The New-Jersey gazette — Burlington [N.J.], 1779-12-29 00:00:00, page 2

PAR IS, September 21.
''T' HE combined fleet, consisting of 51 ships of
I the line, including the Ardent taken from
the English, and the squadron of observation of 16
men of war, anchored in the road of Brest, the 14th
instant. These ships are laying in frelh provisions,
and are afterwards to put to sea again.
Count D'Orvilliers being in too bad a Rate of
health to permit him to continue the command of
the combined fleet, has obtained the King's leave to
resign; and his Majesty has appointed Count Duch
affault, Lieutenant-General of the Navy, to suc
ceed him.
Utrecht, Sept. 23. Our letters of the 13th of
August from Gibraltar mention, that the Spaniards
continue to block up the bay, and are making every
preparation necessary to besiege the place.
We have accounts from Copenhagen, that it is
reported, that the Imperialists have taken possession
of the islands of Nicober, in the East-Indies, to the
south weft of Sumatra, which causes much astonish
ment, as they were always reputed to belong to the
King of Denmark.
From Stockholm we hear, that Prince Repnin is
expeded there to conclude an association between
the Courts of Petersburg, Sweden and Denmark,
in order to procure a peace between England,
Fiance and Spain.
Every manoeuvre of the admiralty more and more
proves, that it was a fettled design that Sir Charles
Hardy should not meet the combined fleets of France
and Spain. When this national cowardice is known
to our enemies, what must Englishmen exped, but
to be treated all like cowards —firft kicked—and
then despised.
The last accounts from Sir Charles Hardy men
tion his being very ill. The truth of it is, that the
uneasiness of his mind in being made the dupe of a
few designing men, has so combined with a severe
fit of the gout, as to render the life of this honest,
well-meaning seaman hazardous.
Sept. 2. Last night an express arrived at the
admiralty with an account of the fafe arrival of Sir
Charles Hardy, and all his fleet, at Plymouth; so
that the combined fleets now ride triumphantly
matters of the sea, and the whole commerce of this
country is left at their mercy.
All the private letters from the Weft-Indies, a
gree in the constant depredations committed by the
French frigates and cruizers on their trade, even in
fight of the English fleet, which is obliged to watch
d'Estaing, and cannot spare frigates or other vessels
to protest them. The islands are in daily alarm, and
a grand attack on Jamaica by the French and Spa
niards, is esteemed an unavoidable event. So much
for our superiority in the Weft-Indies !
A strong convoy is to fail from I'Orient this
month, for the isle of France, on board of which
are to be embarked the regiments of Auftrafie, de
la Sarre, and a battalion of marines.
The committee of secrecy fat at the India- House
on Saturday last, (a very unusual circumstance) to
confider of fending dispatches to apprise the twelve
homeward bound Eaft-lndia men, expeded this
month under convoy of the Warwick of 50 guns, of
the danger they are in, from the certain intelligence
received, that the Spaniards detached four Ships of
the line and three frigates from the Cadiz squadron,
in June last, to cruize off the Western Ides, to in
tercept them. The cargoes of these twelve India
men are worth at least three millions Sterling.—So
much for Lord Sandwich's superiority at sea, and
his protection of our commerce! yet he is a great
favourite, and powerful patron at the India-House.
A very valuable convoy failed from Brest on the
16th of last month for the,combined fleets, and
which may serve to Shew that they do not intend
soon returning into pott, consisting of one thousand
ton of water, a vast quantity of beef, mutton, poul
try, &c. &c. Three frigates and a transport arrived
there likewise on that day, from the grand fleet,
with the sick on board, which amounted in the whole
to no more than 400, which, considering the nu
merous manning of the French Ships, proves that
they must in general be uncommonly healthy.
The capitulation of St. Vincent's is in town, but
ftippreffed by government, although of the utmost
importance to the unfortunate individuals who have
property in that island. Let any impartial man
compare the paltry, pettifogging detail of taking a
few small craft in the court Gazette of Tuesday,
vith the innumerable wretched concealment of the
LONDON, August 25.
Gibraltar is blocked up only by two (hips of the
line from Carthagena, three frigates, some xebecks
and armed veflels; so contemptible are we become
in the Mediterranean !
most important events, both to the publick and to
private persons, anjfay whether this is not a go
vernment of private inhumanity and publick insult,
a bale and contemptible System of expedients and
patchwork, which deserves not the support, but the
contempt, the indignation, the resentment of a be
trayed and injured country?
