The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1782-01-02 00:00:00, page 2

having failed from his station in parfait of the French
fleet, which left Martinique 14 hours previous to
his weighing anchor, with a charge of several ftore
fhios and transports, in which it was said a body of
troops confining of 4500 men were embarked. A
report had been circulated that their destination
was against the island of Jamaica, but he consider
ed that rumour as only calculated to mislead him,
as the course they were steering was diredly for
America, and he had received previous information
that they intended to take shelter during the equi
no&ial months in the harbour of Rhode-ifland.
Sir George writes with his usual spirit, and profef
fes a determination to watch all the movements of
the enemy, and to bring them to a&ion, if possible.
He (peaks with the more confidence, as he will have
a decided superiority as soon as the different ships
defined for that quarter are all arrived. The fleet
of Mons. de Grade consists of 27 fail of the line;
Sir George has with him 21 fail, Admiral Digby
has failed with 3, and Admiral Graves is now at
Sandy-Hook, and will join Admiral Digby with all
possible expedition, with 7 fail of the line, three 50's,
besides frigates These when joined, will make,
altogether, 34 fail, and de Graffe's fleet, when unit
ed with that of Admiral Barras's, will only be 32
fail of the line; so that whatever dangers may
threaten us from other quarters, we do not seem to
have much to apprehend from the weft.
By the advice received yesterday from the lee
ward illands, it appears that De Graffe had failed
from Martinico with 27 fail of the line, in order to
escort the trade from that island and Gaudalonpe,
down to St Domingo; which is generally the place
of rendezvous for all the French Weft-Indiamen,
before they fail for Europe; and in ail probability
he will convoy them from thence to a certain lati
tude, and then dispatch part of his fleet to Rhode
lfland.
Yesterday several different defpatches were re
ceived at the Admiralty and Secretary of date's
office, from Sir P Parker. Sir H. Clinton, Sir G.
Rodney, and General Elliot, the Governor of Gib
raltar. Ihe defpatches from Sir Peter Parker and
Sir Henry Clinton contain nothing interesting or
new while those from the Governor of Gibraltar
are replete with accounts of the resolute disposition
of that fortrtfs to withstand the united attacks of
the enemy
The state of the garrison at Gibraltar is very
nearly as follows; Clinton's, Walsh's, Laugh's, and
Buyd's regiments of foot; the Manchester regiment
of volunteers: La Mothe's, Hardenburg's and Ren
den's battalions of Hanoverians, and upwards of
600 of the royal artillery ; in all about 6000 effec
tive men,
The garrison of Minorca is about 3000 strong,
and consists of Morris's and Eglinton's regiments
of foot, a company of the gad Prince ErnefPs and
Golacher's regiments of Hanoverians, exclusive of
the militia of the island, about 800 effective men
more.
The reports that have been for some time circu
lated, of Mr Parker's resignation of his command
have been at l@ft juftified by the event, that brave
Admiral having on Wednesday last sent a formal
intimation of his intention to withdraw from his
command to St. James's; after which Lord Sand
wich held a private conference with His Majesty,
and Commodore Keith Stewart was appointed to
succeed him. In consequence of this promotion,
Commodore Stewart had a long conference with
His Majesty yesterday at the Queen's house, and in
the evening set off post for Sheerness to take upon
him the command of the fleet, which is to fail on
Monday or r uefday next, on a second cruise on the
coast of Holland
The States of Holland have ordered a day of
rejoicing " for their late signal successes and impor
tant vi&ory lately gained over the British fleet in
the North-Seas." Our correspondent inquires, how
that business agrees with OUR opinion and account
of the matter?
The Swedish 64 gun ship, lately loft on the coast
of Holland, was absolutely freighted with timber
for Bieft; and the Empress of Russia has declared
no power on earth shall hinder her fubjedls from
the free exportation of the produce of the country.
" FREE SHIPS, FREE GOODS!" is now the
language of the northern powers; and how shall we
(Pays a correspondent) prevent their doing what
they fay they are determined upon?
The Jamaica fleet, now daily expelled home un
der convoy of the Princess Royal, Albin, and Ruby
men of war, is estimated worth TWO MILLIONS
fter. nor is the fleet from the leeward islands of less
value.
Total, 39 fail of the line including 3 fifty gun ships.
Intelligence from Holland mention, that the squa
dron ready to fail from the Texel for the Baltic, is a
much stronger one than the last, and has probably left
it by this time. Admiral Picket has the command
in the Prince Frederick of 60 guns, with captain J. V.
Bentincke, in tire new*ip Union, of 64 guns as com
modore. The other Blips of the squadron are one
of 70, three of 56, and two of 44 guns, besides frigates.
