The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-06-13 00:00:00, page 2

propofah made by England for the restoration of
peace-^That on this occasion the Emperor is said to
have interested himfelf, and through his mediation a
truce of seven or nine years has been proposed, dur
ing which, things are to remain in flatu quo, as well
in Europe as in North-America, i. e. that each par
ty are to remain possessed of such places as they Shall
be matters of.
Letters from the friends of America, in Europe,
earnestly recommend unanimity, jirmnefs, and perfe
werance to the people of the American States, as the
British Ministry are straining every nerve to enable
Generals Clinton and Cornwallis, to alt in the molt
offeufive manner this campaign. The latter, it is as
serted, is to be reinforced with 4900 effective men
from England.
Letters from Philadelphia advise, that a few days
Since, a fleet failed from New-York, supposed to be
bound for Chesapeake, with about 2000 troops on
board.
A letter just received from the Marquis la Fa
yette, advises, that Earl Cornwallis, and his troops,
fibm Halifax, on Roanoke, had joined the British
forces at, or near, Petersburg.
It is reported, that a fleet, with troops, arriv
ed in Hampton-Road, on Wednesday last, from New-
York.
PIII LA DELPHI A, June 6.
On Sunday hit arrived here the privateer brigan
tine Holker, Captain Keane, from Martinico, by
which vessel we have the important Intelligence of the
arrival of the grand French fleet at that place from
Fiance. Mr. Rivington, some time since, informed
us that the Holker was fafcly moored in St. Lucia,
prizeto his Majesty's frigate Eox--but it appears, by
tier arrival here, that She has outwitted the British
Reynard.
By the Martinico Gazette of the third of May, we
learn that the Count de Graffe being arrived with
his fleet in the Weft-11 dies, he immediately went
in pursuit of the BritiLi under Sir Samuel flood,
which he found cruising off Point Negres, upon Cape-
Salomon ; it conlifted of seventeen Ships of the line,
two frigates, and an armed vessel. The Count plac
ed his convoy between his fleet and the Shore, and
by manoeuvres his headmoft ships cut off the com
munication of the British with the canal of St. Lu
cia. The Count then bote down upon the British
fleet ; and on the 27th of April, at half after ten,
A. M. the action began with long Shot ; and was ve
ry severe from half after eleven until two in the af
ternoon, when the English, observing the four Ships
under M. Albert St. Hippolite to advance from Fort-
Royal Bay, Sheered off, and fleered W. S. W. The
Count pursued them in full fail. All the fpeftators
of the action agree that two orthree of the British
ships were very much damaged. There were other
reports at Martinico about the engagement, but not
being to be depended upon, the printer did not insert
Pheru, and waited for the particulars from the gen
tlemen who had Shared in the glory and danger of the
day. All he could then fay for certain was, that the
French flag was triumphant, and the British fled.
On Monday, at three P. M. a heavy fire was heard
at the heights of Fort Royal, which seemed to come
from the S. W. It was also heard again in the even
ing, and continued until Tuesday morning, from
which it was supposed the British were attempting
to regain St .Lucia, the garrison of which was weak,
great part being on board the fleet.
The Marquis of Carries (minister of the marine)
came himfelf to Brest, to expidite the failing of the
grand fleet, which was in a short time ready to fail.
And on the 22d of March, M. Ie Count de Graffe
failed from Brest with thirty fail of the line, and above
two hundred transports and merchantmen. At a cer
tain latitude he sent off five fail of the line for the
East-Indies, under Commodore de Suffren ; two fri
gates and some armed ships for the coast of Senega;
and five Ships of the line, under M. de Barras, and
forty-two fail of transports with fourteen battalions,
to reinforce M. de Rochambeau at Rhode-lfland.
The vigilance and bravery of M. Ie Count de Graffe
deserves the most grateful acknowledgments of the
nation in general, and the merchants in particular.
During the voyage, he never fuffered one of the fleet
to be out of fight, and the heavy sailors he ordered
to be towed by others, in which his own vessel set the
example by taking two into tow. He carried fafe
into Fort-Royal 153 transports and merchantmen,
not having loft a Single vessel upon his passage—Just
before the Count left Brest, they had received the
agreeable intelligence of her Majesty's pregnancy.
Extract of a letter from Martinico, dated May 3.
" Our numerous and much delired convoy has at
length arrived under circumstances the mod fortu
nate and flattering.
" To have a passage from Brest but of 37 days,
without losing a single vessel of the convoy; to find
the enemy at the port ready to oppose the entrance
of it, to engage them, force them to fly, and then
pursue them, are events which cannot but be glori
ous to the Count de Graffe.,
" The active spirit of our General impels him to
the field. Orders are given for the embarkation of
40 large cannon, 12 mortars, and all the apparatus
fora siege, with all kinds of ammunition. Nine hun
dred of the regiment of Auxories will embark to-mor
row, and the rest of the troops immediately follow.
