The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-11-03 00:00:00, page 1

By His EXCELLENCY
Sir WILLIAM HOWE,
General and Commander in Chief, &c. &c. &c.
Declaration.
SIR WILLIAM HOWE, regretting the calami
ties to which many of his Majesty s fubjv&s^re
still exposed by the continuance of the rebellion, and
no less desirous of protesting the innocent, than de
termined to pursue with the rigours of war, all those
whom his Mafefty's forces, in the course of their
progress, may find in arms against the King, doth
hereby assure thepeaceable inhabitants of the province
of Pennsylvania, the Lower Counties on Delaware,
and the Counties of Maryland, on the saltern ffiore
of Chefape^k Bay, that in order to remove any
groundless apprehensions which may have been rai
sed of their foffering by depredations of the army
under his command, he hath ifl'uad the ftr&ft or
ders to the troops for the preservation of regularity
and good discipline, and has Signified, that the meft
exemplary punishment Shall be inflicted on those who
shall dare to plunder the property, or molest the per
sons of any of his Matty's well diipofed fubjeds.
Security and protection are likewise extended to all
persons, inhabitants of the province, and counties
aforefaid, who, not guilty of having affirmed le
gillative or judicial authority, my have a&ed illegally
in Subordinate Nations, and conscious of their mif
condua, been induced to leave their dwellings;
provided such persons do forthwith return, and re
main peaceably at their usual places of abode.
Confining moreover that many officers and pri
vate men, now actually in arms against his Majesty,
may be willing to relinquish the part they have ta
ken in this rebellion, and return to their due allegi
ance; Sir WILLIAM HOWE, doth therefore pio
mife a free and general pardon to all such officers and
private men, as shall voluntarily come and surrender
themselves to any detachment of his Majesty's
forces, before the day on which it shall be notified
that the said indulgence is to be difeontinued.
Given under my band, at Head-quarters oj the
army, tie 27th day of Aaguft, 1777-
W. HOWE.
By His Excellency's command,
Robert Mackenzie, Secr'y.
4C^^^)*^ (^e<x:+
LOND O N,
From the General Evening Post, of August 5,
V 7-
To the'EDITOR.
SIR,
I AM one of those who have never been
very fond of diftinguilhing myfelf, by
Standing forth conspicuous for espousing the
views and opinions of any party, considered
merely as such ; because in this light, I could
not easily persuade myfelf that I fnould render
any real service to my country.
But when any particular fatlion is determi
ned to injure that country, I hold it the duty
of every man to contribute, to the belt of his
abilities, to the detention of their malice, and
to oppose them, not from a principle of re
sentment, but from a regard to truth and
justice.
There was a time, Sir, when I was content
to believe that our pretended patriots were in
earnest to mend the state of our affairs, and to
cerreft the faults of government wherever they
appeared. If they did not seem always to
take the b^ methods of bringing this about;
1 imputed it to mistake, rather than obstinacy;
and even where the absurdity v r as glaring, still
believed they aded from principle.
But the breaking out of the present unhappy
diftufbances between Greatßritain and her
colonies, has too fully convinced me of the
contrary. From the very commencement of
these troubles, 1 have traced the conduf sos
the persons in question, I have followed them
step by Step through the mazy windings of
their crooked politics, and must fay that I
have found in them much of the wiliness of
the serpent, but none of the innocence of the
dove.
A too credulous public, Mr. Editor, may
be deceived, but it is beyond a doubt that
those in opposition at home have fomented the
divisions in our colonies abroad; and, like
fly incendiaries, have kindled the fire with
the dreadful ravages of which they now per
petually alarm us, and at which they affect to
Monday, November 3, 1777;
NE W-Y 0 RK
• AND
WEEK L Y
ASSIZE of BREAD. Flour at 30s. per Cent.
A White Loaf of the fineft FLOUR, to weigh
3 lb. 40Z. for 14 Coppers, and in the fame
Proportion for Loaves of a lesser Weight.
Publiflied January 10, 1777.
Containing t^ catiico Unices
0 Printed by HUGH GAINE, at the BIBLE and CROWN, in HANOVER-SQUARE.
be so much concerned. I appeal to fads; —
has there been any advantage gained by Bri
tain, which has not been to them, and their
deluded adherents, a cause for mourning,
whilst every art has been used to depreciate
the in the eyes of the public ? On the.
contrary, has there been the slightest success
of the Rebels, which has not been displayed
in the meft glaring colours, and been made
matter of the highest triumph and rejoicing ?
