The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-03-26 00:00:00, page 2

Yeflerday Henry Laurens, esquire, who has been
for Come considerable time imprisoned in the tower of
London, was 'by order of government carried before
lord Mansfield. His lordihip acquainted Mr. Laurens
that if be would enter security for his appearance in
fix months after he should be called for, he would be
set ar liberty, and might go wherever he pleased.
Mr. Oswald, an American merchant, offering to be
security accordingly: the chief justice accepted him
as bail, and Mr. Laurens was discharged. It is said
that Mr. Laurens will set out in a day or two for Bath
by advice of his physicians, who recommend the wa
ters of that place for the recovery of his health.
Extract of a letter from New-York, to a friend in
Edinburgh, November 3, 1781.
an alliance with the ancient enemies of this kingdom,
the fears of your petitioners crinfideribiy increafcd ; and
they would have failed of their duty to your majesty,
as well as in their regard to the inrereft of this king
dom, if they had not laid before yourmajefly's mi
nisters, the add tional dangers to which the British Weft
India inlands were exposed by so powerful a league.
Hence it appears, that your petitioners have early
and conftaotly endeavoured to impress your majefly's
miniflers with the necessity of providing the mod affi
cacieus reinforcements for their protection, and above
all, to engage them to maintain a superiority of force
among the Weft-India islands, as the proper feeurity,
alone suited to pretest these possessions.
The loss ofdivers of those islands, isa fatal proof of
the necessity of these felicitations, made seasonably, and
repeated without intermission,
Hoping, however, that the islands which yet remain,
mull be considered as objects of the m^fl serious atten
tion, your petitioners, not despairing, flattered them
selves that the fatal experience of past losses, would
dispose your minifies to adopt measures which might
efficaciously protest the islands which are left.
But it is with the deepest sorrow that petitioners are
obliged to declare, that the islands we still possess are
so unfortunately left without protection, that since the
commencement of hostilities, they have not been ex
posed to more imminent dangers, than they are at the
threatening con nature of the present moment.
Your petitioners alarmed, at the inefficacious steps
wh ch your majesty's ministers have taken, humbly
implore your majefly, that your maiefty would be
pleased to hasten the execution of the assurances which
have been given to your petitioners, and that reinforce
ments, naval and military, proportioned to the defence
of your majesty's Weft India islands, may be difpatch
^ without delay, in such manner, as that by the Di
vine nelp, these valuable possessions may be preserved
to the British empire; and your petitioners shall ever
pray, &c. &c.
" The inhabitants ofthis city are so affeded by the
defeat of lord Cornwallis, that many merchants refufe
to open the goods received by the last fleet; some will
not even fell without ready money. We shall fee an
humble scene next summer ; if this place be abandoned,
we shall confiderthe king's government, as loft for
ever; at least in this part of America. For my part,
which way soever I look, I fee nothing but difficulties.
' Should I go to England with my large family, we may
be in want of every thing in a flrange land. If Iftay
here, I shall be liable to insults, and perhaps to vigor
ous proftcutions"
Jan, 4, Last Wednesday the president of the com
mittee of planters and merchants, concerned in the
trade and territorial possessions of the Weft-India inlands
accompanied by the deputies of this refpeHible body,
went to St. James's, and at the levee had the honour
of presenting the following petition to the king. The
petition was very affably received, and they had all
the roonrimaginable to flatter themlelves that it would
be fucceftfuL
To the King's rroft excellent Majesty.
The humble address of the underwritten planters and
merchants, as well in behalf of themselves as others con
cerned in the trade and territorial possessions of the
Weft-fhdia inlands ;
Mod gracious Sovereign,
We your majefly's moll humble §nd faithful sub
jects, the planters and merchants &c. beg leave to
appear in your royal pfeience, with hearts penetrated
with the moll inviolable attachment to your person
and family, and the confutation of this kingdom.
The unhappy difunidn which happened between
Great-Erifain and the , colonies of North- America,
lx4no sooner br ken out, then that the planters of the
Weft India islands, and the merchants humbly repre.
fented to your majesty and to both houses of parlia
ment, how greatly they apprehended dillrefs and dan
ger won't be the probable consequence thereof.
