The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-12-13 00:00:00, page 2

H A G U E, September 2 .'
OU R fleet have orders to fail after the ^th of this
month, if then joined by the fllips from the Meuse
and Zeland, we know n<rt yet who is to com
mind it ; it is to consist of 16 fail, and is'to have more
flips of the Ine than Vice admiral Zoutinan had.
St. James'b, ,cp/ember 11th, 1,81.
THIS morning a messengers arrived at the office of
the Earl of Hilfoor. ugh, one of his majefly's
p. dcipal secretaries of flatty with a letter to his lord
gup, from fir Horace Mann, bart. K B. his majefly's
,n v < y extraordinary at Florence, inclofing a letter
from lieutenant general Murray, governor of Minor
ca, dated St. Philip's Castle August to, in which the
governor gives an account, that a diyifion of the fpanifh
fa er i& j transports, was putting <hat morning to the
tail part of tue harbour of Mai on, with a intention,
as was hupp, fed, to land troops in that quarter ; ?nd
that an< dier (he,firn appeared to be going to the wefl
part of that harbour. The governor adds, that he
had been for force tiir a^tz d of the intention of
the enemy, and was perfectly prepared to receive them :
tha.t« ^e garriton was in health and high spirits, and
teat he nad no doubt of mating a vigorous refinance.
'L O NDO N, September 11.
This day f<.nite dispatches wre received from admi
ral Darby, at Torbay, by whic ' we are informed, that
the grand fleet arc all unmoored, and were under way
OT "Sunday morning.
The report of commodore Stuart joining admiral
Darby at Torbay, is without foundation, the commo
dore having proceeded with his fquaciron to his flation
.before the Texel.
A Cadiz I tier to an Agent in ORend, fays, “ Our
fleet has no more than two months full sea provision
on board, the French tut about fix weeks: the latter
may be supplied with provisions on their destined fla
^tions, by victuallers from their ports, to enable them
r to keep longer at sea, but fifty fail of the line, besides
otl er ships, never can "
ibis said that a secret and important expedition,
was proposed a' the board of admiralty on Friday
Wt and which had since met with the concurrence of
the council. The land forces will consist of a large
body of men, who are to be mar bed down to Ports
mouth, where a powerful squadron is Ordered to be
got in immediiet readiness, to cover the transports on
board of which they are to embark : a train of ca nnon
with all other necessary implemen s, are to be shipped
on board the men of war for the above expedition,
which is expected will be complete, and ready to put
to sea w thin a fortnight.
In corfequeuce ^ a letter which it is 'aid lord George
Gordon wrote to lord North, acquainting him that he
had a book to deliver to his majeßf; it is said, t at
his lordihip returned him the following answer: lord
North's compliments to lord George Gordon. If his
lordihip has any book to present to the king, he must
prfrntit at the levee.
The whole of the reinforcements now getting in rea
diners for America, are defined for South-Carolina,
as follows, viz, of the guards, 1200 ; dismounted
horse with their accoutrements, and to be provided
with horses in America, 1500 ; colonel Thomson’s le
gion to be railed of loyalifis, which is to conlift of
1200' with five regiments of infantry from Ireland. A
force which is expected will be able to secure the pea ce
of Carolina, and to check any further progress of the
Spaniards to the Northward.
'Advice was received on Saturday, by a vessel ar
rived in the river from 1 ifbon, that on the intreaty of
the French minißry, the Portuguese had laid an em
bergo on a French (hip of 44 guns, bound from Mar
tinico to Nantz, which was taken by an English man
of war, and lent in there; and that an eJift is publilh
e d ordering all the French and Spanilh ships which
are (ent into any of the ports belonging to Portugal
as prizes, to be flopped.
Itis more than probable that by this time admiral
Darbv has been joined by the (quadion under commo
dore Keith Stuart, who has received positive orders
from the board of admiralty, in such case, to proceed
to sea with the firtt fair wind, and to engage the com
bined fleets o' France and Spain, wherever he shall
come up them.
The St- Alban's, Inglis ; the Agamemnon , Caldwell ;
and Protnee, Euukner, men war, of 64 guns each, are
all under failing orders for the Jamaica Ration, in order
to replace the princess Royal, Ruby and Albi n, which
ere convoy to toe homeward bound fleet.
