The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1780-08-09 00:00:00, page 2

By Captain Mitchell, who arrived at Borton from
Europe on Monday the 17th of July, we have the
following advices, viz.
II A G U E, April 9.
IT is said that the cities of Dantzick, Lubeck, Bre
men, Hamburgh, &c. will adopt, as well as the
greatest part of the northern powers, the plan of neu
trality ; and that if England persists in flopping and
visiting neutral ships, Denmark is resolved not to fuf
fer English vessels to enter the Sound.
London, April 13. Lord North's friends are appre
hensive of his having a dropsy ; his physicians have
at least declared, that the rotundity of his belly has
increased, is increaJing, and ought to be diminished. —
But his Lordihip, with the fame indifference that he
arts towards the date, though he is forced to admit
the principle, takes no manner of thought about the
mode of reducing it.
Extract of a letter from Plymouth, April 14.
" The squadron under the command of Admiral
Graves came in here on Wednesday evening, and
brought up in Caufand bay ; it consists of the Lon
don, Bedford, Royal Oak, Prudent and America,
with the Amphitrite frigate. The Shrewsbury, be
longing to this squadron, having loft her topmails,
did not arrive till this morning."
May 11. Mr. Hartley's motion receding terms of
accommodation with America, is to come on to-day,
and people in general are more sanguine at the success
of them than they were at the motion on Friday last of
Gen. Conway, who seems to have taken narrower
grounds to bring about to desirable a purpose than the
Commissioners offered to America two years ago.
Ministers are very much alarmed at the uncertain
destination of the armaments lately failed from Brest
and Cadiz ; the former confiding of eight ships of the
line, two frigates and 6cco land forces ; the other of
twelve ships, four frigates and 12,000 land forces.
These arc large armaments, and, equalled as we arc,
at lead, in every other quarter except the East-Indies,
will, it is much to be feared, carry some fatal Broke
to us where-ever the impression may be intended, or
turn the balance conclusively against us.
On Saturday all his Majesty's ships at Spithead made
the usual signals of mourning, on account ofthe death
of Sir Charles Hardy.
May 22. The House of Commons, in a Committee
proper proportion of this money be applied in pay
ing wages to the equivalent ? Ifit is enquired, Where
is the difference ? I answer, a saving to the publick
of two thirds of the expenditures for rations issued
throughout the country ; and give me leave to ob
serve this is very far from being a trifle. Compute
the wages of purchasing and of transportation ; add
wastage and casualties ; and confider loose and erro
neous issuing which may sometimes happen ; and then
decide whether a ration would not be bought at
market for one third of what it costs to furnifh it from
the publick ftorts. If two thirds were saved, and the
numbers of these people properly reduced, the pay
ment of adequate wages to the neceflary remainder
would be practicable. The inconvenience of the thing
would be found very small on the experiment, a very
few extraordinary cases excepted.
But a deciding reason in favour of this measure,
and which alone would be fufficient were every other
wanting, is, that the custom of issuing rations at this,
that, the other, and every place throughout the coun
try has been a principal cause of the wants and fuffer
ings of the army. Large supplies of provisions, fo
rage, and every neceflary article have been purchased,
but they have been drawn away and absorbed on the
communication, before they reached camp. Hun
dreds in every quarter, many of them doing little,
many nothing at all, have abounded, while the officer
and soldier, fighting the battles of his country in heat
and cold, fatigue and danger, has been literally def
titue. It is notorious that in times of the greatest
extremity, when every kind of means has been resort
ed to, when the farmers have given up the sustenance
of their families for the use of the army, I do not
mention the forage of their flocks, the supplies have
been ihamefully diverted into another channel. These
things ought not to have been ; I trust we have at
length come to the end of them. Every one is now
fully convinced that in order to furnifh the army these
drains must be flopped. Were they kept open, there
is no alternative but the army must go without. No
country on the face of the earth could long support
expenditures and consumptions similar to ours for a
few years part. Place things on a proper footing and
the rest will be easy.
The exception in favour of waggoners ; the discre
tionary powers given to the Board of War, the Com
mander in Chief of the army, and commanding offi
cer of a separate army, in particular and extraordi
nary cases, no reasonable man can object to ; the ne
cessity of these is obvious.
I will make one farther remark. The patients in
the hospitals are well understood to be part of the ar
my ; but there are some few perlons actually and daily
attending in the hospitals and taking care of the sick,
who may not have it in their power to derive subsist
ence from any other source than the publick stores.
Where, a case is indifpenfible, it will doubtless be at
tended to ; but if the descriptions be not exact, abuses
will probably continue, and it feeiris they have not
been scarcer in this than in other departments.
These remarks are submitted to the general sense of
the community, who are belt judges of their propriety.
August 3, 1780. S ILENTI O.
