The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-09-06 00:00:00, page 2

crew, was the only one who was wounded, but it is
hoped the wounds will not cause the death of this
gallant defender of those who gave him his passage.
Capt. Gay feeing the privateer (who, from its draught
of water, did not dare to approach the Tartan, for
fear of running on shore) going off, got his vessel a
float, and hove offtowards Marseilles, which he en
tered in the night, to the great joy of all who saw him
arrive, and were informed of the battle, in which 8
Frenchmen, by an inconceivable intrepidity, had beat
off 30 Englilh, and made them take to flight.
May 16. Advices received here announce, that the
Englilh, since the declaration made to the States Ge
neral of the United Provinces, have already taken se
veral Dutch ships, laden only with such merchandizes
the transportation of which hath never been prohibit
ed to neutral powers by any treaties.
Letters in town from Holland assert, that the Spa
nilh fleet, which failed from Cadiz the 28th of April,
is bound to St. Domingo, in order to be more at hand
to second the operations of the French in that quarter.
The merchants and underwriters in the city find
fault with Admiral Arbuthnot for fending a convoy
from New-York on the 27th of December, to cross
the western ocean to England: The fleet under its
care consisted of upwards of 100 merchantmen and
transports. Intelligence of the arrival of only 23 has
been received, though the time from their failing to
the present is five months.
Amidst all the darkness of the Extraordinary Ga
zette, these truths are clearly deducible---That Ad
miral Rodney, with 20 ships of the line, fairly beat
Admiral Guichen with 24 ships of the line, including
a fifty gun ship as one, broke their line, pursued them,
loft them, found them again, offered them battle a
gain, pursued them, drove them for shelter from ne
cessity into a place where they wished not to be ; and
placed himfelf in the direct way to the place where
their wishes, their wants and neceflities mult soon
compel them to hazard a second engagement : There
fore whatever damages our ships had fuffered, they
were so far repaired as to be in a failing condition a
gain, and fit to court and force an engagement.
A correspondent fays, there seems to be a fatality
in our naval operations this war, that counteracts the
greatest courage, and the molt eminent merit of our
Admirals. Sorry we are to take a retrofpedive view
of the expeditions of the last three years. The affair
of Keppel and Pallifer is recent in every one's mind,
and we believe all unite in thinking the most happy
opportunity was then loft of signalizing the glory of
the British flag, humbling the French, and terminat
ing the present unhappy war. Our expedition last
year in the Weft-Indies was not fuccefsful, which was
ascribed to the backwardness of a certain chief com
mander. In the last action between Rodney and the
French fleet in the fame quarter, it too plainly ap
pears that some of the Captains were extremely rc
prehenfible ; and that if they had done their duty, it
would have proved one of the most glorious victories
to be met with in the annals of this century. But
alas ! for want of unanimity, courage, or skill, or all
united, we have all the business to do over again, be
tides losing such a number of brave men. Why do
not our ministers fix upon commanders of established
skill and courage, and unite them only with men of
the fame political principles, divested of any private
piques or prejudices ? If this were the case, we think
the face of our affairs would wear a very different af
pedt, in despite of all the alliances formed against us,
and the desertion of our pretended friends.
Her Majesty is said to be advanced five months in
her pregnancy.
May 30. By an officer who came home in the Pega
sus, Sir George Rodney desired his friends in England
might be acquainted, that he had opened the mari
time campaign, and he would be d d if it should
be an idle one.
Extract of a letter from Leghorn.
' Some farther regulations are now making in all
the Italian ports on the principles of an exact neutra
lity ; by virtue of this no a&s of hostility will be fuf
fered to be committed by ships carrying the flag of
either of the belligerent powers within certain limits.'
'June 2. The number of defaulters in Sir George
Rodney's last engagement is said to be so great, that
even credulity itfelf daggers at the thought ; no less
than nine Captains being accused of deferring the flag
of their Admiral. We have sometimes heard of one
or two ships in a whole fleet having failed in duty ;
but that so many as nine out oftwenty should behave
ill, is such a proportion of infamy as never disgraced
this or any other country before, and can hardly be
believed till it is established by proof. If, however,
when inquiry is made, the charge is found to be true,
it must give so shocking a view of the present date of
our ravy, as cannot fail to make the cooled and mod
indifferent among us tremble for the confequcnces,
and call aloud for that vengeance on the guilty, as may
contribute, for a time at lead, to suspend the fate of
Britain.
The House of Commons agreed to the report of
their resolutions of Wednesday on ways and means
and the supply, viz.
That 4,7961. be granted for maintaining Nova-
Scotia.
That 3,1601. be granted for general surveys in
North-America.
That 13,0001. be granted for the British settlements
on the coast of Africa.
LOND O N, May 29.
