The Connecticut courant — Hartford, Conn., 1778-02-17 00:00:00, page 2

and magnanimity have not forfaken him.
Adieu my dear friend, and believe roe
to be with the greatest affection, your most
Sincere friend and most humble servant,
. De L I S laEq
&BritishPHAßOAH's-SPEECH^
his venal PArli'ament.
From rhe London Gazette.
HisMAjESTY's MOST GRAciousSPEECH
to both Houses of Parliament, Nov.
20, 1777.
My Lords and Gentlemen
IT is a great fatisfa&ion to me, that I can
have recourse to tbewifdom and support
of myjParliament in this conjun&ure when
the continuance of the rebellion in North-
America, demands our rtioft serious attention.
The powers which you have entfufted me
with for the suppression of this revolt have
been faithfully exerted; and I have a just
confidence that the conduct and courage of
my officers, and the spirit and intrepidity
of my forces both by sea and land, will
under the blessing of Divine Providence, be
attended with important faccefs : But as I
am persuaded that you will fee the necessity
of preparing for such further operations as the
contingencies of the war and the obstinacy
of the rebels may render expedient I am,
for that purpose pursuing the proper mea
sures for keeping my land forces compleat to
their present establishment; and if I should
have occasion to increase them by contract
ing any new engagements, I rely on your
zeal and public spirit to enable me to make
them good.
I receive repeated assurances from foreign
Powers of their pacific dispositions, My
own cannot be doubted: But, atthis time,
when the armaments in the ports of France
and Spain continue, I thought it advifeable
to make a considerable augmentation to my
naval force as well to keep my kingdoms
in a respectable state of security, as to pro,
vide an adequate protection for the exten
sive commerce of my fubjefts; and as, on
the one hand lam determined that the peace
pfEurope shall not be disturbed by me; so,
on the other, I shall be always a faithful
guardian of the crown of Great-Britan.
GentlemenoftheHouse ofCoMMONS,
I have ordered the estimates for the ensu
ing year to be laid before you. The va
rious services which I have mentioned to
you will unavoidably require large supplies:
And nothing could relieve my mind from
the concern which I feel for the heavy
charge which they must bring on my faith
ful people, but the perfect conviction that
they are necessary for the welfare and the es
sential interests of ray kingdom.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
I will steadily pursue the measures in
which we are engaged for the re eftablifh
roent of that constitutional fubordinatien,
which with the blessing of God, I will main
tain through the several parts of my domini
ons: But I shall ever be watchful tor an op
portunity of putting a flop to the effufion of
the brood of my fubje&s, and the calamities
which are inseparable from.'a state of war. And
I hill hope, that the deluded and unhappy
multitude will return to their allegiance ;
and that the remembrance of what they once
enjoyed, the regret for what they have loft,
andthe feelings of what they raw buffer,
under the arbitrary tyranny of their lead
tci, will rekindle in their hearts a spirit of
loyalty to their sovereign and of attach
ment to their Mother Country ; and that
they will enable me with the concurrence
and fa,port of my Parliament, to accom
plish, wh« I shall confider as the greatest
happiness of my life, and the greatest glo
ry of my reign, the relocation of peace, or
der and confidence to my American co
lonies.
BURLINGTON, January 21.
A correspondent desires us to insert the
following extract from a letter dated Phila
delphia Jan. 9 1778.
' " This city has lately been entertained
with a most astonishing instance of the a&i
. vity, bravery and military skill of the royal
n^ , ofGre^t-Britdih. The affair is feme
what particular "nd deserves your notice.
Some time last week two boys observed a
keg of a singular conftrndion. floating in the
river opposite to the city, they got into a
"fffiall boat; and attempting to take up the
keg it burst with a great explosion and blew
up the unfortunate boys. On Monday last
several kegs of a like conftruftion made their
appearance---An alarm was immediately
spread thro' the city---Various reports pre
vailed ; filling the city and the royal troops
with untpeakable consternation. Some re
ported that these kegs were filled with arm
ed rebels ; who were to issue forth in the
dead of night, as the Grecians did of old
from their wooden horse at the siege of Troy,
and take the city by furprize ; asserting that
they had seen the points of their bayonets
thro' the bung-holes of the kegs. Others
said they were charged with the most inve
terate combustibles to be kindled by secret
machinery and setting the whole Delaware
in femes, wereto consume all the shipping
in the harbour; whilst others averted that
they were conftruded by the magic would
,of themselves afeend the wharfs in the night
time and roll all flaming thro' the streets of
the city, destroying every thing in their
way.---Be this as it may-.-Certain it is that
the Flipping in the harbour, and all the
wharfs of the city were fully manned---The
battle begun and it was furprizing to be
hold the incessant blaze that was kept up
against the enemy, the reb^l kegs. Both
officers and men exhibited the most unparal
lelled Frill and bravery on the occasion;
whilst the citizens Food gazing as fo'emn
witneFes of their prowess. From, the Roe
buck and other Flips of war, whole broad
sides were poured into the Delaware. In
short. net a wandering chip, stick, or rebel
drift log but felt the vigour of the British
arms. The action began about fun-rife
and would have been compleated with great
success by noon had not an old market we
man coming down the river with provisions,
unfortunately let a small keg of butter fall
over-board, which (as it was then ebb)
floated down to the feene of action. At
fight of this unexpected reinforcement of
the enemy the battle was renewed with frelli
fury---the firing was incessant till the even
ing closed the affair. The kegs were ei
ther totally demolished or obliged to fly, as
none of them have Shewn their heads finee.
