The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1779-08-19 00:00:00, page 2

3 frigates, 3 fire-Ships, and 3 cutters.
%n^° 3. The office ofLord High Admiral of England,
which has been diluted Since Prince George of Denmark's
death, it is thought will be revived for Prince William
Henry, who is now going out a midshipman under Ad
miral Digby, as soon as ever fehat young Prince goes
through tne feverai gradations of rank, to qualify him for
that office.
If Spain Should join France in hostilities against this
country, our troops and fleet must be recalled from Ame
rica, and the additional number of seamen to man our fleet
would be, upon the most moderate computation, upwards
of four thousand men.''
Yesterday a grant puffed the seal of an annuity of 30001.
per annum, to William Pitt, Esq; to commence from the
decease of the Countess of Chatham,, and John Earl of
Chatham, payable out of the duty of four and a half per
cent, at Barbadoes or the Leeward islands, for his natural
life.
'June 5. Yesterday some dispatches were received at
Lord G. Germain's office from the Governor of Jamaica,
brought over by his Majesty's sloop of war the Hornet,
Capt. Hafwell, which is arrived at Pbrtfmouth.
A great number of men are employed at Toulon to
make fafeines, of which there are an immense quantity,
supposed to be preparing for the siege of Minorca. Gene
ral Murray has razed every house within gun-shot of Fort
St. Philip, in Minorca, where a great number of French
prisoners are confined, which he wishes to get rid of by ex
change. Every thing in the Soqrh of France indicates an
attack on Minorca.
The Spaniards have discovered a new silver mine in
Mexico, of Such amazing richneSs that it promises to de
luge Europe with silver. Some accounts fay, that it Will
lessen the value of that metal one half.
Tbe following is a coy of a letter from Waterford, dated
May 25 received by yeflerdaj's Mail from Ireland.
" Sunday last the four independent companies of this
city marched with their usual regularity to church, after
which they returned to the exchange, where they deter-,
mined to fend a deputation from each company to the
commanding officer at the barracks, to know whet, er, if
an enemy landed, he would take t. em under his command,
and fallow them to do duty, in proportion to their numbers,
as a regular battalion; he answered he would transmit
their request to the General, commanding in the province
of Munfter/and would inform them of his determination
as soon as ever he received it.
“ No answer has been as yet received; as it is supposed
the General has sent the request up to the Lord ieutenant
to have his advice in t..e business. The delay makes the
people uneasy, and hasgiven birth to many disagreeable
stories, not much in favor ot government. I with for my
own part, and the peace of the kingdom in general, that
no dispute may arise from this business."
Yesterday morning Lords North and Weymouth wait
ed on his Majesty at tne Queen's house, with dispatches
received the preceding evening from Madrid, which were
supposed to be of a very Serious import, as their Lordships
did not leave the King till after twelve o'clock.
It is certainly a fad, that Lord North, owing to the de
clining hate of his healtn, which the anxiety of business
has brought upon him, has repeatedly, within these fix
months, dropped hints of his with to retire ; but affairs
are in such a critical Situation, more especially in the no
ble Lord's province of finance, that the answer always is,
he cannot be spared.
Extract of a letter from Carrickfergus, Ma, 22.
" This day two large French privateers or frigates ap
peared off here, and made preparations for landing; on
which the people took to their arms, being determined t®
defend the place. The alarm being given, they flocked
from all parts to our assistance, and an express was sent to
Londonderry for some troops, which lay there, to march
immediately. The French, finding our numbers increase,
thought us too powerful for them, and therefore returned
to their vessels. Wefired at them with our small arms, but
they were got out of our reach. We expert some troops
here from Londonderry in two or three days, and, till they
come, the inhabitants will keep under arms; for as the
French vessels lie at anchor off here, we imagine that they
are waiting for an additional force to renew their attempt."
Ships. Guns.
Victory, no
Queen, 90
Namur, 90
Duke, 90
Valiant, 74
Monarch, 74
Sir Robert Harland, Bart.
Royal George, 100'
Formidable, 90;
Prince George, 90
Cumberland, 74
.Rufftll, 74
Defence, 74
Robert Digby, Esq; Re
Britannia, 100
London, 90
Union, 90
Foudroyant, 80
Ramillies, 74
Centaur, 74
Who, I find by his letter which I received last night, trans
mitted tqme by the Governor of Guernsey, was tending a
very Sufficient forcefcr the Security of those inlands.
