The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-06-27 00:00:00, page 1

T H U RS D A Y,
A very.considerable French Squadron having arrived
at Martinique from Europe, on the 29th of la ft month,
I think it my duty to give you information thereof,
that you may be upon- your guard, should they visit
the coasts of America, in which case I shall fend every
affifiance in my power. I have the honour to be, &c.
G. B. RODNEY."
From a late London Paper.
AUTHENTIC STATE,
And Copies of the Letters and Minutes of Intelligence
sent by Admiral Sir George Rodney to New York,
refyehing the French Expedition to the Chefapeak.
THERE having been much mifrSprefentation of
the advices sent to North America by fir George
Rodney, I will, from his own representation of
his dispatches, Hate them to the public, with force
other notorious fafts.
It was addressed to vice admiral Arbuthnot, and was
sent by the Garland, captain Chamberlayne, who ar
ri+bd at New-York with-it about the 19th of June.
On the sth of July, vice admiral Arbuthnot fail
ed from Sandy-Hook for Europe, and the command
of the king's ships in North-America devolved on the
next senior fea-officer, who was rear admiral Thomas
Graves.
On the 19th or 20th of July, the rear admiral re
ceived advice of force ships with money and stores for
the rebels, being upon the seas, bound to Bofion,
whereupon he failed with his whole squadron to look
out for them on the 21st, thinking it not improbable
he might meet with the Rhode-Bland squadron. From
this cruize he returned to New-York the r6th of Au
gust.
Sir George Rodney's general mintite of his second
dispatch was thia:
This dispatch was sent by the Swallow sloop, cap
tain Wells, who arrived ar New-York whilst rear ad
miral Graves was at sea ; and commodore Affleck, who
then commanded at that port, sent captain Wells away
again within twenty four hours in pursuit of the rear
admiral. The captain met with a privateer which he
chafed and took, with a good deal of spirit, but after
wards falling in with three privateers, was overpower
ed by them, and forced to run bis sloop ashore upon
Long-Island, when he funk his dispatches to prevent
their being seized by the enemy, without opening
them. He made his way through the island as well as
he could and got at last to New-York, but not till af
ter the arrival of fir Samuel Hood's squadron, who
came to Sandy-Hook the 28th of August, the very
fame day that monsieur de Graffe arrived off the Chefa
peak ; and the captain said that he never was apprized
or aware of his dispatches being of any importance, or
he should not have chafed at all: fir Samuel sent no
advice vessel before him, and all his frigates arrived
the day after him; and none of rear admiral Graves's
cruizers, although he had many out, had brought
him any intelligence of fir Samuel being off the capes
of Virginia, or of any French fleet being arrived on
the coast of America; and the firft intelligence which
the rear admiral received, either of the one or the other,
was from fir Samuel himfelf. He had no information
of any kind from the admiralty.
The rear admiral immediately came out with all the
force which he could bring, and joined fir Samuel Hood,
failed for the Chefa peak the 31st, and with his nineteen
faji of the line attacked and fought monsieur de Grafle,
who had twenty-four, on the sth of September.
The French admiral when he firft arrived on the
coast of America, had twenty.feven fail of the line and
two fifties, but he had sent the Glorieux of 74, the
Triton and Vaillant of 64, and the Caton and Experi
ment of 50 guns, up the bay of Chefapeak into the
rivers York and James, with 1800 seamen and 90 offi
cers belonging to his other fllips, in order to disembark
the land forces which he had brought to America, and
to block up lord Cornwallis, folhat had the English
" Sandwich, Carlife Bay, July 7, t,&t.
" Acquainting vice admiral Arbuthnot that the
French fleet under de Graffe had quitted Martinique,
with the trade of that island, and were undoubtedly
gme to Cape Francois, that in all probability they
would afterwards proceed to the Chefapeak, therefore
recommending it to him to join, with albbis forge the
squadron I should either bring with me or fend to his
assistance, off the capes of Virginia, Rationing frigates,
to look out for that purpose, and to give my squad
ron the necessary information relative to affairs in Ame
rica."
The firft offr George's dispatches was this :
" Sandwich, St. Euftatius, May 3, 1781.