W en vice admiral Darby is joined by the squadron
und^r commodore Stewart, and the (hips already un
der orders 10 join him, the grand fleet will consist of
undermentioned (hips:
Guns.
Britannia 100
V Rory 100
Royal George J°°
Queen 98
D'uke 98
Formidable 98
Ocean 9°
Namur 9°
Union 9°
Foudryant 80
p incefs Amelia 80
Alexander 74
(onqueror 74
Defence 74
Edgar 74
Courage* 74
M riborough 74|
Valiant 741
For itude 74!
Ar oeant 74 I
Total 39 fail of the line including 3 fifty gun ships.
Intelligence from Holland mention, that the (qua—
d-on ready tc fail from the Texel for the Baltic, is a
m'dch droller one than tlu La ft, and has probably left
ft ny this time. Admiral Picket has the command in
nefrince Frederick of 60 guns, with captain J. V.
Bentincks, in the new ship Union, of 64 guns as commo
Guns.
Bellona 74
Berwick 74
Dublin 74
Hercules 74
Yarmouth 74
Inflexible 64
Medway 64
Re ulfe 64
Beinfaifant 64
Prothee 64
Agamemnon 64
A rica 64
Samson 64
Scepter 64
Nonfuch 64
I Buffalo 60
; Assistance 50
I Preston 50
IRotterdam 50
dore. The other ships of the squadron are one of 70,
three of 56, and two of 44 guns, besides frigates.
A Dutch convoy of upwards of 100 fail, with five
Dutch men of war, came from Cadiz with the com
bined fleet, and are gone north about, together with
two French (hips of the line, and two frigates of the
fame nation, in order to Re them fafe into port. They
Conlin of (hips from the Eaf land Weft-Indies, Africa,
the Levant, Spain and Portugal.
Extract of a letter from Philadelphia, June 6.
" We have at length undertaken, in earnest, to
found a national bank in this ci y, the articles of which
are mutually made public. People are not at present
very rarer to fubferibe, but we bea in mind the old
proverb, feftina ente Copies of the several refoluti
ons of Congress, concerning this edablifhm nt, have
been f*n to all our agents at the different courts of
Europe, excepting one, with which, after the reite
rate ! proofs it has given 0 its intention to fubjeft us
to slavery, no American wi'l in future hold the (fight
eft connexion or correfpoaddace. A French frigate,
the Hermoine, and three of our vessels, the Ariel, Con
grefs, and Saratoga, will fail to morrow the dedina
tion of the Hermione and Arie is to the (outhward,
but with that of the two others we are not acquainted
" In an age in which relig on novelties are denied
that credit which was formerly given to them, we are
informs I of the following extraordinary circumstance.
A fed has been fonntd in the neighbourboid ofßoßon,
who from their appear ng at tim s to be actuated by a
spec es of phrenzy, are denom nated Sh kers. Two
of the members of this, fed have been convicted of
adultery in the superior court of Northampton, and
were sentenced to hand in the pillory, to be publicly
whipped, and to wear the letter A on their eloathing.
One of the convicted parties, had it seems taken it in
to her head, that her hufban I was in a date of repro
bation, and under this i ea left him, and comiefted
herfelf with one of the holy fraternity, and whom the
considered as a perfect faint; and it is whispered that
in consequence of this heavenly union, (he is likely
to produce a fruit partaking in Lme degree of a ter
redial nature."
Extract of a lette from Peterfbourg, July 6.
" A man of war which was on the point of failing
from Crenftadt, having some time since taken fire, the
police, in order to put a flop to the alarm occ (ioned
thereby, and to prevent future accidents of the like
kind, published the following caution:
“ Some time during the last month, a very thick
'' (moke was observed to issue from one of th? men of
“ war lying at Cronftadt, on board of which no fire
" had been made for five days. The room in which
“ the smoke firft Appeared, had been carefully locked
" up only four hours before, and several articles
" had been placed in it which were fit for sea uie. On
^ breaking open the door, the assistants found a piece
“ of fail cloth on fir-, and upon closer examination,
6 they Recovered a vessel filled with foot dissolved in
'' hempfeed oil, from which (parks of fire were con
« tinually rising. These circumflances being commu
“ nicated to tne admiral commandant at Cronftadt,
“ he ordered the tollowing experiment to be made.
