The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-06-03 00:00:00, page 2

^T. frIERRE, (Martinique,) April 20, 1780.
LAST Friday at five in the morning, our fleet, compo
(ed of 2% fllips ofthe/ine, weighed anchor in the bav
of Fort Royal, having m the bison the Dauphin Royal of
70 guns,under repair. The fame day our frigates, arriving
from Guadeloupe joined the Rpyal fleet, and the whole
doubled Point Frech'ur. On Saturday we discovered
some ot the Eng!.th and of our own ships, who had fal
len to leeward, endeavouring to join their refyeftive
fleets. OnSunlay meaning the Whole of Admiral Rod
ney's fleet, confining of 21 ships of the line and 5 fri
gtes, shewed thenrfetves off our road. They seemed to
us to be employed in obfervirig the motion of our fleet,
which appeared to the weft of the channel of Dominique,
ranged in line of 'battle, and manoeuvring to gain the
wind. The English were becalmed almost the whole day.
On Munday morning wetboughtwe raw from the heights
of Precheur, ne>r the horizon, the two fleets not far dis
tant from each other ; but the air becoming foggy, they
soon difippe.red At gin the morning force cannon flint
began to be heardby intervals. At 11 the cannonade re-
Goudd At noon it was at it's gretteft beighth, and
from that time t;H 5 in the evening, it resembled the ef
fect of thunder grumbling without intermission. The
noise which reached vs at the distance of 9 or 10 leaguer,
convinces us that the a&ion was very lively.
BOSTO N, May 18.
The public have fecn the polite letter of Admiral Parker
to the French Admiral, de la Mette Piquet, but no par
ticular account has yet been pubhfhbd of the afton in
Fort-Royal Bay, btween these Admirals to which that
letter refers, in which the Eritifli Commander io geqe
roufly paysari eulogeum to his adversary. The following
is taken from the Gazette of France, of the 11th of Fe~
forury,
Tae Sieur de Floite, commander of the King's frigate
the Aurora, w 0 left Martinico the 28th of December,
arrived at Cadiz the 23d o' Jan. last, and immediately
fed 7 his adpatches to cur Court.
The Aurora failed from Marseilles in the month of Oc
tober, leaving under her convoy 16 fail of merchant fhip^
chained for t e windward inlands- As the Sieur de Flotte
approached Martinko on the 12th of Decmbet, about
nine o'clock in the morning, he discovered the British
fleet and counted 14 fail of the line : They were however
so far hd:n that he hoped bis convoy might have eater
enthe port of Fort Royal before the enemy could have
cane up to interrupt them. Unluckily the wind died
away, by degree,, while bis enemy had a brisk breeze#
Toe Elizabeth of 74 guns, and an English frigate came up
netr the Aurora, which fired her ftern.guns, to protea
the convoy, principally from the frigate which endea
voured to pass the Aurora. Some balls from the Eliza
beth wounded her fails and rigging, but the Sieur de Flothe
continued his course, though the wind was unfavorable
for gaining Fort Royal#
About nine o'clock in the morning fignab were made
along the coaffs of Martinico, that a convoy of 26 fail
was near, and that this convoy was pursued by 14 ships
of the line, and a frigate of the enemy. The Marquis
de Bouille, Governor-General of the Colony, immediate
ly gave the neceftery orders that the batteries on the coast
fhoulJ make ready for fheir reception. At two o'clock,
part of the convey, with the Aurora, appeared in full view
before Fort Royal, while the batteries on the coast kept
up a fire on the van of the British squadron, with as much
effea as the distance would allow. Immediately the Sieur
de la Motte Pqdt, commander in chief of the King's
naval forces at Martinico, made fa 1 with the Annabal,
of 74. guns, and was soon after followed by the Veuger,
of 64, commanded by the Chevalier de Reiz, and the
Redechi, by the Sieur CT.art de Seville, the only ships
that were at that lime ready to come to fail and engage.
