The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1780-01-08 00:00:00, page 3

S I R,
T H 3 meafuresof the Miniflry do certainly, as Mr,
Townfriend said in Parliament, afford firong fufpici
°n % e ,ery in tiie C- - : Nay indeed- do they
Hot actually prove there is? For what else could the no
, e Lord at the head of the Admiralty Board mean by tel
^mg the House of Lords, that he had a fleet ready fupe
'"e u ,^ d ^is of France and Spain, but to deceive
the and Parliament ? Are not the combined fleets
°. ,° urb)o greatly superior to that under
cir Charles Hardy? Do they not make almost double the
number of tne line of battle to the fleet of Great Britain ?
°°r he °' ' rance and Spain now riding matters
, the British Channel, mfiilting cur coafis and threaten
, w f° an ißvafion ? Where is the fleet, that Lord
Sandwich boasted of in the House of Lords? Is it not
too wea< to encounter the enemy ? Can there be a great-
T OUD rumour speaks, '• The French and Spani
4aids fleer ,
Their vessels to our coast ; Defl ration's near.”
•Aghast the people flare ; 0 what a dread !
W^t wild dhtraaion thru'the realm is spread !
Why dare toe French the British isles invade?
O why is Brum of her foes afraid,
Intrepid once ? alas! the realm's plain,
Senates and impious Mnnfiry sustain ;
Senates and Ministers the cause of all
The mifchitts which on wretched Britain fall.
Senates for hire protea administration,
No more, corrupt, the guardians of the nation.
Dup'd and betray'd, Briton is taught to bend,
Unable with her tyrants to contend;
Like other graceiefs nation;, Britain now
To foreign or demeftic foes mud bow ;
Confut'd by her own Parli'ments, must fall
A prey to Ministry, to Spain or Gaul.
Wnat ^oes, Bas! from brib'ry mutt ensue;
What blood and carnage must our fields bedew !
O may kind Providence defend the 3tate,
And (hatch -roentaßt Britain from her fate;
May ruling Providence, implor'd, exert
Its arm th' impending danger to avßt!
Britons &md Irifamen, ante, unite,
Champions alike of liberty and right.
Kefift ; to infant .puaifhment consign
Toe traitors who their country undermine.
Firm in one cause, let either realm fufl tin
One int'reff, akd their common fees restrain.
Bid J^aloitfy, Difiruft, and Discord cease,
And Charity cement the mutual peace.
Let Britain to her frier yield relief,
And Ireland fym,athize in Britain's grief.
And 0 that filial i&ye could reconcile
Her injured children to the parent isle;
Children and parent now no more combin'd
To guard the feezed rights of human kind :
Sever'd, O fa.nl blowl O lafiing slain!
Their corned £rms the strength of Gaul and Spain.
Taught by the pad, may Britain never more
Th' effects of firife and tyranny deplore ;
Bv friendship, bipod, and mutual int'reft ty'd,
May Discord ne'er the kindred realms divide!
By Virtue link'd, secure, each social State
Wib join the foes ^ freedom to defeat.
Then foul Corruption will no Huger (way,
Nor venal Courtiers on the public prey ;
Senates, averse from brib'ry and pollution,
In either leaim will guard the constitution-
Nd foreign foes, by fierce Ambition iway'd,
Will dare confederate nations to invade.
Free Commerce (hall our fuelling fills expand,
And waft rich treasures from each distant land.
Content md joy and happiness abound,
And welcome Peace with flowing Plenty crown'd.
O when Chill I survey the glorious Lene,
When Concord, Truth, and Purity (hall reign,
Indulgent Heav'n on public Virtue finile,
And Liberty revisit Albion's isle.
Springhill, Aug. 31, 1779. U.
To the Printer of the London Evening Post.
Au Americas fleet was at anchor in the Bay, and
preparing an expedition against Halhfax. It is said they
foe destroyed ,4 fllips, from 32 to 14 guns ; ournt 1,
taken 4, and defiroyed % transports, with force provih
"^'fcw days since several Weft-lndia merchants waited
I ord George Germaine. Th^y laid before his Lord
itop the precarious state of the Wefrlndia trade, and the
infority of the Jamaica fleet, which confided of above
100 fail, which had no other convoy than one (hi, of
the line and two frigates. Hs Lordship beard the.n
with great composure, and afored them he was ex
tremely furry that he had no Wronger power to
them ; that the superiority of the flag being loft in the At
lantick could not be easily regained ; that the increasing
naval power of France and Spain, ewing to the forfaking
the blockade of D'Eftaing in Martimco, was a very alarm
ing circumstance, but could not, in tne prefect Rate of
things, be remedied.
