The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-05-22 00:00:00, page 2

LISE O IV, January 27.
IT ER mod faithful majefiy the queen's mother de
-1 J parted this life on the 15th inflant; to the great
gref of their most faithful majeflies, and the rest of
the royal family.
LONDO N.
February 1. Yeflerday Mr. Edmund Burke was pre
sent at the levee at St. James's for the firfl time since
his being return'd to Parliament, for the borough of
Malton ; several of the leaders of the opposition in both
houses have lately visited the court. The earl of Shel
burn attended the levee on Monday last.
Extract of an authentic letter from Versailles, Jan. 22.
" The Ruffian Minister has within these few days
no less than five different dispatches by couriers from
his cohrt. Yeflerday he received the lift, and had a
long conference with M. Maurepas, Neckar, and Ver
gennes. The talk here is that Russia is determined,
if pollible, to heal the breaches between the States and
England, and prevent a general war throughout the
continent."
Extras of a letter from Rotterdam, Jan. 19.
" The Non-Agreement of what are called here the
two refractory provinces, is doubtless a great flop to
those necessary exertions so much to be wished for at
this time; nevertheless in those which have agreed, on
the grand question of war with the English, all pos
sible diligence is used in fitting out fllips of war: At
Amflerdam in particular nine ships of the line are
row equipping; i. e. two of 70, four of 60, and three
of 50 guns. Our navy is at present but small, however
40 fail will be added before the expiration of the pre
fect year, which will give it a degree of refFeflability
at least, if not reverence."
Feb. 6. ft is said that fifteen of the fleet of trans
ports, Which failed from Portsmouth for Cork, about
the 20th ult. on board of which was part of the 49th
regiment, were captured by a cutter of 16 guns, hav
ing a Congress cornmiffion, though the, crew were most
ly Welch and Irish. The transports were immediately
ransomed, and are arrived at Cork.
A court of enquiry is summoned to fit at the horse
guards to determine on the conduct of Governor Mor
ris and Lieutenant-Colonel Ethrington, in furrenderiog
the ifknd of St. Vincent to the French. The court will
consist of a Lieutenant General and two Major-Gene
rals.
Extract of a letter from Briflol, Feb. 4.
" The spirit of party is at prefect risen here to a
height scarce ever know before. Nothing but riots
and tumults all the day, with different mobs parading
the flreets, which, as they meet each other, raise ter
rible disturbances, and encounter with a fury more be
coming nations at open and declared war, than con
tending factions at an election. In one of these frays
the White Lion Inn was nearly demolished, and much
other mifehief done. Nay, to such a pitch is the par
ty arrived, that a friend of one of the candidates
actually proceeded to the place of poll, with drums
beating and the American colours displayed. In short
we know not what end things may come to at last.
Pitched battles are fought between the eppofite clubs
in which many are killed. A gentleman, this moment
assures me, that he few fix lying dead in the street."
Extract of a letter from Harwich, Feb. 13.
“ This morning at break of day we observed a large
ship on shore off this place; boats - were immediately
fc.it out to her affiflance, by which we find that she is
the General Barker homeward bound East indiaman,
Captain Todd, which was blown out of the Downs.
She lies very dangerously, and we can give her co as.
finance while the wind continues to blow so hard."
The General Barker Eaft-Indiaman had not an an
chor on board her when she left the Downs, having be
fore parted with three, which were all she had.
Gen. Clark is said to be going over to Quebec, to re
lieve Cen. Heklimand, in the government of that place.
The Catfir privateer of Briflol, has sent into Cork
the Hazard, an American vessel, bound from Nantes
to America, ladea with military stores, bale goods,
and an atfortment of other articles.
February 8. By the robbery of the Bristol mail,
among other lo<es is that of government, the excise
collectors having remitted by the post, thus inter
cepted, the sum of 14,000!.
Extract of a private letter from the Hague, Jan. 30.
“ We are assured that the court of London has made
general overtures to the States General, setting forth,
that they were ready to accommodate matters with
the republic f the United Provinces, provided thedig
nity of the crown of England could permit it; and for
that purpose proposed a truce for two months.. That
their High mightinesses had answered, that on their
parts, as they were ready to listen to any ppbpofah
that were just and equitable, they would willingly,
hear what the court of Great-Britaio had to propose.