Wnen the colonies of North-America entered into
The foregoing address was signed by 198 planfers and
merchants, residing in London ; particularly by Natha
niel Bayley, president ; by J. Herring, agent for Ja
maica ; Samuel Eastwick, agent for Barbadoes ; by J.
Harning, authorifed by 69 planters and merchants of
Bristol, and by Henry Rawlinson, agent for the cham
ber of commerce of Liverpool.
Jan. 8. The ships of the line which compose the
fleet bound for the Weft-Indies under fir George Rod
ney are the Formidable and Namure of 90 guns, the
Arrogant, Malborough, Hercules, Conqueror, and
Fame of 74 guns ; Africa, Anson, Nonfuch, Protheus,
Repulse and Yarmouth of 64 : and the Dunkirk of 60
guns; yet they are commonly called 18 in number.
These by the lafi accounts lay in the found of Plymouth,
ready to fail with the firft fair wind.
/The 14th regiment foot, is under orders to embark
immediately for Jamaica. Besides the 101st and iozd
regiments of foot already in the India ships, which fail
forthwith, the 22d regiment, light dragoons is to em
bark at Portsmouth for the fame part of the world.
Many cannon and field pieces, with ammunition have
-been laden on the transports going out to Asia under
the convoy of fir Richard Bickerton, whose squadron
is not yet ready.
LO N DO N, January 1, 17 W
Foreign Intelligence.
From the Dublin Evening Post.
" With indignation not to be suppressed, I read in
the English papers an infuling account of a judgment
in the king's bench, at Westminster, reversing a judg
ment given here in a cause between White and White:
after what passed in the last session of parliament, I
little thought that any man could be found hardy
enough for such an attempt, or that foreign jurifdi&i
on would again dare to trample on the INDEPEND
ENCY of Ireland; but though the latter is beyond
our reach, the former is within our grasp, and I hope
that the assassin of his country will be dragged to the
tribunal of the public, and held up as an example.
The immortal Flood, who has facrificed so much
f , ^ lor i°u3 cause, will not lose the opportunity
of asserting o ur rights, but call before the house of
commons the traitor, whose appeal, if unnoticed, will
The enlargement of Mr. Laurens has given occasion
to the followi, g attempt in behalf of messieurs Curfon
and Governed :
“ As messieurs C. & G. were eflablifhed at St. Eu
ftatius before the war began, and have dwelled there
for seven yeers past, it is hard to impute to them, as
a crime, that living under the Dutch government,
they should fell articles of commerce to the Americans,
as to every ottyer buyer that came."
Hyder Ally Cawn, regent of the kingdom of Mysore,
was originally a soldier of fortune. When he entered
firft into the king of Mysore's service, he was called
by an appellation which imports “ coporal Hyder."
He rose by degrees the chance of war had thrown into
his hands, to the supreme command of the Rajah's ar
my ; and on the death of that prince imprisoned his
son, whom he had destined to succeed him on the
throne, and seized the reins of government, affirming
the title of guardian to the young prince. Yet this
usurper keeps not about.his person any heufhold troops
or guards. An officer of diftinftion, just arrived from
India, informs, thathe hiked an English officer, whom
whether it was true that the king of England appointed
one part of hisfubjeas to guard him from the rest ?
and being answered in the affirmative, he further asked,
“ and who guards him from his protestors ?"
When Hyder Ally passes sentence of death, he is
frequently himfelf the executioner ; for although he
boasts that his army are his guards, he reigns in their
hearts, not through love, but fear, mixed indeed with
an admiration of bis lingular intrepidity. It is a hap
py truth we have to rejoice at, that this country is by
no means making even the most distant advances to
wards such a government !
The ill fegiment of foot has aßually marched from
Tinmouth for Portsmouth, to be embarked at that
place for Jamaica.
By an account taken from the London Gazettes for
5 ,%<rs past, it appears that the Americans have loft
more than TSOO vessels within that time.
