The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1783-02-27 00:00:00, page 3

Captain , in the ship Robin Hood, belonging to
New-England, on her way from Cape Francois to the
Havanna, fell in with the above fleet off Matanzes,
and captured a brig, one of the fleet, loaded with 200
hogsheads of sugar, and carried her into the Havanna.
BALTIMORE, February 21.
By the schooner Clio, captain Difhieb just arrived
here, in 19 days from St. Christopher's, we have the
following intelligence, viz.
Extract of a letter from St. Chriflopher's, dated Janu
ary 29, 1783.
<' On the 26th instant, count Dillon received an ex
press from the governor of Guadaloupe, acquainting
him, that the Venus frigate had arrived there, and an
nounced the failing of count d'Estaing, from Cadiz, on
the 18th ult. for Martinique, with 45 fail of the line,
and 300 transports, on board of which were 15,000
troops.— The captain of the frigate also reports, that
all negociations for a peace were at an end.—ls the
news of the day should prove true, (which seems to
carry conviction with it, as no peace-messenger has
yet made his appearance) business will again flourifh in
this island.”
Philadelphia, Feb. 27.
Tuesday morning captain Deal, in the Blip Queen
of France, arrived here from I'Orient, but last from
Teneriffe. He left the firft mentioned port the 27th of
December, when the last advices from Paris spoke with
great uncertainty as to the much-talked of event,
PEACE. On the 26th December, an American gen
tleman in public character at I'Orient received a let
ter from doctor Franklin, informing that all hopes of
peace were atan end: at the fame time capt. Barney,
of the Wallington packet, received a similar letter and
difpatche< from doctor Franklin, with directions to fail
for America without delay ; but captain Barney was
detained by the indisposition of some of his officers and
crew, but expected to be able to proceed in two er
three days.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman at I'Orient, dated
Dec 24, 1782.
" The present critical situation of affairs has nearly
put a flop to all business. The independence of the uni
ted Rates of America has been acceded to by the king
of Great Britain conditionally, but a general peace has
not yet taken place, and we think it probable a consi
derable time may elapse before things are brought to
a conclusion."
Extract of a letter from Teneriffe, dated January 28,
1783.
" A lugger, bound to the Havanna, touched here
the 26th ioftant, in eight days from Cadiz. She brings
no news that can be depended upon, further than that
there are 40 fail of the line and 200 transports lying at
that place, which were expected to fail on an expedi
tion about the sth of February, supposed againftJa
maica."
We learn from good authority, that the Spanish
squadron, cofifting of 13 fail of the line, have actuary
failed from the Havanna. They are to touch at Por
to R co, take on board their army under general Gal
vez, and proceed with admiral don Solano to attack
Jamaica.
The report, in the New-York paper, of the Ville de
Paris, Centaur and Glorieux being arrived at St. Mi
chaels, is without foundation ; it is therefore concluded
that they are loft.
The brig Speedwell, captain William Proby, of E
dentowu, was, on the 29th of September last, in lati
tude 27- ' l®- long- 63. 10. overfet in a white squall,
by which accident he was deprived of getting at a saw
and broad axe, which were on board, to cut away his
masts, but fortunately saved five or fix cutlasses from
his round house, which was carried away, and making
them answer the purpose of saws, in cutting away the
mails, the righted again. He arrived with his vessel in
18 days at Cape Francois, but was unfortunately taken
on his return home, by the Amphion British (hip of
war,---the officers of which treated him politely.
Captain Proby, induced from principles of justice
and gratitude, desires to communicate his thanks to
captain Edward Phillipfon, of the (hip John, for his
humane and generous behaviour to him, and several
other American prifooers, who were confined near five
weeks on board his fhip,---and hopes, should the fate
of war, throw him into the hands of an American
captain, that he will experience a similar treatment.
Newcastle county, Delaware state, Feb. 20, 1783.
On Sunday last, fourteen refugees and a negro that
joined them that morning, headed by captain N. Law
rence and W. Dredden, immediately from New- York,
landed in the lower part of this country, marched four
miles to the house of one Robert Appleton, one of our
conftablet, a religious inoffenfive good fort of a man.
After infolting and plundering his family of all their
cloaths and cash, they carried off Appleton and his bro
ther, a young lad. When they arrived at Bombay
Hook, they ordered the lad to fall down on his knees
in mud, and pray for them; on refufing, one of the
party knocked him down, and then marched off, leav
ing the distressed boy to perifli. But the timely assist
ance of some country people has recovered him.
About this time the refugees were joined by one
capt. Brooks, and five more pirates, who have infefled
our shores for some time past, which proved an unfor
tunate junction for the prisoner. He was carried to the
house of R. Pearson, placed on a table, and ordered
to preach a methodist sermon, they having difeo
vered by papers found on him that he was of that soci
ety. On his refufing to preach, Brooks ordered him to
be whipt to death, for a damned rebel ; a rope of better
than an inch thick, which they called a colt, was pre
pared, and the negro brought forward to execute this
cruel order. He hesitated a moment, when capt. Law
rence took hold of the colt, and gave the firfl ten strokes;
the party relieved him in turns, till the poor viHim was
nearly exhaufled, being a weakly man, and having re
ceivsd near an hundred strokes. He was then told, that
out of clemency, if he would swear never to serve the
rebels any longer, he should have his life; which he
Was forced to comply with. After destroying his p&
pers, both of a public and private nature, they dismis
sed him.
