The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-08-06 00:00:00, page 1

Never, observes one of our editors, was so gross an
attempt made on the public credulity, as in certain
papers which have declared, with marks of authentici
ty, that doffor Franklin, Mr. Adams, Mr. Laurens,
&c. were in London negociating a peace. Neither of
those miniflers is a&ua4ly in England. Mr. Laurens,
left it some days since. As to a peace, our readers
may be assured, that unless the independence of
America be acknowledged, the commissioners of
congress in Europe, cannot enter into any negociati
on. That independence admitted, the ap
probation of France will be necessary to the conclusion
of a peace. Such are the present circumßances of af
fairs : and those who ajnufe themselves with the idea of
a separate ^eace either with America or Holland, only
divert or deceive themselves. For a separate peace with
one or other of those nations is a mere creature of the
imagination. [lt is to be remarked that this para
graph is taken from a paper which will be called
ministerial as soon as there shall be an oppositi
on]
Were it possible fays one of our papers to add to the
unpardonable negligence of the late ministry, it is their
E L SENE U R, May 6.
A number of English ships, among which are 16
from London, are arrived in the found without convoy.
An English letter of marque of 20 guns has also passed
the found for the Baltic.
They write from Mandall, that several armed Dutch
ships are cruizing before their port, where there are
three English frigates.
Further Advices from Europe,
P A R I S, May 14.
THE count de Guichen is arrived at Cadiz with
nine ships of the line, and has joined the Spanish
fleet, that consists of 24, and is going to put to sea.
They have orders to go firft, off Brest, to expel from
thence Kempenfelt, and from thence, fleering north
ward, to drive back into their ports b@th Howe and
Barrington; who, it is assured, are blocking up the
Texel; they will then receive 30 Dutch ships of war,
conformably to the agreement made made between the
prince of Orange and the duke de la Vauguyon. It is
thought, that from these 63 ships united, three squad
rons will be formed,viz. one third French,another third
Spanish, and the third Dutch, which will sweep from
north to south, all the coasts of Norway, Germany,
Holland, France, Spain and Portugal.
May 16. It is generally believed, that the nephew
of lord Grenville, who is here, is charged on the part of
the court of London, to make overtures for a general
pacification.'
Letters from Bayonne, announce the arrival of a
merchant fleet from Cape Francois, under convoy of a
frigate. This little fleet of 12 ships have entered the
passage.
May SB. Peace is much talked of ; England seems
to wish ardently for it. It is assured there is an Eng
lish agent here, charged with a secret qegociation for
that purpose.
The last letters from Flushing advise, tlr/t the three
ships of war, supposed to be defined for the Texel,
were Rill in that port, the 16th of this month ; and as
the English fleet has left the flation they had taken be
fore the Texel, we are no longer uneasy about these
ships, nor those that had not returned with vice-ad
miral count de Byland, which all arrived fafe in the
Vlie, the 16th of this month.
Their high mightinesses have resolved to grant a sum
of ioo,coo florins, for the relief of the Dutch prison
ers in England; who are to have necessary cloathing,
and also daily pay allowed them
Last Thursday a courier extraordinary from the
court of Peterfburgh arrived here, who after having
delivered his dispatches to the prince de Gallitzin, en
voy extraordinary from the empress of all the Ruffias,
continued his route for London. ^
May 20. It is assured the English offer a separate
peace to France, thinking thereby to detach her from
us. They make Brong intercession with the court of
Ruffia,and expresses are continually going and coming
between Peterfburgh and London.
C A S E R T A, April 30.
On Friday last, at half past 8 o'clock in the morning,
the queen of Naples was fafely delivered of a princess
at this palace ; and both the queen and princess are as
well as can be expeded.
VOL. XI.I
TVESDAY
I^OI^BB
By the Ship Nonfuch, Captain Wells.
AMSTERDAM, May 18.
LONDO N, April 16.
H AG U E, May 19.
GENERAL ADVERTISER.
Published every TUESDAY, THURSDAY and SATURDAY.—Price Six-Pence.
The report which has generally prevailed here, that
the Americans and the French in America do not a
gree, is without foundation. Even our own papers ad
mit, that never since the commencement of the war,
has a more universal harmony reigned among them
than at present ; which is as great as it possibly can be.
