The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1782-01-02 00:00:00, page 1

NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
St. James's, September iith, 1781.
rail ™|HIS morning a mefTeoger arrived at the
& office of the Earl of Hillfborough,one of
His Majesty's principal Secretaries of state,
with a letter to his Lordship, from Sir
Horace Mann, Bart. K. B. His Majesty's envoy ex
traordinary at Florence, inclofing a letter from Lieu
tenant-General Murray, Governor of Minorca, dat
ed St. Philip's Castle, August 10, in which the Go
vernor gives an account, that a division of the Spa
nish fleet and transports, was putting that morning
to the east part of the harbour of Mahon, with an
intention, as was supposed, to land troops in that
quarter; and that another division appeared to be
going to the weft part of that harbour. The Go
vernor adds, that he had been for some time ap
prized of the intention of the enemy, and was per
fectly prepared to receive them; that the garrison
was in health and high Spirits, and that he had no
doubt of making a vigorous refinance.
LONDO N, August 10.
The barometer of ministerial exultation was up
to its highest pitch all day yesterday on the arrival
of the news from Admiral Parker; but the Extra
ordinary Gazette, hurried last night into the world
with such an air of triumph, only serves to Shew the
people of England, that our enemies are not the
weak and unskilful foe, their creatures are paid for
representing them.
The state midwives were yesterday brought to
town, with all imaginable, speed, to assist at the de
livery of the little bantling, begot by Admiral Par
ker, whose features betray a total want of that
prowess, which formerly distinguished the Britilh
flag.
The Dutch have thrown aside their inactivity,
and convinced the world, in the engagement with
admiral Packer., th^ th^v know hew to fight as
well as the English. With only difference of a single
ship, the Dutch carried off their convoy, and left
the Britilh squadron, consisting of five Ihips of the
line, and fix frigates, " not in a condition to follow
them."
The London Gazette of last night informs us,
that after an engagement of three hours and forty
minutes,"'the Dutch bore away with their convoy
for the Texel," having laid to for a confider^ble
time near the English fleet, without difeovering any
inclination in it for renewing the action.
Admiral Parker fays, " 1 made an effort to form
the line but found it impracticable." The fad is,
the Admiral hung out a flag for forming, but v as
answered by lignals of distress. His Ihips were too
much crippled for further lervice.
When Governor Johnftone was appointed to the
command he has, he declared in the House of Com
mons that he Should, in a frigate, think himfclf a
match for a man of war of the line, and held it,
that a fleet of 20 English Ihips ought to beat 30 of
the enemy's. What does admiral Parker's letter
fay?
It has been the constant and invariable maxim of
government, to load our enemies with the epithets
of poltroons and cowards. Let the behaviour of the
Dutch determine how far this is truth or not!
As we seem utterly incapable of beating the ene
my, with a fleet at all inferior to theirs, it is to be
regretted that we have at this time a firft Lord of
the Admiralty, who never fends out a superior fleet.
The fr:ends of government give out, though we
know not upon what authority, that Lord Rawdon's
rear guard came up with General Greene's army,
and after a short skirmish, drove General Greene
and his army out of the province of South-Caroli
na.
The St. Lucia accounts received at Jamaica,
mention, that most of the non commissioned officers
and privates of theist battalion of the iftregiment
of foot, called the Royil Scots, are dead.
Admiral Graves, who at present commands on
the New-York Ration, is a senior officer to Digby,
who is appointed to that command; therefore orders
are sent out for him to go to Jamaica immediately
on the arrival of Digby.
[Vol. V.)
WEDNESDAY. January 2, 1782.
If the accounts from France and Holland may
be credited, it appears as if Hyder Ally dilcuvered
a disposition to attack the settlements of some other
Europen powers, betides the English; indeed the
force which the Portuguese and Danes have lately
sent, and are preparing to fend to their colonies,
seems to corroborate the report.
They write from Hamburgh, that the Dutch
consul at that port had prefeuted to the Magistracy
a copy of a convention between that city and the
republick of Holland, which he seemed anxious to
have executed, it relates Solely to commerce, and
has therefore been referred to the Magistracy of the
chamber of commerce, v/hefe report on it will de
termine its acceptance.
'I he following authentic returns of the numbers of
men encamped near Brest, St. Maloes, Havre de
Grace, and St. Omer's, m. : he depended upon;
viz.
Caval-. Anil- Infan- Total.
Ji Jery. try.
Near Brest, 2,000 240 6,380 8,620
St. Maloes, 900 190 4,6(0 5,690
Havre de Grace 1,000 180 4.36 c 5,440
Ift line, St. Omer's 1,400 90 2,bco 4^90
2d line, ditto, 300 140 1,700 2,140
General Total, §,6co 8,0 19,840 26,180
N. B. The artillery men with the regimental
guns, are not included, but amount to 190. The
parks to each camp are composed of 18,12, and 6
pounders, and the magazines tolerably well furnish
ed with ammunition.
Since the days of Dr. Walker, who so nobly de
fended Derry against King James's army, after the
town had been defeited by Governor Lundy, lie
land had not seen a clergymen in arms, till tne pre
sent volunteer army was raiicu, but now FhSmr.ik
fees Dr. Walker revived in the Rev. Colonel Bar
ber, who railed, and now commands the Ruthfriland
volunteers. The Reverend Soldier dues military
duty as well as any lay officer in the whole army,
and actually appeared at the head of his corps at
the late review at Belfaft, of the volunteers of the
counties of Downe and Antrim..