The intended expedition is against St. Lucia, where
there remailer but a garrison of 1200 men; the fleet
" Rodney is now at Statia, dividing the spoils of
the poor Dutch and Americans, and Hood, who
commanded the English fleet, is gone down to in
form him of his mifearriage, and make him tremble
for the fate of his capture. This Island is garrison
ed by 1300 men, under the command of General
Vaughan, who has fortified the hill in such a manner
that it is now deemed impregnable. It is expected
the lower town will be set on fire.
" The division of Monf.de Barras, consisting of
five Ships of the line, with 14 battalions, left the fleet
in the latitude of the western islands, destined for A
merica, to reinforce the army on that station."
Extract of another letter from the fame place, dated.
May 8.
" Count de Graffe has returned from his pursuit
of the enemy. It was not consistent with the intend
ed operations of the fleet to continue the chace, from
the difficulty and delay that would attend the beat
ing up to windward.
" The troops destined for the attack of St. Lucia
are all embarked, and got under way yesterday-even
ing ; they consist of 4000 men ; the fleet take their
departure this morning. May heaven insure the suc
cess of this expedition. If abilities, as a General,
and merit as a man, can command it, we have no
thing to fear for our brave commander.
" It is expected that Rodney will soon make his
appearance with his whole fleet, in order to attempt
the salvation of St. Lucia."
L I S T of the F R ENCHFLE E T, command
ed by Count de GRASSE.
SQUADRON of the WHITE.
Names. Guns. Commanders.
Le Zele, 74 De Preville.
Le Scipion, 74 De Clavilles.
Le Northumberland, 74 De Brigueville.
la Ville de Paris Count de Graffe,)
de laris, 100 De ^ Ccfairc .s
Le Sceptre, 74 De Vaudreuil.
L'Heftor, 74 D'Alains.
L'Magnanime, 74 Le Begue.
SQUADRON of the BLUE and WHITE.
Le Citoyen, 74 D'Ethy.
Le Glorieux, 74 D'Efcars.
Le Languedoc, 80 Baron d'Arros.
Le Souverain, 74 De Glandevez.
Le Diademe, 74 De Montecler.
L'Augufte, 80 De Bougainville.
SQUADRON of t^e BLUE.
Le Marseilles, 74 De Caftellane.
Le Vaillant, 64 De Marigny.
La Bourgogne, 74 De Charritte.
Le Caesar, 74 D'Epmoufe.
L'Hercule, 74 De Turpin.
L'Pluton, 6o D'Albert.
Le Saint Esprit, 80 De Chabert.
JOINED/r^FORT-ROYAL, by
La Viftoire, 74 D'Abert de St. Hippolite.
Le Solitaire, 64 De Cice Champion.
Le Reflechi, 64 De Boades.
Le Caton, 64 De Trammond.
FRIGATE S.
La Mede, 36 twelves, De la Ville Bouquet.
La Diligente, 32 nines, De Mortineft.
L'Aigretta,, 32 ditto, De Traveffe.
CUTTER S.
L'Alerte, De Chabonne.
Le Pandour, De Graffe.
J/FORT-ROYAL.
Le Minotaur, 74 )
L'Union, 64 ( Flutes
Le Fier, 50 ( flutes.
Two Eaft-Indiamen, 64 each. )
Experiment, of 50 guns, commanded by Martelli.
L'lndifcret, )
La Sensible, > Frigates.
La Dedaigneufe. )
Eagle, 18 Sloop of war.
St. Pierre, Martinico, May 1, 1781.
A vessel which arrived here on Sui day last from
St. Thomas's, after a passage of 16 days, brings us
the following account of the damage sustained by the
British fleet in the late engagement off Martinico : —
The Russel arrived at St. Euftatia two days after the
aftion, with five feet water in her hold, and landed
130 wounded officers and men. The Torbay and
another ship arrived at St. Kitt's, the firft having
received seven shot between wind and water, and
thirty odd in other parts of her hull: An officer of
this ship wrote to his friend, that the above ship had
difeharged forty broadsides, and leaves it to his friend
to judge the damage the fleet must have sustained,
when only that single ship had been so much hurt.
This vessel also brings us an account of the land
ing 8000 French troops at St. Lucia, and that the
reduction of that island was very generally believed
to be not far distant.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman at St. Kitt's to
his friend at St. Thomas's, dated May 14, 1781.
