that we
may have full liberty to retire with our families and
property as soon as we can adjust our private affairs.
In a word, that no obstacle be thrown in the way of
this our intention ; as it is our only resource, and can
not be denied without violating, in our case, the fa
cred right of human nature.
Aug. 22. The prince fladtholder, on the 14th of this
monte, offered to lay before the Rates general his or
ders, issued in his capacity of admiral general, as far
as the fame had been executed. His declaration to
the deputies is in the following terms:
“ I have found for some time past, with regret,
that ill-designing persons have spread a I forts of insi
nuations of the pretended ill direction, and of rhe in
conceivable flown'efs which are remarked in carrying
on the war on our part; a war declared without just
cause against the republic by the crown of Britain ;
that this inaßion mud be owing to the want of neces
sary orders, with intent to lower me in the eyes of all
Europe, but especially to make me odious to the good
citizens of this country, and fufpefted, as though from
an indecent attachment for the king or kingdom of
Great-Britain, I had not d^ne all that was in my pow
er to distress the enemy and proted commerce. In or
der, therefore, to put to silence all those assertions and
calumniating writings and to juftify my conduct so
the world, and particularly to the good people of this
country, I should not have hesitated, long since to lay
before your high mightinesses all my orders which I
have issued, with a desire that they might be commit
uicared to the fiates, your con flituents, if I had not
feared that damage might happen by the disclosure of
fecrets,and the knowledg of them coming to the enemy,
and thus the plan of operations for the campaign,
which are partly executed, but the rest in the course
of being executed, as the court of France has approv
ed of it upon the communication made to her of it.
However, feeing by the letter of the slates of Zealand,
the requisition which their noble mightinesses have
made to me, and under standing that other provinces
may take a like step, I thought that I could not, as
ter such proceedings, delay to make the aforefaid com
munications, and that I owe it to my honour and my
reputation to shew and demonflrate, by irrefragable
testimonies, the Dinner in which I have a&ed during
the prefect war, and that I am not accountable for
the inefficacy of the fleets : yet for the present, I can
not open to you the orders for the campaign, which
are still to be executed, but as they Shall be executed
I will lay them also before you. Some time is necessa
ry to arrange the papers necessary for my juftifi ation,
and to copy them. In the mean time, I request your
high mightinesses to communicate my intention to the
slates, your conflituents, flattering myfelf that they
will honour me with their approbation.''
In consequence of dispositions set forth by this de
claration, his highness the fladtholder also communi
cated laftweek, to the secret committee of the dates
general, " that as soon as he had been informed of the
a pearance of admiral Hartfink with his squadron off
the :exel, he had feat to him by express an order not
to enter the road, but to keep in the offing ;" that up
on this order he had been answered, “ that the squad
ron had so greatly fuffered by bad weather, that it was
impossible to comply with it ; " that upon this, his se
rene highness proposed to repair in person to the
Texel, to examine the squadron and to concert with
the vice-admiral the necessary measures, in order that
it might fail without delay. In effe& his highness set
off last Tuesday for the Texel, from whence he is ex
peaed to return to the Hague to-morrow. He has al
ready directed the vessels of war to be victualed till
the end of October, and it is believed that when they
fail again, they will be accompanied with some ships
of the Eafl India company, which will take advantage
of their convoy.
Sept. 5. The sudden change in the route of the
count and countess of the north has given room to va
rious conjectures, of which the letters from Germany
are full. We do not venture to be particular till e
vents fliall verify some of them. The accounts in the
English papers, of cbldnefs shewn to the minifler of a
certain power cannot be relied on. The accounts
w rich the Gazette writers of that nation give, of a
reinforcement of 1000 soldiers thrown into Gibraltar,
are much doubted.
An armed Algerine vessel, endeavouring to throw
provisions into Gibraltar, was attacked by a Spanish
hoop ; the Algerine fought the Spaniard, yard-arm
and yard-arm, near fix glasses, till both grapled, and
their port-holes ran with blood ; the Spaniard, howe
ver, extricated himfelf, but the Algerine funk. The
crew were saved.
Yeflerday Several ships failed from Gravefend, load
ed with coals and other articles for the garrison at Gib
raltar.
The flowerof the Spanish nobility, the flower of their
army, their chosen priests, their crucifixes, their St.
Anthony, and every other titular faint, are now at the
camp at St. Roch, to florm a huge rock, and devour
a little army.
Extract of a letter from Cadiz, July 20.
" Three days ago arrived here, five transports and a
frigate,with French artillerymen and engineers on board;
in the frigate came the count d'Artois, who serves as
a volunteer before Gibraltar, andthis day went out of
harbour for St. Roch, as did also 2000 recruits for
the Spanish army.''