Aug. 2r. Wednesday arrived here the continental
frigate Ailiance, Capt. Landais, in 40 days from L'
Orient, in France, in whom came passengers the Hon.
Arthur Lee, Esq. and his two nephews, Capt. Living
ston, Mr. Brush and Mr. Ash of Philadelphia, Mr.
Browne, Mr. Middleton and Mr. Wilkenfon of So.
Carolina, Major Frazer, and Mr. Ingraham, Mons.
Pentybaud and Mons. de Colombe, Aid de Camps to
Major-General Marquis de la Fayette, and his Secre
tary : By some of them we have the following intel
ligence, That a dreadful infurredtion happened in
London against the Roman Catholics ; that the cha
pels of the foreign ministers were pillaged and burnt ;
that Lord Mansfield's house was burnt ; Newgate and
all the other prisons pulled down ; that martial law
was proclaimed ; that the troops were let loose upon
the rioters, of whom some hundreds were killed and
hanged immediately ; that Lord George Gordon,
who it was said fomented the infurredion, was com
mitted to the tower; that during the commotion the
King betook himfelf to Windsor, and Lord North to
Dover Castles; that the Englilh fleet, conlifting of 22
fail, were cruizing before Brest ; that a Spanilh fleet
of 32 fail of the line, were expected from Cadiz, to
join those of France ; that a junction of the Dutch
and Ruffian fleets, to prevent the Englilh from search
ing neutral vessels, was expected daily ; and that the
celebrated Paul Jones was soon to fail for America
in the Ar el.
That 2,8661. be granted for Georgia.
That 3,9501. be granted for East-Florida.
That 3,9001. be granted for Wed-Florida.
That 3,1501. be granted for the Island of St. John's.
That 25,0001. be granted for carrying on the build
ing at Somerset-house.
That 1,900,0001. be granted, to be raised by loans
or exchequer bills.
That 14,4051. the amount of doppages from the ar
tillery in America, be applied towards the extra ex
pences of the land forces.
That 20,7171. savings from grants, be applied to
ditto.
That 113,9981. savings from widows pensions, be
applied to ditto. W..
That 756,789!. savings from grants, be applied to
ditto.
That 484,9421. savings from the finking fund, be
applied towards the supply.
From Paris we have advice, that M. Bougainville
is going with fix fail of the line immediately to the
Weft-Indies, and with him 8000 soldiers ; that he is
ordered to proceed as soon after the 6th of June as
wind and weather will permit : Three store-ships,
and two mast-ships, chiefly laden with lower masts
for line of battle ships, he is to convoy to Martinique.
Extract of a letter from Portsmouth, Ma, 31.
' The grand fleet are preparing for sea with all ex
pedition, and will consist of about 30 fail of the line.'
Wednesday night an express arrived from Plymouth
to a merchant in this city, with advice that the Weft-
India fleet, under the convoy of Commodore Walling
ham, passed by the Ram Head on Sunday last, all wcil.
The Royal William of 80 guns at Portsmouth, be
ing condemned as unfit for sea service, it is expected
the will have a flight repair, and be converted into an
hospital or prison ship.
They write from Rochford, that the Invincible,
a new ship of 104 guns, is actually in the road. The
command of her has been given to Mr. de la Cary.
The Buckingham militia are now on their march
to Dover Castle, where they are to do duty till next
winter.
BOSTO N, Augufl 14.
By a British Surgeon who escaped from the enemy
at Halifax, we learn, that the enemy have withdrawn
all their troops from Windsor, Cumberland, Anna
polis, and St. John's River, into Halifax; and are
putting all their fortreffes into the best posture of de
fence, being in an extreme consternation on account
of the arrival of our good allies on these shores.
Yesterday arrived at Cape Ann a cartel from Hali
fax, with prisoners, being the whole that remained
there.
Wednesday last arrived here a cartel ship from Ad
miral Edwards in Newfoundland, having on board
140 Americans, who had been prisoners for some
time ; and what is very extraordinary, they have ex
perienced since their captivity, uncommon good treat
ment. One hundred and forty more remained in the
prison ship in Newfoundland.
Friday last arrived here Capt. Coffin, in 18 days
from Cape Francois, who informs that he left at that
place 32 fail of the line (French) and 16,000 troops.
PROVIDENCE, August 19.
Since our last the Alliance frigate arrived at Boston
from France, also a vessel from Holland, and another
from Spain. By them we leara, that a formidable
fleet, belonging to the neutral maritime powers, was
assembled in the Texel, for the purpose of protest
ing their trade.
NEW-LONDO N, Augufl: 18.
The British fleet mentioned in our lift to be in
Gardiner's bay, on Wednesday came to fail, and soon
after anchored about three leagues farther eastward,
where they all remain, except three ships which went
down the Sound yesterday.
Six deserters from the above fleet came to town last
Saturday.
