The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1777-12-10 00:00:00, page 2

^OURD EAVX, April 15.
OATURDAY last a Boston vessel arrived
3 in this port, mounted with 16 guns, which
brought advices from the Cobgrefs to Doctor
Franklin. The Captain immediately set off for
Paris, and to whatever questions were asked
him, anlwered in very good French, that he
did not understand French. In his voyage he
took two prizes, one of which he burnt, and
the other he brought to Bourdeaux. He has de
tained the officers whom he took prisoners, but
discharged the sailors after having given them
money to ferid them to England.
LONDO N, May 17.
They write from Jamaica, that provitions of
all kinds were very dear in that iliand, inso
much that the ciews of the men of war on that
station had been forne months kept on short al
lowance.
Lord Germaine has received such repeated
intelligence of the American privateers, and the
number of merchant ships, which are continu
ally leaving the ports of that continent bound
for Europe, that the most earned calls have
been made on Lord Sandwich for frigates and
armed vessels to cruize in quest of them.
Advice is received from Morlaix that three
American vessels are arrived at that port from
Virginia, laden with tobacco, and that their
super-cargoes were gone to the King's commit
fioners (the farmers of the revenue of tobacco)
in order to dispose of the fame. One of the
commanders of the above vessels being a(ked
how he could" venture in the English channel ?
replied, there was employ enough for all the
British navy- to watch the coast of America.
May 19. A Correspondent who affects to
speak from the bed authority, fays, that a cloud
is naw gathering, which threatens Britain with
ruin and deftrudion. There is net a court in
Europe, this infant, that is not at public or
private enmity with the court of London ; that
of Peterfburgh only excepted. Denmark, at
no time friendly, harbours in his bread a per
sonal disgust. Sweden can never think of Lie
men and Veiden, but with regret: Sweden is
jealous besides of our intimacy with Russia, and
is prejudiced by the court of Berlin. Prussia
will never forget the feurvy trick we played to
wards the close of the late war, and never ceases
to demand the arrears of subsidy, withheld by
tiie new administration, and the peace-makers.
The Emperor of Germany complains loudly of
the interference of the King of Great- Britain as
Elector of Hanover, and of the continual cabals
he foments and feeds within the Empire. The
Empress Queen of Hungary will never forgive
this country, our supporting Prussia the last war,
and preventing the recovery of Silesia, that fh
vourite Gbjed of her heart. France and Spain
are new friends, and all the powers of Italy
think as they are directed by France, Spain and
the Emperor; and Portugal hath made its peace
with the House of Bourbon, upon terms, when
fully di'clo'ed, that will make Britain tiemble,
and put .her merchants in mourning.
On Friday no less than forty-feven public and
private bills received the royal assent by com
mifficn. A correspondent fays that the time is
advancing when the abridgement of the laws of
England will make one hundred volumes in fo
lio. The laws of Prussia are contained in two
quarto volumes.
From the London Public Adyertifer. May 28.
Play-Bill Extraordinary.
fN the course of this summer will be perform
ed a ne v Tragic Farce, called
ALL FOR POWE R,
OR
America Lost.
Captain At-all, Mr. Minden.
Bully, Mr. Twitcher.
Budget, Mr. Boreas.
Fofitive, Mr. King.
Cautious, Mr. O'Howe.
Steady, Mr. Washington.
Firm, Mr. Gates.
Captive, Mr. I ee.
Out-Riders, Dr. Franklin and Mr. Deane.
Chief Mourners, 8,000,000 Spectators.
Knights of the Bath, Knights of the Post, Of
ficers, Guards and Attendants.
Scene England, Scotland, Ireland, and
America.
May 23. The sums remitted up the Baltic
within the last year are immense: the quantities
of iron, ftaves and timber imported from thence
will readily account for it, as none could be
brought from America.
Play 26. We hear from Cadiz, that a fri
gate failed from that port the 3d init. with forne
engineers on board, who are going to take a fut
vey of all the ports, foitificauons and garnions
of the Spanish settlements in America, and are
to return with the utmost speed to make a re
port thereof.
So great is the scarcity of men for land as well
as sea service, that ail the Invalids who a^eca
pible of serving abroad, aie to be picked out
for that purpose without delay.
May 31. They write from Constantinople,
that from the motions making among the Ot
toman forces, both by sea and land, it is evi
dent that the Porte mean still to dispute forne
articles of the late peace with the Czarina.
Very high insurances are made on Dutch
property boumfio the Eatt-lndies, from whence
it is conjectured the situation of affairs in that
quarter is more disagreeable than has been men
tioned.
Jane 4. The Court of Lifboh, according th
the accounts of Government, are now bound
to England by the ftr&igeft ties of national
commerce and inclination; they should have
added of interest also, as it is well known their
declarations againd America were purchafed'
for a stipulated sum.
Captain Alien, of his Majesty's ship the Al
bion, has Ent into Plymouth the Constant
Friend, an American bri^, from South- Caro
lina, bound to Bourdcaux, laden with rice and
indigo, widen the took the 19th of last month.
June 5. Mr. Present, at Martinico, has no
less than four fmops fitted out to crude against
the Englilh; they nave American commifiions,
and one or two hand's of that country on board,
the rest are all either Spaniards or French. It
is laid forne of the principal persons in the
French blends are conceined in this business,
June 6. The following article confirms the
duplicity of the Dutch, in the present contest
bet veen Great- Britain and the United States :
" '1 heir H'gh Mightinefles, judging that
the American vessel which took the Em lifh
packet boat might possibly enter into one or
oiler of the ports belonging to the Republic,
Agreed that the refpeHi e colleges of admiralty
should be acquainted, that a ftriQ adherence
of the placaft of the 3d of November, 1756,
(hould be firirily observed if occafi^n required
it. This placart ordains, " That all Pirates
entering into any of the ports of Holland should
be seized, and dealt witn according to law."