Tuesday last arrived a cartel from New-York, with
upwards of 170 prisoners, being the whole that re
mained there belonging to the New-England dates.
By this vessel we learn that the arrival of the French
fleet at Rhode-Ifland, (of which they received intel
ligence by two frigates which were chafed in on the
11th inst.) had thrown that garrison into great con
sternation ; the inhabitants much dejeCted, ^d vari-
The master of a prize arrived at an eastern port, ad
vises, that the beginning of last week he spoke with
Capt. Williams, in the Protestor, who acquainted
him that he had had a severe engagement with a Bri
tish frigate, and both vessels being so much damaged,
it was a drawn battle. And that some time after,
Capt. Williams had repaired his damage he fell in with
a ftorefhip of about 900 tons, and 150 men, when
after an obstinate engagement of four glares the ship
went to the bottom. Capt. Williams saved about 40
of her hands, and is hourly looked for to arrive in
this port. We have not heard of the force of the
florefhip, nor where bound. She was an old India
man cut down.
The French army we hear have encamped on the
south fide of Rbode-Ifland, and are as fine a body of
troops as ever were collected together. Notwith
standing their tedious passage of above ten weeks, we
are well allured there are not 300 unfit for immedi
ate duty.
Friday last arrived in town his Excellency General
Lincoln, from the southward.
July 21. Late advices from England, and through
a good channel, mention, that the House of Com
mons had voted down the board of trade and plan
tations, which looks as if they considered the colonies
as loft to Great-Britain. Thro' the fame channel we
learn, that England was too much exhausted to fend
any recruits to their army in New-York ; and that
the was convulsed at home, —Ireland falling off from
her, —and all Europe combined at lead in inclination
against her, the yet abated nothing of her pride and
obstinacy.
Wednesday arrived here, from a short cruize, the
privateer ship Viper, Capt. Williams: She has taken
a privateer brig of 16 guns, from Nova-Scotia, which
had been out but a short time.
of Supply on Friday lad, came to the following re
folutlODS.
" That a sum noh exceeding 82,905!. 2s. be grant
ed to his Majesty, on account of the reduced officers
of his Majerty's land forces, for the year 1780.
" That 6081. 6s. 6d. be granted to his Majesty, for
defraying the charge of allowances to the officers and
private gentlemen of the two troops of horse guards,
reduced, and the superannuated gentlemen of the four
troops of horse guards, for 1780."
After the common business was over, the Recorder
of London moved that the petition of the county of
York, and the petition of the city of London, might
be read.
The entry of the votes of theist and 3d resolutions
reported from the Committee on the petitions ot the
6th of April, was likewise read.
The Recorder then proceeded in his speech, which
he concluded with moving,
" That it is the opinion of this House that no new
burthen ought to be laid upon the people until some
effectual measures fliall have been taken to diminilh
the increased and increasing influence of the Crown,
and to provide a redress of the abuses complained of
in the petitions of the different counties." #
On the Bth instant arrived at Falmouth, a prize ship
with 900 hhds fait, captured by Capt. Page in a small
schooner belonging to Salem, which schooner, it is
laid, has taken two other ships laden with the fame
cargo.
After a short debate, the House divided, —Ayes,
54. —Noes, 89.
May 26. We are informed several of our Captains
behaved very bafhfully in the late engagement in the
Weft-Indies. Six or seven are mentioned, and two
or three are said to be put under arrest ; one by his
own Lieutenant, and another by order of Admiral H.
Parker, during the engagement.
The only reason why the appointment of Admiral
Geary has not been announced to the public by au
thority, is, that the etiquette of the Court requires
he should firft kiss the King's hand.
Extras of a letter from Portfmoutb, Ma, 24.
" This morning Admiral Geary hoirted his flag on
board the Victory at Spithead, being appointed to the
command of the Channel squadron, in the room of
Sir Charles Hardy."
We are affiired from good authority, that there
are to be fix new Peers created at the rising of Par
liament.
By an officer from Albany, we are informed that a
few hours before he left that place, an express had ar
rived there from the Oneidas, giving an account that
a considerable body of the enemy, fuopofed to be 7
or 800, chiefly savages, commanded by the noted
Butler and Brant, had been difeovered near the old
Oneida castle, about 20 miles from Fort Schuyler ;
and that it was supposed their intentions were to de
ftroy that castle, and then avoiding Fort Schuyler, to
proceed down the Mohawk river, in order to cut off
the remains of that defencelefs, and yet important
part of the country for grain, which it seems Sir John
Johnson, in his late notable expedition, by reason of
the haste he was in to carry off his own plate, had not
fufficient time to effect.
BOST O N, July 17.
