The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1781-05-09 00:00:00, page 2

On the sth of February, Lord George Gordon's
trial, on an indictment for High Treason, came on
before the Earl of Mansfield, the Justices Willes,
The Hon. Capt. Waldegrave in the La Prudente
frigate has taken the L'Americane, a French priva
teer, mounting 24 nines on the main deck, and 8
three pounders on the quarter deck.
Commodore Johnftone's squadron is to put to sea
before the grand fleet, and to serve as a fleet of ob
servation, to gain proper information of the force of
the enemy, should they attempt to prevent our throw
ing fuccours into Gibraltar. Orders are given out
for augmenting the army with one hundred indepen
dent companies of 100 men each, which will amount
to 10,000 men. The officers of this new corps are
from the old regiments, by which every Lieutenant
of three years handing will have a Captain's com
mission, and an Ensign that of a Lieutenant of the
fame handing.—Mr. Burke is chosen Member of Par
liament for Maldon.
When M. de la Touche Treville took leave of the
King, there were none present but M. de Caiftrues,
Nulas, and Maurepas. His inftruCtions were sealed
up, and he received the King's orders under the
Royal Sign Manuel not to open them until his arrival
in a certain latitude, and then only before the Cap
tains of his squadron.
Dec. 30. The Royal Manifefto was not merely
founded on the discoveries made by the capture of
Mr. Laurens's papers, nor on the intrigues of Van
Berckel and his American associates. Government
had found that the States refuftd joining >ae armed
neutrality, in hopes of drawing Russia and Sweden
to guarantee their possessions, both foreign and do
mestic, which those powers at firft hesitated to com
plywith, but had not given an absolute refufal; in
this critical juncture, a declaration on the part of
England became necessary, by which means our
Court avoid drawing the powers of Russia and Sweden
on them, for commencing hostilities against their in
tended allies ; and the States have also loft the oppor
tunity of joining the armed neutrality, which is in
itfclf become almost inoffenfive, Denmark having in
the fame interval entered into a treaty with England.
Jan. 2. This morning died, at his house in Har
pour-ftreet, in the 69th year of his age, Doctor John
Fothergill, one of the people called Quakers.
Orders afre sent to the Commiffiontrs of the diffe
rent dock-yards, for the artificers to work double
tides, for completing several men of war for imme
diate service.
The Arc-eu-cdl, a private ship of war, from
Rhode-Tflmd for Brest, is taken and sent into Pen
zance. She is 'faid to have had dispatches on board,
which were thrown over.
"fan. 4. This morning part of the baggage of Sir
Jv&ph Yorke arrived in town, and he is expected 011
Sunday next.
The folio-wing articles are taken from the Plymouth
Ac^eriiJer of January 26.
By a letter dated Amsterdam, January 11, we are
informed the number of Dutch seamen taken from
them at that time by the English, amounted to 2636.
One La Motte has been seized and committed with
his accomplice Ryder, to the Tower, charged with
conveying intelligence to the enemies of Great-Bri
trin, drafts of the fortifications, and the date of the
army, navy, &c # . A person named Lutterlol has
turned evidence for the crown; with proofs most am
ple against La Motte and Ryder ; and the conduct
of Monsieur Simolin, the Ruffian Ambafiador, pro
nounces him to be a spy at the Britilh Court, in fa
vour of the French. The trials of the two former
are to be immediately.brought on.
A naval Captain has lately returned from visiting in
difeuife and undifeovered, All the ships and dock
yards in Holland, he staid a fortnight, and infpeCted
every place and veffcl with the utmost minuteness.
The Directors of the Chamber of Commerce of Mid
dleburgh, and of the Company ot Affurauce, with
numbers of merchants and traders of that city, have
petitioned the States of Holland, to endeavour yet,
by way of negociation, to come to an amicable ac
commodation with England.
Admiral Darby left London to take the command
of the grand fleet defined for Gibraltar, and to con
voy the East-India trade. Captain Sutton, of the
111% was tried for not doing his utmost to take a
Dutch man of war; he pleaded a want of 60 hands
of his compliment; the sentence of the Court was
only a severe reprimand.
The naval force of the Dutch in the Bast-Indies is
no more than one ship of 70 guns, one of 60, and one
of 50, on account of the States ; one of 60, three of
40, and several country built grabs from 12 to 20
guns, on account of the Company.
A French squadron of nine fail of the line, and
seventy transports, departed from Brest for the Weft-
Indies the beginning of January.
It is reported that a treaty of alliance offenfive and
defenfive is absolutely ratified between the Courts of
England and Austria, and that the old debt due to
the King of Prussia is liquidated, and that it was on
the grounds of this protection and support that ad
ministration were encouraged to take the late spirited
and necessary resolutions against the Dutch.
From the Plymouth Paper, dated February 9.
of Prussia, and of Lorain from his brother the Grand
Monarque. The Emperor is to fend an army to aft
in conjunction with the Hanoverians againftthe
treacherous Hollanders, while our fleets are to burn
their ports, and conquer their Eastern inlands.
