The New-England chronicle — Boston [Mass.], 1776-04-25 00:00:00, page 2

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IT is now five weeks since the Kritifh army and
navy were forced, with ignominy, to abandon
the capital of this colony :—The ravages they
committed whilst in possession of it : — Ihe dc
ftru&ion they made, not only of buildings conse
crated to divine worship, but, of other publick
buildings, as well as private property : —The sa
vage and inhuman cruelties they exercised upon
the defencelefs inhabitants, and the iheftimable
value they plundered from them, are, surely, fuffi
cient motives to the most , igorous exertions, for
effedu lly preventing the future enterprizes of
such relentless barbarians.
It is not to be supposed, so large a part of the
continental army and train were ordered to march
out of the colony, without the General's previ
ously consulting the General Assembly, and adopt
ing such raeafures as were effectual to fecurc the
town, and force from the harbour of Boston any
fliips of war that remained in it after the fleet fail
ed ; since, the least attention to the fubjed must
have convinced them, that, whilst the Light
House and Nantafket road were in the enemy's
power, the commerce of the town could not be
opened ; neither foreign vessels nor coasters, not
oven an oyster man or a fifhing boat, could go out
or come in, without the utmost hazard of being
intercepted by their tenders. Can the exiled in
habitants, therefore, think of returning till these
obstacles are removed ? But, before the prac
ticability of removing them is considered, let iome
of the advantages be enumerated, that would re
sult from their being removed.
It is said, that Cape-Ann, Beverly, Salem,
Marblehead and Plymouth, are so fortified, th^t
the enemy's Ihips cannot anchor with fafety, in
either of those harbours ; consequently, if Nan
tafket load and harbour were rendered inacedi
ble to them, the only remaining harbour for them
is Cape-Cod; which is so formed by Nature, that
whilst there, they must perpetually run the ha
zard ofbeing feton fire : An asylum, which British
sea officers have more sense than todepend upon : It
follows therefore, that Nantafket road in our pos
session, like the harbour of Louifburgh in the
year 1745, would immediately become a trap, in
which every one of the enemy's vessels that arriv
ed, with a leading gale of wind from the sea board,
must inevitably be taken :—And, indeed it can
be proved, that, not less than a dozen of them
would have been prizes before this time.
If therefore the disadvantages above described,
on one hand, and the advantages on the other
hand, are founded in truth ; why have such sa
lutary measures been thus long delayed ?
' Must not those state pilots, who from partial
views, or an untimely parsimony, have opposed
the execution of them, incur a reproach that will
not be easily wiped away ? For, it cannot be said
with truth, that the carrying them into execution
is not in our power :—Should it be said, I have
heard it has been said, that if the means are in our
power, the expence is greater than we can bear,
and therefore the erecting the proposed fortifica
tions ought to be postponed to a more convenient
season : To such I answer, in the name of
g odnefs ! what expence are we, or have we
been at, since the war began, but our continental
and colonial credit ? and shall we hesitate a mo
ment, when objects of such magnitude and im
portance, as the fafety of our capital, the restoration
and security of its commerce, call for the ad
vancement of iQ What is the furplufs of our
produce worth without commerce ? Can com
merce fiourifh or be extended without a capital ?
Or will merchants, in war time, reside in it, un
less secured from their enemies ?—But, perhaps
it will be said, the proposed fortifications are too
extensive :—The objection, at firft fight, seems
plausible, but, duly examined, will be found of
- little weight. It is said, that one of them is to be
erected on the north east head of Pettick's Island,
for the security of Nantafket road and harbour ;
and the other on the north east head of Long
lfland, which will cover Broad-Sound, the Nar
rows,wand great part of Nantafket road ; that these
two fortifications are therefore indifpenfibly ne
ceflary.
As they are each of them proposed to be ere&ed
on an minence near if not quite an hundred feet
above low water mark ; it is scarcely conceivable,
how small a fortrefs and how few cannon in such
a situation, ate necefl'ary to force the enemy's
Ihips to sea, whilst unfuftained by a land army :
' —But, this will Be best illustrated by the follow
ing extract from Governor Johnftone's speech, be
fore the House of Commons in October lift.
For the New-England Chronicle.