May 24. Admiral Rodn y has been fortunate enough
in tie course of the present war, to take and possess
eleven capital ships from the enemy, which now make
part of the British navy, and to destroy five more
ships of the line. The ships taken are as undermenti
oned, viz. Spanish: Gibraltar, Princeffa, Diljgente,
Moparca, Prince William.—French : Ville de Paris,
Glorieu <, Le Hedor, Le Caesar, Le Ardent—-Dutch :
Prince Edward. Besides frigates of three nations.
According to the most probable accounts, it was the
St. Esprit, of 80 guns, that funk in the engagement in
in the Weft-Indies. She fought admiral Drake's (hip
four hours; the Prince George then gave her two
broadsides, and (he was never (een afterwards.
The settlement of Columbo, which is the second on
the island of Ceylon, and which it is hoped by this
time is in possession of our forces, is one of the richest
places on the globe The Dutch, we are told, have
often had ten millions of money deposited there.
Early yesterday morning a messenger arrived at the
Ruffian ambassador's, with dispatches from the empress
of Russia, concerning the answer given by the Dutch
to her offer of negociating peace between them and
Great-Britain; which his excellency in a few hours
after he received them communicated to the secretaries
of Bate, who laid them before his majesty.
A cutter, we hear, has been dispatched after admiral
Pigot, with infiruaions to the captairi, that in case
he ihould not meet with the admiral, he Should pro
ceed for the Weft-Indies with a letter to fir George
Brydges Rodney. The purport of this epi file, it is
is said, is td congratulate the admiral on the signal
success which he had met with in his recent engage
ment with the French, and to compliment him in the
name of the admiralty, on the extraordinary merit dis
played by him and his officers on that occasion, intiw
mating at the fame time that admiral Pigot had been
directed to proceed to the Weft-Indies, and to take
upon him the command there, but that this appoint
ment was to be considered as entirely conditional, de
pending upon fir George's option whether he chose to
return or no.
May 25. Our papers pretend that the empress of
Russia is much offended at the little deferrence paid
by the dates general to her pacific advices and propos
als. The following piece manifefts no refentnfeot, but
a singular perseverance in the design that her imperial
majesty has conceited of bringing about a Operate
peace between England and Holland, which this great
princess doubtless confideri as a 6rlf Bep to a general
peace. Count Ofterman; vice chancellor of Russia, has
delivered to baron Waffenaar Staarenbourg, a note ;n
these words.
“ As soon as her majesty was informed of the r'fn
lution, taken by their high mightneffes the dates gene
ral, upon the proportion tending towards a particular
treaty between Great Britain and the republic, and of
the condition upon which they suspended it, her maje-
By loft no time in giving to it all the effect of her good
offices. The disinterestedness and humanity, which
dictated the 6rft intervention, have constantly animat
ed her ' (he has laboured by a new effort, to conduct
matters to such a point, as permits her to entertain
hopes of success. In this view (he has lent a courier
on purpose to London with inftruHions for her envoy
at that court, suitable to the nature and great import
ance ofthe object. The motives by which ths mniftet
will ftr ve to dispose his Britannic majefly to admit of
the proposition, which may serve as a foundation for
the whole work of peace, will be derived from the per
feff knowledge which he possesses of the impartiality,
which her imperial majey profeffes: from the fidelity
and constancy with which (he maintains in the face of
all Europe, the principles adopted by her; principles
founded on justice and equity.
" These sentiments of her imperial majefly, too visi
bly bear the stamp of purity of intention, to be mis
taken by their high mightinesses. The f+ankoefs with
which (he ads, and tne cordiality with widen (he im
parts her determination,, give her a fu'l confidence,
that they will take no Beps which may be prejudicial
to the present Bate ofthe negotiations which nave been
opened, or depart from the pacific sentiments which
they have disclosed. Thus persuaded, (he is forward
canflant refufal to treat with the American commit
fioners in Europe, when administration were informed
that those commissioners had powers for the purpose.
Then advantages might have been obtained in favour
of this country. But at present the commercial and
political treaties have so strong an analogy to each o
ther, that France and America are as it were one
nation.