Last Thursday was conducted into our harbour,
the Confederacy, a frigate carrying 28 French twelves
and 8 fix pounders : it is said her keel was originally
laid for a flhip of 64 cannon, the was taken on Satur
day last off the Capes of Virginia, by one of his Ma
jesty's ships of war; her commander Seth Harding,
of Connecticut, had made every disposition for a close
engagement, when perceiving her antagonist (on
hoifling English colours) run out a lower tier of guns,
and another frigate in fight, he very prudently (truck
the rebel colours, and submitted without any refin
ance. Amongst near 300 men or board her were
found a number of British seamen, who had been
forced into the enemy's service, through the harlheft
treatment in their gaols, these with great alacrity im
mediately entered into that of their native country.
We are informed her invoice amounts to fifty thou
sand pounds, the cargo consists in sugar, cotton; in
digo, and a large quantity of eloathing for Mr. Wash
ington's army; the was bound from Cape Francois to
Philadelphia, with a convoy, of which several vessels
have been already brought into this port. She is the
larged (hip ever employed by the Congress, whole
navy, (according to Mr. Richard Langdon's letter,
dated OCtober 5, and produced to us by the firft of
the three intercepted mails) is now reduced to three
frigates, viz. the Alliance, Trumbull, and Deane. —
There was a French Colonel of engineers in the rebel
service, and several other persons of that nation on
board the prize.—Capt. Harding was feme time ago
taken and brought to this city in the Oliver Crom
well privateer. He was one of the captors of the
Jason's fleet from New-York for Carolina; and it is
justly due to him, that we inform the publick, he
treated the gentlemen, who, on that disastrous event
became his prisoners, with great humanity and kind
net's.
Yesterday arrived the Bull Dog Galley, (formerly
in the Congress service) laden with corn from Dela
ware, prize to the Trimmer whaleboat, which hie
took in that river, in company with two schooners,
laden with tobacco, which arrived at Sandy-Hook
yesterday. These three make nine prizes taken and
brought in here by the Trimmer within the space of
a month, besides numbers she has destroyed.
Letters from Lisbon mention, that Richard Cum
berland, Esq. continues Bill at the Spanish Court,
greatly caressed by the royal family and nobility; and
that Mr, Huffey has been again dispatched by that
gentleman to the British Court, he embarked at Lis
bon oh the 29th pf January.
By the ships Arbuthnot and Sir George Collier,
from Montferat, we learn, that Admiral Sir George
Rodney had detached Sir Samuel Hood, with ten
ships of the line; to cruize to windward of Martinico,
to intercept fix French line of battle ships, and 70
transports, daily expected to arrive in those seas.
On the 18th of February last, the Arbuthnot and
Sir George Collier, captured a Dutch snow from De
marara, bound for Flushing, in Holland, loaded with
gold dust, ivory, sugar, coffee, cotton, &c. On the
3d of March, they took a Dutch sloop, from Oltend,
bound for St. Euftatius, with a cargo of provisions.
She had a mail on board, Containing letters from their
High Mightinesses the States General of the Seven
United Provinces, to the Governors of their settle
ments in the Weft-Indies, inftruCting them to order
the merchants and other inhabitants, immediately to
fend their cash and goods to the island of Guadaloupe.
In the said mail were also several letters from Ben
jamin Franklin, Esq. to the rebel Congress. All these
dispatches were sent for the perusal of their Excellen
cies Sir George Brydges Rodhey and the Honourable
General Vaughan. The Arbuthnot and Sir George
Collier, have also captured several French, Spanish
and rebel vessels during their last cruize.
We are informed that letters brought tb St. Chris
topher's, by the Roebuck Packet, mention that Ad
miral Elliot, in his Majesty's ship Edgar, of 74 guns,
coppered, had fallen in with a French man of war of
74 guns, in the mouth of the Channel, and after an
engagement of two hours, carried her into port.
Wednesday was sent in here, by one of his Ma
jesty's ships, the rebel letter of marque brig General
Gates, of eight fix pounders and nineteen men. She
was loaded with tobacco at Philadelphia, bound for
Sweden, and was taken on Thursday last off the Capes
of Delaware.
The mother of the reigning Queen of Portugal
died about the twentieth of January last, and was
interred with great pomp.
Afhurft, and Buller, when the Jury, after an absence
of three quarters of an hour, pronounced his Lord
fliip not guilty ; after which Lord George addreflcd
the Jury in the following words:
" Gentlemen of the Jury,
" You have done perfectly right in the verdict you
" have given. lam not the person I was charged to
" be. I declare to God, that I am as innocent as
'' any of you, and never designed any thing of trea
" son against my King or country. Gentlemen, it
" has been a wicked prosecution.—
His Lordship was interrupted by the Jury, who
Cried out, " Have done my Lord, it was a nice point."
Lord George then concluded :
" Gentlemen, I beg your pardon; excuse my
“ warmth; I heartily thank you, and God blcfs you."