Fearful, I take my pen, " «witb bonefl zeal;
To rouse tbe watchmen of tbe publick weal." - ^ ,
Colony of Massachusetts Bay, Effix, ff,
LIBELS at filed before me, against the
brigantine named rhe DOLPHIN, burthen about 100 tons,
commanded by William WALLIS ; —agaiift the ship named
the STAKES BY, burthen about 300 tons, commanded
by one Willis;---and again!! the fchouner I N DUSTR Y,
from Providence. Lden with turtle, commanded by Francis
Butler :--- Which vessels are said to have been improved in
carryingfuppliet to the rtt t and army employed eg.inft the United
Colonies, and brought into the county of Eff^x. A libel is also
filed before me, against a cable and anchor, said to have belonged
to the Fow'y Man of War (st the time of the capture, infefting
the sea-coast and navigation of America) and b ought into the
county of Essex. And the Court ercaed to try and condemn all
vessels that ffiall be found iofefting the fea-cosft cf America, and
brought into either of threounties of Suffolk Middlesex or Eff x,
will be held at Salem, in said county of Essex, on Tuesday the
14th day of May, 1776, at the hour es ten in the forenoon, to
try the justice of the said captures. Of which this notice is given,
purfuent to the laws of the colony aforefiii, that the owners of
said vessels, and of the said cable and anchor, or any persons con
cerned therein, may appear and Ihew cause, if any they have, why
the said vessels, with their cargoes and appurtenances, and the
said cable and anchor, should not be condemned.
TIMOTHY PICKERING jun.
(Judge rs fid Court.
LOST between Brookfield and Boston, a
green POCKET-BOOK, containing a number of notes and ac
counts. Whoever will take up said pocket-book, and convey it
to John Hill, of Brookfield, or Capt. Jona, Danforth, of Boston,
in Col. Whitcomb's regiment, Ihall hive FOUR DOLLARS
reward, by me, JOHN HILL.
" Your navy is incapable of effecting the pur
poses which are expected from it. It may ruin
their foreign trade—But the lying in their riversy
as some suppose, without a superior military force
to prote& them on fliore ; I fay as a lea officer,
if the war is thoroughly kindled, the thing is im
poflible. We are apt to judge from what hap
pened at Quebec, where the French, never re
markable for naval enterprize, though naturally
brave, quitted their fire raft, and left it to the
chance of the stream, or to be towed offby boats ;
but this I maintain, that any fleet lying in a river
jvhere they cannot command the shore, that such
a fleet is,liabk to-be byfn-t if the people are wil
ling in tl> eenterprize to run the fame rifque of
Efe and danger to which the crew of the ihips are
exposed ;[ mean by ftickirg.,by the fire vessel,
whatever she may be,„ti! - with wind and stream
they lay the enemy..a-thwart haufe'; and who can
doubt , that the people in America are capable of
such exertions of courage, when we fee them re
fufe quarter, when we find them devoting them
selves to death with fuch,Qthufiaf@ -Another
circumstance refpe&ing .Ihips is not generally
known. The Bonders thly ha& nitberto performed
has been owing to tbe ignorance of engineers in picke
ting their batteries ; but lam afraid the secret is now
out as to their power againfithefare, without a mi
litary force to afff them ; aJingle gun in a retired
situation, or cn an eminence,, or a Jingle howitzer,
will dislodge a fir/l rate man of war, and burn her;
to add to tbe disgrace. I speak this publickly, that
you may not expert more from the sea service
than it is capable to perform." . ^.
The refpeaable authority above recited, needs
no comments ; it would therefore ill become me
to add any thing more than my ardent wishes,
that the sentiments contained in it, may as deeply
impress the minds of those who fit at,Helm, as
they did mine ; because, I shall then rest assured
of their unwearied endeavours to effect the faln
tary purposes abovementioned.
April 23, 1776. _
Massachusetts-Bay.
In COUNCIL, April 9, 1776.
WHEREAS it is apprehended that
some of the inhabitant! cf this colony may be induced
from a regard to their own interest to ereploj theii'vcff.li the en
duing season in the business of Fishing, and in order to avoir the
inconveniences they may be expofid to by an a& of parti m nt
prohibiting all manner of trade and commerce with the United
Coloniei, and declaring forfeited all such vcffals, cargoes, &c. as
shall be taken belonging to the fame, may make over the property
of their vcffcli to some inhabitants of Neva Scotia : To the
intent therefore that no inhabitant of thia ecluny may unwarily
go into such a method of condua :
It is RESOLVED, That if any inhabitant of this colony,
fhil!, upon any pretence whatever, transfer his property in any
vessel to an inhabitant of the province of Nora-Scotia, he will
thereby violate a Resolve of the Congrefa, , prohibiting all inter
course with the inhabitants of that province, and of course may be
put to be obliged to submit to the pains and penalties cue to such
an offence.