O R, THE
THE
A letter from Leghorn brings advice, that a Spaniffi
man of war of 60 guns, was attacked off there by 3
Barbary corsairs ; the engagement laded an hour and
a quarter, and the Spaniards fought so gallantly, that
they funk one of the corsairs, and fluttered the two
others in such a manner that they were obliged to sheer
off. The man of war got into Leghorn, but so mucli
mauled, that it is thought (he will not be fit for fur
ther service. She belonged to don Louis Cordova's
fleet, but was separated from them in a florin of wind.
Orders are sent for Languard fort to be immediate
ly fired up for the reception of some French prisoners,
which are soon expected to arrive from the Weft Indies
and an additional guard is placed there, which is' to
be drafted out o f the Essex militia.
Extract of a letter from Gloucefler, May 20.
On. Monday last the corporation of this city unani
mously agreed upon an answer to lord Shelburne's cir
cular letter ; wherein they assure his lordship, that they
will chearfully promote every measure for a patriotic
defence of this kingdom against its numerous enemies
and for its prosperity and liberty.
HOUSE of COMMONS, Friday May 24.
Mr. Rolle informed the house, that notwithflanding
he h id, on the day the address of thanks was moved to
admiral Rodney, withdrawn the motion refpe£ting his
recall, he should on Thursday next renew that motion;
as he considered the recall of that gallant admiral un
nife, impolitic ^nd hurtful to the service, particularly
now, when the fleet under his command seemed so una
nimous.
The house resolved itfelf into a 'committee, Mr. secre
tary Fox in the chair, bn the American truce bill^
when they filled up the blanks, and ordered the chair
man to report the fame to the house.
May 26. Advices have been received by gov^rn
rrient^by the packet which arrived Friday last from
Mr. Grenville, the present negotiator for peace at Pa
ris. He arrived there in the beginning of the present:
month, and has already had a conference with mon^
fieur de Vergennes on the fubjeß of his commission, at
which the compte de Aranda, the Spanish ambassador
at Paris, was present. The conference laßei two
hou rs, but as nothing took place but'a general expla
nation of preliminaries, lie has not been as yet able to
transmit any decisive dpiniori refpe&ing the probable
result of his visit.
There is advice that a French fleet, failing under
convoy of an armed vessel, with French and Spaniel
troops and Bores for Fort St. Philip, was partly cap
tured and partly dispersed by some corsairs in the Me
diterranean. The vessel which was to escort them was
also taken in the adion.
Yesterday morning a board of admiralty was held.
When some dispatches were immediately sent off 10 ad
miral Kempenfelt, ,t Torbay, and it is imagined he
will fail on Monday.
A correspondent observes, that the elections of the
city of London have long been proverbial for their in
consistency in politics but he thinks their neighbours,
of Weßminßer, have at lad outdone them : the latter
elected fi r George Brydges Rodney ther re prefentative
in parliament, Hecaufe he beat a Spanish admiral and
took five men of War ; but now he has added to hisfor-
to found the court of London concerning the principles
of neutrality. It will be natural and proper to fee the
answer of that court, and to suspend in the interim
every meafure. which might alter the position of the
republic in any refped.
" The empress doth too much justice to the wisdom
and penetration of their high mightinesses, to suppose
they can swerve from the principles of moderation'
which it is essential to follow, if they seriously intend
to second the salutary views of her majefly, and of
which their high mightinesses have ever appeared to be
fully persuaded. It would be with regret that (he
would find the hopes foe has conceived in this respect
fru ftrated. '
" frhe imperial ministry have the honour to impart
the above written to his excellency the ambassador of
their high mightinesses the Bates general of the united
provinces; in answer to the communication he has
made to them of the 17th March, concerning the reso
lution of the said Bates."
Marshal Belleifle was the last French nobleman who
was prisoner in this country; he was confined to the
precinct of Windsor castle.
It is a matter of doubt with some people, whether
count de Graffe will be feni tto England by admiral
Rodney, or whether he will be fuffered to go imme
diately upon his parole to France from the CTeB In
dies. We are however, of opinion, from some of our
late captured general officers having been fuffered to
proceed to England, without being carried as pr foners
to France, that admiral Rodney will judge it most
prudent to give de Graffe his parole immediately fr m
the Weß-lndies to France.
AUGUST I, ^E
[NUMB. 920.