The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-01-05 00:00:00, page 2

guns, and two frigates, .abou three hundred leagues
from thence. He is ofcpinion they may arrive eight
'days after him ; that is to fay to morr w, and general
Vaughan, who flicks by the fleet, land is passenger in
'the Boreas frigate, will arrive with them ; insomuch,
that when the parliament meets, we expeß that the
conquerors of St. Euftatius, in a manner not to be with
ed for. will be juflifying their conduct, which at the
best, is far from being approved of. If we were to
form our judgment from the public feelings, which
were excited yesterday, by the news of the admiral's
arrival, he will have to answer to more than one charge.
The merchants imerefted in the fate of the leeward is
land convoy, which is daily expected, are very noisy.
They copfider it as scandalous, that always engrossed
with his perfpnal concerns, as at St. Euflatius, he should
have ab ndoaed this fleet, laden with their property,
with their fortunes, to the feeble convoy of an old 60
gun fllip and two frigates, whilß to save his own pri
vate property, or rather his plunder, he Should carry
off theGibraltar, of 80 guns, the best ship in the fleet,
just come out clean from England, to flip away, in
hopes of getting fafer home in a single ship, than if he
had continued witi ithe merchant Ihips. The choice
which fir George B. Ro ney has made of the Gibraltar,
to tranfpbrt C^far and his fortune to Europe, equally
diffatisfies every reasonable Englishman, who without
having any particular interest in the leeward island
fleet, yet is concerned for /he nation at large, and fees
what an important diminution of the force under ad
miral Hood, gone for Newgerk, the carrying off this
Ship has made, already struggling against fu; erior forc
es; for it is said, that admiral Rodney has acquainted
government that his fuco ffor faied for New- York the
fame day he did, with all the force he had.
We read in some of the prints, that Rodney and
Vaughan have closed their connection with a quarrel;
that they return very much out of humour with each
other, which will add to the vivacity of parliamentary
debates, to which they have already furnifhed but too
amply. This conjecture may take its rife from the ex
traordinary circumstance that the admiral did not take
the general on board with him, but turned him over to
a small frigate, However that be, fir George, after
having acquired a popularity beyond all example, seems
to draw nigh to a fall, from causes besides those we have
fpecified, besides private broils, lawsuits, &c. which he
has on his hands. Colonel Ferguson, late governor of
Tobago, having got over before the admiral, will not
fail, it is believed, o aik him what he meaned by writ
ing to the admiralty, "that he was much surprised at
the surrender of the island," and " there must have hap
pened something very extraordinary to bring 1. about."
trtained, if this new member of it were as powerful by
sea as heis by land. Tnis event will bring about no
caoge jn tpe affairs of the belligerent powers; there
fore pheir high mightinesses, inrenewing the notifica
tion §fthis accession made by the baron de Tbulemeyer
bn the 20th of August, made only the usual compli
'w^nts on these occasions.
have. A new importance might have been derived to
this colossus, of which such expectations have been en-
Already some of the paragraphs, which precede great
quarrels, such as those which appeared after the adion
off Ufhaof, have crept into one of the public prints.
They have begun by attacking the admiral ; some of
his friends have answered in another, and have not fail
ed to recriminate. In this manner, exa&ly, it was that
the dispute of inglorious memory, which scandalized
From the Eafl-India Office, Sept. 27, 1781.
" The letters of gift March mention, that general
Coote had taken Caragoly, and that the enemy had
withdrawn the troops with which for several weeks
they had besieged Velore, Pennacoil, and Wandicoafh ;
that Hyder was employed in retiring from Arcote his
heavy artillery and ammunition ; but it appears, that
the general opinion was then, that he would not eva
cuate that place with his troops, without hazarding a
battle. The letter of the goth of April, finifhes by
mentioning a moil compleat vidory gained by colonel
Cainac, over Mahadage Scindia ; the colonel had been
forc'd to retreat, and, during four successive days,
had been harraffed by a most powerfularmy ; the night
of the fourth day of his retreat, he caused a detachment
Paris, Augußi6. Our court are going to fend eight
bita 1 ions to the affi Rance of the Spaniards in their at
tack upon Minorca, One of the regiments appoined
for this purpose, ,yiz tnat of Bretagne, is commanded
by the count de Crillon, theduke's yourig^ft son. The
above troops will embark at Toulon about the 20th
or 25th of this month.
all Europe for a long time, commenced and ended in de
priving this nation of the ufeful service of two officers
(Kepple and Pallifer) who both possessed talentsand ex
perience.
