The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-05-16 00:00:00, page 1

H A G U E, January 19, 1781.
WE have just received from Petersburg
the following advices, in a letter dated
the 26th of December.—" The envoy
from the States General to this court
having received, by an express from the Hague, the
formal resolution by which their High Mightinesses
acceded to the.armed neutrality, the Barons de Waf
fenaar, Starunbourg, and Deheckeren Bruntenbour,
on the 23d of this month, celebrated the anniversary
of the Grand Duke Alexander Powlowitfch, in the
'characters of Ambassadors Extraordinary from the
republic ; and had the fame day a publics and folerhn
audience with the Em,refs, in which their Excellen
cies had the honour to present their new credentials
to her Imperial Majesty, who received them seated
on her throne. This august sovereign, having tefti
fied to these Ambassadors the fatisfaCtion Ihe received
at the proceedings of their matters, appointed a
committee to regulate with their Excellencies the
grand affair of the treaty to be concluded on between
the two powers ; this committee is composed of the
Count Panin, Prime Minister of State ; Count Alters
man ; Monsieur Bacunin, actual Counfellor of State
to her Imperial Majesty ; and Mr. Befboradka, Ma
jor-General and Secretary of the cabinet.—The fafre
day the British Envoy dispatched a courier to his
court, and also two others to Copenhagen."
We hear, by other letters from the capital of the
Ruffian empire, of the acceffioh of the States Gene
ral to the armed neutrality, and that it was received
with the greatest fatisfadion. It is confirmed that
her Imperial Majesty has dispatched a courier to her
minister at the court of England, with orders so de
clare, " That her Majesty had nothing more at heart
than to live in harmony with Great-Britain ; but the
dignity of her crown, and the welfare of her fub
je&s, would not permit her to fuffer the violence ex
ercised on her vessels ; that fne, as well as ail Europe,
was aftonilhed to have received better treatment from
the house of Bourboh than from the British, who
had in Russia greater privileges than any other na
tion ; that although fhe'had fufficiently made known
b^ bdortßnrs; with refyeft to a perfect neutrality,
they had not put a flop to this ill treatment ; that
her Imperial Majesty would no longer bear it, or
would she acknowledge the English tribunal, who had
arrogated to themselves the right of judging vessels
taken by them ; and that the in consequence demand
ed, without procedure, delay, or protest, a complete
restitution of her vessels, without which she should
be obliged to have recourse to violent means."
The English party daily loses credit ; the Empress
having said, a few days ago, that she would perlift in
the plan of neutrality without the least deviation.—
The memorial presented by the British Ambahador
hot only met with an unfavourable deception, but
was found to be conceived in terms not suitable to
the purpose.
Their High Mightinesses published, ch the twelfth
inst. the following Placard, to grant a premium or
recornpence to letters of marque, which shall take
any British vessels of war :
*' The States General of the United Provinces of the
Netherlands, to all Who shall fee, or hear read, these
presents, greeting,
“ Make known that the King of Great-Britain
having, without any legal cause, attacked in a hoflile
taanner this Republic, and as we should not negle&
any thing which may ferye for our defence, and at
the fame time ate compelled to exercise that privilege
Which the conduct of the said crown has made neces
sary by their example, and to retaliate in the fame
manner as they have a&ed against us, and in conse
quence to prejudice, as much as in our power lies,
the said King and his. fubjefts: For these reasons,
and for the protection of the commerce and naviga
tion of these United Provinces, we have thought
proper to establish and grant to all subjects of these
States, who shall take possession of, or destroy, any
British vessels of war or privateers, the following
rewards.
NEW-JERSEY GAZETTE.
Article 1. All vessels, armed for the express pur
pose of cruising, which shall have obtained from his
Highness the Prince of Orange and Nassau, in his
office of High Admiral of these Netherlands, suitable
commissions, after having previously given the neces
sary securities, shah not be obliged to furnifh the three
men of their crew, as ordered by the Placard of their
High Mightinesses of the 26th June, 1780, except
(uch as are laden with merchandize, and take letters
of marque as afbrefaid. Those who shall take and
bring into either of the ports or roads within the ju.-
,ifdiaion of any of the Colleges of Admiralty of these
Netherlands, any vessels of war er privateers belong
ing to the King of Great-Britain or his fubje&s, shall
[Vol. IV,]
WEDNESDAY, MAY :6, 1781.
