The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1781-05-15 00:00:00, page 2

SPAI N, Camp at St. Roch, Nov. 30.
A ''"'' or wa J of communication was begun on
the night of the 23d, and continued every night
^ce, to secure the passage of troops from the line to
toe new battery of St. Charles : The work has advaru
eed : 138 fathom already, notwithstanding the bad
ground obliged the workmen to use fafeines. The
place keeps up a constant fire with cannon and mor
tars : the damage we have sustained amounts to four
men killed and fix winded, and fonte workmen who
have received contuffons.
Paris, Dec. 3^. The declaration of war, by England,
again ft Holland at firft astonished us ; but we now per
ceive it to be an aft of despair ; this power now plays
" quit or double." It is more glorious for her, if
•she ruuft Qk, to link under the weight of all Europe.
We doubt not but she will procure present advanta
ges by this rupture with Holland, but in the end she
has mie enemy more, who has great resources in her
population and riches, will openly supply our marine,,
2nd by taking a Danish Squadron in her pay (as is
reported) can destroy the commerce of Great-Britain
in the north.
They speak of a treaty concluded and Signed' by
the king of Fruffia, Russia and France, to maintain
the fyflem of pacification by land, as they drove ,to
establish it by sea.
L ONDO N.
Jan. 9. Sunday last the admiralty office received, a
confirmation of the accident, which happened' to the
Thunderer of 74 and Sterling Cafiie of 64 ; they were
loft in the terrible storm of which so much has been said,
an * will yet be said : commodore Walfingham was on
board the Thunderer.
Extract of a letter from Kinfale, December 25, 1781.
The earl of Dunmore, an armed transport, captain
David Murry, arrived here to day from New-York
from whence he failed the 15th ultimo, for London ,
he was taken on the 20th instant, by the Tartar pri
vateer, captain Luke Kyan es 22 nine and 6 four and
fix pounders and 200 men, chiefly frith and Ameri
cans. The Dunmore was rahfomed for 2500 guineas,
but the privateer took all her guns and powder ; they
also took general Smith and captain Moore, of the
54th regiment, whom they refufed to ransom at any
price. This privateer has been but ten days out of
fared, and has taken seven prizes.
The Hollanders have loft many vessels, since the
publication of our last manifefto ; but they have so
many thousands to lose, that they are not yet affect
ed with this loss. Yet it is very possible and even
very probable, th"t by force of repeated losses, the
sensibility of the Dutch nation will be roused from its
lethargy, and that the populace will then render us
that ju^ice which the dates general have refufed;
we demand as reparation of the insult offered us by
the treaty of Amsterdam with the Americans, but
the punishment of the rath M. van Berkell, a requi
sition as just as moderate.
According to a note given by the Dutch ambassador,
in the course of the administration of the marquis of
Rockingham, this nation had then in our funds 56
millions Gerling it appears from the most exad cal
culation, that since this epocha, it has placed there
13 millions more ; it has then at this time 69 millions
in our funds, an objeft of such importance for this
republic, that the idea of war with us muff needs car
ry terror into the bosoms of all its inhabitants.
Although 545 commiffons against the Dutch have
already puffed the great seal, the demand for them is
so gr^at that t' e offices have scarce time to breathe..
The following is a lift of the English vessels, which
fuffered the hurricane of October last, independant
of such whose names have not yet appeared.
The Thunderer, of 74 guns ; Stirling Castle, 64;
Phoenix, 44 : Andromeda, 28 ; Laurel, 28 ; Scarbo'-
rou,h, 24; Deal Castle, 24- Beavers Prize, 18 ; St.
Vincent, 16: Camelion, 14 ; Vidor, 16 ; Barbados; 16.
Loft.
Alemena, 40- Le Blanche, 38. Not heard of yet.
Ajax, 74; Montague, 74 ; Vengeance, 74 ~ Ama
zon, 28; Venus, 32. Returned much Shattered to
St. Lucia.
Ruby, 64 ; Heftor, 74; Trident, 64 ; Grafton, 74;
Egmont, 74 ; Briflol, 50; Ulysses, 44; Endimion, 44 ;
Pomona, 28 ; Endeavour, 16. Arrived in a very bad
condition at Jamaica.
