The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-03-21 00:00:00, page 2

L O ND 0 N.
Dec. 20. The following is the answer given by lord
Stormont to monsieur Simolin, the Ruffian minister,
wih refpea to rhe mediation offered by the empress
between Great-Britam and the united provinces :
" Tiealliance which has fubfiGed so many years
~%e:weeu Great-Eritain and the Rates general has al
ways been coaliJered by his majesty as a tie formed by
re moll .natural cruse, and not only agreeable to the
wintered, of both nations outabiolutely effcutial to their
mutual welfare.
" The King na? done every thing in his power to pre
serve this tie %übrol: A n, and even to firengthen it ; and
if be condua of :h ,r nigh mightinesses had at all re
plied to that of hisjnajefty, they would Bill have re
mained in their utmost force. But since the commence
ment of th prefect troubles, t h e only return made by
the republic i> this conftint friendship, has been the
total rrlinquifhment o' the princip es of an alliance,
the prime object of width w;s the mutual defence of
the two nations, an obflinate refufal to fulfil the
most sacred obligations; a daily violation of the most
solemn treaties ; an aiGGance given to the very ene
my, against whom he had aright t & demand furcour;'
an asylum granted to the American pirates in the
Dutch ports, in open violation of the cleared Gipula
tions; and to compete toe whole, a denial of juGice
and fatisfaßinn for the affront given to the dignity of
th# king, by a Secret league with his rebellious .u'b
jeds.
" All these accumulated injuries r- ndered it impos
sible for the king to take any other part'than that
which he has done.
" When the motives which renderered this rupture
inevitable .wer< explained to the public, trie king as-
Criced the condua of the republic to fee true cuife;
. that is to Dy, to tire unhappy influence of a fa&on,
which fa rinced the intereG of the nation tot eir own
private views. Tut tT. king, at the fame time,, mani
^felled th? most finccre letire to bring back the repub
lie to that fyflem of Grid union, effic tious alliance,
and retiprocal protection, which has so much contri
buted to die welfare and glory of the two slates.
" Woen t?e empress offered her good offices to ef
fra a reconciliation by a particular peace, the king
tedified his gratitude to her for th it freth proof of a
friendftiip which he values so highly, and avoided ex
posing the mediation of her maiefiy to the danger of
a fruit efs negotiation. He explained his r^afons,
which perfu ded him, that in the present difpafition of
the republic, governed by a faction, all reconciliation,
during the war with France would be merely fuperfi
cial, and would afford an opportunity to the party
which (wa) b s the republic, to aft as secret auxiliaries
of all the king's enemies, under the ruaik of a pre
tended alliance with Great-BrTYin.
" But if there are any indicator,s of a change in this
difpofltion, if the powerful intervention of her Imperi
al majefly should be able to effect any alteration, and
induce the republic to return to those principles which
the mod difeerning part of the nation have never for
faken, his majesty will be ready to treat with their
high mightiness on the fubje& of a separate peace;
and it is hi? wiffi, that the empress of all the Ruffias
may be the foie mediatrefs of this peace. She has
been the firfl to offer her good offices; and so power
fulan in tervention as her's cannot gain any thing, ei
ther in weight or influence by the accession of the most
refpeftable allies.
" The friendfllip of the empress to both nations,
the interest which, her empire has in their reciprocal
welfare, her known impartiality, and elevated views,
Are fufficient pledges of the manner in which she will
conduct this salutary work; and in a negotiation,
the whole objeft of which is to terminate a war, caus
ed by a violation of treaties, and by an affront offered
to his crown ; his majesty relies, with the utmost con
fidence and fatisfa^ion, upon the mediation of a Cove
reign, who holds sacred the faith of treaties, who
knows so well how to eflimate the dignity of sove
reigns, and who has maintained her own during her
glorious reign, with so much greatness and resolution.
(Signed.) STORMONT.
Captain Stirling's Letter, giving an account of the loss
of his Majesty's (hip Savage.
Lancafler, Sept. 23, 1781.