The Sieur de la Motte Pqa r t made directly for the con
vey, in hopes of favinga part of it. Wifly his single flrp
he fought three of the enemy's ships of toe line that had
cut off the convey : He difehgaged the frigate Aurora,
and with her 8 merchant ships which must infallibly, hay,
been takenQut for this mancevrt, as b Id as it w?s welt
executed. The two other French ships of the bne were
not backward in coming to the assistance of the Annibal :
They maintained a teverc fight agiinft seven of the ene
my's line of battleships, in the great Road of Fort-Roy
al, between the batteries, which kept up a constant fire,
but ata great distance, the Enghfh being afraid to ven
ture too far into t'^e Road, or to approach too near the
batteries. Night coming on, the S eur de la Moke Pi
quet, finding there w:s no possibility of fading the rest of
tne convoy, the enemy having already boarded them,
and taa: the veffrls he had disengaged were fafe in the
harbour, he returned to Fort-Royal with his three ships,
and the Enybih put out to sea.
Eight fllips of this convoy were drove ashore on the
Coast ; four oftbefe ^er3 defended by the batteries against
the fire of the English fh'p", o^e •' which was difmafted;
the other four that took refuse in small creeks were burnt
by tae enemy, but their cargoes were saved. The En
gbfli having landed part of their force to take these cargoes,
were reputed with io's, several times, by the troops of
the King and the militia. It is computed the enemy loft
about 66 killed in their boats in these attempts. Of 26
vessels which made up the convey, iz were saved, four
others were burnt after their cargoes had been taken out,
ten fell into the hands of theenemy. The Sieur d^Sartine,
Miniftef and Secretary ofState in the marine department,
having given his Majefly an account of these frefhproofs
of the bravery and abilities cf de la Motte Piquet, his Ma
jesty was pleated to name him, A Commander of the
Order of St. Louis , and as be cannot be formally
invested by his Majesty with this dignity till his return,
he is in the mean time permitted to wear the decorations
proper to it.
The British Ministry, by the lately accounts, are much
distressed by the petions from the country meetings, as
well as by their apptehenfions of what may be the effeds
of the Committees of Correspondence eftabifhed by the
opposition in England Tne petition from York was
presented by Sir G-orge Saville, and was figged by
9^oo Members of that county
At a town meeting held on Tuesday last, for thechoice
of Representatives to serve in the General Assembly the
enfu ng year, the following gentlemen were elefled, viz.
the Hon. Samuel Adams, Esq; Hon. John Hancock Esq;
Thomas Dewes, Esq; Caleb Davis, Est, Mr. Thomas
Walley, Ellis Gray, Esq; and John Lowell, Esq.
At the town meeting on Tuesday lall, after the electi
ons were over, the Hon. Samuel Adams, Esq; came in
and acquainted the town that he had just been regularly
notified of the honor they had done him, in electing him
one of their Representatives in the General Assembly.
That as he could not fuppete them to be unacquainted with
his intention soon to repair to Philadelphia, to attend his
duty as a Member of Congress, hecould not but feel very
sensibly the particular mark of refptft with which thetown
had honored him in this chiton ; that he had always
Served them to the utmost of his capacity, with the great
est alacrity, and should be happy in Fill considering him
felf, though at Congress, as not altogether out of the Ser
vice of a town, th,at makes so re(pe%ble a part of the
State of Massachusetts. He concluded, that as it was
probable he fliould be absent from this State the greater
part of the year, it was therefore his desire that another
Representative might be elected in hie room.
Last Saturday was sent into New-Lindon, by the pri
vateers Little Cromwell, Salley, and H^wk, alerter of
marque fllip from Liverpool, mounting twelve carriage
guns, laden with dry goods, duck, cordage, and sea coal.
She was taken so near New-York, that the report of the
guns were heard in the city ; in conference of which a
copper bottomed frigate was dispatched in order to re
take her, but getting afhoie at Hell Gate, was obliged to
return without success.
We learn from Providence, that a ship from Jamaica,
with 300 bogheads of rum, taken by the Itiip Mifflin,
Capt. Babcock, is arrived at Newport.
Weare authorized to assure the public, that Capt. la
Touche, commander of his Most Chriftz^n Majefty'sfri
fate the Herrcoiue, soon alter his arrivals fenta letter td
the Council of this State, of which the following is a
translation.
SIR,
T T being the intension of His Majefy the King of
& France, that hi, ships of war and frigates fliould upon
all occasions promote the service ;of he United States, I
am sure that I aft in conformity to his pleasure in making
to you, Sir, the offer of going into the bay with the fri
gate I command, in order to keep off, engage or take, any
English privateer or frigate that may come to intthupt
the tr ide of this State. I shall accordingly have the ho
nor to fend, every morning; an officer from on board my
fllip to tee General Assembly, who shall have it in charge
from me to receive your orders. I have thought there
might be occafidns in which my services might be ufeful
to this State, while I am w iting fur the inffruaions cf his
Excellency the Minifiter Plenipotentiary of France. I
cannot fufficiently express, Sir, how great my fatisfaaion
wii be in embracing such occasions, arid in giving every
proof of my attachment and entire devotion to the catefe
of America. I have the honor to be, &c.