January 16. An alarm has been prematurely given
to commerce, in publishing that the communication
between our Tile and Holland was cut off: the pac
quet boats carrying the mails, from Harwich to Hel
voetfluys, continue to pass and repafs, if weather per
mits We know that the States-General have given
the most precise orders, that all necessary affifiance be
given them in their territory, and if things come to
such extremity, as to exa& the suppression of this inter
course, the public of both States will be warned thereof.
On Friday last was held a meeting es the merchants
interfiled in the plantations, or commerce of the Weft-
Indies, to deliberate on the most effectual means of
fending affiflance to the inhabitants .of those unfor
tunate iftands, laid waste by the hurricane of October
last. It was agreed that a petition should be presented
to parliament : in the mean time the agents of this bo
dy have solicited a conference with the Miniflry. Lord
North receives them this day at eleven o'clock-
Our last mentioned that we had not ceased talking
of the assistance government proposed giving to Gibral
tar. We regard the moment of Count d’Eflaign’s be
ing at Brest, as the most favourable we can with for,
and we are allured that Admiral Darby is to fail the
firfl opportunity on this expedition, and that (like Sir
George Rodney) he will kill two birds with one stone,
that is, that he will escort the convoy dehind for In
dia, confining of merchant vessels, and ra^fports, with
troops, &c. Commodore Johnflone will Separate from
the Admiral, in such or such a latitude, according to
circamfiances, and take the rout of Cape Good. Hope.
The land forces are commanded by General Meadows.
The Court Gazette of Saturday last contains the
:following proclamation.
GEORGE R E X.
We taking into our mod Serious consideration, the
just and necessary hoflilities in which- we are engaged,
and the unnatural rebellion Supported, in some of our
provinces and colonies, of North-America ; relying
with confidence on Almighty God, that he will deign
to extend his special benediction upon our arms, both
by land and sea, have resolved, and by the advice of
our Privy Council, do order, by these presents, that
Wednesday, the 21-ft of February next, beobferved as
a day of public fa fling and f humiliation in that part
of Great Britain called England, in our-princip sty
of Wales,, and town of Berwick upon Tweed, that we
and our people, humbling ourselves before Almighty
God, may obtain of him pardon for our-fins, and to
put up our prayers and {applications in the most de
vout and Solemn manner, before the Ditine Majefly,
conjuring him to avert from our heads the.rigorous
judgments which our multiplied fins and provocations
have jufliy merited ; to implore his afliftance and be
nediction on our arms, and therefrom to obtain the re-,
ftoration and perpetuity of peace, the Security and
prosperity of us and our kingdoms: We command
ftridly that the said PUBLIC FAST be cbfe^d
with reverence and devotion, by our faithful Subjects
of England ofour principality of Wales and town of
Berwick upon Tweed : under pain of such punishment
as we might justly inflict upon those, who should ne
gled so religious and necessary duty: and that the (aid
day may be Solemnized with more regularity, we have
given inflruftions to the most rev. the Archbishops and
rev. the bishops of Englaud,to Compose a form of pr&y
er, Suitable to the occasion, to be used in all churches,,
chappels, and all ot l er places consecrated to divine
worship, recommending to them, to take care that it
be timely distributed in their refpeftive dioceses.
Given at our Court of St James's, the 12th of
January, 1781, in the twenty sirs lyear of our reign.
GOD SAVE THE KING.
A similar proclamation orders that the 22d Februa
ry next be obferveJ as a day of general, fading in Scot
land.
Portsmouth, January- ir. The Neptune, a trans
port Ship, with 200 soldiers on board, was funk by the
Sykes, a victualling fllip, which ran on board her; of
the whole crew but 30 per Sons were Saved.
The war with Holland contributes nothing to the
progress of fu bferiptions for the new loan; monied men
begin to fear advancing upon a Security which every
day becomes more visionary and precarious.
K INGS T O N, (Jamaica) February re.
Orders were issued by the admiral, on Saturday eve
ning, for a seizure to be made of all the Duch vessels in
the harbour, the boat’s of the Squadron were manned
for the purpose, which they readily effected : but the
boat’s crew belonging to his Majesty’s ship graf
ton, being fufpeCted of an intent, to impress some hands
from on board a Liverpool letter of marque, were iafh
ly fired.upon from the Ship, by which means the 2d
lieutenant of the Grafton, and two of the seamen were
unfortunately killed.