Extras of a letter from Vienna, Augufly.
" The emperor, who attaches himfelf no less to the
most minute particulars of interior police, than he
does to his greater concerns abroad, caused it to be
announced on Saturday last, the 28th of July, in a.I
the churches of this capital, that from that day, the
women mufl not appear there with their heads dressed
in any fingu ar or peculiarly elegant manner ; and that
the commissioners would be authorised to cause all those
who disobeyed this order toquit the place without a
ny refpe& of persons.
" His imperii! majesty has lately abolifh'd the
penalty of death to crim nals. It has been fettled,
that for the time to come, all those who would have
been condemned t dil are to be sent to the house of
correction, where th y are to be k pt to hard labour
for the rest of their lives, both men and women, hav
ing their heads shaved, and a habit distinguishing them
from the rest of the criminals, and chained two
together."
The following melancholy account was received at
the admiralty on Thursday evening: The Swan
sloop of war, being on her passage to England, was by
a sudden guftof wind overfet near the town of Water
ford in Ireland, and in a few minutes went down, toge
ther with her whole crew, which consisted of 130 men,
officers included, together with upwards of 40 naval
volunteers lately railed in Dublin by captain M'Bridey
not a single person on board escaped this dreadful ac
cident.
Colonel Tarleton has offered himfelf a volunteer at
Gibraltar, and goes out with the fleer, as d>es also
captain Cumberland nnd ca pt. Gosling of the guards.
We are inform d that lord Howe las hoifled his
flag on board the Foudroyant, to go immediately for
the protection of the Baltic fleet, and for that purpose
carries none of the three deck ships with him : so that
we may conclude that the ministry think the affiflance
so fortunately conveyed to Gibraltar will save that
fortrefs till his lordship returns from the Baltic.
The zeal with which lord Howe endeavours to re
Bore the discipline of the navy may give offence to the
officers under his command, but mud be applauded
by the public, who have seen the fad effects of that
rel nation which has prevailed too long.
Aug. 23. Anevening paper (?';«, it is in agitation to
change the whole face of the war abroad. It has been
found that the famous victory of admiral Rodney has
not hitherto enabled us to take from the enemy a fin
gle island, or recover one of our loft possessions This
is found to have arisen, not from the weakness of our
fleets or from the naval Strength of the French, but foie
ly from this cocumftance, that we have not in the
Weft-Indies Sufficient military force to undertake an
expeditions while at the fame time we have an army
coop'd up in New York, a heavy burden to this coun
try, without the benefit of a single exertion against
any of our enemies. It is now proposed that this ar
my should be transported to the Weft Indies, where,
from the superiority of our fleet, it may attempt the
reduction of the French islands, and with a tolerable
profpeH of success. The consequence of this redu&i
on would be, that though we might acknowledge the
independence of America, Bill wb should have it in
our power to diHate to France the terms upon which
that court should obtain peace. For this plan the two
The war, in all probability, will terminate io the
fate of Gibraltar, as it is, no doubt, the serious inten
tion of the house of Bourbon, to dispute the relief of
that place with their whole naval power. To the dis
grace of our nobility and gentlemen, not one white
handed beau, has yet proposed himfelf as a volunteer
on this expeAed struggle for the empire ©f the ocean.
Aug. 22. We are informed, that parliament will
meet early in the month of November, for the dispatch
of business.
The Spaniards are casting cannon before Gibraltar,
of so immense a size, that they could not be transported
by land from any other foundery. They have bor
rowed the idea from the Turks, who make use of the
largest and heaviest battering cannon in the world,
and who always cast it before the place they mean to
batter.
On Sunday next the grand attack will be made up
on Gibraltar, and upon the event of that day's firing,
a judgment may be formed, whether that garrison can
stand till lord Howe appears to relieve it. That day's
firing will certainly be most violent, in honour of the
day, as it will be on the feaft of St. Louis, the patron
of France.
LONDO N, August 20.
military men in the cabinet argue ftrenuoufi,: The
premier hesitates; but if he comes into it at all,and it is
likely he will, it is to be on condition, that by with
drawing the troops from America, he shall not be con
sidered as having unconditionally acknowledged the in
dependence of that country ; hut that if the future slate
of affairs should enable him to humble France, he
should not be debarred, by the recall of the troops,
from attempting to ie unite the colonies with the pa
rent country.
B O S TO N, November 7.
