The Pennsylvania packet, or, The general advertiser — Lancaster, Pa.;Philadelphia, Pa., 1782-11-12 00:00:00, page 2

A concise Account of the Ifkind of BOURBON, in
the Fart-Indies.
TH £ island of Bourbon is 60 miles in length from
the north to forth, and 45 in breadth from eart to
wefl. It has no port; and the only part where boats
can and is in the, road to St. Paul to the nortnweft.
It has no plains, the whole being either hills of easy
afeeni, or rteep mountains Separated by narrow vallies.
These mountains continue rising one above another
from the (ea coart to the middle of the island ; so that
in whatever view it is ten at a dirtance, it appears
one convex fu-face rising out of the sea. The French
took possession of it in the year 1665, and finding the
foil rich, cultivated it with great assiduity : it now
produces wheat, and most of the garden vegetables of
Europe, as well as those of India, with many fruits
peculiar to both climates: the mango, China orange
and peach grow in great plenty and in great perfe&i
rn. But the principal objd of their agriculture, and
what has rendered the island of importance in their
commerce, is the cultivation of tee coffeetree, of
which they brought the plants from Beit el Fakih, in
Arabia; and these have thriven so well, that the
island now produces 2000 tons of coffee every year.
The cultivation of this tree; as well as mod other
services of toil, are performed by Caffre (laves, bro't
from Africa and Madigafcar.
The French have a bre^d of horses, which, though
small, are esteemed for their hardiness; and they have
rear'd beeves, goats, (heep, and hogs, in fufficient
quantities to supply the wants of the inhabitants, al
though not in such plenty as to furnifh provision for
their (hipping- but this negleft seems to have arisen
from the facility and cheapness wherewith these and
other provision- may be procured from the western fide
of Madagascar, where trey have settlements. Several
families from France established themselves here ^ n
after the French took possession of it, and from than
are defeended the present inhabitants, who are now
multiplied to the number of 4000, of which 1000 men
are capable of bearing arms: these have not degene
rated from their anchors, but on the contrary are a
race so remarkable for stature and proportion, as we I
as for health and ftrtngth, that they equal, if not ex
ceed in these qualities, the most athletic of the Euro,
pean nations. They are the only colony of Europe
ans eflablifhed within the tropies which have preferv
ed these advantages.
From a British publication, entitled The Weekly Mis
cellany, of February it, 1782.
MEMOIRS of the Hon. CHARLES JAMES FOX.
TH E honourable C. J. Fox received the firft ru
diments of education at Eton school, where he
soon rendered himfelf conspicuous for the brilliancy
of his parts, as well as for a certain ha; py assurance,
which the unbounded indulgence of his father could
not but heighten. Never, perhaps, was paternal par
tiality carried to greater excels. From a variety of
instances we shall feled only two —One day the young
gentleman perceiving a valuable gold watch on the ta
ble, expressed an inclination to throw it on the ground:
" Do so, my dear," answered the indulgent father,
and the watch was instantly dashed to pieces. At a
nother time when his father was secretary of slate, he
was so busy, late at nght, in fending off some dis.
patches of consequence, that he took them from the
office to his own house—Charles, who, though then
only nine years old, had been accuflomed to give his
opinion freely on every fubjeft, coming into the study,
took up one of the papers which had been just laid by
for sealing up, and perusing it, seemingly with some
attention, said, that he did not approve of it, and
immediately thrust it into the fire. The flatefman one
would jmagine, could not have contained his rage at
such an irritating incident ; but the indulgent father,
without the least emotion, turned to the office copy,
and immediately fat down to write another.
An education under such auspices, we may natural
ly (uppofe to have been produAive of future Scenes of
folly and diff pation ; nor was it without this effeft:
but at the fame time it contributed much to enlarge
an excellent underflanding, to give him an early tinc
ture of general knowledge, with that boldness and fa
cility that at present so much distinguish Mr. Fox as a
public speaker.