Yesterday arrived here the privateer sloop Argo,
Captain Talbot, from a short cruize, and brought in
with him a small sloop, from New-Providence bound
to New-York, loaded with fruit, &c.
The Board of Admiralty reported the device of a
seal for the Admiralty of the United States: The
arms, Thirteen Bars mutually supporting each other
alternately red and white in a blue field, and sur
mounting an anchor proper. The crest a ship under
fail. The motto SUSTENTANS ET SUSTENTA
TUS: The legend U. S. A. Sigil. Naval.
The fame was ordered by Congress to be engraved
and used as the seal of the Board of Admiralty of the
United States of America.
NE W-LOND ON, July 2r .
His Excellency the Governor has issued a procla
mation, ftriCtly prohibiting the transportation out of
this state by land or water, any butter or cheese, tur
nips, potatoes, onions, or any other vegetables or
roots; except by persons pioperly authorized for
that purpose.
Tuesday lad the privateer schooner Experiment,
Capt. Hall, put into Fisher's Bland from a cruize off
Sandy-Hook, where he saw fix fail of ships of war,
which he supposed were British ; two of the number
(which were frigates) chafed him as far as Montank
Point.
ous schemes projttang for the fafety of their perfonv
and properties.
Tuesday also arrived a French transport, being one
of the fleet which arrived at Rhode-Ifland. She parti
ed with them in a fog. The troops landed on Wed-'
nefday, and encamped on the Common.
Since our last several prizes have arrived at different -
ports at the caftward.
Extract of a letter from a gentleman in public charac
ter at Paris, dated Miarch 28, 1780.
" There are no present appearances of peace, al
though the English House of Commons have voted
down the Board of Trade, which lignifies that they
are convinced the plantations are loft."
Extract of another letter, dated May 3, 1780. .
" The English flocks have fallen two per cent, and
they are expetted to fall much more, on account of
the confederation of the maritime powers, in support
of reason, justice, and common sense, against the ex
travagancies of Great-Britain. Convulsed at home—
Ireland falling off after America—and all the nations
of Europe agreed in one plan against her ; yet the go
vernment of England diminishing none of their pride,
obstinacy, or other unsocial passions."
July 24. Last Monday arrived at Portsmouth, a
prize brig, from Cork bound to Newfoundland, laden
with provisions, taken by the Humburgh of that port.
Extract of a letter from the Hon. Major-General Heath
to the Hon. Council of this /late, received by express
last Saturday night, dated Newport, July 21, 1780.
" This afternoon 15 or 16 British ships of war ap
peared in the offing, east of Block-Bland, the great
est part of them large fhips.-—lt is probable Admiral
Graves has joined Admiral Arbuthnot, which will
make the British rather superior to the French squa
dron. —It's supposed the fleet will come too this night
under Block-island."
NEWPOR T, July 22.
Several of the enemy's frigates have been seen a
little to the eastward and northward of Block-Bland
almost every day this week ; and yesterday near 20
fail were difeovered, supposed to be Admiral Graves
with eight or nine ships of the line, some frigates and
privateers from New-York, endeavouring 'tis sup
posed to intercept the second division of the French
fleet. Yesterday three of their frigates attempted to
cut off a small sloop coming round Point Judith from
Connecticut.
We are just informed that 5 or 6 fail of vessels were
seen off the hai bour of Newport yesterday.
July 22. We have the pleasure to inform the pub
lic, that the French fleet and army are in high health
and spirits, and ardently with for an opportunity to
fignaiize themselves in the common cause.—The of
ficers of every rank have rendered themselves agree
able by that politeness which characterizes the French
nation.—The officers and soldiers wear cockades of
three colours, emblematical of a triple alliance be
tween France, Spain and America.
Tuesday last several vessels appeared off the harbour
of Newport, and afterwards flood to the southward.
Yesterday his Most Christian Majesty's frigates Sur
veillante, Amazone and Hermoine, failed, on a cruize.
We learn that letters are received at Newport from
Head- Quarters in New-Jersey, advising that 5 or 6
British ships of the line arrived at New-York on or
about the 13th instant.
Tuesday last Commodore Whipple, who com
manded the continental vessels at Charleftown, ar
rived here from Philadelphia.
Yesterday arrived here a small sloop, laden with
fruit, prize to the privateer sloop Argo, Capt. Tal
bot. She was bound from New-Providence to New-
York. —
PRO VIDENC E, July 19.
Sunday last arrived here the letter of marque brig
Providence, Capt. Wilson Jacobs, in 17 davs from
Port au Prince, laden with rum, sugar, &c. # Capt.
Jacobs failed in company with the ship Thomas, Capt.
Ingerfol, bound for Salem, and the ship Hannibal,
Capt. Obrian, bound to Newbury; he parted with
them last Friday night twenty leagues S. E. from
Nantucket.