Sept. 25- Admiral Rodney arrived yeflerday in
London. It is laid, that his health is better than when
'he left the Weft-Indies.
S A L B M, December 14.
Further Extracts from the Englilli papers found on
board the prize, lately taken by the Marquis de la
Fayette privateer, as mentioned in our last.
HAGU E,) September 16.
* w ,E know ndt what confluences the accession of
VV the king of Pruflia to the armed neutrality will
YESTERDAY afternoon arrived at the admiralty,
an express from €ork, but last from Milford-
Haven, with the news of the arrival of admiral
Rodney, in the Gibraltar, at the cove of Cork, onSun
dylaft, :after having beat on the coast. of Ireland, se
ven whole days, struggling against contrary winds.
Being informed on arrival, of the rifque he h^d run
of the united fleets, he declared that he had seen no
thing of them Sir George failed from St. Chrifto
phrrs on the firfl of Auguß, with the leeward island
fleet, which be left under convoy of the Panther of 60
of his army to counter-march, with which he fell upon
the rear-guard of the enemy and attacked his camp,
which was forced and plundered ; two field pieces, four
elephants, abd a considerable booty fell into his hands.
Divers accounts conceive, in eflablifhing the loss of
the enemy oh this occasion, to be 8000 men, and that
LONDO N, September it.
Each veffe; of the company, which goes to India this
season, is to carry for its service 260 land forces. The
number of vessels bound there amount to 27. There
will be form'd by this means a body of 7200 men ; these
troops will fill fd cbmpleatly the vessels, that they have
forbidden the miners to carry any women paffeagers.
The captains are also limited in their privileges ; they
have been commonly allowed as far as the burthen es
56 tons, but at present the mean to allow them but 18
tons.
“ The courage, coolness, and condu^ of captain
Roberts, do him infinite honour. His officers and men
deserve the highest praise "
N. B. Captain Roberts was firft lieutenant of the
Quebec, when captain Farmer engaged the Surveii
lante frgate, and his vessel took fire.
It is natural td believe, that after the difficulty
which the Helena has met with in entering the mole of
Gibraltar, that few of the cutters, now fitting in the
Thames, at a great expence, to carry provisions and
other ne effaries to Gibraltar, will elude the vigilance
of the Spaniards ; and when the fleet of Cadiz returns,
the danger will increase.
Admiralty office, OR. to, 1781.
Extract of a letter from the right honourable lorcTHer
vey, commander of his majefly's Ihip Recovery, to
Mr, Stephens, dated Oft. 1. ,
" I beg you will acquaint their lordships, that at day
light on the 28th ult. Cape Clear bearing N. E. dis
tant about 20 leagues, I saw a fail under the lee bow,
and immediately flood towards her; after a chace of
22 hours, having got up alongside of her, she flruck to
his majesty's ship. She is an American privateer brig,
called the Wexford, mounts 20 twelve pounders, car-.
ries 120 men, and is 320 tons burthen. She had only
been fix weeks from Boston, and had taken nothing "
Oft. 10. This day the examination of another Ame
rican spy is expected to take place at lord George Ger
main's office, the culprit having been detected on Mon
day in the-city, and is now under confinement for a se
cond examination, previous to his final commitment.
Monday morning lieutenant M'Adam arrived at
the admiralty, with dispatches from commodore Keith
Stewart, containing advice of a large fleet of Dutch
" Yeflerday arrived in our river the Thomas, Smith,
from Boston to Cadiz, laden with tobacco and lumber;
and the Betty, Heyden, laden with fggar, from Boston
to Bilbba, taken by the Enterprize privateer, com
manded by captain Eden ; one ofthem had a Congress
packet on board, which has been forwarded to govern
ment."
Scindia himfelf escaped with a great deal of difficulty
and gained Sironge, having but a few horses with
him."
