The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-01-13 00:00:00, page 2

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by two Guernsey and one Jersey privateers. Ti^e
said ships were very deeply laden, having disposed of
their guns in the bast-Indies (not knowing hostilities
were commenced between England and France) in
order to make room for piece goods.
The Porcupine (loop was on her voyage from
Lisbon for England when the fill in with the Modefte.
Her lading chiefly consists of tea, and her value is
estimated at 300,000!.
The Hon. Capt. Finch has been remarkably fortu
nate in taking rich prizes, for betides the Le Modefte,
French Eaft-Indiaman, brought into Plymouth, he
lately took a large French ship called the C^far, with
an American cargo (estimated at 20,000!. value)
confining of two hundred and eighty-four hoglheads
of the bed York and James River tobacco.
[From Rivington'3 Royal Gazette.]
October 5. It is somewhat extraordinary, fays a
correspondent, that nothing has transpired relative
to the Council held on Wednesday, the 23d of Sep
tember, when the plan of pacification which the
mediating powers have proposed, in order to re
store the tranquility of Europe and America, was
examined and adjusted.
I. That the proclamation of his Britannic Majesty,
declaring the inhabitants of the Thirteen Provinces
Rebels, and the declaration of Congress, avowing
the Independency of the said Provinces, shall be held
null and void in all refpeCls.
11. That the antient charter by which the Colo
nies were established shall be confirmed and ratified
in every particular, without alteration or diminution.
111. That no extraordinary tax or imposition shall
be demanded of them, under the authority of go
vernment, by any of its officers: but in case their
assistance should be requisite, from the pressing neces
sities of the nation, either on account of war, or any
other extremity, they engage on such occasions to
help in furnifhing men and money according to their
ability, and with as much readiness and loyalty as in
the war of 1755.
IV. That instead of the Americans having Repre
sentatives in the British Senate, they shall chufe a
deputy for each Province, who shall be resident in
London in the quality of agent, (to be paid by the
province which deputes them) to superintend and
take care of the interest of the province, and to tranf
aCt every business relative to it with the Secretary of
State for the American Department.
His Majesty, with a view to further the success of
this plan of pacification, has thought proper to pro
rogue his Parliament from the 20th of OCtober to the
26. h November, in order to have time to advise his
allies of it, and to receive their answers, that he
may be able to lay before his Parliament at their
meeting, such intelligence as shall prove fatisfadory
relative to so important and interesting a fubjedt.
The King and Queen have been to view the camp
al Winchester, Salisbury, Warley and Coxheath,
Alderman Plumb, a gentleman well affeCted to go
vernment, is chosen Lord Mayor of London ; Al
derman Lee was the only one of twelve candidates,
whose name, when proposed to the Livery of Lon
don, from the Hustings to serve the office, was re
ceived by them with hissing reprobation. Tempera
mutantur.
Both the French and English fleets were at sea
between the Bay of Biscay and the Lizard on the ;th
of October.
NE W- YO RK, Decembers.
The rebel privateers Hornet and Santapee have
raptured the privateer Three Friends of this port, and
a schooner, name unknown, bemud for the east end
of Long-Island.
The 28th of last month, in lat. 20, there was a
mod bloody engagement between Capt. Smith, in a
privateer brig belonging to Jamaica, of 16 guns, and
a fllip of 18 fix pounders, called the General Moul
trey, from South-Carolina, Newton, master, when
the former was forced to yield with the loss of many
men, and was carried into Charleftown. Capt. Smith
had fevenmulket balls lodged in his body, when Capt.
Newton's people boarded him, neither would he
fuffer his colours to be flruck.
Lalt Thursday a sloop laden with arms and gun
powder, bound from the Miffifippi to Philadelphia,
was brought into this port by the Columbus, one of
our privateers. Mr. James Willing, of Philadelphia,
wa- in this prize, and removed into custody on board
his Majesty's flip the Ardent.
Dec. 26. The Parliament stands prorogued to the
26th of November, when it is expected his Majesty
will open the feflion.
CHARLESTOWN, (South-Carolina) ^ov. 4.
By Capt. Richard King, who is arrived here in 8
days from Bermuda we learn, that the fleet of British
privateers rendezvousing at tliat island had been, just
before he came away, reinforced by Capt. Bridger
Goodrich in a Virginia built boat mounting 20 guns;
and that the vessel had been a whole day upon the
rock, but was got off again. As it has been con
jectured that this fleet of privateers „are intended to
fail from Bermuda, so as to be on these coasts (with
other privateers from the Weft-Indies, in quest of
provision vessels) by the 15th infl. when they sup
pose the embargo will be taken off, the French fri
gates that are hourly expetted will probably arrive
very seasonably for their reception.
