The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-06-30 00:00:00, page 2

H AGUE, January 24.
?1E express from Russia, which our govern
nrnt nas been expending with great impatience,
arrived here on the 22d instant in the morning,
having performed his journey from Peerfourgh in fe
venteen days. He has brought the agreeable advice,
" that the treaty of confederation, between Russia and
this republic, had been signed at Peteifburgh by the
ministers of this republic, and those of Russia, on the
3d instant ; and that the empress, though already in
formed of the memorial presented by tne English am
bassador, to the States General, on the 12th of Decem
ber lafl, had nevertheless perilled in her resolution, to
protect, if necessary, by means of arms, the rights of
neutrally in general, and those of the United Pro
vinces in particular ; and that her Imperial majesty
had absolutely refufed to liftcn to the propofitiohs
which the court of Great Britain had made unto her,
to exclude this republic from the number of armed
neuter powers."
Tbis happy event has fp'read the greatest joy among
the inhabitants of this republic, and has redoubled, if
possible, the ardour in al! individuals, of revenging the
wrings whicli this republic has long received, from
the haughtiness and arrogance of the English nation.
Algefira;-, Jan. 22. The king of Morocco having
absolutely ordered the English, refilling at Tangier, to
evacuate his dominions, forced the British consul ge
neral, Mr Logie, and all the fubjefts of the king, his
mufler, to embark in two vessels, to Gibraltar, and
ordered the Reisfarach, to condud them thither, and
not cuit them until he had disposed of them in the
place besieged- The Reis, after having executed his
Commission, returned to make us a visit, and tarried
here a short time, during which he dined with Don
Antonio Barcelo.
Paris, Feb. 20. Mr. Necker has laid before France
and the world, the g< neral account of our finances.
The candor,and perspicuity which reign on this re
presentation, are very proper to dissipate all the ground
lets alarms and jealousies, which interefled persons
Wiflied to foment a ainft an administration, much en
vied. It is the most triumphant answer which could be
made agamflthofe obscure libels, which have only ap
peared, and then funk into oblivion.
It appears from these accounts, so clearly and cora
pleatly hated, that the royal treasury receives actu
ally ten millions two hundred thousand livres more
than is necessary for discharging all the debts, all the
pensions, and all the expences of the state, and as these
debts diminish from day to day, by the deaths of the
annuitants, the surplus will increase continually, and
furnifh an.extenfive security to those, who have depo
fite^ their fortunes in the finances of rhe king.
Feb. 25. The account rendered by the direftor ge
neral of the finances has had the greatest success : all
the peo; le of Paris repair to the house of the book
seller, who has them for sale; the royal printing of
fice is not (efficient to answer all the demands of the
populace. The proceeds of the sale are defined to
relieve the unfortunate, who find a consolation for
their (offerings, in this state of the finances of the na
tion.
We cannot forbear praising the great and good con
sequences resulting from a thorough examination of
our administration, all the points are difeuffed and laid
open in the cleared and most fatisfaHory manner.
Though we cannot give a more extensive account
of this work, which consists of 116 pages, in quarto,
we will publjfh those parts which explain the motives
of the author.
SIRE,
H AVING devoted my whole time and efforts to
the service of your majesty, since you have called me
to the office which I hold, it is without doubt of ad
vantage for me, to have a public account so render
of the success of my labours, and the present Rate
of your finances; but whatever advantages a faithful
Servant might expert from this representation of his
conduft, I should nevertheless have renounced this fa
tisfaftion, and added this new facrifice to many others,
if I had not supposed that the publication of such an
account, with its proofs, might be of infinite advan
tage to your majefly's affairs I do not know if
even a similar inflitution, becoming permanent, would
not be of essential advantages. An obligation upon a
minifler of finance, to bring to light all his adminis
tration, will have an influence upon his firfl fleps, re
fpeding the measures which he ought to pursue.