If this proves true, we may yet hope to fee peace
again established between the two countries."
Lord George Gordon, accompanied by his two bro
thers, set off yeflerday for the country, in order to
enjoy a little relaxation, so necessary after his tedious
and disagreeable confinement.
A private letters from Versailles fays, “ The minis
try are determined to oppose the English fleet which
are upon the point of failing for the relief of Gibraltar;
every ship that can poffbly swim will be sent to join
those of Spain—should M. d'Estaing not be able to
proceed on the duty, the count d'Orvilliers is to com
mand in chief.
Le Maje ieux, of no guns, has gone from Toulon
to Cadiz, to join the Spanish squadron. A great ma
ny ships have left Bred for the fame purpose, under
M de Bores, and other officers.
Lord George Gordon was extremely at his ease dur
ing the whole of his late trial, and in rhe course of it
fa d a number of lively things to his friends who flood
round him. Amongfl others were the following : when
the reverend Mr. Bowen was called, in behalf of the
prosecution, somebody remarked, he thought the chap
lain was to appear in his Lordship's favour: '' Oh,
“ fir (replied lord George) you fee their malevo
“ fence towards me, for they have deprived me of
“ the BENEFIT OF CLERGY ALREADY !''— And 00
the name of Mr. Shak^fpear, the hope-maker, being
called over as a juror, “ I am under the neceflity,
“ fays he, of challenging that person, for he is an in
“ terefbd man by profession!"
H 0 U S E cf COMMON S, February 8.
Mr. De Grey moved fi^ refoldfions, which were ri
greed to, viz. That certain fumb, which he tyeci^ed,
be granted for defraying the expence of the civil govern
m~nt, and certain extra expences, of Nova Scotia; Bast
Florida, Weft Florida, and Georgia ; for Certain gene
ral surveys of the American provinces, and for the
support and ebhourgement of the company of English
merchants trading to the Levant seas. This last arti
cle amounted to eight thousand pounds.
Sir George Yonge adverted to the present slate of
Gibraltar, and said that we had no Levant trade.
Lord North said there wa3 a trade to the Levant seas,
but that, in the present circumflances of public affairs,
it required encouragement. There was no further de
bate on this fubjert.
February 15. Money on.mortgage will certainly
be taxed in the ensuing budget ; for lord North has
applied to various offices, part cularly chancery, for
information upon that head.
The fall of the flocks 3 per cenf. has occasioned a
determination to bring on lord Loughborough'^ plan,
of felling all the lands belonging to hospitals, rod veil
ing the produce in the funds : the low price of land is
not an objection, as the flocks are proportioned
Extract of a letter from Plymouth, Feb. 10.
" To-morrow a draught of 350 marines, properly
officered, to go on board the Hero and Corageux, in
order to fail for Portfmoutb, and join the fleet des
tined for Gibraltar."
The East and Weft-India fleets are appointed to fail
from Spithead the 20th inflant, at which time the
grand fleet is expefted to fail, in order to cfcort them
across the bay.
Extract of a letter from Waterford, Jan. 31.
" The Neptune galley, captain Christian Ander
son, of and from Arundal, in Norway, is jbft arrived
here. The captain fays, that an embargo was laid on
the Flipping in all the ports in Denmark and Norway
the firft instant, iroorder to procure seamen for a large
fleet fitting out there, to Le ready early in the spring/
Captain Anderson got away in consequence of his fhip'
being cleared out previous to the embargo."
Orders are given for all the ships bound to the Weft-
Indies, which intend to go with the firfl convoy, to
get round so Por/fmouth as sass as podible^ as they are
to fail on the 20th inflanf.