A Dut h convoy of upwards of 100 fail, with five
Dutch men of war, came from Cadiz with the com
bined fleet, and are gone north about, together with
two French ships ofthe line, and two frigates of the
fame nation, in order to fee them fafe into port.
They consist of ships from the East and Weft-Indies,
Africa, the Levant, Spain and Portugal.
Extract of a letter from Petersburg, July 6.
" A man of war which was on the point of failing
from Cronftadt, having some time since taken fire, the
police, in order to put a flop to the alarm occasioned
thereby, and to prevent future accidents of the like
kind, published the following caution:
" Some time during the last month, a very thick
" smoke was observed to issue from one of the men
" of war lying at Cronftadt, on board of which no
" fire had been made for five days. The room in
" which the smoke firft appeared, had been careful
" ly locked up only four hours before, and several
" articles had been placed in it which were fit for
" sea use. On breaking open tbedoor, the assistance
" found a piece of fail doth on fire, and upon closer
" examination, they difeovered a vessel filled with
" foot dissolved in hempfeed oil, from which sparks
" of fire were continually rising. These circum
" stances being communicated to the admiral com
" mandant at Cronftadt, he ordered the following
" experiment to be made. Forty pounds of foot be
" ing steeped in thirty five pounds of hempfeed oil,
The Duke de Crillon, who commands the expe
dition against Minorca, is a lineal defeendant from
the brave Crilloo, who once had the boldness to
give the LIE to his royal master, Henry IV. cf
France; but in such a manner that the King could
not be offended with him. His Majesty was speak
ing to some ladies one day, when Crillon entered
the presence chamber, the King on feeing him, im
mediately said, " Ladies, there is the bravest man in
France." Crillon instantly replied, " You lie, Sire,
the King is the bravest." Henry smiled at the
compliment, notwithstanding the rough manner in
which it was paid by the blunt veteran, who was
(like Admiral Par ker) abetter fighter than courtier.
Sept. 11. The whole of the reinforcements now
getting in readiness for America, are defined for
South-Carolina, as follows, viz. of the guards, 17,00 ;
dismounted horse with their accoutrements, and to
be provided with horses in America, 1500; colonel
Thomson's legion, to be raised of loyalists, which is to
consist of 1200, with five regiments of infantry from
Ireland. A force which is expected will be able to
secure the peace of Carolina, and to check any fur
ther progress of the Spaniards to the Northward.
Advice was received on Saturday, by a Vessel ar
rived in the river from Lisbon, that on the intreaty
of the French ministry, the Portuguese had laid an
embargo on a French ship of 44 guns, bound from
Martinico to Nantz, which was taken by an English
man of war, and sent in there; and that an edi& is
published, ordering all the French and Spanish ships
which are sent into any of the ports belonging to
Portugal as Prizes, to be flopped.
It is more than probable, that by this time admi
ral Darby tes been joined by the squadron under
commodore Keith Stuart, who has received positive
orders from the board of admiralty, in such case, to
proceed to sea with the firft fair wind, and to engage
the combined fleets of France and Spain, wherever
he shall come up with them.
The St. Alban's, Inglis; the Agamemnon, Cald
well ; and Prothee ; Buckner, men of war of 64 guns
each, are all under failing orders for the Jamaica Ra
tion, in order to replace the Princess Royal, Ruby
and Albion, which are convoy to the homeward
bound fleet.
When vice-admiral Darby is joined by the squa
dron under commodore Stewart, and the Blips al
ready under orders to join him, the grand fleet will
consist of the undermentioned ships:
Guns.
Britannia 100
Victory 100
Royal George 100
Queen 98
Duke 98
Formidable 98
Ocean 90
Namur 90
Union 90
Foudryant 80
Princess Amelia 8c
Alexander 74
Conqueror 74
Defence 74
Edgar 74
Courageux 74
Marlborough 74
Valiant 74
Fortitude 74
Arrogant 74
Guns'
Bellona 74
Berwick 74
Dublin 7 4
Hercules 74
Yarmouth 74
Inflexible 64
Medway 64
Repulse 64
Bvinfaifant 64
Proshes 64
Agamemnon 64
Africa 64
Sampson 64
Scepter 64
Nonfuch 64
Buffalo 60
Assistance 50
Pretton 50
Rotterdam 50
WATERFO R D, Sept. 19.
The following extrad of a letter from Capt. Affleck,
was received by an eminent merchant in this city,
the original of which was received by his corre
spondent in Cork, dated September 15, 1781,
' 'Kinfale, Sept. 15, 1781.