The master of a French snow just arrived in fifteen
days from Port Petre, Guadeloupe, reports that the
conquest of Dominica by the French troops under
the command of the Marquis de Boullie, was to be
succeeded by a general attack, at one and the fame
time, upon the islands of Antigua, St. Christopher,
Montferat, St. Vincent, and Grenada.
Nov. 12. The flgg of truce destined for North-Ca
rolina, mentioned in our last to have been taken by a
French letter of mart, arrived here three days after
her captor. The vessel was restored to Lieut. Kaby,
the commander, and after being supplied with such
nepeffaries as he flood in need of, was ordered to
depart, which he did on Saturday last.
The flag which arrived here on the 21st ult. and
ordered to depart, as mentioned in a former paper,
and from her having packets for Georgia, and the
course she fleered, imagined to be destined thither,
was not arrived in that state on Monday last.
It is worthy of remark, that notwithstanding the
late tax of five pounds a head on negroes greatly ex
ceeded any ever before known in this country, there
never was one more chearfully paid or soon collected ;
the people most readily acquiefeing in a measure,
which though particularly burthenfome on many,
yet they were convinced was necessary, and the in
conveniences appearing trivial when put in compe
tition with the prize they are contending for.
Capt. William Dunfeombe, of the sloop Eagle, is
just arrived here in thirteen days from Turks-Island,
and informs us, that about the beginning of October
an armed French sloop, carrying 12 guns and 80
men, 50 of whom were Spaniards, arrived at the
Grand Key, where a flag came to them from the in
habitants, requiring their errand. They received
for answer that they must surrender to his Most
Christian Majesty, agreeable to the articles of capitu
lation, of which acopy was sent; and that if they
refufed to comply, they would meet with very harlh
treatment. Any resistance the inhabitants could
make, being barely 100, and entirely unprovided
with arms, appearing ineffectual, they complied with
the terms offered. The commander of the sloop
appointed Mr. George Ball, an inhabitant, to be
Chief Magistrate, till a Governor should arrive from
Cape Francois, who was daily looked for when our
informant left the Key. The sloop, in 12 hours
after her arrival, failed on hg return for the Cape.
BALTIMORE, December 22.
A few days since, a new schooner, commanded by
Capt. Deane, laden with salt, bound from Ports
mouth in Virginia, to this port, was most unfortu
nately wrecked on the Tangiers, in Chesapeake. Ten
people, tome of them gentlemen passengers, out of
fourteen who were on board, unhappily perished.
Amongst these unfortunates was Captain Benjamin
Chew, a brave and worthy young gentleman, who
had but lately escaped from Forton prison in England,
and was, when this fatal event took place, in fight
of his native ihore.
BOSTON, November 30.
The following is a lift of ships loft by his Britannic
Majesty, since the war with America.—
No. of Guns.
24 The Mercury on the Chevaux-de-frize in the
North-River.
st AFrigate, } ^Delaware River.
28 Liverpool, on Long-Island.
32 Juno,
28 Cerberus,
32 Orpheus,
32 Lark,
20 Rose, , Burnt and funk in Rhode-Ifland.
32 Grand Duke,
14 King Fisher,
16 Swan,
And a Galley,
20 Drake, taken by Capt. Jones, in the Ranger.
32 Syren, cast away on Point Judith.
^ A^"; I At Carolina.
28 A Frigate, ) 9
20 Merlin, drove ashore by Count d'Estaing.
32 Minerva, ) And their Tenders carried into
32 Active, ) Cape Francois.
r 8 Thunder Bomb, ) Taken by Count d'Estaing.
16 Senegal, ) ' °
28 Fox, J
22 Lively, } Taken and carried into Brest.
14 Alert, J
64 Somerset, cast away at Cape-Cod, Captain and
, crew taken.
A Galley cast away near Egg-Harbour.
Hotham tender cast away at Cape-Henlopen.
A, guard ship, mounting eight 12 pounders, and
• one 32 pounder, taken in Seconet passage, and
carried into Groton, by Major Talbot, in a small
sloop of two guns.
PACKET S.
One from Harwich to Helvoet, taken by Captain
Cunningham, and carried into France.
The Weymouth from Falmouth to Jamaica, carried
into Boston.
Le Defpencer, from Falmouth to New-York, taken
by Capt. Malally, and carried into New-London.
The Harriot, from Falmouth to New-York, taken
by Capt. Newman, and carried into Newbury-Port.
I)ec. 14. Thursday last a prize brig arrived at Salem,
laden with rum, sugar, &c. captured by the privateer
longed to Hallifax, and was from the Weft-Indies
bound to that place.