It is no less extraordinary than true, that their Royal
Highnesses the Dukes of Gloucester and Cumberland, have
not" been permitted to pay their compliments to their bro
ther and Sovereign, in common with the rest of their fel
low fubjefts, for several years back.
The drawing room was veflerday uncommonly crow
ded, to congratulate his Majesty on the anniversary of
his coronation. All the courtiers and their friends make
a point of attending St. Jimes's on public days of late,
because they would not be thought to defect a great man
in distress.
Amongst the croud who attended the drawing room
yesterday, it was curious to observe the mock gentility of
many of the American contractors. These people made
rich by the distresses of tne public, ape the dress and cha
rader ofgentlemen 00 tafe days— but their ftiff wigs,awk
ward movements, and (words tied to their hips, soon dis
cover the plodding mechanics.
On the reported invasion of the British Islands by the
French and Spaniards.
From the L.ONDON EVENING POST.
Fires mod commonly happen in the winter fe^fon; se
veral have already happened, and as the winter h.s not
far elapsed, it is by no means improbable, that others
may yet'happw ; it is therefore to be wifiied, that the
members of the different Fire Companies would be all
punaual in the attendance of their n.xt meeting, and
revile and confider their former plans and proceedings,
and enter into iuch new refclutions as may appear ae
ceffary , and by no mecns fufter Lay one of their en
gines to remain imparled a uLTfa, as is unhappily
the case wRh several at this pre^nt time, by which
means the lat^ Fire probably did much more damage
than it otherwise would, and which had the house -been
connected with a row of buildings, might probably have
dettroyed many more, to the great danger of the city ;
that the engine, ihould lay thus neglected i. much to be
regretted, and if the members of the Companies to
winch they belong apprehend the repairs would be too
expensive, it would be well for them to promote a fub
fcripticn for the purpose, by which me^ns thy would
no doubt speedily and chearfully receive the askance of
their fellow citiz-ncr : As to Adders, there ;/;& perhaps
enough of the largett kind already, but it may ne well
to confider whether there might not he ar . advantage ter
ercli Company to have one of a thorter length (having
the lower end food with iron pikes) that might be safiy
handled, and set t® the firft or second fton ; and allo to
be provided aith Saws, Axes arid Ropes, which are ge
nerally wanted, and which, if put into the bands and
care of fuitabic perfens, may be of singular service. As
there is a conficerable complaint for want of fire buckets,
and in case leather ones may nox be readily obtained,
pe hips wooden buckets well fee mod with ire* hoops,
a,nd lined infiie wih old linen fiftrned cn with pitch or
Some good cement, might answer for feme time. Legal
compulsion for thsfe perpefeg, although it might per
haps be juftifi^d upin the principles of public utility,
might not perhaps be advisable; yet was the Society
for injuring Houses to enter into a r*folution, to insure
no boule whatever unless the owner would p^viouily
engage to provide himfelf with a certain number of
buckets, according to thr house or houses he might in
sure, to be kept cither in the hoafes infixed, or under
his own care, is a matter that may perhaps be both con
fident and nec^ffary, and worthy of their attention :
And whilst we are on the fubjeft, there is anecher hirt
which may become fer viceable and general, if duly con
fi .cred and properly tried, which is to dam cr lceure the
water that may be th^o^n upon the upper floors, lo as
to prev nt its defending down the (DiZ-cafe, or by any
other channel; for this purpose it will le neceflery, in
cafeof hurry, or where proper preparation has not been
made, to lay down a folded rug, & ran) thing cf the fort
that can be procured, or to call a narrow board at the
head of the heir case, of such length as maybg ne
cessary, and ftuff or caulk the crevices with tow
, ra ,> to prevent the efeape of the water, and
in case of holes or cracks in any part of the floor
to have them Cuff'd as tight as pcffible, by which
means the water may be fpesdily raised several inch
es upon the floor, the advantage of which mult
be obvious to every one ; lomething of this fort
it is said was tried at the late fire by which means the
floors oi fever il rooms were probably saved: But it would
be well worth while for ev ry houfe-own^r or house
ice per to be provided with a kind of Aider 10 or is
inches broad properly fitted 10 Aide in grooves o r upright
(trips o 4 wood at the heads ot the stair cases and to such
doors as mav reed it; to the under edge of the Aider
might he fattened & rtripof thick wooUn lift, that it may
mon effe&uall, fir the inequalit es of the floor, the
cxpeice would be very trifling and may probably b e a
me^-of laving th^ house, as well ,$ the neighbourhood,
forte s n ural to suppose that if a flooris ®veifio rte d
wrth wbr fix or nine inches deep, the falling in even
o. afl ^ng tool, would be unable to do any damage
er degree of treachery (hewn, than to mislead the King and
kingdom in a matter of the highefi moment to the honour
and fafety of the Crown and people ? Mr. Townfhend
might wel tell the Parliament, he fufpefled treachery ;
for is not such an infamous imprfition upon the King and
Parliament the highest degree of treahery?