From Eton he removed to Oxford, where he does
not appear to have resided long ; and the grand tour
compieated his education. On his return from this
tour, which was far from being conducted by the
rules of oeconomy, our young gentleman was soon con
spicuous for his extravagant attention to the decora
tions of dres and the follies of the gaming-table. With
regard to the firft he was fanciful to such an extreme,
that, among other excesses, the Macaroni world were
indebted to him for the renovation of red-heeled Shoes;
and, as to the latter, it has, at various times, involv
ed him in some fad reverses of fortune. But, while he
fuffered himfelf to be hurried away in the career of
pleasure, he was not unconfeious of the wonderful
powers he poffrffed, nor did he permit them to lie dor
mant.
in 1768, being then 19 years of age, he was ele&ed
member for Midhurft in Sussex. Not being of age,
this election was illegal : but this circumstance was ei
ther unknown to the committee of privileges, or the
strength of his connexions flirted all enquiry. He was
now enrolled among the adherents of administration,
and immediately spoke with such a fluency, as furpriL
ed the oldest members of the house. The minister who
Ss sensible to all the merits of such a valuable acqui
ion, soon appointed him paymafler of the pensions
to the widows of land officers, and early in 1770, made
him a lord of the admiralty. In February, 1772, he
quarrelled with " lord North. This breach, however,
was healed jn December following, when he accepted
the office of one of the lords of the treasury. For
some time he continued the warm partizan of ad
minirtration ; but whether the mtoifter gave him any
frefh cause of reSentment, or whatever were his motives,
he began at length to appear in opposition : and in Fe
bruary, 1774, bad the following laconic letter deliver
ed to him while fitting on the treasury-bench in the
house of commons, by the fide of the minister :
"SI R,
" His majesty has thought proper to order a new
commifEon of the treasury to be made out, in which I
do not perceive your name. (Signed) NORTH."
From this time Mr. Fox has been invariably in op
ppfition, and the undeviating enemy of the minister.
In the ardor of debate, he has been sometimes hurried
into personalities, which on one particular occasion,
produced a rencounter with another member of the
house (Mr. Adam,) in which he was wounded in the
belly. With his change of party, there appeared a
revolution of manners; which, however, was but a
partil one. He now affected a contempt for dress, ap
pearing on all occasions in very plain, and even mean
apparel. Happier perhaps, for his political consequence,
could he at the fame time have bidden adieu to the fa
fcinatmg charms of play, and devoted himfelf solely
to the great duties of the senate for the discharge of
which he has such superior abilities.
In 1774, Mr. Fox waselefted member for Malmsbu
ry, and, in 1780, for WeflminfTr ; of ^hich city, his
grandfather, Sir Stephen, was representative in 1679,
and 1695. He is now receiver for South Wales, and
teoffice of clerk of the Polls in Ireland, which revert
ed to him on 'the death of his brother, and which he
difpoftd of in favour of the right honourable Charles
Jenkinfon.
His unabated opposition in the house of commons,
has naturally drawn upon him the severest cenfur.es pf
every partizan oflord North's ministry. One of these,
the author of ' Confederations on the American inqui
ry,' who writes not without elegance and fpirt, has
given a (ketch of his character, which without adopt
ing on the one hand, or censuring on the other, we
(hail now lay before our readers:
" Mr. Fox wants every requift' to form the^exteri
or of an orator. His person is short find Squalid ; his
appearance mean and disagreeable. His voice,
naturally inharmonious, is rendered more so by
his u qfkilful management of it. His countenance
is ftongly Judaic. At bis Jerusalem Levee, if a Gran
ger were to be asked, which of the cbofen race present
had most of the blood of Jacob in his veins, Mr. Fox
would be pointed ou as the man. He possessed strong
ingredients to form a political character. He has ear
ly been accustomed to the vicissitudes of fortune, and
marked out by the (forms of fate. He is a Granger to
those indulgences of youth, whi^h unnerve the intel
lectual system; the listless langour that Succeeds the
excessive hilarity of social pleasures; the abuse of
wine; or the immoderate enjoyment of'women. P.ay
has filled up the measure of his time, and he has ex
perienced all its diffraction. From affluence and prof
perity, he has been reduced to beggary and want, from
a command of fortune and friends, to a Servile depen
dence upon usurious creditors.