On Friday last the (hip Alexander arrived here, in 31
days from I'Orient, which place she left on the Ift of
Oaober : she brings intelligence, that the British fleet
had not failed to relieve Gibraltar on the 20th Septem
ber : that lord Howe, as we mentioned in our last, had
taken the command of a few ships to convoy their Bal
tic fleet home, they being in great want of naval (lores,
and that the fleet could not fail for Gibraltar until his
return; but that it was generally believed that he had
declined the command on that expedition : the ac
counts fay, that the combined fleet was at Cadiz, hav
ing been joined by two large new ships, built at
Toulon ; and that the batteries against Gibraltar were
to be opened on the Sth of September: that one Da
vid Tyrie, a Scotchman was executed for a spy, at
Portsmouth, on the 24th of August, having been con
vi&ed of corref ponding with the French ministry, fend
ing them the signals of the fleets, their time of failing,
destination. &c.—That the Coogrefs ship of war, capt.
Geddes, of Philadelphia, was taken soon after her leav
ing Bourdeaux, by a British frigate, after a severe en
gagement, in which captain Geddes left many men:
she brings an account of the success of the Buccaneer'
and Revolution privateers, of Salem, the former of
which had made some good prizes. This vessel brings
likewise the important news o f the departure of the
marquis de Bouille from France, on the Sth of Septem
ber, with between two and three hundred vessels hav
ing on board 16000 troops, for the Weft Indies, under
convoy of three ships of the line; and that the mar
quis la Fayette was daily expelled to fail in the Danz
frigate.The accounts from England brought by thisveffel
(peak of an attempt having been made after the break
ing up of the privy council, which was held on Ame
rican affairs, to carry off the papers which were ex
pe&ed to have been left in the council chamber, but
that lord Camden had accidently carried them home in
his pocket , those however which were left in the room
had been compleatly rummaged, during the night, not
withstanding the doors were found locked, and the dis.
ferent avenues in their usual security.
We have the pleafmre to inform our readers, from
good authority, that whatever the fate of Gibraltar
may be, it is rhe fixed intention of the combined pow
ers, whenever that event is determined, to fend a vafl
ly superior force to any which Britain can equip, to
the Weft.lndies.
Friday last the state ship Tartar, commanded by
captain Cathcart, arrived at Cape Ann, and carried
in with her a brig (being the third prize, after ten
weeks cruize) bound from Antigua for Bermuda, ladea
with a valuable cargo, confining of rum, sugar, cord
age &c.
Saturday last the state sloop, commanded by captain
Little, sent into port two fmail prizes, viz. one a pri
vateer sloop, of 7 guns, and the other , a fmal! fchoo
aer, laden with fait.
The transports which are to aITiA in the evacuation
of Charleftown, dropped down to the Hook at the time
these vessels failed, and were to proceed immediately
for that place.
Yeflerday arrived a fchoone, in 11 days passage from
New York, which place she left in company with a
number of vessels under convoy of the Amphitrite fri
gate, which were bound to Annapolis in this province,
with 300 refugee families, who purpose to fettle there.
A few days before they failed from New York, fir
Guy Carleton reviewed between 3 and 9000 British
troops, which have fine" i&ieivrd orders to embark on
board the line of battle ships, and it is conjectured they
are destined for the Weft-indies.
Aug. 24. A gentleman in the city has received a
letter from his son at Gibraltar, which has the follow
ing article:-- “ I have snatched this opportunity just
to let you know I am alive, for the vessel which it goes
by is preparing to fail with dispatches from the go
vernor, to request immediate affiflance; without which
we must surrender this important fortrefs. The Spani
ards are pieparing to attack us in form with a numer
ous army and a large train of heavy artillery, and
our men are greatly harraffed and fatigued with hard
duty, and dispirited by being so long cooped up.
our brave governor does all he can to encourage them
to persevere, and to defend the place to the last mo
ment. We are able I believe to hold out till the mid
dle of September, but if we are not relieved by that
time we must surrender, as our provisions will be
chiefly exhausted, and it will be impossible for the
Moors to supply us, as we shall be closely blocked up.
We have sent off the Jews, who, poor creatures, had
no houses to live in, the enemy having knocked them
all down. Our works are not yet damaged, but as
we are to be attacked both by fra and land, it is im
possible but they must soon. I think if we are effe&u
ally relieved by the 12th of September, the united
force of France and Spain will not be able to take the
place.
Aug. 25. Monday last the Portuguese ambassador,
attended by lord Grantham, had an audience of his
majesty at Windsor, to make a formal notification of
the queen of Portugal having acceded to the neutral
treaty.
Politicians differ widely in their opinion refpe&ing
the evacuation of New-York, and the future progress
of the American war: The next difpalches from fir
Guy Carleton will enable government to declare pub
licly what measures will hereafter be pursued refped
ing the .colonies.
HALIFA X, Oaober 18.