It is faidhis Excellency Lord Howe has dis
patched a fwift failing packet with an ac
count of this victory, to th? court of Lon
don. In a word, Monday the sth of Jan.
1778 must ever be distinguished in history
for the memorable BATTLE OF THE
KEGS"
LANCASTER, January 21.
On Thursday last the flobp Bachelor,
John Staples master bound from Philadel
phia, burthen about 50 tons with three
hands on board was taken by Capt. Joseph
Rice of the artillery, and a party of eight
men, off Marcus Hook. Her cargo consists
of 36 calks of rice, 8 barrels of beef, 2 calks
of porter 24 firkins of butter 500 bushels
of patatoes and turnips 6 hogSheads of loaf
sugar, 3 ditto of brown sugar, 5 ditto of
rum 17 tierces of salmon, 18 boxehof soap,
I chest of bohea tea, 20 hams 20 cheeses 2
barrels of tar, 1 pipe of wine 1 hogshead of
bottled claret 4 barrels of flour, and 192
half hides.
BOSTON, February 5, 1778.
Last Thursday, a certain John Amory,
(who had voluntarily taken the oa h of al
legiance to the British tyrant) had the auda
city of making his appearance in this town,
when he was immediately taken into custo
dy, and is remanded back to Newport
from whence he came.
HARTFORD February 17.
From an Officer in the Western Army.
' We have news here to which we pty
some credit that War is declared between
France and England--- that the Earl of Chat
ham is at the head of administration--that
the Americans are no longer .to be termed
Rebels. All the private letters by the last
packet were burned by order of the com
mauding officer, and a general exchange is
soon to take place."
Capt. John Keys, is appointed Brigade
Major to General Douglass now at Provi
dence.
*** A few Tickets in the Lottery for re
building the Paper-Mill may be had of the
Printers.
LAST Friday was found in the river
j at Wethersfield, a horse with a sad
dle and portmantua containing some eloathes,
&c. And by papers found in it appears to
be JotaN Lasy's a ferjeant in Capt. Crafts
company of light-horse, who it is supposed
unfortunately fell into the river and was
drowned. The owner may have the above
articles by appying to Samuel Buck.
Wethersfield Jan. 30, 1778.
T'O BE SO L~D
A NEGRO man and negro woman, that
understand all forts of farming and
houfhold work. Enquire of the printers.
Hartford, Feb. 14 1778.
WE the fubferioers being appointed by
the court of probate for the diftirft
of Hartford commjffioners, to examine the
claims of the creditors to the estate of Abi
jah Easton, late of Hartford deceased,
[reprefented infolvent] hereby notify the
creditors to said estate that we Shall attend
the business at the'dw.elling house of Lemu
el Easton in said Hartford, on the firft
and last Taefdys of March next, at 2 o'-
clock on each day.
Timothy Williams,) Commif-
William Warren, f honors'
Hartford Feb. 17, 1778.
A LLpetfons whohave beta employed in
public business by the fubferiber and
have yet any demands against lira therefor,
are defiled to apply immediately and have
their accounts adjured and paid. Those
who have received monies and have net
accounted for them are mo'f earnestly re
queued to bring in their accounts ; and
those who have been repeatedly called on
by letter and otherwise without effeA rauft
expect to fee their names in the front of this
paper as paribns who refute to account for
public ironies. Jere. Wadsworth.
^Hartford, Feb 17, 1 778.
w -fn TirD;
A FEW Artificers for theContinental
Works such as carpenters wheel
wrights. blackimiths amourers, faddlers,
harness makers &c. Whoever understands
working at either of the above occupations,
and do engage in said works, will not only
have targe wages and be freed from paying
rates and from all draughts and duty in
the miritia but be in the immediate Service.
of their country, and entitled to large en
couragements the particulars of which they
may be informed, by enquiring of Benja
min Hecock, or Stephen Offiurn at Bethel,
in Danbury ; Eli ah Hine, at Southbury,
in Woodbury ; Jame Thomfore, at Milford ;
William Walter, at North Haven, in New-
Haven; jerius Willcox John Ofburn, or
Linus Hopfon at Wallingford; William
Sizer, or Jesse Prior, at Middletown; Tho's
Church, at Haddam ; Richard Lamb at
Norwich; Eliphaz Kirigfley, at Scotland,
in Windham ; Ezra Chapman at Gilead,
in Hebron; John Skinner and Richard
Philips, at Hartford; Thomas Phelps at
Simfbury; and Samuel Sccvil at North
bury in Waterbury, in the State of Con
ne&icut; and a'fo John Wood and Nathan
Fisher at Wehborough; John Button at
Colerain ; William Spring and John Beck
with, at Springfield; Stephen Clap at
Worthington, in the State of the Massachu
setts Bay.
THE officers and soldiers of my regi
ment whose furlough's are , out are
ordered to join the regiment immediately,
at Weft Point
SAMUEL WYLLYS, Col.
N. B. The Col. desires the officers to call
on him at Hartford, on their way to Camp,
Hartford, Feb. 17, 1778.