" This has fitted him for the great business of a
kingdom and taught him to look for revolutions. In
the house of commons he leads opposition. He
is not Supposed to possess a great fund of information,
but his mind supplies this deficiency from her own in
exhaustible treasure. His understanding is strong and
mafeuline; his expression full and copious. In pro
portion to the quickness of his conception, his delivery
is rapid. The torrent of argument comes rolling from
him with irrefirtible force. He does not leave his hear
ers to follow; he drives them before him. He is a per-1
feet matter of the art of debate; and disguises the sen
timents of his opponents with so much dexterity, that
it is some time before w e perceive the distortion. The
strongest sense is not proof againrt his power. He fits
truth to the rack of ingenuity, and torturs the unhap
py fufferer. This eloquence never fails to produce its
effect. It flrikes the whole assembly ; every man com
municates the (hock to his neighbour. With these
qualifications he would rife to the highef loffices in the
slate, if as firiking disadvantages did not fetter his
flight. He is Supposed to want firmnefs. He is said to
be destitute of principle. As his character is so bare
to public view, his efforts are not imputed to honour
able motives. His invincible attachment to play, makes
it impossible for him to possess the confidence of his
country; and though his abilities are admired by all
men, no man wishes him to be employed."
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
P A R I S, August 26.
THE 4th inflant the due de Crillon reviewed in the
camp before Gibraltar 4000 volunteers, who are to
go upto the assault of that fortrefs ; 8000 bombs were
distributed on the sth, by his order, to the gen boats.
The following is an extrad from a journal at Alge
firas, from the 22d to the gift July.
On the 22d we saw a French convoy, escorted by
two frigates, pass by in the fireights.
The 25th, in the morning, a corvette and bilander
both English, the one of 24 guns, and the other of 26
guns, having a crew of 150 men on board, had got into
Gibraltar in spite of us ; and immediately after general
Elliot had received intelligence of the victory on the
12th of April, gave marks of his joy by a salute of 63
bullets, bombs, and grenades, which were returned
by 130 red balls, and was repeated in the evening.
# Ihe 26th, the English unloaded the vessels which ar
rived in that port the evening before, of a quantity of
sacks and barrels, they added some cannon to the bat
tery below that of Efcalerilla ; they continued to re
pair that of Queen Anne.
The 27th, the volunteers of Catalonia attempted to
take by force from the quarters of the volunteers of
Crillon, a party of women, who were unwilling to go,
and who remained, notwithstanding receiving several
strokes on both sides. The transportation of the fau
ciffes (to set the mines on fire) continues. Tie ene
mies having turned their mortars towards the sea, to
the weft of the point of Europa ; they carried Bones
for the purpose undoubtedly of erecting a new battery
at the very summit of the rock ;—they laboured upon
the those of the old Mole. We perceived in the port
of the enemy a large felucca, who probably entered
there on the 25th without our having perceived it, with
corvette and bilander. Our centintls have disco
vered at the weft five (hips of the line, some frigates,
and four other Spanish fllips.'
L I 8 B Q N, July 25.
The Princeffa de Brazile frigate entered this port on
the 15th, from Rio de Janeiro, laden with the royal
revenues, and some commercial remittances in money.
The whole sum amounting to two millions and a half
of crufadoes. The queen has consented in favour of
the court of Madrid, to a loan of two millions of pias
ters, to be repaid from the royal revenues in Para
goal. This sum is exported from Lisbon in waggons,
laden with cherts filled with ingots of silver and gold
dust, under an escort of soldiers.
; y L O ND O N.
Aug. 23. We are at this time indebted for more than
two thirds of our political reports to the bulls and bears
in the alley. These gentlemen seem to possess a super
natural power in creating every species of news that
may an wer the temporary purposes of the day. Thus
one moment they fend the duke of Richmond to Pa
ris ; then the duke flays and lord Hertford goes ; then
fir (of ph Yorke supersedes both, and they give him
full powers to'treat upon any terms. If, however, it
turns out in a day or two, that no accounts have been
-received of fir Jofeph'* arrival at Paris, then off they
fend - him helter fkelter to Brussels, to meet Mr. Fitz
herbert in that city, where they have fixed for a ge
neral congress.