The Lieutenant Governor of Guernsey acquaints me,
that a boat from Jersey arrived at Guernsey on Sunday,
and fays, that an armament attempted to land, but could
pet accomplish their design; that they then flood owt to
fca, and have returned either to St. Cas Bay, or to Cape
Frehel. Captain Ford, of the Unicorn, has, in my opi
nion, a force under his command fufficient for the protec
tion of those islands: I therefore leave the direction of the
King's service there in his hands, and am now proceeding
to Torbay, to rejoin the trade ; and, in my way, expert
to be joined by the Experiment, which I decached the
evening before lift to Guernsey
In 41 these transitions, it has been my constant endea
vour to deferye tkejr Lordships approbation of my conduct.
LONDO N, May %.
The following is an exaft lift of the grand fleet now form
ing at Spithead ;
Sir Charles H irdy, Knt. Admiral of the White, Comman
der in Chief.
Snips. Guns.
Terrible, 7g.
Invincible, 74
Alexander, 74
Courageux, 74
Resolution, 74
Bienfaifant, 64
Vice-Admiral of the Red.
'Thunderer, 74
; Canada, 74
Alfred, 74
Culloden, 74
Triumph, 74
Intrepid, 64
^ar-Admiral of the Blue.
Berwick, 74
He&or, 74
Shrewfbury, 74
Egmont, ,4
Bedford, 74
America, 74
St. Pierre, Jul, 8. Our present situation is the most
striking in which colonies have ever been found. The
movements of the two grea squadrons in this sea, Seem
likely to determine the! fate of the two,mother countries.
Admiral Byron having failed from St. Kitt's, June 15, to
convoy the trade from thence, escorted them to twenty
four Sat. As one of his frigates had taken a French
cutter, by which he learned that Monk De la Mothe Pi
quet had left Brefi, April 24, with a convoy, he took a
ftatioq from the windward of Antigua to St. Lucie, witli
a view of intercepting Piquet. He had not Ixen 48 hours
in this position, when he received advice from Gen. Grant
that the Island of St. Vincent's was taken. He left his
flation instantly, and arrived at St. Lucia theist of this
month. The 2d he failed, it is said, for St. Vincent's with
20 ships of the line, 3 frigates, and 37 transports, with 5
regiments under General Grant, who had been ordered to
America.
Martinique, June 24. Whilst Count D'Effaing attend
ed with a watchful eye to the security of our ppffeffions, he
also longed for an opportunity of making a Stroke at those
of our enemies Being at length certified of a movement
of their fleet which favoured his designs, he put them in
execution with equal activity, wisdom, and success.
The Isle of St. Vincent, distant 7 leagues from St. Lu
cia, is one of the most fertile of the Antilles. The Eng
lish plantations are cultivated by 2000 whites and 40,000
blacks. There are 100 sugar plantations, which yield
15,000 hogsheads of sugar, 3,000,000 weight of coffee,
1,000,000 weight of cocoa, &c. It is healthy, and fafe
anchorage in ail its bays for vessels of war. The Caraibs
possess the trad between the River Buera and Point Ei
pagnole. Having great cause of enmity to the English,
they have ever discovered a peculiar attachment to the
French.
The four English prizes, viz. the frigates Lively and
Etis, the brig Weazel and the brig Reprisal, were ordered
by Count D'Eftaing to reduce St. Vincent's, and failed
with the Maria Catharine in the night of the 9th instant,
being commanded by Chevalier Durumain, a Lieutenant
in the Navy, Commandant of the Lively, and the chief
on this expedition. They had detachments of the regiments
of Champaign®, Viennois, Martiniqae, of the volunteers
of the Antilles, and of the u®lunteers of Percin.
The Chevalier Durumain was ordered to shew himfelf
the next day with those frigates, which had been directed
to cruize off St. Lucia as their consorts, and when night
ftiould come on to proceed on the expedition. These or
ders were well executed; and it was expected this little
fleet would have arrived at St. Vincent's the 11th, but they
met with feverai difappointmedts. In the morning of that
day, they were separated from the Reprisal, which had on
board the detachment from the Antilles volunteers and two
officers, nor have they since heard of her. During the
whole of the 11th, they were prevented from approaching
St. Vincent's by contrary winds, accompanied with hea
vy rain and thunder, the current letting strong to the N.
W. and in the morning of the 12th they were driven but
of fight of the Island ; and or the 13th had one of the
points of Martinique in view.
M.| Durumain defraying of gaining St. Vincent's by
passing to leeward of St. Lucia, determined to attempt it
by the windward passage. In this he also met with unto
ward circumstances. But on the 15th he doubled Cape
Ferre, and passing 3 leagues to windward of St. Lucia,
and having detached M. Percin in the night jto land hs
detachment where the Caraibs were expeding him, he ani
chored at 10 o'clock in Young Island Bay.