“ Her approach was d/fcovered by the enemy, and
by us at the fame time, about 5 o'clock. She was in
the freights to the southward of Ca brita-point, and
about one third of the way towards Europa point. It
was Ra calm, and the Helena tried by rowing to come
near the rock. I took the Vanguard and Repulse
gun-boats, and all the ihips long boats, and went with
all expedition to meet her. Fourteen gun boats of the
enemy, each mounting a 26 pounder oa her fore part,
together with many ketches, came out of Algezivas,
at the fame time. These vessels proceeded fafter than
I could with the Vanguard and Repulse, and before
eight of the clock, those that were headmoft began to
fire upon the Helena, being within half cannon fllot.
This was returned by her with great Readiness and ef
feft, though the continued to use her oars. Most of
the gun-boats closed around her, and the clouds of
grape and other (hot under which she seemed to be al
mon buried, afforded a fight really aftoniffling. How
ever she did not long sustain so unequal a fight. The
Repufe and Vanguard opened upon the enemy a well
directed fire They were so advantageously placed, that
they very effectually covered the Helena, and molefled
the enemy. The fea-breefe then beginning to rife, the
Helena soon joined us, the enemy continuing the at
tack ; some alongside, some getting into her wake to
rake her In spike of ail this, the vigour and bravery
of the Helena's people, and the very proper fire of the
Repulse and Vanguard,foon made several of them retire,
and about ten they had all gone off. After this, we
towed the Helena into the mole without more disturb
ance. A zebeck of 23 guns, or thereabouts, which
was lying without the point of Gibraltar, upon tee
breeze rising, advanced to assist the gun boats, but
upon feeing them go off she retired also.
" The mafis, fails, rigging, and furniture of the
Helena, are all cut in pieces : the hull greatly dam
aged. But it is as surprising as it is fortunate, that
the mailer of the ship was the only man killed od
board.
October 6. The Nancy privateer, captain Waters,
has taken and carried into Waterford, the Da,lon, a
French privateer of 1, guns, 6 and 9 pounders, and 90
men, with seven. ransomers on board.
Extract of a letter from Liverpool, OH. 1.
" The Recovery frigate, captain Harvey, has taken
off Cape Clear a large privateer from Boflon, mount
ing 24 nine pounders, and 150 men"
Admiralty Ossie, September 18.
Extras of a letter from captain Curtis, to Mr. Ste
phens, dated on board the Bril iant, Gibraltar, Au
gust 7, 1781.
" Just come in a large Dutch prize from Amsterdam
for America, laden with bale goods, and taken by the
Triumph privateer belonging to this port."
Oat 9.* A gentleman, who arrived in town last Sa
turday from Oflend, fays, that advices were received
there from the Hague, that the Ruffian ambassador
had acquainted their high mightinesses, that the em
press was very prefling for their final answer, whether
they would enter into a negotiation for peace with En
gland or not, by the return' of the courier to Peterf
burgh. On which their high mightinesses immedi
ately met, 'and were deliberating what answer they
should give when the account came away.
Ex<raft of a letter from Limerick, Sept. 24.
" I desire you will acquaint my lords the commiffi
ontrs, that his majesty's sloop Helena, is this morning
arrived here.
Extract of a letter from Liverpool, Oft. 5.
From Rivington's ROYAL GAZETTE, dated
N E W-Y O R K, December 26.
Our expectations of the arrival of his majesty's pac
quet the Eagle, captain Richards, with the Septem
ber mail are now at an end: on Monday last several
seamen arrived in town with an account that they left
Falmouth on the 6th of October, was attacked and ta
ken en the 29th of November by the privateer la Fay
ette, in fight of Bermuda, the commander and mere
were - carried to Salem and marched to Boston, where
the latter efc?ping from the p r ison flip, happily found
their way hither,but captain Richards not being so for
tunate was left behind in durance ; these men add that
presently after they were captured,a gala of wind occa
sioned fix of the privateer's guns to be thrown over
board, and they had rea on to think the English pac
quet boat did not survive the florm ; they left at Bos
ton one French 50 gun ship, two French frigates, also
the rebel frigates Alliance and Dean, the former bound
to Old France with the marquis la Fayette, and the
latter on a cruize to the Weft-Indies ; en paffunt at
New-Lundon, they saw 14 fail of vessels freighted with
horses and lumber, under convoy of a flout privateer,
destined likewise for the Weft Indies.