“ Forty pounds of foot being steeped in thirty.five
“ pounds of hempfeed oil, for the space of an hour,
“ the oil was then graven off, and the foot which re
“ mained at bottom was exposed to the air for f ur
''hours. The tub containing it was then carefully
" tied over with a hammock, and placed in a very
“ close room. Here it remained for thirteen hours,
“ when a thick smoke filled the room: upon opening
" the door, the foot in the tub instantly burst into a
“ flame.
“ Several other experiments were made by the ad
" miralty college, the result of which has been, that
'< foot, mixed with hempfe d oil, that of Russia in
“ particular, and placed in any close apartment, will,
'' after some hours, on the introduction of the fre(h
“ air, immediately take fire.
“ The police have thought proper to make this ac
<' count public, that every one may be guarded agai ft
" a negled, with the fatal consequences of which they
« may be unacquainted."
August 10. The barometer of miniftprial exul ation
was up to its bigheft pitch all day yesterday on the ar
rival of the news from admiral Parker; but the extra
ordinary gazette, hurried last night into the world with
such an air of triumph, only serves to (hew the people
of England, that our enemies are not the weak and un
fkilful foe, their creatures are paid for representing
them.
The slate midwives were yesterday brought to town,
with all imaginable speed, to assist at the delivery of
the little bantling, begot by admiral Parker, whose fea
tures betray a total want of that prowess, which for
merly distinguished the British flag.
The Dutch have thrown aside their inactivity, and
convinced the world, in the engagement with admiral
Parker, that they know how to fight as well as the
Engliih. With oly difference of a single (hip, the
Ditch carr ed off their convoy, and left the British
squadron, confiding of five ships of the line, and fix
frigates, “ not in a condition to follow them."
the London Gazette of last night informs us, that
after an engagement of three hours and forty minutes,
“ the Dutch bore away with their convoy for the Tex
el," having laid to for a considerable time near the
Engliih fleet, without difeovering any inclination in it
for renewing the action.
Admiral Parker fays, “ I made an effort to form the
line but found it impracticable.'' The fad is, the admi
ral hung out a flag for forming, but was answered by
Signals @f distress. His ships were too much crippled
for further service.
When governor Johndone was appointed to the com
mand he has, he declared in the house of commons that
he Should, inJa frigate, think himfelf a match for a
man of war of the line, and held it, that a fleet of 20
English ships ought to beat 30 of the enemy's. What
does admiral Parker's letter fay?
It has been the constant and invariable maxim of go
vernment, to load our enemies with the epithets of pol
troons and cowards. Let the behaviour of the Dutch
determine how far tltis is truth or not!
As we seem utterly incapable of beating the enemy,
with a fleet at all interior to theirs, it is to be regretted
that we have at this time a firft lord of the admiralty,
who never fends out a superior fleet.
The friends of government give out, though we
know not upon what authority, that lord Rawdon'a
rear guard came up with the of general Greene's army,
and after a fhorr skirmish, drove general Greene and
his army out of the province of South Carolina.
The St. Lucia accounts received at Jamaica, mentis
on, that mod of the non commissioned officers and pri
vates of the id battalion of theist regiment of foot,
called the Royal Scots, are dead.
Admiral Graves, who at present commands on the
New York flation, is a senior officer to Digby, who is
appointed to that command ; therefore orders are feut
ou. for him to go to Jamaica immediately on the arrival
of Digby.
If the accounts from France and Holland may be cre
dited, it appears as if Hyder Ally difeovered a di(pofi
tion to attack the settlements of some other European
powers , besides the English : indeed the force which the
Portuguese and Danes have lately sent, and are pr@pair
ing to fend to their colonies, seems to corroborate the
report.
They write from Hamburgh, tha^ ,he Dutch-con ?jl
at that port had prefemed to theniagtflracy a copy of
a convention between that city -mi the republic of
Holland, which he seemed anxious to have executed
it relates solely to commerce, and has therefore been
referred to the magifiracy of the cnamber of commerce,
whose report on it will determine its acceptance.