Part of the new takes is said to be, an additional
duty on porter, strong ale, and flrong beer : This, it
is supposed, will produce half a million. It is said,
that the tax on houses will be repealed and cease. The
duty 'on windows so be repealed, but a new duty of
four shillings to be laid on each window. The other
taxes are not yet known to the public, nor the sum
so be funded this year: It is supposed to be from
twelve to fifteen millions.-
A fetter from Aldbortyligh, in Suffolk, February 12,
fays, " We have had, for these three days, the mod
violent Forms of wind that ever was remembered ' by
she oldest man living.— Our coaf lis covered with pie
ces of wrecks of fhipsf and every tide throws up dead
bodies, in so much, that ' if is employment for several
men to bury them. Guns from ships in diffrefs are
continually difeharging, but the wind blows so hard
that we cannot venture to their affiflance: A vessel
from Lynn, which put in here for shelter, was blown
out, and loft within fight of this town, and the crew
were drowned."
Extract of a letter from Norwich, February 10.
" We all all in the' utmost confufion. The odious
American war, with its consequent evils, have pro
duced such a scene of insolvency, difirefs, and con
fterrtation, as beggars all description. Within these
few days, no less than four of cur capital manufac
turers have flopped payment; the conseq uence of
which is, that private credit and confidence is dag
gered, if not destroyed, and the indufirious poor
flarving for want of bread and employment,"
At the close of the poll last Tuesday for member for
Bristol,. the numbers were, for Mr. Cruger 2009 ; for
Mr. Daubeney 2009.
On the news of lorl George Gordon's honourable
acquittal arriving at Edinburgh by express. In con
sequence of this intelligence, the city and suburbs
were illuminated in the evening, and a number of bon
fires erefted not only in that city, but in different
parts of the neighbourhood. The lord provost and
magistrates, fearful of any disturbance happening,
very prudently applied to the commander in chief for
a party of dragoons. They were accordingly order
ed, and arrived here in the evening. The regiment
cantoned in the caflie was iikewife ordered to be in
readiness, in case of an/tumult ; however, no irre
gularity whatever took pßee during the whole night.
The report of an intended marriage between the
emperor and the princess royal of England, is one of
those hazarded ones which ignorant, interefled peo
ple, of a particular party, generally invent, and fool,
ifh people only believe. What they would insinuate
by this report, is, that in consequence of this mar
riage, either an accommodation with France and Spain
mud soon take place, or we fhould' gain such an alli
ance as must turn the scale of victory in our favour.
They omitted, however, taking into consideration the
improbability of such a fiery ; such as the emperor
being brother in law to the king of France ; that le
is forty years of age, and that the princess royal is
net above fourteen.
The cabinet couriers are laughed out of counte
nance, for their flory of the American defection ;
and now they are wreathing laurels for the brow of
lord Cornwallis, whose gallant spirit does not with to
receive them but from the hands of the fubjefted ene
my. Sale baits to catch scrip hunters!
Those who are wed acquainted with the political
thermometer at this season of the year, imagine we
shall hear of nothing hut good news, good news in
perfpedive, till after 1 e opening of the budget.
Many of the premier's monied friends in the city
have been teazing him of late to know the particulars
of the new loan, but they have hitherto received na
other answer from him, than that it will be a good
thing. Probably his lordship is waiting for some good
news from America to regulate his plan by.
We have, since Mr. Burke's last patriotic efforts
for retrenching the public expences, a new house of
commons, we have also turned over another year,
when the general wants of the nation have been, if
possible, more severely felt. It is therefore to be pre
sumed that the majority of that honourable assembly
(if they would not wish to merit the character given
of their predecessors) will join with him in relieving
their country as.much as possible; from a burden that:
is evidently near breaking its back.
February 16. Yeflerday Captain King, of the Re
solution, was presented to his Majefly at the Levee,
by the Lord in Waiting, accompanied by Mr. Banks,
and was mod graciously received. Captain King at
the fame time had the honour to present to his Majef.
ty t^e journals kept on begird the Difeovery and Reso
lution, in their voyage round the world.
Feb. 27. The East India Company have imported
in the present fleet from China, upwards of two mil
lions two hundred thousand pounds weight of tea.
The present fall of flocks, is the annual consequence
of the new expelled loan, and not owing to any other
cause whatsoever, althoughs the tricks of interefled
politicians have as ribed it to the certain deftruaiori
of this country.
March 2. The following is a correft lift of the squa
dron under the command of Commodore Johnftone,
defined for a secret expedition, viz.