S I. R,
IT is with the most poignant grief I acquaint your
excellency of the capture of his majesty's (loop Savage,
late under my command, the particulars of which f
have the honour to transmit. Early in the morning of
the 6th instant, 10 leagues east of Charleftown, we
espied a ship bearing down on us, who, when about
four miles distant, hauled her wind to the ea#ward,
shewing, by her appearance, she was an American
cruizer ; her force could not be so easily distinguished:
J therefore gave way to the pleasing idea that she was
a privateer, carrying 20 nine-pounders, whom I had
in diligence was cruizing off here, and instantly resolv
ed either to bring her to aftion, or oblige her to quit
the coast ; for which purpose we gave chace, but were
prevented continuing long, by her edging down, seem
ingly determined to engage us. Confeious of her su
periority in failing and force, this manoeuvre coincid
ing with my wishes, I caused the savage to lay by,
till we preceived, on her nearer approach, she was far
superior to what we imagined, and, that it was necessa
ry to attempt making our escape, without some fortu
nate (hot, in the course of a running fight we saw in
evitable, admitted our taking advantages, and bring
ing on a more equal conflict. At half past 10 she be
gan firing bow chacers, and at 11, being close on our
quarte , the action commenced with mufquetry, which
after a good deal of execution, was followed by a hea
vy cannonade on both sides. In an hour's time I had
the mortification to fee our braces and bowlines shot
away, and not a rope left to trim the fail with, not
withstanding every precaution had been taken; how.
# ever, our fire was so constant and well directed, that
the enemy did not fee our situation, but kept alongside
of us till accident obliged him to drop astern. The fa-
Foreign Intelligence.
vage was now almofl a wreck; her fails, rigging, and
yards, so much cut that it was with the utmoGidifficul
ty we could alter our petition time enough to avoid be
ing rak^d, the enemy lying direOly athwart our flern
for some minutes. This was the only intermission of
great guns, but mufquetry and piflols still did execu
tion, and continued till they opened again, which was
not till both fllips were almost on board each other,
wren the battle became more furious than before. Our
quarter deck and forecaftle were soon now nearly clear
ed, scarce a man belonging to either not being killed cr
wounded, with three uns on our main-deck rendered
useless. In this situation we fought near an hour, with
only five fix pounders, the fire from each fhip's guns
fcorchiog the men who opposed them, shot and other
implements of war thrown by hand doing execution ;
when our mizen-maft being shot away by the board;
our main-mast tottering, with only three flirouds Hand
ing; the ship on fire dangerously ; only 40 men on duty
to oppose the foe, who was attempting to board us in
three places; no fuccour in fight or possibility of
making further refinance, I was necessitated at a quar
ter before three, P. M. to surrender to the Coegrefs,
a private ship of war, belonging to Philadelphia, who
carried 215 men, and mounted 20 twelve-pounders on
her main deck, and four fixes above, fourteen of which
were fought one fide. She loft during the action eleven
men, and had near thirty wounded, several of them
mortally; her marts, her fails and rigging, were so
much damaged, that she was obliged to return to port
which partly answered my wishes prior to the aTion,
as great part of the Carolina trade was daily expelled
on the coast, and this privateer, we saw, failed re
markably faft. Three days were employed putting
her in a condition to make fail, and five for the Sav
age, who was exceedingly flattered. Indeed, it is a
flonifhing more damage was not done, as the weather
was fine, the water remarkably smooth, and the fllips
never thirty yards asunder.
The courage, intrepidity, and good behaviour of the
officers and ffiip'6 company I had the honour to com
mand, deserve the highest commendation, and my
warmest thanks.
Lieut. Shiels distinguished himfeb by his galantry,
aflivity, and attention ; as did Mr. Gyam the gunner.
Mr. Wightman, the mafler, fell early in the aftion,
by which I loft the affiflance of a good officer. The
The inferior officers' behaved well in their refpeaive fta.
tions ; and the men fought with a cool, determined val
our, that will ever redound to their credit. I cannot
conclude without observing, that aptain Geedis, and %
the officers of the Congress, after fighting us bravely,
treated us, when prisoners, with great humanity.
Inclofed is a return of the killed and wounded.
I have the honour to be, &c &c.
CHARLES STIRLING.
His excellency rear admiral Graves.
A lift of the officers and men killed and wounded on
board his majesty's sloop Savage, September 6,
1781.
Killed, mafler and 7 seamer. Wounded, captain,
lieutenant, 3 midshipmen, 21 seamen. Total 34.