The following authentic returns of the numbers of men
encamped near Brest, St. Maloes, Havre de Grace,
and St. Omer's, may be depended upon, viz.
Caval- Artil- lofan- Total,
ry. lery. try.
Near Brest, 2,000 240 6,380 8,620
St. Milnes, 900 190 4,600 5,690
Havre de Grace 1,000 180 4,360 5,440
ift line, St. Omers 1,400 90 2,800 4,290
2d line, ditto, 300 140 1,700 2,140
General Total, 5,600 840 19,840 26,180
N. B. The artillery men with the regimental guns,
are not included, but amount to 190. The parks to
each camp are composed of i 3, 12, and 6 pounders, and
the magazines tolerably well furnished with ammunition,
Since the days of dr. Walker, who so nobly defend
ed Derry against king James's army, after the town had
been deferred by governor Lundy, Ireland had not feed
a clergyman in arms, till the present volunteer army
was ratted ; but now Hibernia fees dr. Walker revived
in reverend colonel Barber, who railed, and now com
mands the Ruthfriland volunteers. The reverend sol
dier does military duty as well as any lay officer in the
whole army, and actually appeared at the head of his
corps at the late review at Belfaft, of the volunteers of
the counties of Downe and Antrim.
Singular clause of a bill trade by fir John Cornwall
leys, ancestor of the present brave lord Cornwallis.—>
This gentlemaoj bequeathed a young lady who was
his ward, to his own son : " To his (on Richard he b^-
quethed his ward, Margaret Lowthe, which he bought
of my lord of Norfolk, to marry her himfelf, if they
both should be so contented ; but if not, that he should
have the wardship and marriage of her, with all advan
tages and profits."
We are exceeding sorry to find the men of war otl
the Jamaica station are in such bad condition that the
Princess Royal, Albion and Ruby, are coming home
with the next convoy; and that the Ramillies will be
the only ship of force left for the protection of the
trade belonging to that valuable island.
British coals fold last week at Dunkirk by public
outcry upon the market parade, at a sum nearly
equal to (even pounds fierling per Briifh chaldron.
Tre bishop of Ch^Rer, we hear, is to succeed to the
fee of Gloucefler, And dr. Dampier to that of Cheher#
We hear that th^ hills about Dwer are ordered im
mediately to be fortified, and barracks built on the weft
of the town; and that several of the inde endent com
panies at Chatham h ve marched to Dover to be em
ployed upon these works.
August 13. Saturday advice was received at Lloyd's
that one hundred and forty two fail of ships, all from
tie port of London, were fafe arrived at Peterf
burgh.
Two ships of the line, and three frigates, are ordered
to a Ration off the Miefe river, in Holland, to prevent
any ships from Rotterdam or Helvoetfluys failing to
reinforce the Dutch squadron at the Texel.
From the vaR consequence the Bast Indies are of to
this country, the late news from hence cannot but
yield the moftcomplete and general fatisfaftion ; and
had we such men as a Rockingham, a Shelburne, a
Burke, or Fox, in adminißration, it might be turned
to the lappiefl account; but in the hands of the pre
sent ministry, good news does not raise the spirits of the
people in the (mailed degree, knowing, as they de
from the mod dreadful experience, that it is not in the
ignorance of a North, a Sandwich, or a Germain, to
avail th^mfelves properly of it, and that tie bed news
can only tend to increase that abominable indolence,
for which they are so eminently charaderifed in every
part of Europe.
Painful as it is to think of the calamitous Rate to
which this country is reduced, it is yet more so to re
fleft on the fort of men, to whom all our misfortunes
are to be wholly ascribed. We become fired with in
dignation, and lose the force of language, when we
would adopt terms to express the abhorrence with which
we recollect, that this once glorious empire should ever
have been placed with such men, as thole who at pre
sent make up, what is called the ministry, much more'
when such men are continued in office, when their im
becility, venality, and unpopularity, are so notorious
ly known, and to the exclusion of men, endowed with
the expanded abilities and knowledge of a Burke, and
who might bid fair to (natch their country from the
brink of ruin, to which it is unhappily brought.
Any thing in the shape of good news, is such adain
ty, at a certain palace, that the late engagement be
tween admiral Parker and the Dutch fleet, has ^eeii