Nineteen firft add fecund rates will be actually
ready for lea from toe different dockyards in France
by the firft of January next. This is a fad, let
Lord Sandwich look to it.
Also his Majesty's order in Council, dated Sep
tember 14, to prohibit the exporting out of the
kingdom, or carry: ;coaft wife any plates of copper,
during the space of, .^n.oruhs from, the above Jute.
On Wednesday last came on at St. Michael's in
Cornwall, the election of a representative for that
borough, in the room of the Hon. Thomas How
ard, Esq. now Earl of Suffolk, when Francis
Hales, Esq. was elected without opposition.
Certain advices were received on Saturday of the
French fleet being fafe at anchor in Brest harbour.
Extraft of a letter from St, Kitt's, July 31.
“ The following is a lilt of the Ships which fell
into the hands of the French at Grenada, viz. the
Rachael and Betsey, for Leith, with 130 hogs
heads of sugar on board; the Betsey, Barbe, for
Glasgow, with 40 hoglheads of ditto; Elizabeth,
Rogers, with 400 hoglheads of rum, for Quebec;
and the Lark, Smith, with 400 hoglheads of rum,
for Georgia. This last had been lying 14 days at
St. Geotge's, in Grenville-Bay, waiting for an op
portunity to escape. The Hope, Jones, with 400
hoglheads of rum, for Quebec, and the Conference,
Cox, were also taken."
Advice is received from the Grenades, that last
year they made in that illand upwards of 30,000
hoglheads of sugar, most of which is fallen into the
hands of the French.
Administration has set on foot a fubfeription in
several parts of the kingdom, for the more effectual
propagation of the goipel in America. There is
something extremely laughable in this ministerial
manoeuvre. It would have us Suppose, that our
Shameful defeats hi America have been so many glo
rious victories; and that we are kill in podeilion of
a country, which folly, treachery and corruption,
have loft for ever to this kingdom. The truth is,
America is no Icr^r our's, and the fubferiptions
raised under the pretence of their being appropria
ted to the putpofe cf propagating the gospel, are to
be expended amongfe thole reverend worthies in
America, that have espoused England in their un
just claim on that country. The trap is artfully
laid; but few, it is hoped, will be catched in it.
Beat and disgraced abroad, and unable to defend
ourselves at home, we talk of propagating the gos
pel, in a country from whence we are driven with
loss and Shame! but according to Lord North's
maxim on a late parliamentary difeufiion of the
naval expenditures, “ monies raised by government
for one purpole, ma be applied to any other what
foever.l And thus the miniiterial clergy io Ame
rica, are to be enriched out of the pockets of those,
whom they have endeavoured to enfiave. This is
likewise another instance of the wifdam and confid
ence of the present acminiftration. With the Sword
in one hand and tl. # gospel in the other, a whole
nation is to be destroyed and saved at the fame time!
Sept. 27. Lalf Saturday's Gazette contains his
Majesty's order in Council for continuing the boun
ties to teamen from the 30th inst. to the 31st of
December next inclutive.
Extract of a letter from Dover, Sept. 24.
" Yesterday a French lug fail privateer was
brought in here by the Kite cutter; She had got a
mongst the St. Kitt's Ships, which are arrived here,
and would have,carried some of them off, had not
the cutter come up that instant."
On Thursday next will be iffiied from the bank of
England, one million four hundred thousand pounds
Exchequer bills. The bills will be for one hundred
pounds each, and bear an interest of three-pence
per diem, which is nearly five per cent.
A letter from Warley camp, dated Sept. 24,
fays, “ Yesterday a number of men were employed
in widening the artillery road to '1 ilbury fort,
and the General went there with the engineers to
survey the boats, &c. for the purpose of transport
ing the army to the KentiSh Shore, if neceflary."
The Cinque Ports are railing a regiment of foot,
to confilt of JOOO men, each town to furniSh its
proper quota; the Lord Warden gives seven guineas
bounty to every volunteer, and the corporation five.
The county of Cornwall is going to raise a regi
ment of 1000 men, the cost of which, at a meeting
held at Bodmin last week, was estimated at 12,000!.
when 11771. were Subscribed, and fubfeription
papers ordered to be ferit round the county. —
Sept. 28. The Baltic fleet of 70 fail, under
convoy of the Serapis and Scarborough, taken by
Paul Jones's squadron, made off, on the firft of the
engagement, for Scarborough Bay, and all got fafe
within the Castle.