CHARLES STIRLING.
The taking of St. Euftatius, which has proved so
great an injury to the enemy, has fatally dashed the pro
vision trade of this kingdom, and has so greatly demr
nifhed the sale of salt beef, that these who purchased
cattle at the late fairs will be great fufferers, being
obliged to fell them to the butchers at an under price,
or fend them to gr fs again till next season. Thole
who pretend to underhand the fubjeft, fay, that the
daughter of cattle this year, will fall below £30,000
carcasses. On an average for 5 years past, it ha# ex
ceeded 170,000 per annum.
H A G U E, January 22.
Note, delivered by prince Gallitzin, envoy of her Im
perial majesty of Russia, to Mr. Greffier Fagel, and
presented to their high mightinesses on Thursday
the 17th instant.
Her Imperial majesty of Russia having reflected on
the loss of time occasioned by the correspondence rela
tive to the complaints formed by the fubjefls of the
neutral powers in alliance with her, concerning the
vexauts and violations, which they sometimes fuffer
in their trading navigations, has conceived that it is
essential that the ministers of the allied powers should
be provided with fufficient inftru&iou to direct them
in all cases whatever of this nature: For this purpose
her Imperial majesty has thought proper to propose al
so to their high mightinesses, the necessity and utility
of giving general orders and inftrudions on this fubjed,
to their ministers residing with the belligerent powers.
Her Imperial majesty is even of opinion, that it will.be
indispensably necessary to give such ample and parti
cular inftruaions, that the ministers may never be q-
Jiged to wait for further orders, but on the pentr^ry,
On,Saturday morning, the 9th November, between
eleven and twelve, the custom hbufe at Dublin was dis
covered to be on fire. It was perceived firfl in the room
where the commissioners fit, who, with numbers of mer
chants, mafter# of vessels, &c. who were doing business
in ether parts of the house, had just tim2 to escape be
fore the flairs and floors felt in, and soon after the whole
of the inside was totally destroyed, together with all the
accounts and papers. ,
But the mifehief, great as it was, did not end here.
Under the different offices belonging to the house (which
form a long range of buildings) were floreroom# in
which most of the merchants goods belonging to the
city were deposited, and the custom house quiy (as is
generally the case) was covered with different packages,
rum puncheons, &c. These were almost wholly cen
fumea 6y the flames, or carried off by the mob, who
seemed so bent on availing themselves to the utmost of
the calamity, that numberless articles too heavy to be
borne away, were tumbled into the river The loss is
immefly great, but no estimate can as yet be formed of
it. Amongst the goods on the quay were a hundred
hoglheads of tobacco. There is no supposition of the
fire being accidental.
LIVERPOOL, November i<.
DUBLIN, November 15, 1781.
SIA, in the Armed Neutrality.
WE, Catherine 11, empress of all the Ruffias,
Muscovy, Ki<> w , Wiadimeria, Novogorod;
Czarina of Cafin, Afiracan, Siberia; lady of
Pelefcow, and great dutchefs of Smolerifka; dutchefs
of Estonia and Livonia, Twer, &c. &c. Having ami
cably invited his majesty the emperor of the Romans,
king of Hungary and Bohemia, &c. to concur with
us in cone bating the principles of neutrality at sea,
tending to maintain the liberty of the maratime com
merce and navigation of the neutral powers, which we
have set forth in the declaration of the 28th of Febru*
ary, 1780, delivered on our part to the belligerent
powers which principles contain in fubflance:
That the neutral ships may navigate freely from port
to port, and on the coafs of the nations at war ; that
the effeas belonging to the fnbjefts of the powers at
war, be free on board of neutral ships, except contra
band rrerChandife, among which thall be considered
those expressed io the articled X and XI of the treaty
of comrr-r^ concluded between Russia and Great Bri
tain, the loth of June, 1766. That in order to deter
mine what characterizes a blocked up port, that de
nomination is granted only to that, where, by the dif
portion of the power who attacks it, with ships fuffi
ciently near, one is in evident danger in entering it.