It is said that about 9000 British troops are at
White Stone and West-Chester.
N E W-H A V E N, August 24.
The British fleet, which had for several days bee^
lying in Gardiner's bay, last Saturday came to fail,
and flood to the eastward, supposed to take their
station off Newport.
PHILADELPHIA, September s.
Capt. Montgomery, who lately arrived here from
L'Orient, left the coast of France about the 10th of
July. He fays that the British channel fleet had been
seen near Ufhant, about the last of June. Some days
after his departure, about 150 leagues from the land,,
just before day, he fell in with 16 fail of large ships
and 2 frigates, lying to; they chafed him for fomo
time. Perhaps they may be a Spanilh squadron bound
from Cadiz to Brest, which had left the coast of Eu
rope to avoid the northern winds, common in sum
mer on the coast of Portugal.
Last Wednesday and Thursday arrived in 17 days
from St. Euftatia, the schooner Experiment, Capt.
Hilton, and ship Governor De Graffe, Capt. Lyle—
and yesterday arrived from L'Orient, the flrip Lu
zerne, Capt. Bell.
Yesterday morning the Captains, passengers, & sea
men of the ship Lady Margaret, Alexander Hugh,
from Glasgow, and the sloop Delight, James Philips,
from Jamaica, were brought prisoners to this city.
Both vessels were bound to New-York, but were taken
by the Gen. Greene, Holker, and Fair American pri-.
vateers out of this port. Mr. Abraham Hayward, one
of the Lieuts. of the Guadeloupe, a British frigate,
was passenger on board the sloop.
Friday night the 25th ult. a party of our fix months
men, under the command of Ensign Fitz-Randolph,
went upon Staten-Island and brought off a Justice
Lake and five other principal inhabitants, without
any loss on our fide.
Dodor Bloomfield is exchanged for a Dr. de Boss,
a Surgeon to one of the Hessian corps.
We learn that the Alliance, lately arrived at Bos
ton, brings advice that the second division of the
French fleet had not failed when the left L'Orient. —
The reason of the delay has not yet transpired.
Friday last the Pennsylvania militia, which were
encamped near this town, were reviewed by His Ex
cellency Joseph Reed, Esq. Commanderin Chief of
that date. They were formed in brigade about nine
o'clock in the morning ; soon after which His Excel
lency and his suite appeared in the field, when the
troops performed a variety of military manoeuvres
with great ease and exadnefs. They then marched
thro' the town in proper military order; and after
they had returned to their camp, were dismissed by
His Excellency. They were as fine a body of militia,
it is thought, as ever appeared together in America,
well clothed and equipped, and made a truly mar
tial appearance.
SI R, Camp near Trenton, Sept. I, 1780.
IMPELLED by principle, we feel it our duty to ex
press to your Excellency the high sense we enter
tain of your exertions and alacrity in affcmbling the
militia at this place, agreeable to the orders of our
excellent Commander in Chief; and at the fame time
that we admit the necessity of the measure we can
not help lamenting our countermand, as we indulg
ed the flattering hope, from the uniform system of
subordination and discipline which your Excellency
inculcated, and which we were determined to sup
port, that we should at least have answered the expec
tations of our country, and disappointed the wishes
of our enemies, foreign and dcmeftic.
Prompted by motives of political fafety and perso
nal attachment, we beg leave to assure your Excel
lency that it will ever be our pride and glory to fol
low you to the field, and that we shall most chear^
fully afford you every support in our power to pro
mote the general weal of America, and the particular
interest of the state over which you so honourably
preside.
The following Address to His Excellency Joseph
Reed, Esquire, President and Commander in Chief
of the militia of the Commonwealth of Pennsyl
vania, signed unanimously by the officers, was pre
sented by Brigadier-General Lacey, Col. B. Eyres
and Col. Will :
Gentlemen,
ff rHE obliging sentiments you have just expressed,
1 cannot but give mea very sincere pleasure. The
requisition of our service upon this occasion was found
ed upon the mod apparent propriety, and was too ex
plicit to admit of doubt or delay. Wehave shewn our
illustrious alries, our excellent Commander in Chief,
and the whole world, that when our country calls it
is our plealure to obey. The alacrity with which so
numerous and well appointed a body of troops have
appeared in arms, the improvement in discipline, and
the chastity of conduct with respect to private proper
ty, refleds the highest honour upon the officers and
men, and have made my command not only honour
able but pleasant. Had the situation of public affairs
required our proceeding to take an active part in the
operations of the campaign, I doubt nr,t you would
have done equal honour to the state and| yourselves by
your conduct in the field, and it would; have been as it
ever will be, my duty and pride to partake of your
danger and glory.
The opportunity is only defend d for a little time*
To which His Excellency returned the following Anfauem :
TRE NT ON, September 6.