HOUSE of COMMONS.
Thursday, June 3.
REPORT from the Committee of Supply for granting
a million vote of credit to his Majesty: Agreed to ; se
venteen Members only being in the House. Bill ordered
to be brought in.
The House being resolved into a Committee of Enquiry
into the conduct of our Generals in America, Colonel
KiDgftone, who opened the proposal for a capitulation
with General Gates, was called to the bar. His evidence
corroborated that es the gentlemen who were examined
before nim. The affair at Bennington, and the transport
ing provisions, were,the chief points on winch the Colonel
was examined. The plan of the attack on Bennington,
he hod, had been formed by General Reidefel, a c®py of
whdfe orders to the troops under his command, Colonel
Kihgftone delivered to the Committee. The march by
land to Fort Edward was proved to be infinitely more ad
vantageous for the transportation of provisions than a wa
ter-carriage ever the lakes ; and indeed the General was as
much juftified by the evidence of Colonel Kingftone as he
could be by the opinion of any individual.
The enquiry which was so warmly promoted by the
gentlemen in opposition, when administration appeared
rather a^erfe to it, seems now to be totally neg^ded by
them ; for this day Scarce more than twenty Members at
tended the Committee, and among those fevy, not a single
Member of any note in the minority was to be seen.
As soon as Col. Kingflone left the bar, General Bur
goyne gave notice that hisevidence was clbfed, unless he
Ihould find it necessary to call witnesses to fads which might
be controverted iu the further course of the enquiry.
The House being resumed, and a motion being made
that the House Should meet on Saturday on purpose to read
the Vote of Credit bill a firft time, a most extraordinary
and very severe altercation took place between Col. Barre
and the Speaker, and Col. Barre and Governor Johnflone.
The Colonel complained in very harSh terms of the report
of the Committee of Supply having been smuggled in, and
not fairly made in the face of the House ; the complaint
the Colonel accompanied with a fide-wind attack on the
Speaker, for fuffering such conduct. The Speaker defend
ed himfelf, and shewed most incontrovertibly, that he had
not been in the lead to blame, but that the report had
been regularly made, before the Colonel came into the
House. The Colonel replied, and in in his reply said feme
thing personal of Governor Johnftone, who happened to
be fitting on the Treasury Bench at the time. The Go
vernor in answer said, such fimilies as the Hon. Gentle
man had made reSpeftin^ him, were ridiculous, and not
fit for that House; he added, that the Hon. Gentleman,
by such unparliamehtiary conduct, made a fcaramouch of
himfelf. The Colonel did not rtlifh tne term, and said, it
demanded an explanation. More argument was held on
both sides, till at length the difference whs adjusted.
The House role at elven o'clock, and adjourned till Sa
turday.
PHILADELPHIA, August 19.
On Monday next, the 23d instant, will be the birth day
of His Most Christian Mijefty, LEWIS the XVlth,
of France, the Defender and Protector of the
Rights cf Ma kind, and firm Ally of these United
States. We hear the fame will be celebrated in most if not
all toe States by every true American, with that refped
and regard so justly due to so noble and exalted a charac
ter
By a sailor from Egg Harbour we are informed, that
on Wednesday the 11th irift. the schooner Mars, Captain
Taylor, of this port, off Sandy Hook, fell in with a snow
mounting 14 guns, which he boarded and took.-—She pro
ved to be a packet from Falmouth for New-York.—Capt.
Taylor took the mail and the prisoners, 45 in number, on
board his schooner and flood for Egg Harbcur; but on
Saturday morning lan he fell in with a fleet of 23 fail, un
der convoy of a large Ship and frigate, when the frigate
gave chafe to the packet and retook her.—Capt. Taylor
got fife into Egg-Harbour.
On Friday last past by Egg-Harbour towards Sandy-
Hook from the southward, a fleet of 47 fail, which, from a
number of Sloops and Schooners in it, is supposed to be from
Georgia for New-York.—Probably an evacuation has ta
ken place.
Last week was taken up at Lancaster, and confined, two'
men, one of them, named Gray, for passing counterfeit
40 and 30 dollar bills of the emission of September 26,
1778; one other, named Barnet, had made his escape.——
It appears that one or more of them had been in New-
York, where they procured the counterfeits, but being
early discovered they were pursued and two of them ta
ken.