Sent d-wn f-e concurrence,
PEREZ MORTON, Dep. Secr'y.
In the House of Representatives, April 15 1776.
Read and concured. J. WARREN, Speaker.
Consented to,
James Otis, B. Greenleaf, W. Spooner,
Caleb Cufhing, J,G rrrfh, , J. Whetcomb,
Jed. Foster, J. Preftutt, Elded Taylor,
B. Lincoln, M.F?rtey, J. Palmer,
S. Holten, Jabez F,flier, B. White,
A true copy. Attest.
JOHN LOWELL, Dep. Sec, pro temp.
WANTED immediately for the use of this colony,
230 barrels of beef. 200 barrels of pork.
300 quintals of cod fiffi. geohuihe aof beans or peas.
49 barrels of vinegar. 3000 weight soap. 300 barrels of c,yder.
A quantity of butter and rice. A quantity of spruce.
Any pc sons difpefed to fu ply any cf the above articles, are
desired to call at tbe Commissar; General's office, at Watertown.
*, Those persons who are poffaff d of Fire-Arms belonging
to said >ffice, ar- desired to return them emmebiately.
AT a Committee of Infpedion held atßofton
the 9th D«y of April, 1776, Voted unammouJly, That Na^banid
Barber, E q; be appointed to sign Certificates of'Gorsdl landed ini
this Tvwn, and to grant Permissions to take on boaro Merihyndtzs,
&c. to be ex sorted, he taking pioper Assurances of their not being
catrird to the Enemies of America . • Andifa tany Time, he ihould
fufye& any of inimical Intentions, to inform said Committee.
(A tiue Cupy)
The foregoing Vote is published, that all concerned may con
fo*m them feives thereto.''
Bofl>r, Aril 19 1776 NAT. BARBER.
ON thr Mimori I and Petition of JOHN MURRAY, in be
half of the Town cf 800 664,,-humbj thawing, “ That
from a thorough examination of the claims of said persons, and
of the difficulties under which many as the inhabitants have
held their peffeffions for forty-feven years, the Hon. €.urt will
fee fufficient cause to fuppt rt the inhabitants in the rights the,
hive so desrlj acquired ; and therefore play your wife codfidera
tion of the crfa, and that an s& mar pats the Ron. Court, so,
quieting the inhabitants in the poss. Bion of their lands." —.-
In tbe House of Rrftfn^i'qti, March z^tb, 2776.
READ and ordered, Tbit the petitioner p^blrth in tbe Water
town, Cambridge and Portsmouth news-papers three wet fa
fucctffively, as soon as may be, that part of his petition (praying
far an A& of this Court so quitting the inhabitants in the plan
tation of Booebbay in the p fl ffim of their landsJrtfo an atufled
copy of\this oid r: That' all peffons chim'ng lands there, ma,
have an opportunity to thaw cause (if any they have) on the
second Wednesday ofihe session of this Court in May next, why
the prayer cf Lid petition should net be granted.
Sent up for concurrence,
WILLIAM COOPER, Speaker Pro. Tem.
In Council, March 28 '?, 1776. Read and concurred.
PORN LOWELL, Dtp. Sec'ry Pro. Tem.
A true copy. Attest. JOHN LOWELL, Dtp. Sec'iy P. T.
To be Let; on resfonabie terms, by JONATHAN MOULTON,
\of Hampton, in the colony of Niw-Hsm; ihite,
Several new Fai ms, 1 ing in the township
of Orford, which joins to Ccnn*£ticut Rive-, and lies be&eea
' Dartmouth College, and tyafs j and though 'cis but a few years
since improvements were firft made there, yet it is new in a very
flourishing situation, a Mioifter well fettled, federal mills treked,
a store for the supply of necessaries for the inhabitants kept, and
many very good fettUments made injhe towrfliip, amorg which
are some very refpeaable families. These circumftanccs are men
tioned as they most of confeguence be a very great inducement for
persons to take said farms. Those who may incline to hire or
take them on Share, may depend on having them st such a lay aa
will uadoubtec ly prove greatly to their advantage, if they arc good
htlb ndr, and such only are wanted. The felicity of hay will
m ke it difficult to plow much for planting, or sowing, this Spring ;
but the land in gineralon Aid farin' is extraordinary good forraifing
of winter wheat, go cres of which is now sowed on them, and
double that quantity, it is likely will be ready to be lowed next °
season. Those who may incline to purchase and improve uneul-r
tivated lard in fid town, may be Supplied by said Moulton, end
pay received in the produce. Good wages wil be given to two
good joiners, and four labcprers, to work in Aid town 6 months
after the loth day of May t.xt ; Also great wages will be given
to a capable, honest man, for an overseer. And as said Moulton
is nectffaril, called into the country a ccr fi viable part of hit
time, he would be glad to meet with a fuitebie perlon and family
to manage the principal part of the farm that is hii hemeftead in
Hampton, on such terms as will be very advantageous to the peifon
who may take it; The, may be well accommodated with a very
convenient dwelling-house, that Hands on the premises, with good
conveniencies for carrying on a large dairy, togetLer with the
principal of the other buildings st will ed nrcffDr,. _____
W HIsREAS the members ofS T.