Query, vV id the United Provinces deal with
those vessels as pirates which are commifiioned
by the United States ? It is plain, therefore,
that a commihiou only is neccflary lor the pro
te&ion arid encouragement of American ships.
Copy of an. authentic letter received by an eminent
merchant in Pt. Mary, Axe. from his friend in
Rotterdam, dated May 30, 1777.
“ It is amazing your court should not vet
fee through the perfidy of their pretended
Fiench friends, who are secretly aiding arid
aiding the A niericans all in their power. The
packet-boat lately taken, was a contrivance of
Hr. B ~ of Dunkirk, who obtained from
Dr. F r ?.nklin a blank from the Congreft w ich
was filled up at Dunkirk, and delivered to
Captain Cunningham. No doubt but many
such illegal papers have been delivered toothers ;
it is even said, Dr. Franklin's intimate friend
here, Twifs, has received two such commissi
ons, but whether they will be put in practice
time will Life ver. If one of your homeward
bound Indiamcn should be thus trepanned, I
make no doubt but the fame will be conducted
north about to a port in America."
Extract of a letter from an officer of one of the In
dia Company's Jhips, dated at Canton.
" You will have heard of the bad state of
the markets at Madras before this reaches you
(as I wrote by a French ship from Pondicherry)
never were they known equal to it. Very few
articles that would fetch prime cost, and many
felling from twenty to thirty per cent, discount,
and at Bengal very little better. If feme plan
I is not fallen upon to prevent the French ships
I difpofing of their cargoes at our settlements,
Iyour ^ommander^ and officers mutt be ruined.
The Company's fervahts give them a preference
in every thing ; nor can we led a bugle article
while one of their finps is in the road ; their
cargo being nearly the fame with outown;
and all English manufactory and propoty. 1
am convinced from the quantity of copper, inm
ordnance and naval ftorcs tney cany out, the
Company's tales mult be much lower th<.n thev
have been for forne tears past, which 1 hope
will not cfcape the notice of the Court oi u.-
rc&ors."
WILLIAMSBURG, Nev. 28.
We hear that the General Aifembl, oi Mary
land have voted two thousand ad htional troops
for the Continental service, and nave also given
leave to bring in a bill for a general test, ano
ther to seize upon the propriety estate, and
another for confifearing the effects of Eririfh
merchants, to be applied to the indrmnificati n
if persons who have fuifered by tire Bunm fleet
and army.
The Hoop Congress, belonging to ibis Com
mon-wealth, is fafely arrived in James river
with the following valu ble cargo, viz./ F fieen
hundred Dutch blankets, one hundred pieces of
coarse cloth, eighteen pieces fuperhne ditto,
eight thousand five hundred yards of white lin
en, two thousand five hundred pairs of cooon
and wool cards, besides wire and tacks ior
about three thousand pairs more, one hundred
and twenty pieces of fail duck, twelve hundred
pairs of yarn hose, one hundred and twelve dou
ble gross of metal buttons, trimmings hi the
cloths, a large quantity of medicine, seven
bundled bushels of Lit, &c. Ac.
Extras of a letter from St. Pierre, Martinique,
October 14, 1777.
“ An embargo is laid on all French vessels
in France ; and by a vessel which arrived a few
days ago, express, our General received orders
to flop all here, which he has accordingly done,
until new orders. He has farther prohibited
the exportation of all kind of provisions, am
munition and military flores. A considerable
reinforcement of troops and ships of war, 1
know, from the best authority, is expended and
hourly looked for; in short, every thing wears
io hostile an appearance that it is universally
believed war will be denounced against England
before the expiration of this month I he
King of Prussia has opened the port of Embden
to the Americans "
B O S T () N, November 21.
Captain Skimmer; in his late cruize (a few
days before he arrived) came across a French
vessel bound from the Cape for Old France, the
master of which came on boa d him, and in
formed him, that a vessel arrived at the Cape
from France a day or two before he failed, with
dripatches for the Governor, and among others,
one was, an account that a new Nabob had
arose in the East-Indies, and cut off every Bri
tda subject in Calcutta,. &c. man, woman and
child, to the number of about 40,000 fouls.---
' Fis thought this was done in retaliation of
Gen. Clive's humane treatment to those people
forne years since.
LA NCAST ER, December 10.
Extiaft of a letter from an officer in France, to bis
fiend, a General Officer in the arm, of the United
States.
6 You are then engaged, my dear ******, in the
cause of America; in this noble career my bosom
glows with ardor; may you, my friend, speed well
in it ! and may Heaven make it prosper, and you an
iofFument to ensure its success ! Whatever vour mo
tives. my dear friend, for launching into a career in
many tefpeAs so different from that you have hitherto
tun, I applaud them with all my foul, and were I hale
and strong, as lam weak and delica e, I Would myfelf
embark in so noble a cause with the greatest alacrity,
and share the fate and dangers you are to encounter.
Great and aiduous as is your talk, you are certainly
equal to it. You have to assert the rights of huma
nity, and the freedom of an empire, which if once
established, will not have its parallel in history, against
the general enemies of mankind, and the cruel, ty
rannical opprefiors of your own miserable country*.
The mere odious, that themselves jealous of liberty
to the highest pitch of enthufiaim, they have com
mitted fewer crimes in defence of their own, than in
depriving of theirs every nation that they could mas
ter. I flatter myfelf these sentiments arc congenial
* Tbeofoer to ^hom this tetter u addref/ed is birth
an bijhm&n.