receive, over and abo , z premium .i -,0 Guilders
for each man that sod be found on board of said
vessels of war or priva ers at the commencement of
the engagement ; as also the like sum for every
pound of ball the guns [which shall be found on board
the vessel at the time aforefaid) may difeharge at one
round, exclusive of the ball for swivels and 'the new
cannon diftingUifhed by the name of caronna&s,
valued at only one fourth part of their weight ; so that
if one of our privateers should capture a British ves
sel of war or cruiser n hunting, for instance, 40 guns,
carrying altogether fcolb. of ball; that is to lay, 40
caronnades and iqoo halls of 8 pound weight, and a
complement of 220 men, shall receive as a premium
or recompense (calc dating every man and every
pound of ball at the rate of 150 Guilders) the sum
of 85,800 Guilders; and more or less in proportion
to the complement and size of the guns at the time
of engagement, over and above the whole of the
prize, and all the effedi ; which shall be found on board,
without any deduttiom save one tenth part for the
Admiral.
Art. 2. The above mmm : «r primes fhdl also
extend to cases whev the British vessel of war or
privateer may be total y destroyed ; whether burnt,
funk or run aground by our cruizers, or in any other
manner loft, after havftg been taken. Neverihelets,
they shall not claim the whole of this recompence,
unless the crew of said vessel so destroyed are brought
in or killed; and fhemd it so happen that the ene
my's vessel be run aground, in such a manner as to
be totally loft, buttha; the crew should make their
escape, our letters of marque shall not claim, in that
case, 'more thab half of the prorhifed reward or fe
compence ; so that, 13 by the example above-men
tioned, they shall receive but 42,900 Guilders in licU
of 85,800.
Art. 3. It is also (obe underftopd, that neither the
prize or premium IF al! be adjudged to any of our
letters of marque, 1 ntil the affair shall have been
brought before one 0 the Colleges of Admiralty of
these States, and feht/nce given in their favour.
Art f. G. ' fr .. & Cuilcgbs of Admiralty shall
not adjudge their rewards, until the Captain,' Lieu
tenant and Pilot of the privateer, as well is those who
fitted her out, their book-keepers, and others so
authorized, shall have declared upon oath that the
vessel or war or privateer which they have taken was
duly captured, without having had any collusion,
diredly or indirectly, with the British, or any per
sons concerned in their behalf ; and in case the own
ers who fhail claim judgment of these prizes and
rewards are absent from the State, or hindered by
any other business, it shall be Efficient that the book
keepers, for any others so authorized, make oath, to
the bed of their knowledge, for himfelf and his em,
ployerp, agreeable to a special power which lie mail
have for that purpose; provided hcverthelefs, that
the owners shall be obliged previously to make oath
before a Magiftr.de in the place of their residence, or
before lonic other competent perlon, whose teftimoDy
he shall fend.
Art. 5. And for the better encouragement of the
said vessels which shall be fitted out for cruising, we or
der that all thtifewho fhallhave been wounded in an en
gagement with an English vessel shall be attended at the
expence of the State, without any cost to the owners
of the privateer, or those who may be on board. We
also order that those who shall be maimed in any en
gagement with an English vessel shall receive a gratu
ity from the States, without any charge to the own
ers; of one half of the reward granted by the Re
public to those who serve on board the men of war ;
they nevertheless shall only be entitled to the reward
given altogether at one time, and not to any allow
ance per week, month or otherwise : With regard to
the treatment of the wounded, the account shall be
presented to the College of the Admiralty, who are
empowered to examine the fame and fettle it accord
ingly ; so that the maimed, in order to enjoy the half
of the proposed reward, may procure a certificate
from the said College of Admiralty, having previously
furnifhed fufficient proofs.
Art. 6. For the encouragement of the vessels of
war; as well as the merchant ihips, which may be
provided with a commiffidh to serve them if necessary,
in order to distress as much as possible all British
vessels, it is our will that any English vessel which they
shall capture, of what nature or denomination so
ever, shall be given to them entirely, refervingonly
the one tenth part for the Admiral, excluding how
ever the said merchant ships from any pretehfibhs to
a farther recompence.