On the 3d inst. Sir George Collier failed from New-'
York with a Small squadron, it is said, confining of the
Reasonable of 64, the Ramiles 44, the Delaware, Virginia,
and Greyhound frigates, and the Daphne and Galatea of
20 guns each, with about 700 land forces on board, as
marines. Their destination not known, but supposed for
the relief of Penobfcot.
A person from New-York reports, that the beginning
es last week two frigates arrived there, who, it is said, had
got a drubbing off the Capes of Chefapeak and were glad
to get in to refit.
- On the 28 ult. the freeholders of the town and county 0
York, in Virginia, met, chafe a Committee, and entered
into sundry resolves for regulating the prices of a number
of articles at particular Sums, and that all European
goods Should be fold at the rate of 501. for il. on the ster
ling coll.
M.de Percin reached Kingfiown in the night of the 17th,
having been chafed by 4 English vessels, f which were the
2 Durumain took, and been obliged to throw himfelf with
his men and their arhis affioretThe 17th he attacked and
carried by assault the post of Calonery of 16 guns, one of
ficer and 26 privates, without the Ibis of one man ; the
enemy have one ferjeant and 3 privates killed, and the rest
taken. Thence be went to Coriacoua, to suppress the dis
orders of the Caraibs. The 18th and 19th the posts were
all delivered to the French, and M. Durumain was em
ployed in reflraining the Caraibs.
The 19th in the evening he put the 70 sailors, taken in
in the 2 prizes, on board the Etis, with 60 soldiers of the
garrison, and failed ; having ordered the Weazel, as a flag,
to Antigua, to carry the rest ®f the prisoners of the garri
son, amounting to 287 men, partly of the northern regi
ment and part of the 60th, not including the militia.
Fifty pieces of cannon were found on the Island.
M Durumain speaks in high terms of the zeal and
good residua of his officers and soldiers, and mentions the
following inftancas of their orderly behavior. A party of
the grenadiers of Viennois being detached to an house
wanted refreshment ; they opened a closet where they hop
ed to have found rum ; but feeing nothing but plate, &c.
they Shut the closet, and aiked for water to qainch their
tbir,.
The Chevalier Durumain landed without any opfofition,
and his advance corps was karctly on fllore, when the
commandant of the post at Caliaqua, of 6 soldiers and 2
cannon, came to surrender themselves. Here M. Duru
main posted a corporal and 6 men, and advanced to a
height on the road to Kingfiown, waiting for the remain
der of the troops, which were obliged to be landed one af
ter another. Being here joined by the other detachments,
he moved on towards Kingfiown. 'At noon be halted at
the foot of a ' to rest Lis troops, and
made a detachment to reconnoitre the heights, &c. to be
passed. Having taken up their march, M./De Canenge
met them\ with a drum and an English officer from the
Governor, to require what business they had on his Island.
Surprized/at such a message, M. Durumain ordered' the
officer into the rear of his column, and moved on till he
comes into fight of Kmgftowu, and lound 60 or 80 men
were in the fort. Here they formed a front to the fort,
and rested sometime, having detached M. de Tillard to
flank an height were they saw a party of the enemy.
M. Durumain finding his soldiers ardent and anxious,
determined to attack the fort, gave the orders, and being
in motion, observed the Caraibs, in number about 600, cti
the heights, approaching with huzzas in their manner.
M. Canenge being in advance to support Taillard, mec
an English officer from the Governor to ask to capnulate.
M. Canenge was sent in to fettle the terms with the Go
vernor, and' the,troops retired to hastily, and
the vessels were ordered to anchor in Ouaffigani Bay. It
was now one o'clock P M. At half patt 4, M Canenge
with,the English officer, announced that the preliminaries
were fettled. At this instant M. Durumain saw two ves
sels, one of them large, in full fail up the Bay. Sufpe&-
ing them to be fuccours for the Island, he determined to
meet them; and leaving the capitulation to M. Canenge
he flew to the Ihore, and went on board the frigate. The
firft of these vessels was of 16 guns; and, without suspici
on, flood in between M Durumain's vessel and the shore,
when he gave her some (hot and (he struck. He then took
the second, and was going on snore, when a signal from the
Weazel of another vessel being in fight, be returned to his
fllip, and being fit to leeward by the current, he did not
reeover his station till next day after 4 o'clock, P. M.—-
M. Canenge had figberf the capitulation at 10 in the
morning: Some^rticles being contrary to the inGruaions
from Count D'ERaibg, M Durumain did not think fit
to annul the whole, but only put reftriaioos on such as
concerned the immediate defence of the libnd. The French
flag .was pianted, and the posts delivered to the French
troops.