Darkness and obfeurify favour negligence ; on the con
trary a publication cannot become to him an honour,
and a recompence, but so long as he feels the impor
tance of his duty, and holds himftlf obligated to ful
fill the duties thereof. An account so rendered, will
induce the persons, who compose your raajeffy's coun
cils, to Budy and attend to the state of the finances;
an important branch of knowledge, to which all grand
deliberations are connected, ought to have refpeA.
In the mean time it is hoped that this publication
will render Rill more contemptible those obscure writ
ers who have endeavoured to disturb the repose of an
adminifirator, who, knowing that a man of an ele
vated mind, would not condefeend to answer them,
might profit by his silence, and affed feme minds by
their fallhoods.
In fine, it is a confederation worthy of the most se
rious examination, whether such an inflitution must
not have the greatest influence upon the public con
fidence.
In fa&, if we turn our attention to the immense
credit which is enjoyed by England, and which at this
time is principally employed in supporting the war,
we cannot attribute it entirely to the nature of the go
vernment ; for whatever may be the authority of the
monarch of France, as his interests, if well understood,
will always be supported by the principles of fidelity
and justice, he will easily cause the people to forget
that he has the power of departing from the'e prin
ciples : and it appertains to your majesty, and to your
character, by your virtues to m/ke the truth realiz
ed by example. But another cause of this great cre
dit of England is undoubtedly the public examination
to which the date of her finances is fubjeded. Every
year this state is presented to parliament, and is after
wards published, so that ail the lender - know regu
larly tie proportion maintained -between the reve
nues and the expenditures, and are not troubled with
suspicions and chimerical fears, the inseparable com
panions of obfeurity.
In France they have ever made a miflery of the fi
nances, or if sometimes they have spoken of them, it
has been in the preamble of edicts, and always at the
moment when they wished to borrow; but these ex
preflions are too often the fame, to be always true, and
must necetfarily loose their force : men of experience
will no longer rely (f I may use the expression) in
the moral character of a mini fter of finance; it is of
importance to found confidence upon the most (olid
basis. I confefs that in particular circumflances fowe
have been able to profit from the veil which has been
spread over the state of their finances, to obtain in
the midfl of disorder a moderate credit, which was un
merited; but this transitory advantage, in holding up
a deceitful delufron, and favouring the weakness of ad
ministration, never failed of being followed by unhap
py consequences ; the effeds of which yet continue,
and will not foan be cured. It is not, therefore, only
for the firfi moment after the light begins to shine upon
the finances of a great and deranged state that ike re
mains under embaraffment, •but if this publication had
prevented even this confufion ? what service would it
not have rendered to the state.
The sovereign of a kingdom, such as France, may
always, when he will, maintain the ballance between
his expences, and his ordinary revenues; the diminu
tion of the one, always seconded by the public voice,
is in his hands, and when circumflances demand it,
the augmentation of the impofis are in his power ; but
the most dangerous, and the most unjust of resources,
is to seek in a blind confidence some transitory fuc
cours, and to obtain loans without securing the pay
ment of interest, either by the augmentation of reve
nues, or by oeconomy. An adminiflration which de
ceives by postpones, the moment of embaraffment,
does but en reafe the evil, and render the precipice
more formidable, while a different conduct, more simple
and more candid, will multiply the riches of the sove
reign, and always defend him from every species of in
juflice. It therefore furniffies a great and pleasing pro
fped of your majefly's adminiflration, only to have
permitted a public account of the state of your finances
to be rendered ; and I wish, for the happiness and pow
er of the kingdom, that this inflitution may not be
temporary, for what danger in fad can arise from such
an account? for if it be the foundation and support of
credit, it exalts nothing from a sovereign but the most
simple rules of morality, namely to proportion his re
venues to his expenditures, and give security to the
lenders, whenever, from the necessities of the state, he
has recourse to their confidence.
LONDO N.
March 24. The last mails from Holland brought
over a great many private letters from English gentle
men, resident in Amflerdam, who, from their manner
of writing, take it for granted that we are as well ac
quainted with their proceedings now as we were before
the commencement of hostilities, as will appear from
the following short and inexplicable article : they fay,
“ Your manifefto and Van Berkel's sentence is put off
for one month." From whence it Ihould seem, that
the Penfionary has been proceeded against in a criminal
way, and wil in that case, in all likelihood, receive
the reward of his perfidy.