The Hen. Jeremiah Powell, Efq;l
President of the Council of the >
State cf Maffachufe.ts.J
To this letter the Council fentan answer in writing, e±-
pressing, in the strongest terms, the sense they had of this
OL l's in g offer of Capt. la Touche, and of the important
fervice* already rendered to the United States by the navy
of our illustrious Ally, His .Most Christian Majesty ; and
at the fame time, the fatisfaflion they derived from fee
ing the true spirit of the Alliance cultivated by such re
peated inflances of friendflrip and aid.
T R E N T O N, May 31.
On Thursday night last a number of armed villains,
supposed to be about twelve, broke open the house of Mr.
John Hulmes, of Upper Freehold, in Monmouth county,
and robbed him of 4 or 500 pounds Continental money, a
silver watch, a gold ring, silver buckles, a firelock, a pair
of pistols, clothing, provisions and ammunition.
BALTIMORE, May 10.
Extract of a letter from Shippensburg, in Fennfylyavnia,
dated the zzd instant.
“ We had intelligence last night, that the Indians have
killed 25 perfoas on Yellow Creek, near Bedford. Mr.
Robert Chambers, jun. is Lid to be amongst tbe slain.
The face of affairs nere wears a gloomy afpeft, the Sava
ges defiroying the Frontiers by fire and sword."
It is said toe brave Cel Broadhead, with a cerfidera
ble body of expert Rangers and other Troops, is prepa.
ring for a speedy expedition againgft those Savage ene
mies, who are laying waste the Fine Settlements on the
Frontiers of Pennfylvaoia.
A few daysago a small vessel, bound from hence to the
Head of Elk, was overfet in a sudden gufl of wind, near
this Harbour, by which event twohelplefs Women Faf
fengers were drowned, after having just escaped 'he dan
gers of the Seas, &c. in a vo) age from St. Euflatius to
this Pott.
One Tboujand Dollars Reward.
STOLEN from the Subferiber, living in Blockley
township, Philadelphia county, near the Middle Fer
ry on Schuylkill, on the night of the 26th instant, a sor
rel HORSE, with alarge blaze down his face; three
of his feet white half ways down his knees, and the fourth
the hoof only white, branded on the near shoulder thus
I S, with white hairs in the brand, his back hurt a little
with the bind part of the saddle, trots and gallops hard
carries very lofty, fix or seven years old, near fixteen'
hands high. Whoever takes up said Horse and Thief, so
that the owner may get the Horse, and the Thief be
broughtto ju stice, shall have the above reward, and for the
Horse only Five Hundred Dollars, and reasonable charges,
paid by
May 30. ISAAC KITE.
MA P S,
AF E W Copies of Lewis Evans's Maps of Pennfylva
b nia—New-Jerfey—New-York, and the three Dela
ware counties : Likewise, William Scull's Maps of Penn
fylvama, is to be fold by NICHOLAS BROOKS
in Second-street, the fourth door above Black-Horse
Alley.
The following P REAMB LE to the Aft pafhd thia
Sitting for appreciating the prefect Currency to one for
forty, and fixing it at that value, is so clear and con
clusive, that we give it to the public, that they may fee,
that the intention and operation of the AR, is, and
will be truly to their advantage, both as individuals
and as a nation.
"A "" VHEREAS the depreciation of the
' 1 Currency of the United States, now in circula
tion, and the (peculation which has taken place in conse
quence thereof, has opened a door to numerous frauds,
and may operate to the general injury of virtue and mb.
rality, to the great difhonour of the State; unless timely
prevented.
"AND WHEREAS the profpea ofan appreciation
unless regulated ob just and equitable principles, might
bkewife be followed by a train of evils as pernicious a^
those we have already experienced, and not only encou~
rage, but enable such persons as have obtained large firms
for small value, to derive an undue advantage therefrom,
and it being the duty of Government to prevent as far as
possible the evils and dangers ofa fluctuating medium of
commerce, and to fix and establish the value of such me
dium in inch manner, that security and confidence may
be again introduced into commerce, and order and (Eco
nomy into the public expenditures.