Last Sunday was brought to the sugar house in this
city the reverend Mr. Rowe, m nifter of a dissenting
congregation at Woodbridge, in EaR New Jersey, ac
companied by several of his neighbours, and some con
tinental dragoons; they were tak^n by a detachment
of armed boatmen, under the command of a lively par
tizan, lieutenant Cornelius Blanchard. Mr. Rowe
has long been an aflive inflammatory abettor of the re-,
bellion, and is the person who entered the house of the
late gallant lieuteoant colonel Vaughan Dorian at
Extract of a letter from New-York, July 12.
" Jonathan is collecting all his forces, railing heaven
and earth to besiege us, in conjunction with about 4000
French troops; on this occasion the New-England
yankees seem to be very forward, and turn out in great
numbers, in hopes of taking this place. Hence we
expert some warm work in about a month, as the lads
are investing us on all tides : however, should they have
formed a resolution of attacking us, as they threaten.,
from the flrength of our lines, and the ardour of out
garrison, which, I dare fay, with the militia, consists
as 20,0®0 fighting men at least, am in hopes they will
ply dear for their presumption, and may, in its coqfe
quences, put an end to the rebellion."
Weft-India men being daily expe&d to arrive feadl
Curracoa ; on which account the states general had
given orders for their whole naval force to put to fm
immediately, and fail north about, for the protection
of the above fleet. Lieutenant M'Adam came from
the Texri in a custom house cutter, which was chafed
into Yarmouth roads by a French lugger.
Two fail of the line and a frigate are ordered to rein
force the commodore, in consequence of the above in
telligence.
The Inland es Minorca has changed its mafters' no less
than eleven times, since the Carthagenians took it from
the Phoenicians 452 years before the Christian sera. Its
last conqueror was the Duke de Richelieu, who took it
from us in the year 1756, and it was restored by the
last treaty of peace. But we find in Pliny, that this
island was well nigh conquered by a set of four footed
v Ctors, namely rabbits ; for he rela tes, that the inha
bitants of Minor a sent a petition to t he emperor Au
guflus, to beseech him to fend, as soon as possible, a
supply of troops against these animals, who were in.
such multitudes that they undermined the houses, and
grubbed up the trees. At present there is a small island
near Mahon harbour, named Laire de Mahon, but as
it is totally inhabited by rabbits, the Englilh feamea
call it Coney Island.
Sept. 21. The late conversation concerning a secret
treaty between Great Britain and Russia, by which the
former cedes Minorca to the latter, is become an inex
hauftable fund of political (peculation. Besides the
Ruffian squadron arrived at Leghorn, which they fay
was designed to take possession of that island, but pre
vented by die Spaniards, who got wind of the trea
ty, there has appeared in fom° of the prints a lift of
thirteen ships es the line (Ruffian) which have failed
from Petersburg, and are going firaight for Gibraltar
to chafe,away the troublesome gun boats, which dis
tress the garrison of that fortrefs. Some ofour papers
go so far as to assert, that her Ruffian majesty will not
hesitate to declare herfelf the ally of Great Britain;
that flie is now employed in diminishing the number
of our enemies, and that in concert with the courts of
Vienna and Copenhagen, she has notified to those of
St. James's and the Hague, that the design of the
neutral powers (neutral is well enough said here) was to
establish the good understanding bet ween Great Britain
and the Rates general. It is remarkable, that since
the Gazette of Vienna received orders to deny what
it had let forth concerning the navigation of the Sheld,
we pout at the emperor. Now the cry is, long live
the empress of Rudia !
September 20. The campaign of the present yea,
commenced with the defeat of colonel Tarleton, and
the total deftruCtion or capture of upwards of 800 of
our best veteran troops. Since that period the fortune
of war has been so various, that it is difficult, and
would be presumptuous for any person so far diflant
from the feene of action, to pretend to fay how it may
terminate. It has presented, I will confefs, a fuccefe.
fion of victories on our fide, and of defeats of' that of
tIK Americans—but cui bono ! What are the solid ad
vantages already reaped or like to be reaped ? We have
beat the enemy at Guilford, Camden, and lastly at
James Town. We have traversed a country of several
hbndr?d miles extent, and have marked our footft,
with blood and slaughter. We have destroyed above
a million of their property; we have fired their habi
tations, and rendered their country a desert; and what
have we to balance the loft of blood and treasure on our
fide, amounting to many thousand lives and many
millions ? The melancholy consideration that we did not
the day after the battle of James Town, that is, on
the 7th of July, possess a foot of land in any part of
America, beyond the protection of our polls, or the
fire of our cannon.