Last night the fame set of villains landed at Thorough-
Fare Point, at Duck Creek, burnt the houses at the
landing, and about twenty cord of wood for your
market.
They threaten to lay our farms and flores in
ashes. We are kept busy watching their motions
on the shore, but lament the want of protection by
water.
The misrepresentations of the New-York Gazette,
with refped to the taking of the frigate la Sybille, o
blige us to state immediately to the public this event
as it passed, with all its circumflances. The fol
lowing details are partly an abAraH from the jour
nals of the Sybille since her departure from the Cape;
and the other part so authentic, that the public may
depend upon the exadnefs of the fads here dated.
THE Sybille failed from Hispaniola the 27th of De
cember last, with the Roop of war le Railleur, and a
French and American convoy; she got fafe out with
out encountering any vessel.
The 2d of January, the wind at S. S. W. she got
fight of a man of war and a frigate to windward, which
gave chafe to the fleet; Mr. de Kergariou made a sig
nal to fleer to the northward, and endeavoured to op
pose the English frigate, which preceded the man of
war, and got close to the „Railleur ; at noon he was
obliged to engage her, in order to save the latter.
Having gained this point, and feeing himfelf too near
to the man of war, he resolved to take chafe till a
quarter after two o'clock ; but perceiving that the ene
my failing much fatter, fought him by the quarters,
he began to attack her along fide. Mr. de Kergariou
himfelf received in the fame time several wounds, which
threw him down senseless. His second lieut. d'Efcures
took the command, and fought three quarters
of an hour, during which time the English frigate had
all her masts cut down. Then M. d'Efcures thought
proper to keep at a distance from the man of war, who
chafed him till eight in the evening. At night the
whole convoy was out of fight and to the northward,
and the Railleur was at four leagues distance to the
southward. It is supposed that the English man of
war and frigate were the Endymion and Magicienne.
This firft adventure leaves no doubt that Mr. de
Kergariou would never have struck to a frigate like
the Hussar. The courage assigned to captain Russel,
would never have compensated for the inferiority of
his force, against an enemy who is not less brave than
himfelf.
The 6th of January, a gale of wind entirely difmaft
ed the Sybille. She was refitted as well as it could be
done, with bad jury top-masts and Rill worse rigging.
The 22d of the fame month, Mr. de Kergariou
fleering to the westward, Rarboard tack, to try sound
ings, of which he thought himfelf very near ; in the
latitude of Cape Henry, descried in his rear, a vessel
which appeared to be of an American con Rrudion,
and which he resolved to wait for at any rate, in or
der to get the true latitude in case she was an American,
or to attack her if she was an enemy. Therefore he
hoisted English colours above French colours, at the
ensign Raff, and English colours with a r«d tail upside
down in the main Girouds. The vessel being very near
by the Sybille, Mr. de Kergariou ordered to hail her
in English; she did not aufwer but fella fterndThis
commander descrying afterwards two other vessels,
and taking the firft one for a privateer lessened his fail
at once, and manoeuvred to be boarded by her across, 1
and to try to break her masts by the shock. Tie ene
my succeeded to avoid being boarded. Mr. d'Kerga
riou instantly ordered to strike the yacht colour at
the ensign ftaff, and there remained only the French
colours : then the firing began. It is true that the
English colours in the main shrouds remained for some
time, being difficult to strike; but colours in that
place have never been considered as a national diftindi
on ; they are only a signal, and have some secret mean
ing, and (as captain Russel informs us) convey amongst
the English, the idea of distress; but he is the firft who
has made us that confidence, and he will not probably
deny that the yacht at the ensign Raff being the only
mark which can be considered as national, had been
struck before the firing began.
The firft broadside of the Hussar was fired in a mo
ment, when the rolling of the Sybille, being not coun
terbalanced by her masts, (loft 16 days before) disco
vered almost her whole bottom. The balls of 18 and
9 pound- rs entering the (hip very low, let five feet wa
ter into her hold. The Hussar received some damage
in her masts, which she went to repair, at the distance
of 2 guns shot to the leeward, and M. de Kergariou
improved this moment to flop the holes in his ship, and
lessen the water in the hold: But all his efforts were
useless, and a man of war having come up with him
and engaged his quarter, fired two foots whilst the
Hussar gave him a broadside to the leeward without
gun-shot. Then Mr. de Kergariou, couriering the
impossibility of laving his frigate, which was full of
water, returned two shots to the man of war, to ihew
that he furreudered to her, and flruck his colours.
The officer of the marines on board the Hussar, went
on board the Sybille, and in the most polite manner,
begged Mr.de Kergariou to go on board the Hussar,
the captain of which, he said, was the oldest officer,
and spoke French. Mr. de Kergariou, though very
weak from his wounds and bruises, immediately fol
lowed, being in hopes to forward the fhifting of his
crew, ready to perish with the frigate, whose pumps
did not lessen the water.