JUSTICE.
P. S. If the people of England would exist any long
er as a nation, they must take force proper measure to e
mancipate their Sovereign from the treacherous councils
of such evil men. It isne effary for his Majesty to toe in
formed, that those who take bribes to betray the people,
will take bribes to betray the Prince. The people have
long (hewn the utrnoft loyalty and obedience to their King,
it is now high time for them to shew some concern tor,
and to take force care of themselves.
To thd Printer of the Pennsylvania Packet.
SIR,•
Please to insert in your next paprr the following Hints
To tha PUBLI C.
^ S several Fires have lately happened in the city, it
fl has naturally excited feme attention and enquiry
refpe&ing the state of the Fire Companies, and the en
gines and other apparatus under their, care ; from
whence it appears, that the Companies as well ar the
apparatus at the prefect time require ccnfidcrable re
gulation and amendment.
Our Fire Companies a few years past had arrived at
great improvement, ^nd their care and a&ivity w>< such
as had 'procured to Philadelphia, in this refp<&, the
encomiums of her neighbour-, rs well as of for# .igm rs :
But perfection, however necctfary as an obj-& tj he
kept in view, yet the abfolutc attainment of it is an
idea not fafely indulged either in private or public bo
dies: Mivw, therefore, with oar former alacrity,
continue to press forward in the paths of feigner and
public ©economy. With regard to the invitations here
spoken of, many circumrtance& have occurred to impede
their progrek, such as the intervention of the enemy,
and other temporary difficulties ; but now that wca.e
favoured with a good degree of tranquility ard leifwe,
let us heartily exert ourselves for their ic-eftabiifhrmmt ;
the prefint (fate of the city loudly calls upon us, and
one would think that on the occ«fion, that nrdt power
ful argument of felf-intercft would be a lufficie.it ftirnu
ius to ^roufe us.
FhUada,s:a, January
A SMALL SWORD
WA S left at a Gentleman's house in this city, in
OMober last. As the owner thereof cannot re
member wheieit was left, he will be greatly obliged L y
its b@mg sent 10 the Printer hereof. ' °
Two Hundred Dollars Reward.
L°^ T . by G ?n?!e nwn Ift May, foppofed between
Carlisle and Philadelphia, a PACK W T of
\" 3' TE S < d . c '~ er " lu ''^ papei.%"among
which wm? the following, vz, one certificate for one
tbvuLnd dollars, No. ^907, dated April 29, 1770; one
ditto foi tix hundred dollars, No. 28, dred April
1779, ^k- n up in the name of J-nny Butler. The a
bovu leward will be paid to any person who may have
found the fm. and will return them to the Primer here,
m'rc A l -' ", pop^r steps have be<n cte at the Lean-
Office, it will be unfafe for any person to pals them.
Pbi!adat!:ia, January
S T R AY E D,
About two weeks ago,
T ",° , 1LCH , C ° W 8 i °" c < light r^d, mark
ed with a white ft ? eak betwixt her horns, a white
blaze on her flank, about fi^e years old ; the cihr a
d w k brown, ^out the rime age, G^ck rice and under
part,, big with .alf : They generally keep together.