Orders are given foi two frigates to be Rationed
between Harwich and Helvoetfluys, for the better
protection of the packet-boats that pass and repafs
'between the said ports.
The following is said to be a state of the force we
have at present at Gibraltar and Minoica. At Gi
braltar—Clinton's, Boyd's, Walsh's and Baugh's
regiment of foot; La Moth's, Render's and Har
denberg's regitnents of Hanoverians and the Man
chefler volunteers,' making in the whole about 5000
men fit for a&ual service.
The London Gazette has made the most of the
Penobfeot business; and the ministerial runners and
writers magnify it as much as they can. They have
so few victories to rejoice at, that we could pardon
their exultations, if we did not know that there was
more real cause for weeping than rejoicing. The
only thing that Sir Henry Clinton has been able to
do, during this whole campaign, was getting posses
sion of “ that important pot Stony Point, up the
North River." And General Washington watches
his opportunity; takes it by furprize, with all the
cannon, mortals, &c. carries them all off, and then
dismantles it. This is another Trenton affair—
With this difference. The Hessians at Trenton
were made prisoners. The garrison at Stony Point
were put to the sword, above four hundred. This
was in retaliation for certain cruelties committed
by our soldiers last year. These massacres were too
bad to be related, even in our Scotch Gazette. Of
one of these mafi'acres, some English officers said,
" it was fortunately quite dark, and they only heard
it; if it had been day light, they could not have bore
the fight." The Scotch officers thought there was
no need of it. The refugees alone rejoiced.
'I he Gazette is silent refpeding Paulus Hook.—•
Is it not taken by the Americans? And were not
the troops found in it put to the sword?
What will be the confequcnce of burning Fair
field and Norwalk? Paul Jones has done no mif
chief yet: but had he known of burning these towns
is it not probable, he would have burned Leith and
Hull? They were as completely at his mercy.—
When this burning business comes to be retaliated
upon our own coaßs, we (hall then fee the ministers
scribblers expatiating upon the cruelty of it, of its
being contrary to the rules of war, &c. and those
publick prints, which are paid and bribed by the
publick money, for deferring and betraying the pub
lick interelf, who print every lie for ministers, but
refufe every truth against them, will be the foremofh
to publish those complaints, which they now approve
in others. The nation cannot be milled much
longer; the tricks of the Court in buying the news
papers, and fending about their runners, are become
Capt. Pearson who commanded the Serapis of 44
guns, which was taken by Paul Jones, was appoint
ed to the Endymion of 44 guns, lately launched at
Limehoufe, and fitting out there for sea, and was
coming from off his Station in the North Sea to go
on board of her.
A letter from Thomas Williams, Esq. to John
Philips, Esq. at Liverpool, dated Trelethin, Sept.
17, fays, '• I write this to inform you, that the
IriSh cutter privateer is in the Channel; left Fifh
guard this morning, and'is gone either to the coait
of Ireland or Studwell Road; I think rather to the
latter, as they had no water on board, and were
not Suffered to land at Fishguard. She took ten
Sail of Sloops in Fifhguard Road, among them was
the Old George, bound to Belfaft from Bristol,
rahfomed for 3001. a Sloop belonging to Mr. Bowen
Longwair, allo rarfomed. She received 7001. —
Some of the Sloops ihe Stripped. She fired, they
fay, joo Shot into the town, wanted 40001. ransom.
She carried some fix pounders, one of which Shot I
saw brought here. Some fay She is called the Black
Prince, formerly belonging to Rush. She is chiefly
manned with frhh, English and Welsh."
Ihe Three Friends, from Liverpool to New
lork, was taken the 19th inst. by the Dunkirk pri
vateer, alias Black Prince, in Lalliman's Bay, in
the island of Jura. In the laid port he also took the
Fiancifco de Pa ila, Capt. Maniol, taken before by
the Defiance, Capt. Thompson, belonging to Liver
pool, laden with wool, hides and dollars; the dol
lars were landed before the Black Prince captured
her.
At Minorca—Fglinton's and Morris's regiment
of foot; Prince Ernest's and Goldacher's regiments
of Hanoverians, making in the whole 2500 men fit
for service.