Singular clause of a bill made by Sir John Corn
walleys, ancestor of the present brave Lord Corn
wallis.—This gentleman bequeathed a young lady
who was his ward, to his own son: “ I'o his son
Richard he bequethed his ward, Margaret Lowthe,
which he bought of my Lord of Norfolk, to many
her himfelf, if they both fhbuld be so contented; but
if not, that he should have the wardship and marriage
of her, with all advantages and profits.
We are exceeding sorry. to find the men of war
on the Jamaica Ration are in such bad condition,
that the Princess Royal, Albion and Ruby, are com
ing home with the next convoy;, and that the Ra
millies will be the only Ship of force left for the
protection of the trade belonging to that valuable
island.
We hear that the hills about Dover are ordered
immediately to be fortified, and barracks built on
the weft of the town; and that several of the inde
pendent companies at Chatham have marched to
Dover to be employed upon these works.
August 13. Saturday advice was received at
Lloyd's that one hundred and forty-two fail of (hips,
all from the port of London, were fafe arrived at
Peterfburgh.
Iwo mips of the line, and three frigates, are
ordered to a Ration off the Maefe river, in Holland,
to prevent any ships from Rotterdam or Helvoetfluys
failing to reinforce the Dutch squadron at the Texel.
From the vast consequence the Eaft-lndies are
of to this country, the late news from lienee cannot
but yield the most complete and general fatisfadion ;
and had we such men as a Rockingham, a Shel
burne, a Burke, or Fox, in administration, it might
be turned to the happiest account; but in the hands
of the present Ministry, good news does not raise
the spirits of the people in the smallest degree,
knowing, as they do from the most dreadful expe
rience; that it is not in the ignorance of a North, a
TH E
Sandwich, or a Germaine, to avail themselves pro
perly of it, and that the best news can only tend to
increase that abominable indolence, for which they
are so eminently characterised in every part of Eu
rope.
Painful as it is to think of the calamitous state
to which this country is reduced, it is yet more so
to refled on the fort of men, to whem all our mif
furtunes aie to be wholly ascribed. We become
fired with indignation, and lose the force of lan
guage, when we would adopt terms to express the
abhorrence with which we lecolled, that this once
glorious empire Should ever have been placed with
such men, as thole who at present make up, what is
celled the Ministry. much more when such men are
continued in office, when their imbecility, venality,
and unpopularity, are so notoriously known, and to
the exclusion of men, endowed with the expanded
abilities and Knowledge of a Burke, and who might
bic tail tc Snatch their country from the brink of
ruin, to which it is unhappily brought.
Any thing in the Ihape of good news, is such 2
dainty, at a cei tain palace, that the late engagement
between Admiral barker and the Dutch fleet, has
been one continued Source of mirth and joy, efpe
cialiy in the nuilery, where the little tenants are
made to lisp a thculand pretty expieffions in praise
of So decided a victory!
Cne great fav,rg has certainly been made under
the present X iniluy, v ho have no intelligence to
pay for, and consequently will thereby greatly re
duce the amount of Secret service money.
" hitehall, August 10, 1781.
Copy of a letter from Peter Chester, Esquire, l,e
Governor ot \\ ett- Florida, to 1 otd George 'Ger
mane, one of iris Majesty's principal Sccietaiies
of Rate, dated c harleftown, luly 2, 1781
I had not an opportunity before I left Penfac da
of writing to ycur Lordflrip, to acquaint ycu ofihe
entiie Surrender of the piovir.ee of Wcft-Floiida to
the arms of Spain. Ihe enemy appeared the 9th
of Match, and in a few days after 'entered the L. r
bour of Pensacola: the uh< le particulars of the
fege I must beg leave to defer till my arrival in
England, which 1 hope will be soon, as I Shall em
brace the next opportunity of failing, either in the
flag of truce that 1 came in from Fenficola, which
is very leaky, and mult be repaired before She can
proceed to sea, or in the next packet, which ever is
firft ready. We were obliged to capitulate the „tb
of May; the articles were signed the 9th (a copy
of which I now enclose your Lordship.) The capi
tulation would not have taken place so soon had it
not been from a very fatal accident on the morning
of the Bth, by having our principal advanced work
blown up by a Shell which entered the magazine:
many lives were loft; the few that remained unhurt
spiked up the guns, and retreated to the fort. Ge
neral Campbell thinking (as I imagine) that the rest
of the works were not tenable against such a supe
rior for ce, with so large a train of artillery, hoisted,
the white flag, and sent one of his Aids-de-C amp
to the Spanish General to treat upon terms of capi
tulation, which I hope your Lordship will think are
as favourable as could be obtained in our dist effed
situation. General Campbell, with Captain Leans,
of the navy, are sent to the Havannah; and Major
of brigade Campbell is ordered to New-Gilears.
The rest of the prisoners of war are gone for
New-York, but were firft to go to the Savannah
for provisions.
I have the honour to be, &c.
PE FER CHESTER.
Sept. 3. On Wednesday last, one of the largest
carronades ever made, was tried at Carren. It
carries a ball of a hundred pounds weight "he
power of this great inftrnment of diftru&ion is im
menle, and it is as cafily worked as a long twenty
four pounder. It answered extremely well all the
trials and experiments that were made.
An express arrived yesterday afternoon at the
Admiralty, with despatches from Sir George Rod
ney, dated at sea, acquainting their Lordships of his
[NUMB. 21c.J