" Sir George B. Rodney and! am here, off Ban
try-bay, in the Gibraltar, the old Spanish Phoenix;
he wants a frigate very much, if there be any in
Cork, to fend to Admiral Darby, and one must come
out directly to look for the Brutus, an American
privateer of 24 guns, which we chafed yesterday
without catching her. She has left her empty wa
ter calks at Beer-Haven, where I suppose she will
come for them.
(Signed) PHILIP AFFLECK.
" Stair Douglas, with the Triumph, my ship, is
coming with the leeward island convoy this way."
Captain Forriftall, of the brig Dispatch, just ar
rived here from Plymouth, said it was currently re
ported there that the grand fleet, consisting of 35 fail
of the line, besides fiigates, cutters, &c. was to fail
last Thursday, the day Capt. Forriftall left Plymouth.
He likewise fays, that the various reports of the
combined fleet being in the channel, is destitute of
truth ; neither the Agamemnon, Prothee, Minerva,
Viper, or any other of our men of war having seen
them, as was said. Capt. Forriftall, who is a very
intelligent man, declares the above to be true, and
consequently due credit should be given to it. He
met with no privateers on his passage hither.
Capt. Best, of the Hawk, belonging to this port,
and just arrived here from Oporto, fays, that about
12 leagues to the westward of Cape Clear, fix days
ago, spoke the Arethufa frigate, three days from
" for the space of an hour, the oil was then drawn
" off, and the foot which remained at bottom wag
" exposed to the air for four hours. The tub cv
" taining it was then carefully tied over with a 1,
" mock, and placed in a very close room. Hei\
" remained for thirteen hours, when a thick finch
" filled the room: upon opening the door, the foot.
" in the tub inllantly burst into a flame.
" Several other experiments were made by the ad
'' miralty college, the result of which has been, that
" foot, mixed with hempfeed oil, that of Russia in
" particular, and placed in any close apartment, will
" after some hours, on the introduction of the frefh
" air, immediately take fire.
" The police have thought proper to make thh
" account public, that every one may be guarded
" against a neglect, with the fatal conicquencc3 of
" which they may be unacquainted."
Sept. 29. A scheme is said to be in agitation , it
Peterfburgh, into which, if the Empress is able to
bring the Emperor of Germany, the re is no doubt of
its immediate success, the Kings of Prussia. Sweden
and Denmark, having acceded to it. It is to declare,
ALL THE CONTINENT OF NORTH AMERI
CA INDEPENDENT OF ANY EUROPEAN SO
VEREIGNTY ; and if Great- Britain and the House
of Bourbon (but chiefly the latter) do not agree to
it, to attack, and oblige them to comply with all the
forces of this grand alliance.—A free trade for all the
world with the new States of America, to be the
end and basis ofthe whole plan ! The English, French
and Dutch, would be great gainers by such a Revo
lution. Upon Peace being eltablifhed, England must
carry away from every rival the trade of North-Ame.
rica, at present supported more by her manufadures
than those of any other country. Lord North, and
the Chancellor, it is said, are decidedly of opinion,
that we ought immediately to embrace this system,
and openly declare our readiness to acquiesce in it,
which would turn nearly all Europe against the House
of Bourbon. His Majesty has no objection, provided
France is made to lose, as well as Spain, and that her
sugar islands be placed also in the fame fituatjon.
A man of the name of T. Teige, who was convicted
of cow stealing last affzes, at Dublin, and ordered for
execution in a short day after, wrote the following
letter to a friend,of his in the town of Athlone.
Dearly Farly,
As I am to die on Thursday next, please to fend
me the four guineas I lent you, in order to have
myfelf interred decently, &c.
When he received the following answer some few
hours before his execution:
I received your's, and be assured, when we fee each
other next, we will fettle accounts to each other's fa
tisfaciiou. lam sorry for your misfortune, but I
hope you'll get the better of it. Your's, &c. F.
The proffered mediation from the Northern States
between us and Holland, together with the separate
negociation between us and Spain, both of which we
have authority to fay are 'agitated at present, will at
least furnifh the Ministry, during the fiery ordeal of
the approaching sessions, with new arguments to pro
secute the American war.
C O R K, Sept. 17.
Yesterday evening the gallant Admiral Rodney ar
rived at Cove on board his Majesty's ship Gibraltar,
of 80 guns, from St. Euftatius. We learn that Sir
George chafed the Count de Graffe from island to
island, in the Weft-Indies, but finding it impossible
to bring him to a general action, he left Admiral
Hood in command of the fleet, and with a few ships
of war convoyed our valuable homeward bound
merchant fleet into founding; the wind being now
N. W. they may be hourly expected here.