Admiralty Office, March 31.
Captain Sterling, of his majefly's ship Gibraltar,
from St. Euflati.?, landed at Plymouth from on board
the sloop Swallow, and arrived this morning at the ad
miralty office, with dispatches from admiral fir George
Brydges Rodney, to P. Stephens, esquire, the follow
ing of which is a copy.
Extraß of a letter from fir George Brydges Rodney,
to Mr. Stephens, dated on board the Sandwich, St.
Euflatia, February 4/781.
" His majefiy's sloop of war the Childers, joined
me on the 27 r h of January, with secret orders from
your lordihips, and his majesty's royal declaration
againff the States of Holland and their fubjeds.
“ General Vaughan and myfelf loft not a moment
to put his majefly's orders in execution : we imme
diately embark'd the troops destined for the enter
prize, and the most profound secrecy being observed,
we failed from St. Lucia the 30th of January.
“ To prevent the French from fufpeHing our design,
the whole fleet appeared before fort Royal, and St.
Peter's, Martinico, which much alarmed the island ;
after having let rear admiral Drake with fix ships of
the line, and two frigates, to observe the motions of
the four ships of the line arid two frigates which were
in the bay of fort Royal ; fate in the night of the fame
day we proceeded for tie Dutch island of Statia, and
detached rear admiral fir Samuel Hood with his squa
dron, to block up the bay of St. Euftatia, and pre
vent any Dutch men of war or merchantmen from
escaping, which service he performed very efficacioufly.
“ The third ioflant the general and myfelf entered
the bay with the rest of the fleet and the troops, the
ships of war were Rationed off the batteries, and the
troops ready for landing : but to prevent the effiafion
of blood, the general and myfelf judged it necessary
to summon the governor, a copy of which I have the
honor to inclofe, to which he immediately acceded.
"The furprize and astonishment of the governor
and inhabitants of St. Euftatia is scarcely to be con
ceived ; the arrival of the Dutch ship of war of 38
guns, and 300 men, commanded by the count de By
land, and belonging to the admiralty of Amflerdam,
had encouraged the inhabitants against their fears of
hostilities.
“ I sincerely congratulate your lordffi ; ps on the se
vere f roke to the Dutch East-India company, and the
perfidious merchants of Amßerdam, occasioned by the
capture of this island: 150 vessels have been taken in
and about the harbour, of different denominat ions
(some of which are very richly laden) exclusive of the,
Dutch frigate the Mars, which I have manned and
put in commission, and will in a few days be ready to
go out and cruise against the enemy as an English man
of war. r^ere are allo five ships of war, mounting
from 14 to 26 guns, all complete and ready for ser
vice.
"A Dutch fleet confining of 30 merchant flips
richly laden, under convoy of a 60 gun ship, having
failed from St. Euftatia' about 36 hours before our ar
rival, I dispatched captain Reynolds, of his majesty's
fllip Monarch, with the Panther and Sybil, to follow
them to the latitude of Bermuda, if they did not fall
in with them before.
" All the Rores, houses, and the ffrand of the ri
ver, are full of tobacco and sugar.
“ The islands of St. Martins and Saba have sur
rendered at diferetion. (Their summons and answer
are the fame that were inclofed in general Vaughan's
letter."
Copy of a letter from fir George Brydges Rodney to
Mr. Stephens, dated on board the Sandwich, at St.
Eu^atia, February 6, 1781.
"S I R,
" Since my letter of the 4 th instant, the Dutch fleet
that failed from St. Euftatia before my arrival, was
intercepted by the diligent activity of captain Rey
nolds ; I am sorry to inform your lordships, that the
Dutch admiral was killed in the adion.
I have the honour to inclofe captain Reynolds's let
ter, and am, &c.
(Signed) G. B. RODNEY."
The following is the letter alluded to.
On board the Monarch, before the Island of Saba,
February 4, 1781.
