The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-09-21 00:00:00, page 2

one corporal and 28 privates; and out of the 35 regi
ments, one drummer; these, as much as possible, should
be volunteers, entitled to the premiums, &c. hither
to offered ; and who, if their conduct is approved of,
will be at liberty to remain in the navy, reaffume their
former Service, or retire with a full difeharge. In
order that the vacancy occasioned by these drafts may
be filled up, their high mightinesses Shall cause to be
paid twenty five crowns to the captains of companies
for every man thus drafted, provided he procures
such a complement before the 22d of October,next en
suing ; something similar is also proposed for Supplying
the fleet with able gunners picked out of the land
forces, to the number, of fifteen bombadiers, and 150
gunners, by which the whole would amount to 2239,
including tne uncommissioned officers and drummers.
The states general having taken the above under con
sideration: resolved that his moB serene highness Shall
be thanked for this frefh token of his zealous and con
flant solicitude for the good of the state, and that the
proposal be laid before the council of the date, &c.
LONDO N, June 18.
The private dispatches which came with the late in
telligence from the East-Indies, mention, that after we
had made such prosperous attacks on the island of Cey
lon, the Dutch had abandoned several of their posts,
with a view of exerting one grand effort to make a
fland at an important place, called Columba. This
post is the Brongeft fortre s in the island, and has
confantly the depoft of all their Bores. If this place
Should be taken, we fhab be in complete possession of
the wholenfland.
According to letters from Gibraltar, governor Elliot
had been indefatigable ever Since the arrival of the ships
with flores and building materials, in making additi
ons to the fortifications vyherever there appeared that
an augmentation was wanting, particularly on that
fide of the rock next the Barbary Shore, where it had
been Said the enemy would attempt a diversion very
Shortly. Of the twelve cutters from England, it ap
pears two were taken by the Spaniards, one was loft
in the bay (the people all saved) the others had all
arrived Safe and delivered their cargoes ; among which
were some cannon, eighteen and twenty-eight pound
ers, of an extreme length, which were mounted on
board five gun boats, cooftruded out of old ships, tin
bottomed, and rigged in the fame manner as those of
the Spaniards, against whom they were meant to aft.
From the firft of January to the firft of June there had
been buried 124 men, chiefly with a disorder of a pu
trid nature. The Moorish corsairs found the Supply
ing thegarrifa, with frefh provisions so vety lucrative
a traffic, that they had not given it over, though the
Spaniards kept a Sharp look out, and took often two
vessels out of five. They had no news of the Cadiz
Squadron failing; but they had heard from Toulon,
by means of a Venetian galley, there were five men of
war and two bomb vessels who were certainly designed
to assist in the attack of that fortref^ The garrison
had a promise of relief from England, which they ra
ther hoped to fee accomplished than had eager expecta
tions of, on account of the Superiority they conceived
the combined fleets would possess over any that this
country could Spare for such a purpose.
We have been told how sensibly affected his catholic
majesty appeared on hearing of the dire mishap that
had befallen the French fleet, when Rodney awakened
,hem from their dr a am of the conquest of Jamaica.
^However, the Spanish monarch is to give his cousin the
grand monarque twelve capital ships during the war,
and to incorporate his fleet under Don Solano with that
bf^he French king in the Weft-Indies ; but this is not
% F T b E, frn.
Vis mofl serene highness the prince ftadtholder, went
an the sth infant to the assembly of the Bates general,
and made the following Speech:
" High and mighty lords,
" Tre republic having been attacked by the crown
of Great-Britain, without any juftifiable motives, and
thus compelled to have recourse to every possible
means, as well for its own defence as for the protection
of its trading Subjects, in order to recover the colonies
which have been wrefled from us, and retaliate upon
the enemy, I judged it mofi essential to confider of the
best means of supplying the want of men which our na
vy experiences, for the equipment of the ships lately
built, that they may not remain useless in the ports,
for want of a (efficient number of hands to fi them
out for sea. We all know how distressed we are in this
particular ; and although I cannot pretend to ascertain,
that what I have to propose will procure able seamen
to our navy, it will at leafi, in some measure, answer
our prefect exigencies. One mig^t at firft imagine,
that offering large premiums and encreafing the ordina
ry pay. would tend to answer the purpose ; but expe
rience has convinced us, that this measure is of little
avail, exclusive of the difficulties to which it is liable.