His Lordship at near fix o'clock in the morning
went from the hall, attended by his brothers, the
Duke of Gordon, and Lord William Gordon.
N E W-Y O R K, April 21.
Cadiz, 18th March, 1781.
" The blockade of Gibraltar is continued with
upremitted vigor by the Spaniards. The land forces
employed in the siege are commanded by Mr. Alva
rez, and those of the navy, by Mr. Barcelo. It is re
ported that Admiral Darby, commander in chief of
the Britifli fleet, and who has under his immediate
orders 22 ships of the line besides fifties and frigates,
is shortly to attempt surrounding the garrison. To
prevent this, if possible, Admiral Cordova has been
for some weeks past, and is still Rationed between the
Streights and Cape St. Vincents, with gofhips of the
line, frigates, &c. The Emperor of Morocco, is a
declared partizan of Spain, and will not permit the
extraction of provisions from any of his ports by the
English.
" Mr. de Graffe is appointed to the command of
a squadron to consist of 25 ships of the line, which,
it is said, will fail this spring for America and the
Weft-Indies; and Count D'Eftaing will remain with
the command of the grand European fleet. The
English have taken several hundreds of Dutch vessels,
but have hitherto condemned none, in hopes, no
doubt, of being able to effect a compromise: The
Dutch for this, however, do not relax their prepara
tions for war, and seem resolved to chastise the te
merity and injustice of their enemies. By different
edicts they have prohibited the sale of their vessels
to foreigners ; have laid a general embargo for a limit
ed time; augmented their forces by sea and land ;
granted letters of reprisal, and made liberal provision
for those who may be maimed or disabled in the ser
vice of the Republic. The spirit of privateering is
so prevalent among them, particularly in Friezland;
that even the women throw in their jewels and trin
kets to be applied in the equipment of cruizers. As
a member of the armed neutrality the States General
have claimed the assistance of the Empress of Russia
in repelling the outrages of the common aggressor ;
no answer is yet received, but private letters from
Petersburg encourage a belief that her Imperial Ma
jesty will give a favourable one: if so, Sweden and
Denmark must also, by treaty, take a part, and then f
it is to be hoped, England will at length be awakened
to a sense of her folly and infatuation —recognize the
independency of America, and restore peace to Eu
rope. To accelerate this happy termination to the
war, however, nothing will contribute more effec
tually than unanimity and vigour in the counsels and
operations of America.—Every, the least appearance
of disunion, inability or relaxation there, revives the
vain hope of conquest, and leads to one exertion
Same day arrived here Capt. Atkins, in 32 days
from Cadiz.
April 26. Private letters from Europe, of good au
thority, mention that the King of Prussia had pro
ceeded far in, if not actually completed, a negociation
in favour of the several contrasting powers of the
armed neutrality, and for the protection of their ter
ritorial dominions in case they should be threatened
upon account of any step taken by these powers in
the Congress of neutrality.
Captain Lamb, in a privateer brig from New-
London, has taken two Jamaicamen, bound to
KA"G ST ON, (Jamaica) March 3.
It is said, that Sir George Bridges Rodney has re-'
ceived dispatches from Ministry of the Bth of January
last, with the declaration against Portugal, as well
as Holland; and that the Empress of Russia had sent
a flrong fleet, conjunctively with a Britill) squadron,
to the relief of Gibraltar, closely blocked up by our
enemies. A strong squadron, with a number of
troops, and two months provisions and flores, is said
to have failed from Spithead, on a fccret expedition;
The Comet Packet Boat, Capt. M'Donough, with
the November mail, for this island from Great - Britain;
was taken the Bth of January last, by a French pri
vateer named the Mole, and carried into Hispaniola;
It was the fame privateer that had taken the Anne.
By the sloop Nelly, arrived at Blueficlds in feveri
weeks from Pensacola, advice is received that a de^
tachment of about ico men from the 60th and Wal
deck regimerits, with a body of Indians, were sent
for the purpose of furprizing a poll the Spaniards'
had thablifhed opposite Mobile, but the afiailants
were repulsed with considerable loss, from previous
information the enemy had received of their defignt
We loft Col. Hanllyden of the Waldecks, who com
manded, and Lieut. Stirling; besides Lieut. Gordori
of the 60th, about 16 privates, and an equal number
wounded.
Thursday last Capt Oaks, in a letter of marque
arrived here from Martinico, and brought in with
him a prize brig in ballalt, bound from New-York
for Lisbon.
more."
By several English papers brought by the Euphrates,
to January 4, we are informed that the ship in which
General Smith went passenger to England, was taken
and ransomed for five and twenty hundred guineas.
BOST O N, April 23.
We learn that Capt. Thorndike, of Providence,
has re-taken a valuable Dutch snow of about 300 tons
burthen, and carried her into Martinico. Each fore
madman's (hare we hear amounted to between 25 and
2600 weight of coffee.
Lad week three thousand suits of eloathing com
plete, arrived fafe in port, belonging to the continent.
We hear that Captain Parker is arrived fafe at Ply
mouth, from Surrinam.