" An express arrived here yesterday to Admiral
Rodney, acquainting him of 8000 French troops
being landed at St. Lucia. Rodney is now to wind
having taken on board 800 to complete its compli
ment. The English squadron was Stationed at that
island, to cover and protest it, but our fleet, from a
happy manoeuvre, has deprived them of this advan
tage. It wa's expected they would have arrived by
the Dominica channel, where the English waited to
receive them, but to their great disappointment they
came the contrary way, and drove the English from
their Station.
MESSAGE from the Prtfdent and the Su
preme Executive Council, to the Representatives
of the Freemen of Pennjylvania, in General
^ffembly met.
TH E exigencies of the State, the requisitions
of Congress, and the representation of the
Commander in Chief of the federal army, have
made it indispensably necessary to convene you be
fore the time of your adjournment.
We have endeavoured to execute the laws you
have enacted, to furnifh the supplies required, to
recruit the Pennsylvania line, and to support the
frontiers, by such means as you have put into our
hands, for these important purposes. But after de
voting our best abilities, and utmost attention, we
find so much in the former to be amended and al
tered, and so much in the latter to be supplied, that
a farther progress, without the aid of the Legisla
ture, would have involved the State in difficul
ties, which prudence, wisdom and firmnefs may now
remove, but which time and inattention may ripen
into incurable evils. That of a depreciation of our
State currency is the most alarming. Having seen
and felt its ruinous consequences on the Continen
tal money, in the loss of publick confidence, the vio
lation of private honesty, and the distresses it has
brought on the most virtuous part of the communi
ty, and which an unconquerable love of their coun
try, could alone enable them to support, we could
not fee this fatal malady again sapping the vitals of
publick credit 'and future resources, without giving
the alarm, and calling upon you, who alone possess
the constitutional powers of prevention and relief.
It cannot be denied by the most felfifh, factious or
difaffeded, that the exportation of the produce of
the country is great, the returns quick and profita
ble, that Providence has blessed us with plentiful
crops, and that present profpe&s are unusually rich,
and it must equally be admitted, that the army, the
government, and publick creditors, feel all the ef
fe&s of real, undiffembled poverty. That the sense
of individuals (if we may judge by their condu&)
and the sense of the Legidature, so materially dif
fer, with refped to paper money, that it must be
wholly laid aside, or' supported by more general ap
probation and concurrence. And that some me^-
fures must be immediately adopted to relieve the
present necessities, more adequate to the end than
those which have been lately attempted; or the con
sequences are too obvious, and too alarming, to need
enumeration or description.
We have the fatisfadion to acquaint you, that
the line is again formed into refpe&able strength,
and that a detachment, under the command of Ge
neral Wayne, has marched to the relief of our fuf
fering brethren in the Southern States. In appoint
ments and equipment we can justly fay, our troops
have never taken the field in a more refpe&able con
dition, and we have no doubt they will prove a most
valuable, as well as considerable reinforcement to the
Southern army.
ward, or any where but where he should be. The
Torbay is at Old Road, and four more of the fleet
at Montserrat, watering."
Extract of a letter, dated Newcastle, 18 miles this
fide of Richmond, May 28, 1781.
" Yesterday was a week since Cornwallis joined
Arnold (Philips being dead of a fever) at Petersburg,
the latter had 3500 men, the former 1500. The
Thursday following they marched down opposite to
Weftover (25 miles below Richmond) where they
were reinforced by 2000 men from New-York. Their
whole force consists of at lead 6000 men, now said
to have crossed to Weftover, and in motion towards
Richmond. The Marquis la Fayette evacuated
Richmond last night, and retreated to Winftone's
Bridge, about 8 miles above Richmond, inclining to
the North. He has about 1500 regulars and 4000
militia, and will be able to make a hand as soon as.
the reinforcements of the back,militia come up, who
turn out in great numbers, well armed with rifles
and muskets. Col. Campbell is at the head of a eon,
fiderable body,"
Extract of a letter from Holland, dated Feb. 16, 1781.
" Good news by the way of France from the Eait-'
Indies. A conquest made by the Engliih on the
Fiench, about the fame time when they took Pon
dicherry, is now retaken by Hyder Ally Kan, an In
dian King, and offered back again by him to the
French. The English beaten by the Marattas in the
country of Arcot. Their squadron in the Eaft-ln
dies is now inferior to that of the French there, 'un
der command of M. d'Orves."
Extract of a letter from Bilboa, March 22.
" I have just seen a royal decree, by which the
trade is opened on the coast of Caraccas, in Spanish
America, not only with Old Spain, but for the friend
ly Colonies of America."
James Read, Esq. is appointed, by the Hon. Su
preme Executive Council, Register of the Court of
Admiralty, in the place of Andrew Robeson, Esq.
deceased.