Ata court martial, held on board his majesty’s ship
Frincefs Royal, at Port Royal, refpe&ing the conduct
of captain Moutray, commander of the Ramillies,
touching the capture of the' outward bound East and
Weft-India fleets, committed to his charge, he was on
Monday last, after a deliberate hearing of at leaff 8
days, suspended from his command. Captain Cowling
of the Ruby, is said to fupercede him therein.
The Comet packet boat, captain McDonough, with
the November mail for this island, from Greatßritain,
was taken the Bth of January last, by a French priva.
teer named the Nole, and carried into Hispaniola. It
was the fame privateer that had taken the Anne.
By the sloop Nelly, arrived at Bluefield^ in (even
weeks from Pensacola, advice is received that a de
tachment of about 100 men from the 6oth and Waldeck
regiments, with a body of Indians, were sent for the
purpose of furprizing a post the Spaniards had eflab
fafhed opposite Mobile, but the assailants were repulsed
with considerable loss, from previous information the
enemy had received of his design- We loft colonel Han
flyden of the Waldeckers who commanded, and lieute
nant Stirling; besides lieutenant Gordon of the 60th,
about 16 privates, and an equal number wounded.
B O ST O N, April 19.
The following anecdote was handed to us by a gen
tleman who was on board one of the French ships,
during the a&ion of the 16th ult. A grenadier of the
Soiffonoois regiment having had one of his legs broke,
and almost tore to pieces by a cannon ball, took out
his knife, cut away the remaining flefh, and threw the
leg overboard, and setting down went on loading his
musket, and with great composure said, “ Je rend
graces a Dieu, il me refie encore deux mainet un
jambe pour fervie mon roi—l thank God I have two
bands and one leg left to serve my king with."
April 23. Thursday last captain Oaks, in a letter
of marque arrived here from Martinico, and brought
in with him a prize brig, in ballast, bound from
New-York for Lifoon.
April 26. Private letters from Europe, of good au
thority, mention, that the king of Prussia had pro
ceeded far in, if not actually completed, a negocia
tion in favour of the several contrasting powers of
the armed neutrality, and for the protection of their
territorial dominions in case they should fr threaten
ed upon account of any step taken by these pow
ers in the congress of neutrality.
April 30. Captain Hale arrived here last Friday, in
26 days from Puint Peter in Gaudaloupe. In wh6m
came passenger a person late belonging to the brig
Washington, Captain Cornwell, who was taken at the
surrender of Euflatia: He was afterwards put on board
a man of war, carried to St. Kitts, and put on board
a prifoo ship ; from whence he, with nine others, made
their efeape one night, by swimming to a schooner,
which had just arrived, and with which they ran away,
and carried her to Guadeloupe, where they fold her.
The prisoners there (some of which have been captured
near t^ree years) fare very hard, and have no liberty
, allowed them, while those here live, in comparison to
; them, like princes ! Net one cartel having arrived
ther r since thecommencement of the present contefi—
When is retaliation to take p'ace ?
Extract of a letter dated Weft-Point, April z 6 1781.
“ I must likewise inform you, that by an officer
from Albany, we have news, that Sir John Jdhnfon
was taken up in SchenaCtad), as a spy, and is fafeh
confined in Albany goal."
Extras from a letter, dated New-Londbn,. April
1781.
“ We abound in this place with Weft-ladia good^
and Madeira Wine. Tiie brig Deane, belonging to
this State, has sent in, after an eight dzys Cruize
three Jamaica.men, with 750 hogsheads of R um , be-'
sides other articles. The sloop Lively, after an eight
days cruize, has brought in tuojamaica-men, with
near 400 hogsheads of rum ; and a schooner bound;
from New . York to Newfoundland, with 2000 bulhels
of fait, and a quantity of tobacco. The young Crom
well, in about ten days, has sent into Newport, a brig
from Madeira, with two hundred and fifty pipes of
wine; has taken a row galley from New York, and re
taken four vessels belonging to this State, which had
but trifling cargoes on board,"
Extract of a letter from Bath (in Briflol) dated Oc
tober 22, 17-80.