SIR,
ll^^^^^
VOL. XT.] Published EVERY TUESDAY, THURSDAY and SATURDAY.—Price Six-Pence.
January 22, 1782.
GENERAL ADVERTISER.
* January 24, 1782.
IN my. letter of the aed, I forgot to mention one
circumHance, tending to point out the criticalness and
luckiness of the moment, when the Tea-fight of the sth
of September fell out; and therefore I shall trouble
yon with this postscript for the purpose.
De Barras, with the Rhode-lfland squadron of seven
ships of the line of battle, and one forty, with all the
battering train for the siege of York and Gloucefler,
did not get into the Chefapeak until the foth, that is,
five days aftet the fight; and the Glorieux, o f 74 guns,
did not return from York river, and rejoin de Graffe,
until the fame loth of September, having left the Tri
ton and Vaillant, of 64, with the Caton and Experi
ment, of 50, up the rivers.
fret been early enough to have fallen in with monsieur
de Graffe upon his firft arrival off the capes of Virginia,
it would have had three more Blips of the line, and two
fifties, manned with 1800 more men and 90 officers,
than were in the fight of the sth, to have encountered.
But this was mere accident.
On the second day after the fight, arrived the Pega
sus, captain Stanhope, with fir George Rodney's
third and lad dispatch, which was what follows :
" Gibraltar, at sea, August 13, 1781.
" Herewith I have the honour to enclose you intel
ligence, which I received from St. Thomas's the night
before [ failed from St. Etifiaties, and to acquaint you
that I left fir Samuel Hood preparing to fail with all
possible dispatch with twelve fail of the line, four fri
gates and a fire ffiip, for the capes ofVirginia, where I
am persuaded the French intend making their grand
effort.
" Permit me therefore to recommend it to you to col
led all the force you can, and form a junction with
fir Samuel there. Von will I hope, 'ere this reaches
you, hava heard of his approach by his fafleft failing
frigate, which I directed him to dispatch for the pur
pose oflooking out for intelligence off the Chefapeak
and Delaware.
" The French feet under de Graffe, when they left
the Grenades to collea their convoy, confided of twen
ty-fix fail of the line and two large ships, armed en
flute, and I imagine at lead twelve of those ships, and
in all probability a part of Mr. de Montiel's squad
ron will be in America : and it is not impossible they
may be joined by force Spanish ships.
Besides the squadron fir Samuel Hood brings with
him, two line of battle ships which I sent to strengthen
the convoy to Jamaica, have my orders to proceed
from thence, through the Gulph, and join him at the
Chefapeak without delay.
The battle by sea then happened, not only before
the arrival of de Barras's ships ; but when three of
de Grade's own of the line, and two es his fifties, were
up the Chefapeak, at a diftanre of 18 leagues, accom
panied by 1800 men, and 90 officers, belonging to the
crews of the 24 ships that flayed with him, and came
into aHion : for this considerable part of de Graffe's
force was absent from the fight, employed in superin
tending and making the disembarkation of 3300 land
forces, that had been brought aboard the 28 ships of
war, which (according to his own account) composed
his fleet, when he arrived on the American coast = the
consequence is, that the naval engagement could not
have been in a more opportune point of time for us;
and had it been fuccefsful, it must have relieved lord
Cornwallis effectually. Nay, more, had de Graft's
24 ships been then defeated, and driven off the coast,
in all probability our fleet would have immediately
taken possession of the great bay of Chefapeak, and
have captured the whole of de Barras's squadron,
with all the battering cannon for the army, as well a*
the Glorieux, the Triton and Vaillant, the Caton and
Experiment, with all de Graffe's frigates, that were
in the rivers York and James. In a word, the fate of
lord Cornwallis, and of all America perhaps, may be
said to rest upon the merits or demerits of the action of
the sth of September, and not upon those of any cir
cumflances, either previous or fybfequept to it.
This dispatch was addressed to, " vice admiral Ar
buthnot or the commanding officer (for the time being)
of his ma jefly's ships employed in North-America.''