ANDREWS LODGE, have not had an opportutit,
cf meeting fiice the fecund Thunder of Apri 1 , 1775, t, realms
of public affairs : The M^fter and Wardens of Lia Lodge pro
pose to meet thr fi cond Thursday in May next, 6 o'clock, P.M.
at Free Mafons' Hail, lor tbechoice cf officers. All members
concerned, are defined to take na'ice, and give their attendance..
By order of tbe Mnfte, WM. HOSKINS, Saci'y.
Bfton, April 18, 1776. \
THESE are to give public notice, that
the fubferi'er is appointed administrator to tbe sftate of Captain
EDWARD KENDALL, late cf Lancaster, deccafed ; the said
Kendall was in his life time colltaer of the proprietors and, in
Fitzwilliam, in New-Hampshire, and a number of said proprietors
were delir quent in the whole, or part of tlfeir taxes, and the
said Kendall polled the lets of land (or part of tl-em) to be fold
to pay said taxes in his life time, and fold put of said land and
adjourned the said vetdue ; but before the meeting cf the ad
journment, the said Kendall deceafe#, and the fubfetibyr has ap
pointed a public vendue on the third Wednesday of June nc*t, at
one of the clock in the afternoon on said day, at the house of
Capt. John Mellen, in said Fitzwilliam, to fell the lands above
mentioned, or as much of them aa will pay the taxes and charges.
Fit3%uillia7n,Ma!cb zB. 17:6, SAM.KENDALLaadmioift.
To be SOLD by
JONA.GLOVER&WM.BARTLETT,
Agents for the United Colonies, at PUBLIC AUCTION^
to be held at Beverly, in the county of Essex, the 20th day of
May next, to be continued from day to day until the whole is
fold, to tbe highest bidder, the following vessels and cargoes,
SHIP Concord, burthen about 250 tons,
cargo consisting of sea coals, brin stone, butter, fnuff, tobacco, a
quantity of English goods, and many other articles.
Ship Jenny, lu-then about 350 tons j cargo, fee coals, pertgr,
four ercut and vinegar.
Sloop Polly, burthen about go tons.
Brigantine Nancy, burthen about 250 tens.
Brigantine Little Hannah, burthen joo tons ; cargo, Weft-
India rum; geneva, cocoa, and wine in bottle#.
Sloop Salley, burthen about 60 tons ; cargo, Lisbon wine in
quarter c Iks.x
Sloop Betsey, burthen about 6® tons.
Colony of tbe Massachusetts-Bay, Suffolk, ff.
A libel is filed before me, Bgainft the snow
named the INDUSTR Y, burthen about iSo tone, com
manded by James FukSe, and Did to be improved in carrying
fupplics to the fle,t and arm, employed sgrinft the United Colo
nies, and brought into the said county of Si ffolk. And the
Court ert&ed to try and condemn ell vefTDs that fh^E he found
infefling the sea-coast of America, and brought into either of the
counties of Suffolk, Middltftx or Effix, willte held at the Court-
House in Boston, in said county of Suffolk, on Friday the tenth
day of May, 1776, at the hour of ten in tbe forenoon, to try th*
justice of the said capture. Of which this notice is given, pur
suant to the laws of the colony aforesaid, that the owners of said
vessel, or any person concerned therein, may appear an- shew cause,
if coy they have, why the Lid vessel, with her cargo and appur
tcnances, Should net be condemned.,
TIMOTHY PICKERIN G, jun.'
(Judge of fid Court.