Friday last arrived here, the Marquifs De la Fay
ette, who has so generously interested himfelf in the,
cause of the United States ; wlo has fei ved. it with
distinguished capacity and intrepidity in the field,
and has Bled for it. It is with articular pleasure we
can assure the public that the health of this truly
noble and brave officer is now pel fedly re-established.
Dec. 17. We have good information, by way of
France, that Britain has knocked at' the door of al
most every Court in Europe, imploring in vain alli
ance under the difficulties she ha madly brought
upon herfelf, by throwing these States out of her
protection, wageing the most cruel and unnatural
war against them, that the annals of the world cai±
afford ; and obliging them to become, what their
extent, their numbers, and advantages for trade en
titles them to be, a diftinCt and independent nation.
The powers of Europe have looked on with amaze
ment and secret fatisfaCtion, these accounts fay, while
that proud despot of the ocean, has been reducing
her own power by this war, and doing that for them
which they were not likely to do for themselves:
They are all interested in, and therefore with for the
establishment of the Freedom and Independency of
the United States. They now freely fay, that fuel:
a source of trade, wealth, and power as America is
ought not to be monopolized by, or remain under
the absolute controul of any single nation ; and that
it is for the benefit of mankind, as well as of the
States themselves, that it should be more open to
the whole mercantile world than it has hitherto been.
Our information goes on to add, that the Court of
France, and our Ministers there are thoroughly Satis
fied of the fidelity of Spain to the Family-compact,
and that should the war continue, and her aid be
necessary, Die will throw her whole force into the
scale of France and the United States; it intimate®
however, that their Independency may be acknow
ledged even by Britain, before this winter is over,
and the war be terminated on all sides with the com
pleat establishment of their rights and sovereignty,
as a diftinCtnation, and new republic. To effect thia
there needs no formal mediation of any Court
in Europe : The Spanish Ambassador still remains in
London, and has a free communication with the
Court of France, and the Ministers of the United
States at Paris ; and thro' this channel any propofai
may be conveyed to Congress.
Dec. 24. A gentleman from Albany assures us, 'ti#
a fact, that the brave Col. Alden, killed at the late
action of Cherry-Valley, was offered quarter when
taken by the infamous Col. Butler, but, hero like,
nobly disdaining the proposal, immediately discharg
ed his piflol at him, which, unluckily miffing its
object, he was instantly tomahawk'd by the Indians.
Who would not lament the loss of an officer, sup
porting such a character.
Last Sunday returned from a cruize, the private
armed ship Marlborough, having taken 3 prizes, one
a ship from Glasgow, laden with dry goods, to the
amount of 30,000 pounds, one a brig having on
board 1100 barrels of beef, some pork, butter, can
dles, &c. the other she burnt. The brig with pro
visions arrived fafe in port last Monday night.
By intelligence from Long-Island dated the sth inst.
it appears that the enemy are making all the pre
parations to leave New-York, it is a faCt that there
is not a piece of ordnance in the city, except three
heavy pieces which lie in the grand battery spiked up.
The Commissioners failed last week, but meeting 1
packet the day they left the Hook, they returned to
the city ; what news came in the packet has not yet
transpired. Bread is so scarce in New-York, that
they are obliged to use Indian with all their flour that
is baked for the army: there are on the south fide of
Long-Island about 300 troops, most of them light
horse, they are collecting forage, and leave no oats
in the part of the country they go through, but take
them in the flieaf.•
NEW-LONDON, Dec. 18.
Yesterday was brought in here, 'by the sloop Ame
rican Revenue, a parcel of fails, rigging, &c. which
she took in company with the ship Governor Tium
bull, from the wreck of the ship Marquis of Rock
ingham, a transport from Newport, bound to New-
York, with hay, but was cast away last Sunday on
Gardiner's Island.—Out of 22 people on board, only
five were saved; the others were either froze to
death or drowned.
Another transport ship, from Newport, was cast
away at the fame time on Point-Judith. The people
are secured.
We also learn that two other ships belonging to
the enemy, are wrecked on Long-Island.
POUGHKEEPSIE, December 14 .
Extras of a letter from Tr,cn County, dated Novem
ber 24, 1778.
SIR,
" I have had no opportunity to give you an ear
lier account of the deftruCtion at Cherry-Valley,
where I arrived the day after the tragedy was acted,
and did not return home till last night, having been
busied in collecting and burying the dead, and getting
the distressed inhabitants brought off. I was never
before fpeCtator of such a scene of distress and horror.
The firft object that presented, was a woman lying
with her four children, two on each fide of her, ail
scalped ; the next was the wife of the Rev. Mr.
Dunlap, likewise scalped, dripped quite naked and
much of her flefh devoured bythe Indian dogs. Bat