Hers 74 Jason 36
Monmouth 64 Mercury 3 @
Romney 50 Shark Sloop
Jnpitf 50 Rattlesnake ditto
Isis 50 Porto ditto
Diana 36 Lark Cutter
Active 36 Seven armed transports.
And three armed florefhips.
Expresses are continually going from the admiralty
to Portsmouth, with official dispatches to Admiral
Darby, refpeaing the failing and entire equipment of
the grand fleet. Captain Moore arrived in town on
Wednesday at the admiralty, charged with a particu
lar letter from the Admiral, to Lord Sandwich, and
yeflerday morning the Captain set off, on his return
to Portfihoutn
Captain Moore tarries the final and positive orders
for the immediate failing of the fleet, the instant the
wind comes about. The Admiral has directions not to
wait for any more (hipping, which might take the be
nefit of his convoy. It is a necessary iukice to the
Lords of the Admiralty t&explaib this cireumfl^oce to
she world, air it is a certain faft, that the grand fleet
could have Keen at sea ten days ago, if they had not
Iren detained at that time, by waiting for the EaftTn
dia men. Since then the adverse winds have kept them
in port, and probably may for some time to come; it
is a maxim in so large a fleet never to trust to a change
khmediately, but to flay in port till it is confirmed by
keeping one whole day to a point. The equinoctial
winds are generally very changeable, so that there
may not be fucir a wind as they will think expedient to
trust to for a month to come.
Extract of a letter from Dartmouth, Feb. 24.
“ Our privateers are in and out constantly, but have
lately t*ken nothing. The Dutchmen are very shy ;
they all keep over on the French coafl, where there is
hardly a probability of falling in with them."
The Ministry have been at their usual annual work,
with refpef tto the fund's, as one day this week, they, by
the r emissaries, bro't in one hundred and fifty thousand
pounds. This is a Decoy Duck, just before the open
ing of the lean, to give the flocks a fillip; andt it has
accordingly succeeded, as they have risen one per cent-
Happy Ministers ! No sooner has the American re
volt blown over, than they have got another Solace,
at lead for a week or so, to pacify the minds of the de
luded people, against the tremendnous horrors of the
approaching campaign. Some citizens of the republic of
Geneva, it is said, have had a quarrel with some French
men. This will moll probably be magnified into a ge
neral rupture on the continent, in which the Dutch
and French will have so much to do, that they will
not have any leisure to pay us the promifed' visit.
The conduct of Adminifiration on Mr. Burke's bill,
confirms this sass, that ceconomy forms no part of their
fyfiem. They in short indirectly declare, that it is
too late to save ; and hold out this melancholy truth
to the public, “ that as they have burned the candle,
they will burn the inch."
A remembrance of the following expregions, fays~a
correspondent, in a king's speech and a people's address,.
mud affeC t sensibly the generous feelings of every well
wifher of his country, at this terrible hourof her com
plicated misfortunes.
Frern the speech of his majefly, on his accefflon to
the throne : " T^e fleet of France is weakened to such a
degree, that the fm ill remains of it have continued
blocked up by my ships in their own ports: At the
fame time the French trade is reduced to the lowed
ebb; w^ilftthe commerce of my own kingdoms is
fiber riffling to an extent unkarcewn imany" former war."
From the address of the Quakers on the above glo
rious occasion :—" Mar the Almighty bless thy endea
vours. May sacred and unerring wisdom ever be thy
guide ; adorn thee with every virtue, and crown thee
with every blessing ; that future ages may commemo^
rate the happmefs of thy reign with grateful admira
tion."
At a- time, fays a correspondent, when the nation is
furtoundtd with enemies, and the industrious classes
of society are ilmoft finking under the encseafing load
of taxation, a French Dancer is publicly loading his
pockets, and privately laughing at the folly which en
courages him. Welf therefore might that di flinguifhcd
patriot, Mr. B , introduce the name of V—
lately ip the Senate, as a severe and just satire on the
madness of the times.
Though dancing be an indication es joy, in this and
other parts or Europe, we are teld in home parts A
South America it is the effect of sorrow : And it is cer
tain that in N^th-Amerca the rebels and,king's troops