Whoever has taken up oxe or both, and will return
them to John Ramsay, in Front At eer, near Walnut
ftreet, fhJI be rewarded to their fati.faaion.
& 4-044 44 4-04404-444040444
GENERAL POST-OFFICE, Jan. 8, 1780.
" ' Southern Posts will set out hereafter
on Tue.oavs lal Fridays, precisely at Twelve
o'clock, and return cn Mondays and Tburfdays at
noon. Ihe Eattem Polls will fit out on the fame days
at Four P. M and return on Mondays and Thurfdw s .
Any careul, lober, tingle person, who is willing to
ride as Puft between Morris-Town and Fifli-Kill, er
between Annapolis and F. < dcuckfbirg, producin^'fu'-
ticient testimony of his fidelity to the United Stated will
meet with good encouragement by applying at the Ge
neral Pott-Oklee.
tHE PROPRIETORS of INDIANA
^ are requettad to oc t ac&uai in meeting, agreea
ble to th Jr a<fournme.nt, at the Indian Queen Tavern
in Philadelphia, on the £rA Monday in February, at
Four o'clock T M. Per oidcr
J"°'s DAVID FRANKS, Proficient.
PLimle/pbia, 'January 7.
Op H E Inhabitants who haze had Troops
£ bibeted on them, and have supplied them with
apy Fuel, aeriqurfru to oot&in receipts or crrofi tes
from the Qi^' tcr-Maftgr of tne regiment ur the Com
manding officer &; t% company, fpecilying th? number
of ra^n, the time billeted, and the quantity of Wood
delivered, in crc.tr that an rqual quantity may be re
placed, .vbich w-lj be done as ;o,n Ls peffrae.' Apo'y
to the Barrack M lLr, at hid office in the Barracks?
N. ^^ Application to be mad^ bafo.e the Troops
march, in order that the quantity delivered in this way
be afeertaiued :nd noted accordingly.'
nor would this plan be only serviceable to prevent tb*
lateral and defending progress of the fire, but the ascent
also, for in case a lower room be in flames, and tie floor
next above it je covered with a good depth of water, ic
iseafy to perceive that in whatever part of the ceding
or fio-r above the fie may make a breach,
through that breach the water will immediately pour, ami
as it w&e Irke the en-my at his firft appearance: It is
to be hoped this hint will be particularly attended to by
individuals, as well as by the several Fire Companies ,who
if they Clon'd think proper, may appoint fuirable persons
of them company to attend to this particular matter. An
other convenience, and which has been prattled with
fuccels abroad, is to have large firong commodious
balkets having a rope fattened to them, with one
or two blocks or puilies accommodated to the end of
a strong pole, so a. to feta.inft the house, by which
means men, women and children, especially the tick and
infirm, as well as goods may be readily and fafely go:
down, when there may not be a possibility of getting down
within.
N. J. Nunc need apply unUG they can provide
Horses,
In cases of fire much needless damage is often done by
rash unskilful perlons, and probably much benefit pre
vented for want of a fufficient number of suitable, a&iva
fuperinteudents, for which reason, it may be well for the
different Companies to appoint particular men, for such
particular different purpofts as 'may appear necessary,
who mig! t be difiinguifhed by a certain badge, such as
a cap t,r coat cf a particular farm or col nr, which might
produce that refpe&: or deference, which at prefect is too
much wanting, and were some of them furnifhed with a
good foea^ng trumpet, the advantage would be great, as
it is ah.iof t impossible in ths general noise and confufiou
attendant on fires, to hear the voice of a coniman man :
It may not be amih to add, that if the several Fire Com
panies were patronized and encouraged by the Legisla
tive authority, and a rew rd granted by them ftr the
firft engine, ladder, &c. that should be taken to a fire, ic
might be productive oigood effect.
And as a tree intercourse and communication on such
occasions would be beneficial in case cf any proposed re
gulations which may be oeceffary to become general, it
might be well t,r an the different Companies in the city
and luburbs,7o have a periodical correspondence with each
other, by means tfa Committee from each Company,
tomeet together at fume dated period, to propose, under:
ftaod or adopt such plan as may be deemed necessary for
the common good.
CIVIS.
P. S. The several F:re Companies in the city and sub
urbs are requeued to give theft observations a reading at
their next refpeatve meetings.