Jairir. Last Wednesday evening (the 9th inflant)
captain Bickerton of the Amazon frigate, son of fir
Richard, alighted at the admiralty office, whither he
brought a piece of news, which at firft seemed not to
be intelligible, and which he did not give as authentic,
as he had itdndireaiy only. He said that the islands of
St. Fufidtius and St. Martin's, were retaken by the
French; but what made his story improbable was,
that a garrison which was known to confit? of 700 men,
had been taken by 400 French. This news spread yes
terday, but met with unbelievers every where, till
captain' Montgomery of his majefly's sloop Ranger,
arrived atthe admiralty with dispatches from rear ad
miral Hood, dated Barbadoes, December 13, by which
the admiral informed their lordships of his arrival there
on the sth ; and that on his arrival he had the mor
tification to hear that the island of St. Euftatius had
been furprized in a most extraordinary manner on
Novem er 26th by two French frigates, two cutters
and about 370 men, and that Sb Martin had furren
ed the day following at discretion. Besides, we have
seen a letter of the 3d of December, from St. Chrifto
phers in these words ; “ before this can reach you
you must have heard that the French have furprized
the island of St. Euftatius, and God be praised ! they
have recovered about 256,006 b fierling in specie, the
proceeds of the booty which those thieves R., and V.
had taken from the poor inhabitants, and which were
thought to be fafely lodged on the hill. I rejoice that
the gold has passed to more worthy possessors. The
marquis Bouille has returned part of the money te the
plundered inhabitants, and given to each of his f@ldi
ers five johanneffed, and sixty to each officer. Count
Dillon, who accompanies the marquis, fayed a wager,
regeflered at St Euftatius, that he will be bn Brim
flone-bill, in this island, in fix weeks time."
A^egiment is now railing solely for t^e defence of
Newfoundland, to be named the Newfoundland Ran
gers ; the officers are at the expence of procuringthe
men in proportion to their commissions, so that the le
vy will not cod any thing to government.
Last Wednesday, after the levee, a privy council
was held, when his majesty was pleased to order a pro
clamation for a general fafl, to be some time next
month.
Several Americans confined in Forten prison, found
means to make their escape the 3d instant, but they
were all, except one, retaken the next day. One of
them is named Thomas Kinsley, who has broke out
fourteen times before, but has always Seen retaken.
It is pretended that government will not take up
large sums on loan this year. The large advances to
be lent by the bank, as rhe purchase of a charter for a
new term of years, will partly answer the calls of the
war, and there is a talk of felling the crown lands and
other public eflates to defaay the public expenditures.
The funds are so very low, that .it would be very im
prudent to borrow largely at present.
Our papers have for some time told us, that prince
Edward, fourth male child of their majesties, wouldgo
to the Weft.lndies with admiral Rodney. Every one
knows that this is not so, we fee the admiral ready to
set out, and yet there is no preparation making at
Buckingham house for the young princes voyage. It
is given out that he has changed his mind, and that his
royal highness prefers the land service.
March 14. Since our last arrived at Cape Ann, a
veflelhomGautUtoupe, in inlays, by which we hav%
B O $ T O N, March 7.
, °°-pdav last faptfy^ [Parlons arrived at New
bury Port from Cape Francois, which port he left iif
company with captain Huffey in a brig for this place,
and captain Sturgis For Virginia, on the 28th January -
by wtom we learn, tfo captafy Huffey on the. .30th
was affiore on the' island 'Mayagana, where it is
fu,?oied he and a number of passengers and hands
n^/ perish if they are, not taken off by some vessel;
and asrhey had pro rifl on and water enough, tofupport
t^ern. four or :ve months, we are rqqu,efled to insert
this information; that any veffei bound so the Cape
may make it. known there, whegjt ,i, not doubted they
will be immediately relieved by the French general.
Captain Gardner of Nantucket, a,nd sundry other gen.
tiemen were passengers on board captain Huffey.
Captain Parfops beat off and 00 upwards of go hours
in Order to relieve captain Huffey, but the form %
creased so so fl, he was obliged to bear away, and leabe
captain Huffey as above.