The renewal of an ordinance, requiring every merchant
man to give up one third of their hands, would prove
of little service in the present situation of affairs. The
press, as eftabfifhed in Great Britain, appears to me so
very repugnant to the natural rights of men who have
acquired their freedom at the point of the (Word, that
I (hall never be able to bring myfelf to advise your
high mightinesses to introduce in this republic a cuf
t< in unknown to this country, and which the rulers
of a free people must hold' in the utmost dekeflation.
Nothing, therefore, has occurred to me more expedi
ent in the present exigency, than to recruit the navy
from the body of the marines, choosing from among
them fech as have already Served some time on board
the ships and are used to the sea, whilst their vacancy
might be filled up by the infantry of the slate. I have,
in consequence, turned my thoughts to a plan to be
laid before your high mightinesses, the object of which
is, to Supply the deficiencies of uncommiffioned
afficers and privates.on board the ships of the repub
jic, by a Sufficient number taken in the manner before
expressed, and that Such a measure may be carried in
to execution without loss of time, and by the easiest
means.''
draft out of the 69 landing battalions, one Sergeant,
Here follows the proposal alluded to, which is, to
We learn that his majesty's frigates la Friphonne
and la Resolve, which have been cruising for some time
past to windward of the islands, have lately taken two
packers, one from London to Jamaica, of 26 guns ;
and the other of 28 from Europe to Antigua, and a
merchantman loaded with Madeira wine, and that
the three prizes are all anchored in Basseterre road.
The king's Corvette l'Aigle, commanded by M. Le
moine de Preneuf, anchored on Saturday last in our
road, after a passage of 30 days from Nantz; file
brought out M. Ie comte de Bouille, Meftre de Camp,
commanding the Viennois regiment, and Ie Vicomte de
la Balme, Meftre de Camp d'lnfanterie, and feconde a
la Suite des troupes: from particular letters which She
brought, the works in the different marine departments
were carrying on with redoubled activity and vigour.
His majesty has ordered izfail of the line to be imme
diately built, four of tio, and eight of 74 guns,
and is determined to continue the war, until the pro
posals of Great-Britain should be confident with the
glory of his crown, the prosperity of his kingdom and
the interest of his allies.
The encampment now formed at Verplank's point is
Said (and with great propriety) to be the most regular
and uniform of any since the war. The whole is deco
rated with a bowery of interwoven verdure, equally
ufeful and elegant, which extends from right to left
of the line; in the execution of which the different re
giments have difeovered a variety of tastes, interspers
ed in such a manner as cannot fail to impress the be
holder at the fame time with admiration and applause.
RAN-AWAY from the rubferiber, living in Lan
caster, on the 15th instant, a Servant GIRL, named
HANNAH HALE, about 17 years of age. Whoever
Secures the Said Servant,,fo that the owner may have her
again, Shall receive the above reward from.
MneHter, Sept. 16, 171% GEORGE MUSSER,
all, tor behold all the provinces and great cities in
France are in motion ; the merchants of Bordeaux have
voted a Ship of too guns, the city has offered one of the
fame force, Marfailes has agreed to contribute fifteen
hundred thousand livres, twelve hundred thousand of
which is to be applied to the building of a Ship, and
three hundred thousand crowns for the widows and dis
abled Seamen of the province. The clergy also have
obtained have to hold an extraordinary assembly this
year, and it is thought they will not offer left than four
millions. And the king, with a glance, perceives that he
will be able to build twenty or twenty.five ships of a
capital size with the Sums offered him.