" Our new Mayor (according to cuAohi) made his
appearance at the Abbey this morning, for the firft time
since he has been in office. The gentleman appointed
to preach was a Granger ; he took Lis text from the
Ffilms. " Pray for the peace of Jerusalem ; they
shall prosper that love thee," I think were the words.
He began with the most severe -ensures upon the Ame
rican war, the wickedness of the Ministers who direct
ed it, the rigliteoufnefs of the American cause, &c.
and in a few minutes the whole congregation was in
confufion. Some of the leading people took their hats
and walked off: bot this having no effect on the par
fou, our Archdeacon- (who is rector of the abbey pa
rish) sent the sexton to bid the organitt strike up; the
bellows of the org^n were too Prong to be overcome by
the preacher's exertions, the service ended, and the
parson was hissed out of church "
May 4. Yeflerday the prize fitip Poll,, of twenty
o-pounders, bound from South Carolina to Jamaica,
laden with rice, flour, &c. taken by the Broteftor
and Dean, vessels of force from this port, arrived and
was fafe moored - in. this harbour.
A letter from the southward cautions us to beware
of a set of money changer, who arc on their way
from the fonth with large quantities of the old emif
fiori of continental currency in bulk, in order to ex
change it for bird money. It is to be hoped that
every friend to the welfare of the United States will
be upon their guard, and that those pests to the gene
ral cause will meet with the contempt they justly merits
PROVIDENCE, April 13.
Last Wednesday evening arrived at Newport, a brig
from Cape Francois, the captain of which informs,
that a vessel arrived at the cape from Martinico, a
few days before he failed, with an account that 20 fail
of French ships of the line had arrived there; that the
combined fleet in Europe had been joined by 10 Dutch
ships of the [line, and that 15 more were expected
at Curacoa.
April 21. Tuesday last captain Palmer arrived as
Stonington, in 33 days from Point Petre, Guada
loupe, with whom came passenger captain Gideon
Crawford, of this place: He informs that the ship
Hercules, of ?6 guns, belonging to Baltimore, which,
failed in company with captain Palmer, was taken on
the 17th ult. by a British frigate.
April 25. The privateer brig Mariamne, captain
Kendrick, of this port, has retaken and sent into
Martinico, a Dutch snow from Surinam, laden with
300,000 weight of coffee, 16,000 weight of cocoa,
11,000 weight of cotton, besides other articles, which
has been condemned to the re-captors.
N EW- P O R T, April 2 8.
An officer of diftinaion in the American fouthem
army concludes a letter to his friend in Baltimore as
follows : " I must add a line, to give you the plea
sure of hearing, that the great capacity of general
Greene, manifefted in almost every circemflance of
the present campaign, has deservedly gained him the
entire confidence of his officers; and his firmnefs and
intrepidity in adion, have secured him the efleem and
applause of the army."
NEW-LONDON, May 4.
Thursday returned into port the privateer Young
Cromwell, with the brig Salem, re taken, formerly
belonging to Salem, loaded with 6fh andlumber.
Wednesday the Randolph privateer, captain Fofdick,
returned from a cruise, and brought in a ship frora
Guernsey bound to New-York, with 260 hogsheads
geneva, 160 ditto brandy, 90 boxes cordials, 50 calks
wine, &c.
Same evening captain Oimfiead, in a privateer be
longing to Connecticut river, anchored at the mouth of
this harbour, with a prize brig which he captured off
Sandy Nook. She is from Cork, laden chiefly with
provisions, one article of which confifis of 1300 firkins
butter.
HARTFOR D, May F.
The feoatus academicus of Yale-College, have con
ferred the Deflorate in laws upon his Excellency Ge-.
neral WASHINGTON ; and also upon the reverend
Dr. Price, of London.
BALTIMOR E, May 8.
Extract of a letter from an Officer of Difiinaion, in
the Southern Army, dated Camp, May's Mill,
April 15, 1781.
“ I have only time to inform you. that we are thug
far on our route towards Cambden, said to be 60 miles
distant from this. What is to beexpe&ed there, events
mud determine. ’Tis said lord Cornwallis is at Wil-