In frort, that these principles may serve for a rule in
all proceedings and judgments on the legality of
prizes ; and his said Imperial, Royal and Apoflolic
majesty, having contented for that purpose to manifeft,
by a formalaft of accemen, not only his full adhesion
to these fame principles; but, moreover, his immediate
concurrence to the measures to secure the execution
of them ; which we adopt on our fide, by comrading
reciprocally with his said Imperial and Royal Apoflo
lic majesty, the following engagements and stipulations,
that is:
ift. That on one part and the other, the ftricleft
neutrality shall continue to be observed, and care ta
ken to execute, with the utmost rigour, the prohibiti
ons against the contraband trade carried on by the re
fpeflive fubjefts, with,whosoever of the belligerent
powers, or any who may hereafter become so.
2d. That notwithftandiog all th^ pains employed
for that purpose, the merchant fllips of one of the two
powers, ihall be Supported in the most eff anal manner
by the other ; that if on complaint, jufiice Ihould be
denied them, they flail immediately concert together
on the properest means to procure it for themfulves
by just reprisals.
3d. That if it should happen that one or the other of
the three powers, or both together, on eccafion, or in
opposition to the present agreement, should be difiurb
ed, molested, or attacked, then they shall make a com
mon cause between themfelve# for their reciprocal de
fence, and labour in concert to procure a full and ade
quate fatisfaaion, both for the insult offered to their
flag, and for the losses fuGained by their fubjeßs.
4th. That these Gipulations Ihall be considered ar
permanent, and a standing rule, as often as it Ihall be
necessary to estimate the rights of neutrality.
sth, That the two powers (hall communicate, amica
bly, their present mutual agreement to all the powers
actually at war; which we by an effect of the friend
fhip which happily unites us to his majesty the emper
or, as also for the welfare of Europe in general, and
of our countries and fubjefts in particular, accept
formally, by virtue of the present aft, the accession of
his majesty the emperor of the Romans, &c. &c. to
the views, principles, and measures, as salutary as
conformable to the most evident notions of the law
of nations, promising and engaging ourselves solemnly,
as his majefly the emperor also engages himfelf to us,
to observe, execute, and gaarrantee all the above men
tioned points. In faith of which we have signed the
present with our own hand, and sealed it with our seal.
Given at Peterfburgh, the 18th of October, 1781.
(Signed) CATHERINE.
Count JOHN D'OSTERMAN.
St. JOH N's (Antigua,) February 5, 1782.
On Sunday last arrived here his majesty's frigates
Fortunes and Convert, having on board the 28th regi
ment, which had gone down to St. Christopher's with
the fleet under fir Samuel Hood, to co-operate for the
relief of that island. The 69th regiment and two com
panies of the 13th were also employed on the service,
forming in the whole a body of about 900 men. Hav
ing effeded a landing at Frigate bay, they proceeded
again f l a detachment of the enemy, consisting of up
wards of 600 ganadier# and chaffeurs, who were posted
on a very firong situation : these were totally routed
by 5 companies of our's, and retreated toward Basse
terre. Cur little army were pursuing the fame route,
when they received certain advice that the marquis de
Bouille (who by the bye has not been wounded, as was
reported) was marching against them with a very con
siderable force. The event ' proved this intelligence to
be well founded ; for our troops had scarcely taken
possession of a very firong hill, to which it was judged
proper to retreat, before the enemy, to the amount of
at lead 4000 men, appeared.
Finding it impossible, therefore toeftablifh a post, as
they had hoped, our army, after keeping possession of
their ground a whole day, continued their retreat, and
embarked without molestation.
that in all cases of this nature they may beauthoO;,
to support each other effectually in all their complaints
and other steps, by making a common cause, and in
terefling themselves without hesitation in the firft com
plaints of the fu bjeds of their refpedive sovereigns,
who may claim their affifiance.
Her Imperial majesty has already haflened to trans
mit to her ministers residing at the belligerent courts,
the necessary inftrudions for this pnrpofe, and cer
tainly none of them will fail to contribute to the good
of the common cause, conformable to their mutual en
gagements, and to what her Imperial majesty has caus
ed to be proposed to fcr other allies.
Our loss in killed and wounded was 8x privates and
7 officers. Captain Ross of the 69th, and captain Eli
ot of the 28th, are among the former; and captain
EDICT, just published, relative to the Principles
of Navigation adopted by the EMPRESS of RUS-