Art. 7. In case that our privateers, merchant ships
or other armed vessels, fitted out on a cruize, should
retake any vessels or effects belonging to the fubjeas
T H E
of these States, and that this re'prifal is made during
the space of twice 24 hours from the time they fir^
fell into the hands of the enemy, the said captors
shall ' n ' uc ^ c ^' e have one fifth part of the just value
of Inch re-taken vessel or effects, which shall have
been delivered up ; but if this reprisal is made during
the space of four times 24 hours from the time of
capture by the enemy, the captors shall then have
one third of said value ; and if after the expiration
of four times 24 hours the said vessels or effeas be
recaptured, they shall then have one half, without
a °y regard to the length of time the said vessels or
e^e&s may have been in the possession of the enemy,
after the aforefaid four times 24 hours shall expire.
Art. 8. the judgment of any of the above re
wards, as well as the certificates of the refpe<ftive
Colleges of Admiralty, in favour of the maimed or
wounded, being presented to the Receiver-General
of the duties upon imports and exports, for payment
of the rewards assigned, the said Receiver-General,
shall, without delay, difeharge the fame at the
Hague, or at the place where the sentence or award
or the College of Admiralty shall be pronounced, as
may be most convenient to him.
Art. 9. The Receiver-General, &c. /nail be fur
nifhed with Sufficient sums to difeharge the said ac
counts, and he is to be careful, whenever he makes a
payment for any premiums, to have money in fiis
hands to fatisfy any other demands of the like nature
that may be made on him, whether by the second
moiety of the duties of last en veil gold, or by nego
tiating the sums he may stand in need of fora supply.
Art. 10. The Commander of the privateer who
Gall have taken or destroyed any British vessel, shall
be careful to make report, immediatefyon his arrival,
to the said Receiver-General, &c. of the premiums
which the said privateer fnall be entitled to claim, in
order that the Receiver-General may be prepared to
make a speedy payment thereof.
Art. 11. And in all the respective Colleges of Ad
miralty, before whom such case may come, they fha ! l
without, delay pronource iudgmeht, even though
they postpone to a future day, other affairs which
may previously have come before them.
Art. 12. And in case a revision should be demand
ed, or where the judgments of the said Colleges of
Admiralty shall be made void, it is our will that the
rewards assigned by the sentences of the said Colleges
of Admiralty shall be delivered to the said privateers,
to prevent the payments being suspended or protested
on account of the demand for such revision. We ih
tenQ at the fame time that the securities for cruizing
vessels shall be obliged to encreafe their bond, and
to promise an immediate reftitiition of the sum which
shall have been paid to the said privateers in conse
quence of the sentences of the Admiralty, in case
the Gid sentences may be made void upon a revision,
and the demands of the privateer rejected ; and the
better to fechre the restitution of said sum, as above,
we have declared,, and by these presents do declare,
that the vessels and all their appurtenances, with
which they took the said prize, fliall be legally held
as a Ecurity for the restitution of the premiums re
ceived, and that the said legal obligation shall bear
date from the day on which the said privateers had
received their commissions and began their cruize.
Art. 13. This Placard shall be put in force on the
day of this publication ; and that no person may pre
tend ignorance, we demand and reqneft of the Lords
of these States, the Stadholder, Committees of Coun
cil, and State Deputies of the refpc&ive Provinces
of Gueldfe and the county of Zuphend, Holland and
Weft-Friczland, Zeeland, Utrech, Friezland, Over
yffel, Gronigen and Oromelanders, and all other
members of justice and officers, to publish, declare
and make known this Ordinance diligently in all
places of this country, where it is customary to make
such publication. We moreover charge and enjoin
the Counsellors of the Admiralty, Fiscals, the Com
missaries General of Convoys and Licences, Receivers
General of Convoys, Comptrollers and Searchers, and
at the fame time the iteceiver- General of all encreafe
of the duties oflaft en veil gold, and all others whom
it may concern, to govern thbmfelves from hence
forth according to these presents.
Their High Mightinesses have also publifoed a Pla
card, by which they grant to all the fubjetts of the
States, who shall have the misfortune to be maimed
in their service, rewards proportioned to the wounds
which they shall have received, viz.
The States General of the United Provinces to all
who shall fee or hear refid these presents, greeting,
make known, That sos the encouragement of the
loyal inhabitants of these States, we have thought
proper by this Placard to notify to all and every one
and to assure them, all those who shall be employed
[Numb. 177.]