Sept. 4. A remarkable marriage was lafl week con
summated at a village in the North, the bridegroom
being a fine healthy looking fellow in the 86th year of
his age, who bad buried four wi es in the space of for
y years, and the bride being the mother of nineteen
children, and now in her 79th summer.
From the favourable (late of the winds for our home
ward bound Baltic fleet for these eight days part, mi
niflry expef ltheir arrival at the different places of
their deflination by the latter end of next week.
The value of the fleet expeded from the Baltic is cal
culated at 2,230,0001. flerling ; the cargoes on account
of government are reckoned at more than a million.
Yesterday some agents bought up at Smithfield a con
siderable number of (keep and oxen, for the Ruffian
fleet now in the Downs.
They write from Ireland, that many of Mr. Grat
tan's friends begin to be apprehensive that some ad
vantages will be taken of his absence by Mr. Flood,
his great rival in politicks, which may tend to depre
ciate !,is future merit with his countrymen. In con
sequence of which opinion, several letters have been
sent after him to Spa requeuing his return as soon as
his health would permit.
The court-martial which tried captain Lippencut,
was one half loyaliffs, and one,half British.
The counfellors who defended captain Lippencut on
his trial before the court martial, after having vindi
cated him very ably, doled their defence, by faying,
that there yet remain'd one part of their argument,
upon which, though they had laid no stress, yet they
trufled it would not be wanting in its weight with the
court; it was, “ that th- wnole^of the thirteen united
provinces, as they are pleased to call themselves, be
ing by ad of parliament declared in a slate of rebelli
on, it was lawful to put such rebels to death, nor
could any indictment lie for homicide, perpetrated on
such offenders, which would be always juitfiablo, un
til that aft which declared these states rebels was re
pealed."
England, during her late political fluctuation, has
added an instance of ministerial change scarce equalled
in the annals of her biflory, viz. within the short
space of three months, ft? was honoured with three
prime ministers, a North, a Rockingham, and a Shel
burne.
Extract of a letter from Paris, August 26.
'' A report prevails here, that congress have com
manded doCtor Franklin to make overtures to our
court for a treaty, which if acceded to on our part,
mufl be as advantageous to us, as ruinous to Great-
Britain. The report fays, that the congress wish to
drive the Enelifh entire ly fr>n> the continent of Ame
rica, and, confequentiy, to take from them New-
York and its dependencies, Nova Scotia, Florida and
Canada. It is proposed on the part of congress, that
France shall assist with her whole power in the con
quest of these places; Florida to re ceded to Spain,
if foe will join jn the tr ary ; if not, it shall b” united
to the dominions of the congress, together with all
the other possessions which the English hold at this
day. France is not to have any territorial acquilition
in return for her affifiance in this business ; bur it is
proposed to give her a monopoly of the tobacco trade
The 28th, we continued to work on the floating lot
teries. That called the Paula, which is of 24 guns,
which will be finifhed early in August, when a trial of
it will be made; and it will be brought to the bay of
Algeliras, at Ponte Majorca, under one of the batte
ries on (hore, which the French have ere&ed and railed
40 guns upon. An express from the ambassador of
the king of Spain at Lisbon, was brought this day to
the twenty commanders in chief by sea and land, with
dispatches, in consequence of which some dispositions
have been made ; and if the English should come in
the way of pur gun boats, they will not speedily escape.
The 29th, a continuation of the transporting of the
fafeinea, for which a gratification was given of a livre
of France to each soldier 30 sols to a corporal, two
livres to a sergeant, and three tea captain. They have
already 36 000. In the evening four pickets of work
men relic ved four others, were employed on both sides
of the line in arranging the fauciffes in piles, so that
the enemy, who discha r ged forty cannon, could Scarce
ly perceive them. On the part of the English they
worked on the batteries to the weft of the mills, the
castle of the Moors, the summit of the rock, and at
the epauirment of that of the mortars.
The 30th, nothing remakable
The gift the general dined at Algefiras with the ill
ten 'ant of the army, and after holding a council, re
turned to his general quarters. General Elliot has
opened two new batteries upon us towards the Old
Mole. This day and some days pad, some ships from
Cadiz an I Seville entered here, with cannon, some o
ther ammunition and provisions.