From the lift of our ships in commission, it is clear
that if they were all manned, we should be able to drive
both the French and Spaniards out of the sea. The
happy profpea of feeing our ships manned is now be
fore us ; our resources from Ireland are likely to turn
out so as to gratify cur mos lfanguine expectations. No
impressing is going forward there, and yet in the course
of the last week five hundred Irish seamen were Sent o
ver to England from different parts of Ireland : They
all entered volunteers; and this mode of railing men,
the most deferable in a free country, bids fair to enable
the government of Ireland to fulfil the wfhes of their
parliament, by cornpleating, in a very short time, the
levy of 20,000 men ; and when that is done, the haugh
ty Spaniard, the proud Frenchman, and ungrateful
Hollander, may begin to with for peace.
July 5. A letter from Venice mentions, that the ne
vaf force of that republic has never been known to have
so much attention paid to it as at present, that they have
now fit to fend to sea a very large fleet of ships of differ
ent rates, all well armed, and ready for immediate Ser
vice.
The letters from Gibraltar by the Rebecca transport,
arrived at Fo<ey, intimate that the merchants at Leg
horn had commenced a traffick there in the article of
provisions, the Same as they did before at Mahon, and
that they have hitherto been pretty SucceSsful.
July 7. Ireland will now be able to beara great (hare of
the public burthens, as the revenue of that kingdom,
which has hitherto Seldom exceeded 1,250,0001. per an
num, will, by the exteafion of her trade, be doubled.
A letter from Paris, received on Monday, has the
following article: " We imagine that the terms propo
sed by the English ministry for a peace, are not ap
proved of here, because there are now greater prepa
rations making in all parts of the kingdom for carry
ing on the war with Spirit, than there have been since
it firft broke out. America Is the bone of contention ;
if we would give up the Americans, we might make
peace on ourown terms, but this court has entered into
so Aria an alliance with those people, that they cannot
doit with honour, and therefore orders are issued for
raising men both for sea and land, as fall as possible;
audit is said, that not withstanding the loss we have
fnftained in the Weft-Indies, we shall be able by next
Spring toJend out a more powerful fleet than we have
yet done ; but before that time I hope matters will he
compromised, and peace restored to both kingdoms.
It is what the people here in general with for, as this
war has beeri Severely felt-"
Extract of a Setter from Paris,June 24.
" The brave marquis de Montecler, who command
ed his majesty's Ship the Diadem, of 74 guns, which
was funk in the engagement with the English, on the
fatal 12th of April last, is arrived here ; became home
passenger in the Cerf Volant, of 18 guns, arrived at
Rochfort ; they failed from Cape Francois the 20th of
May, at which time there were fifteen ships of the line
arrived there, that were in the above engagement, ma
ny of them in bad condition. The marquis has been
at ecurt, and had two private audiences of the Hog;
he will be promoted immediately for his gallantry on
that day, having fußained the fire of Seven ^n glifh
ships, each of a force equal to his own ; only 130 of
his brave crew of 750 men are Surviving, 300 are Said
to have been killed or wounded, the rest perished in
her.' f
St. PI ERR E 's, (Martinico) July 25.
FIS H-K I L L; September 12.
One Shilling Reward.
Answer of Commodore ELPHINSTONE, to the Ba
ron de Viomenil, dated the 15th September, 1782.
S I R,
TAM this instant honored by your letter, which is
the effea of tender feelings and an excellent heart.
I have Sent your note to M. La Touche, and I hope
you will receive his answer by the officer. Let me as
sure you that I have fludied to render the situation
of that brave and diflinguifhed officer as comfortable
as the confufion of my situation would permit ; the
greatest attention is due to his merit and good conduct ;
and if I may presume to offer an opinion, no officer
could have exhibited more courage or address in the
conducing of his maker's ship. M. La Touche has
been aa ,attentive to the intereff of the land officers as
they could have wished ; some things have been Saved,
but much will be loft, owing to the great number c'
men on board, and their being of different nations,
left the whole night by themselves, as nay men were
all employed to save our frigates, which rere both a
ground; since which time a variety of things have
been thrown over-board in attempting to get off l'Ai
gle. Permit me to allure you, that my orders have
been express to save every thing for the owners, ex
cepting public money and merchandize ;and I hope the
chevalier De la Touche is fatisfied with my conduct,
as well as with that of the officers I have the honor to
command. M. De la Touche, M. Son Frere, ar' monf.