"S I R,
" I have the pleasure to inform you, that yesterday
morning I came up with the fleet you sent me in pur
suit of at ten o'clock, I hailed the Mars, which was a
Dutch man of war of 60 guns, and ordered her to
strike, her refufal occasioned an exchange of & few
cannon (hot, in which Monarch fuffered no other da
mage than having three men wounded. Ido not know
for certain the number of killed and wounded on board
the Butch vessel, but the admiral is among the for
mer; his flag was not hoisted during the a&ion. As
die has received several wounds in her malts, &c. I
ordered the Panther to take her in charge.
“ By the (kill and address of captain Hervy and
lord Charles Fitzgerald, we were enabled to take the
whole fleet, and to set fail with our prizes at 4 o'clock
the fame afternoon.
" I have put my firff lieutenant, Mr. Drury, on
board the Mars ; permit me to recemmend him as an
officer of great merit. I have dfpatched the best fail
ing vessel I have, to give you this information, and I am
sorry I have it not in my power to be more particu
lar. I have the honour to be, &c.
(Signed) F. REYNOLDS."
Extraß of a letter from admiral fir George B. Rodney
to Mr. Stephens, dated on board the Sandwich, in
the harbour of St. Euftatia, February 6, 1781.
“ I beg leave to inform your lordship, that since
the taking of St. Euftatia, three large Dutch ships,
from Amsterdam, were taken and carried into St.
Chriftophers ; as their cargoes consisted of all forts of
naval stores, I immediately ordered them to English
Harbour, in the island of Antigua, for the use of his
majesty's fleet.
" The conquest of this island is of very great mo
ment to his majesty's service, and of great distress to
the enemy. A fleet from Guadaloupe, coming here
to load with stores and provisions, were all taken, and
are now actually fafe in the harbour."
Philadelphia, June 30.
Thursday last arrived here the prize brig Porcupine,
late captain Irwin, from St. Kitt's, bound to New-
York, with a valuable cargo confining of 90 hogsheads
of rum, &c. sent in by theFair American privateer, cap
tain Eldridge. She mounts sixteen fix pounders, and
eight fwivtls, is copper bottomed, and was lately a
privateer out of St. Kitts, having been very mifehiev
ous ill taking many prizes She had only sixteen
men on board when taken, most of her crew having
been pressed into British men of war, at St. Kitt's, pre
vious to her failing.
By the Charming MoFy, captain Stillwell, and Hi
bernia, captain Baxter, arrived here yeßerday morn
ing, after a short paifage from the Havanna, we learn,
that transports, having on board the British prisoners,
taken at Pensacola, by general Galvez, had touched at
the Havanna, on their way to New-York, where they
were, by capitulation, to be sent.
On Monday night, the 18th inflant, a party of In
dians attack'd a house in lower Smithfield, North
hampton county, and took three inhabitants prisoners,
viz. John Teel, William Courtright, and Edward M'
Ginnis. Captain Shoemaker being alarmed, with great
dispatch assembled fifteen of his neighbours, who
turned out with great spirit: they were soon joined
by captain Hover, who added a number of fpirittd'
volunteers, so as to make the whole amount to twenty
five, officers included. Captain Shoemaker then set
out with eight of those soonest ready ; the rest followed
in a short time after. They marched thirty-fix mills
through the wilderness; the badness of the roads can
hardly be conceived. About four o'clock in the af
ternoon they overtook the e^emy, encamped by the
fide of a large swamp. The captain being apprehen
sive the enemy would difeover him, and put the pri
soners to death, thought it best to fire on them with
out farther dclay, which they accordingly did; killed
one Indian outright, and it is believed wounded two
others. Two of the prisoners, Teel and Courtright,
when the firing began, ran towards captain Shoemak
er's party, and were fired upon by toe enemy, who
filot Corutright through the thigh, and Teel through
his overalls, M'Ginnis had been murdered and scalped
that morning, before they were overtaken. .The In
dians immediately Red into the swamp, and the party
having been so fuccefsful as to relyafe the prisoners,
and being much fatigued, waited for the remainder
of the party, which came up in half an hour after-'
wards. The whole returned the next day with th.