On his arrival on board the Hussar, with several of
his officers, he presented his (word to captain Russel,
who received it, broke it to pieces, and sent him into
the hold, where he was confined until the 14th of Fe
bruary, which day only he was allowed to walk up
on the deck, in which condition he was fill on the
15th.
The superior officers of the English navy, have pro
bably been badly informed of the fads before menti
oned, if they have approved of the conduf tof captain
Russel; none of them can confider the colours hoifled
in the main threads as a national diftindion, particu
The above is the true account of this event, a part
of which the New-York Gazeteer has entirely omit
ted, whilst he misrepresented the other. The public
may now be judge between Mr. de Kergariou and capt.
Russel, though the main question will be decided by
the two courts, or the individuals.
A correspondent observes, that captain Russel want
ed to carry the Sybille to the Weft-Indies, where it
might have been believed that the Hussar had taken the
Sybille : he could not obtain it from the commodore
and a difference ensued between them on that occasion:
but let the Britifli naval officers at New-Yerk, between
themselves, judge of the question and of the evidence
ofca ptain Russel. Let all the world judge, if in the
in flances of advantages gained by the French officers
upon the English, if they have treated them with z
want of humanity ; if they have boasted of their suc
cess ; if they have encreafed the distress of a conquer
ed enemy by confining them in dungeons, abusing
them in newspapers whilst unable to defend themfelves';
if they have deprived their sick and wounded of the
common affiflance, and caused them to perifli in the
most deplorable condition : let any American fay if he
ever heard a Frenchman|ufing expressions of abuses and
contempt towards the English ; and since we now are
perfectly acquainted with both nations, let us judge
which deserve best to be despised and abhorred, or to
be refpeded, esteemed, and beloved.
An extensive Diflillery, most
ingeniously designed and compleatly executed; the
works consist of three dills, one of 700 gallons, ano
ther of 160, and a third of 42, all with the best blork
tin worms ; ten cedar cisterns, capable of holding 700
gallons each, and every meceffary utensil. These works
are conveniently situated for distilling either malt,
molasses or cyder (500 hogsheads of the latter ware
run off the last season) as they lay within 2 and a half
miles of a good landing, and in the bosom of a wood ;
they are so contrived, on a never-failing stream, that
any quantity of water can be readily applied without
a hand's labour, by well -designed trunks and troughs,
to every purpose of the business. The farm can be fur
nished with a fufficiency of the best stock and a com
pleat lett of farming utensils. Apply to Doßor
HUTCHISON, in Philadelphia, or
JAMES WILKINSON, on the premises.
February 26, 1783$
To be Sold at private Sale,
(And possession to be given the firft of May, or earlier
if required) during the natural life of Joseph Gal
low,v,
THAT elegant SEAT on which the fubftriber at
present resides, situated near the river Nefhamany,
18 miles from Philadelphia and 5 from Bristol, con
taining 4.4.4. acres, a large proportion of which is ara
ble, and in good order, with 12 acres of bottom and
8 of upland meadow. This beautiful spot abounds
with 'ruit of the greatest variety and best quality ; the
orchards have produced upwards of 100 hogfneads of
cyder in a season, and the gard n is amply supplied
with most delicious pe^rs, plumb#, apricots, grapes,
rafb^rries, currants strawberries and cherries. The
mansion house is convenient, spacious and elegant,
with a good roomy kitchen and offices adjoinirg, large
and convenient stables, and a compleat stone barn and
grainary, fmoak, coach, cyder, poultry, cow, sheep,
and other out-houses. The farm yielded upwards of
2000 bushels of grain the year before last, and now
has upwards of 60 acres of winter grain in the ground.
The terms of purchase will be made qute convenient
to the bayer.
An elegant Assortment of Goods,
Lately imported from Europe, which he will difpole
of reasonable, for Cash or Bills of Exchange:
SUPERFINE Broadcloths, the most falhionable co
lours,
Caffimers,
Prunella,
Black India Taffities,
Sattins and Modes twilled, for breeches,
Striped and spotted Sattins, Taffiities and Luteftrings,
Cambricks and Lawns, thread Gauze,
Nankeens,
Russia Towelling,
Ditto Sheeting,
Ravens Duck,
Checks and Stripes,
Mullin,
Spotted Handkerchiefs,
Calicoe and Chintz,
Black and coloured silk Velvet,
Holland Linen,
Glazed ditto, different colours,
Marseilles Quilting,
Buckram, Platillias,
Striped Linfey,
Cotton ditto,
And many other Articles suitable for the season, too
tedious to mention. Feb. 26.
larly when there are other colours on the ensign Raff;
However, this is the only apparent motive of the inde
cent conduct of captain Russel, against an officer, whose
age, rank, conduft, bad Rate of health, and misfor
tune, called for certain attentions, which it would
have been impossible to refufe.
A. % FILLET,
Has opened a STORE in Market-street, next door to
Mr. Owen Jones, where he has to fell,
LIKEWIS E,
To be Sold on the fame Place,
(separate or together)