'Welearn from good authority, that the.inhabitants
of ,e territories of the flatepf Vermont did, on the
", - Ret?ary lad, relinquish all laims to tire unions
wmcfithey had formed on the e.a flern fide of Cennefy
cut river; as also the western union, which contained
''" ^ a " ?' New-ftrk; the representatives
, c ° m ?°^ said union have returned to the : r re.
pe live pomes. The old territories of Verm®bt'have
cnofen agents, infiruaed them to sign the articles of
union and confederation, and have fully complied with
the resolve of Congress hi August last, jo all refpeds
without reservation.
SALE M, March 7.
Last Monday the privateer ship Hendrick, captain
Benson, ofthis port, arrived from a cruise. She fail
ed from Martinico on the 3d ult. and brings intelli
gence, that a large French fleet was then just arrived
at Fort Royal from France, among which was a con
siderable number of capital fllips, and many transports,
with a large body of troops. The men of war, as faft
as they arrived, and w4re recruited, failed to reinforce
the fleet at St. Christopher.
It was said at St. Pi/rre's, that the above French
ships had an engagement with a British squadron, and
that M. de la Motte Piquet was killed- but that no
ships were left by either fide.
We have the pleasure to hear, by the Hendrick, that
several of the privateers from this place and Beverly
have been fucceftful. The Portis, capt. Carnes, has
got two primes into port; one of them taken in com
pany with the Mohawk. The Mohawk, captain
Smith, had captured three, including the one taken
with the Porus. The Scourge, captain Robinson, and
the Pi^rim, captain Parker, have captured two in
Company ; and the Scourge had takem another alone.
One of the above prizes wasa packet, from England,
bound to Jamaica. One 6? two others were also from
England, and loaded with, provisions and dry goods.
The others were loaded with filh, from Newfound
land.
Just as this pp per is going to press, we hear (and we
hope it is true) that fir George Rodney is arrived at
Barbados with 15 fail of the line; 4of these, we pre
sume, are bonnd immediately for Jamaica, with troops
for the reinforcement of tne garrison there.
[Antigua Gazette.]
We have learirt nothing with certainty relative to
our worthy friends and neighbours of Montserrat, ex
cept that they were still English fubjeds on Sunday
raft.
St. JOHN'S, (in Antigua) February 19.
The English fleet left their anchorage at Baffetterre,
St. Christopher, without any interruption on the part
of tne enemy, on Thursday evening, and are now com
ing into this road. We flatter ourselves it will not be
long before they are joined' by fir George Rodney,
with his reinforcement, consisting of 11 fail of the line
and two frigates.
Yefierday morning his excellency the marquis de
Bouille em barked for Martinico. His excellency count
Dillon is left governor of this island and Nevis, with
the regiment of Dillon of the Brigades, the regiment
of Rouffillon, and the regiment of Auxerrois, each
equal to 1000 men. And this day also . the rest of the
troops and the fleet will depart fok Martinico-
BASSE TTE R R E, (St. Kitt's) Feb. 19.
Six fail of the line, and a number of transports, have
arrived at Martinico, and two fail of the line, which
separated from them, have joined the count de Graffe.
Feb. 20. A few days after the surrender of the
island, admiral Hood left the road with his fleet, and
where he is how we know not. As soon as he went
away the count de Graffe's fleet took their former po
rtion in Baflerterre road.
HAGUE, December 26, i,Bi„
We learn that the province of Groningen and'the
Omme lands, have consented to the forming of the
corps of seamen, agreeable to the proportion of his
ferine highoefs of the 22d of October last. The pro
vince of Zealand, has alio given its consent to it, de
claring at the fame time, “ that the province confiderd
this proportion as a new proof of the Prince Stad
ho lders vigilant care of, and attention to the public
fafety, &c."
surrender the obj^R which that great patriot with such
undaunted courage contended for.
“ How the judgment can be executed is for the law
yers to determine; but I hope the heir will have too
much sense and spirit to submit to any judgment but
that of his own country.
“ Should the court, whose judgment, has been treat
ed with such contempt, be abject enough to assist the
usurpation, our parliament is fitting, filled with the
fame men whose efforts redeemed us from slavery, arm
ed with fufficient power to control! judges, and back
ed by a people who will not bear oppression.
“ A Captain of Volunteers.''