The two line of battle ships, mentioned in the close erf
it, were the Torbay of 74 and the Prince William of
64 guns, which arrived fafely from Jamaica at New-
York on the tith of Oftober. But Mons. de Graffe,
inHead of coming to the Chefapeak with no more than
2 part of his own and de Montiel's fquadron.s, brought
the whole of both, excepting the A&ionaire of 64 guns,
which was left at St. Domingo for a convoy to their
homeward bound trade, and the Intrepid of 74 guns
and the Inconttanate of 40, which both took fire and
blew up in the Weft-Indies.
O R, THE
I have the honour to be, &c.
G. B. RODNEY."
THE
MERCHANDIZE,
As USUAL: ALS O,
Houfhold Furniture & Wearing
A PPA R E L, &c. &c.
WILLIAM BROWN, AuQionem
N. B. Hand-Bills will be difeontinued for the fu
ture, except on particular Occasions.
To be Sold by Public Audion,
At the Coffee- House, on SATURDAY, the Sixth
Div 0, July next, at Six o'clock in the Evening,
THAT elegant ,nd plWant place, formerly owned
by Mr. John Rouse, situate in faffyunk townflvy,
rear the Butcher't Arms, being within one mile of the
South-street of the city, and lying on both sides of the
road commonly called Ronfe's lane, containing in the
whole about 33 acres, rs acres of which are on the
eafterlv fide of said lane, having a barn, (tables And bar
rack ereaed thereon, and about fix acres whereof is
orchard, chiefly goog winter fruit. The remaining 16
acres are oh the wefterl, fde of the said lane, with an
elegant frame dwelling honfe sreßed thereon g? feet by
go, well finished, being two stories high, with four
rooms on the firft and second floors, hefides two good
garrets, with a p a fye thfeugh. Th 4 whole lined with
a four inch brick wnll, and having a good cellar under
the whole, divided into three parts. A kitchen and
piazza adjoining the fame, with a bake-house and Oven,
&c. Near the kitchen door is a well of good water with
a good pumpin it. The whole in good order, ft will
be fold fep#ratelv. Any person who may be inclined
to purchase the Premises, or a part thereof, at private
Gley before the said sixth day of foly nex f , may be in
formed o' the terms, on application to Afneton Humph^
reys Elijah Brown, or the fubfr ih<r on the oremiles.
June n . RENT. HEMING&
DA^IS BENAN,
Has f or SALE, at his Store in Second-street, one
door from Pine-street, A
Quantity of best James rivet
Tobacco,
Some very fine Hams, Shoulders and Fletch Bacon
Madeira Wine by the quarter-calk dr gallon.
Old Rum by the gallon,
A few barrels of very good Pork,
An Assortment of DRY GOODS, &e. &e. June <4.
A " ° er '° n# indebted by bond, note, book debt or
.arize (har-c, to h* estate of Captain PETER
DAY, late of thia cin, mariner, deceafid, ate defined
to m ke immediate Payment ; 3n d all thole that have
anv Armlet# against the dece^fed, are in like manner
r quitted to bring th n m ip properly attested; in order
th>t they may be fetded, by
Philadelphia, JAMIES HOOD, N_ ~
June n, 1,81. CHARLES MILLER,) EKeeut ° rs
Thirty Dollars Reward.
dI OLEN out of th- ford o r the fubferiber, on Sun
'day l,>ft, the LINING and BRASS WORK out of &
Photon and Chair, Whoever fecores the Thief, so
tint he mav be brought th juffice. shall have the zhoye
Reward, paid by MICHAEL CANER
Philadelphia, Miy to.
The Subscriber wants to PURCHASE
Tanned Leather of all kinds.
He likewif, informs the Public, that he caftiet on the
CURRYING BUSINESS, and keeps an Assortment of
Saddle, Harness, Soal and Upper Leather, Calffkint.
Boot Legs, and all other kinds of finished Leather,
which he will fell at the most reasonable rate. Those
who please to favour him with their custom shall be at
well served at in the city, and the favour be grate
fully acknowledged, by their most humble servant,
WILLIAM PERKINS.
Living in Fifth.ftreet, three doors above Market-street.
Philadelphia, May 16.
MORNI N G,
Will be Sold by Public Audion,
a large assortment or
Southwark Au&ioh.
JUNE 27, Q^
THIS
[NUMB. 903.