"AN DWHEREAS the evils and inconveniences
hitherto attending the 'depreciation of the currency of
the United States, have in a great measure been balanced
by a real reduction and difeharge of a very great part of
the national debt, in so much, that it would now be a
manifeft public injustice, as well as a burthen intolerable to
be borne, to tax the good people of this State, or of the
United States, to pay that part of the public debt over
again, which by a kind of common consent has been dis
charged by the said depreciation; and as we are fully con
vinced, that in case the measures recommended by Con
gress, in their A& of the eighteenth day of March last, to
the several States, fliall be adopted by them, the public
Credit will be established upon just and permanent prin
ciples, it is therefore incumbent on us to provide for the
execution thereof, so far as the fame concerns this State#' 7
Extrad of a Supplement to an A&, intitled, " An A& to
compel the Settlement of the Public Accounts," and
for other purposes therein mentioned
'' A"' WHEREAS tiie co'le&ing of the taxes already
, 4A laid, or to be hereafter assessed or laid, on account
of the want of a fufficient quantity of cash among the
poorer people of this State, and such as live at great dis
tances from market, may greatly distress such people ,
Therefore,
Be it enafted by the authority aforefaid, That the Com
miffipners es frurchafes for this State, Ihall, for
their refpeaive c ty or counties appoint a mill or other
fit place or places in each township or diftrift of this
State, with a suitable period at such mill or place, to re
ceive wheat, ficur and other supplies for the army, and
also give notice to the Treasurer of each county, in wri
ting of the name cf the perfen and place or places so ap
pointed.
And be it further ena&ed by tbe authority aforefaid,
That, such of the inhabitants of this State, as Ihall carry
their wheat, flour or other supplies for the army, to the
Lid mill, or other place so appointed, and fell the fame to
the Commissioner of purchases or to tbe perfan aforefaid.
duly appointed by fuck Commiffi&er, his receipt shall be
received by the Collector of such tewefhp or diftrift, in
difeharge of the public taxes hereafter to be paid.
And be it further ena&d by the authority aforefaid,
That notes or certificates which remain unpaid, signed by
the Commissary General cf Purchases, or Quarter Mat
ter General, tor by their Agents er perfems appointed by
them, to purchase articles or supplies for the array of the
• United States, ihUl be received by the Coll&ors of the
several townihips and diftridsof this State, in the pay
ment of any State or Continental tax due to the firft da,
of March last, from the periods in whofenames they have
been given, and the County Treafi,rers shall receive the
fame in such payment as aforefaid from such Colkdor ,
Provided the perfoos paying-in tbe said notes or certifica
tes indorfe the fame (to the Collectors who receive them,
and also take an oath or affirmation before a Magiftratty
that they have been obtained for the value and tbe artic
les therein expressed, and delivered for the life of the U
nited States, and for which no payment hath been made,
which cath or affirmation shall be mderfed on each note
or certificate.
And be it further enafted by the authority aforefaid,
Thatif any such note or ceruhcate held by any person,
shall exceed the amount of the taxes due from such per
lon at the time they are paid in, the Cclie&cr 01 toe said
tax shall give his receipt to the person paying in such note
or certificate for the furpiufige thereof and the Lid re
ceipt shall be a difeharge for so much cf his further State
taxtsas the fame with interest at fix per cent, until dis
counted shall amount to
Provided always, That such receipt correspond with
the entry which shall be made thereof in the said Treafuc,
er's books, who is hereby enjoined and required on re
ceiving such notes or certificates from the f id CoHeßers,
to keep a fair and true record cf all such turns as they
may con tain, over and above the amount cf the tax charged
against such person in whole favour they have been recei
ved, noting also the name of such person, and shall dif
ceunt the amount of such surplus with the interest there
on, to the Collector of the next or other subsequent State
tax in whose tax roll futh person shall be charged o
And be it further enabled by the authority aforefaid.
That the SiateTreafurer shall receive such notes and certifi
cates so indorfed as above from the County Treasurers 'and
shall deliver them to the Principal cf the refp.aive de
partments from whom payment is due, cr to their Agents
in the city of Philadelphia, and shall take receipts from
the said Principals cr from their Agents, making their
Principals accountable lor the amount of the notes or cer
tificates paid in as aforefaid with the intereftthereon allow
ed and due, and shall lodge the fame with the Board of
Treasury, that this State may have proper credit for the
fame."
PHILADELPHIA. JUNES.