Du Quefne have their paroles; and the necessity of
getting upon my flation prevents me from permitting
all the other officers to depart on the fame termTC As
I am well convinced you must be anxious for th&ftate
of your friend, I do not detain your boat a moment,
but beg that you will believe me to be, with great
esteem, Your's, &c.
KEITH ELPHINSTONE.
Extract of a letter from Amflerdam, dated July 15.
" No doubt you will know 'ere this, that on the 19th
of April Uft, our states general unanimously acknow
ledged the independency of the united states of Ameri
ca, and admitted Mr. Adams as their minister plenipo
tentiary, which has given general fatisfaßion among
our people. We do molthear ily wish it may be pro
duaive of an everlasting friendfhip and commercial con
neaion between the two republics. Some time after,
his excellency favoured our house, jointly with that of
meffrs. W. and J. Willink, and meffrs, de la Lauda
and Fynje, with the commission of a loan for the uni
ted Bates, which we have opened for three millions of
Dutch guilders, and are in hopes of feeing it soon com
pleted." A guilder is about two shillings flerting, so
that the amount of this loan will be nearly equal to
300,0001 flerling.
Extr^a of a letter from Providence, September 2, 1782.
" Yesterday captain Coffin, in a brig, arrived here
from Nantz, after a passage of 42 days; some mer
cantile letters by him mention, that the negociation
for a pe^ce is at an end; but a very intelligent gentle
man, who came passenger in the trig, assures me, that
meffrs. Grenville and Of^ald were dill at Paris, when
he took his departure from thence, which was two or
three days previous to the failing of this vessel. He
"further advises, that no official accounts had been re
ceived from the Eafi-Indies, but that the intelligence
of admiral Hughes's difafler, as mentioned in the pa
pers, was generally credited in France ; that the Que
bec and Newfoundlan I fleets, lately captured in the
European seas, had arrived at Brest, with a frigate and
a cutter, part of their convoy ; that the siege of Gib-,
raltar was vigorously carrying on, the British enable
to fuccour it, their fleet being blocked up in their own
ports; and that it was supposed the garrisons of New-
York and Charleflown would be withdrawn, whatever
might be the event of the negociatiort for peace."
Philadelphia, Sept. 21.
A friend of humanity and generosity has communica
ted to us the following Letters, written after the tak
ing of the frigate of his mod chriftian majesty,
l'Aigle: Though they have not been tranfroitted to
us officially, the public may rely upon their authen
ticity.
Letter from the Baron de VIOMENIL, to His Excel
lency the Commander of the English Squadron in the
Delaware, dated the 15th September, 1782.
SI R,
TH E count De la Touche, commanding the Eagle
frigate, which fortune has just now thrown into
the hands of your excellency, is to such a degree my
friend, and is so particularly dear to the due de Lau
zun, the marquis de Laval, and all the other French
officers who were on board of his frigate, that I flatter
myfelf you would not disapprove of my fending to
your excellency a flag, in order to intreat you to in
form me if that officer is Bill in good health. In this
case we shall have no farther uneasiness, being all per
feftly persuaded, that there is no nation that ho
nors more than your excellency's, the merit and distinc
tion of an unfortunate officer. All the attentions Mr.
De la Touche will meet with in his present situation,
will be looked upon by us as if they were personal to
every one of us; and I beg your excellency may be
persuaded, that we shall remember them forever with
the warmest acknowledgments.
We are also particularly interested in the fate of Mr.
du Quefne, who is in every refpe& dear to us, and
your excellency will afford me the greatest pleasure,
by informing me of his situation.
Mr. De la Touche had likewise oq board of his ship
a younger brother, of whose fafety we wish to be in
formed, as well as of the other officers who were under
his command ; they deserve all, by their gallantry and
their zeal for the king's service, that your excellency
may honor them by your attention.
If you find no inconveniency to return to the offi
cers, who were paffeogers in this frigate, all the serv
ants belonging to them, you will render them a service
they will never forget.
I beg your excellency to receive with kindness, the
assurances of the most perfect consideration, &c.
Signed, BARON DE VIOMENIL.