We know the arguments they use in favour
of the Colonies; we know, likewise, their
futility ; and the American declaration of in
dependence may well save us the trouble cf
re-tracing beaten ground to refute them. How
solemnly did these hypocrites declare they had
no such view ; yet how have they falfified the
observation, though their own agents, not
long since, to our certain knowledge, were
employed here, most earnestly to disavow any
such intentions! Can we view the conduct of
the Colonists, in this particular, and in that
of their famous address to the Catholics of
Canada, and not be convinced of their du
plicity ? Those who abetted them, are like unto
them, for deceit is in them. They are for ever
telling us of their regard for the constitution
of this realm, as by law established, while
they are endeavouring, as far as in them lies,
to sap the foundation of one of its strongest
bulwarks, The Authority of Parliament.—
They are always prompt to persuade us, that
they possess the Amor Patrie in the highest de
gree, while they are both rejoicing at the suc
cesses of Rebels, and inviting those whom we
have been taught to regard as our natural ene
mies, to make depredations upon our pro
perty/ giving them to underhand, that if
France is difpefed for war, now is the time
for her to revenge the injuries She so recently
received from us— when one were fighting the
cause of the ungrateful Americans.
In the mean time, that no,Machiavelin art
may be wanting to support them in their de
signs, the abettors of opposition, who, when
ever. our arms succeed, are employed in in
veighing against the wickedness of a war of
their own railing, and recapitulating a hun
dred instances of supposed cruelty, to Stain
their luftre; these very men, I fay, when for
tune feeins to frown upon us, turn the tables,
and accuse our ministry of most unpardonable
negligence, in not prcfecuting the war with
more vigour against their well-beloved bre
thren.
These Gentry, in effeft, have multiplied
the number of American privateers, which
they wish to fee multiplied, and have after
wards thrown out every suggestion which ma
lice could invent against our Government, for
not having obviated difficulties before they
arose, in effeft, because they do not very mo
defily pretend to those two trilling attributes,
Omniscience and Omnipresence.
The Fox man of war, it seems, has lately
been taken by taco American Blips ; this cir
cumstance has, as usual, furnished at once
matter both cf triumph and of complaint to
their good friends at home: for this, among the
rest, the government is to be reprobated,
while the downfal of our trade, and the rava
ges of the enemy along cur peaceful Shores,
are predicted as the consequences of our dis
pute with the united fates of America. It is
readily confeffed, that these rebellious Colo
nists have given the Signal for plunder, and
that their privateers, joined by numbers of
free booters, Safe in their insignificance, eva
ding our men of war, have done us some da
mage ; but the day of reckoning is at hand;
and it i: to be hoped the thunder of the Bri
tish navy will soon disperse these pirates. In
the mean time, if the Americans really gained
ground upon us at the firft setting out, to what
must it be attributed but to the lenity of that
government which could have crushed them
in the embryo, and laid all their towering
hopes in dust? if they have since gained any
advantages, how ill does it become these to
reproach Administration, who have done all
in their power towards weakening the hands
of government, and fulfilling their own wicked
prophecies ? Let us hope that such predictions
will never be accoinpliffied ; and at the fame
time let us not forget that those who at such a
time can take a delight in pointing out the weak
ness of the land, whatsoever may be their pre
tensions to public Spirit, can never have any
just claims to patriotism.
LEONATUS.
Monday, 39 Min. after 11
Tuesday, 23 Min. aftei 12
Wednesday, 11 Min. after 1
Thursday, o Min. after 2
HIGH-WATER at NEW-YORK, this Week.
THE
^!b^^
Friday, 50 Min. after^
Saturday, 41 Min. after 3
Sunday, 29 Min. after 4
Moon's firft fudr.Friday.
SIR,
IW AS much pleased to fee, in your Paper,
such a formidable lift of line of battle
Ships manned and ready for sea : a fleet of
that force, and fifty thousand fine troops in
America, with a Sufficient number of tranf
iports to waft them any where, must have
'weight with the neighbouring European Pow
ers. We may be worrying curfelves, accord
ing : to the arguments of tome people ; there
fore it will be prudent for Foreign States to
let -us ^lone, left wefhould quit for a while our
animofities,' and turn on them. Every one
must know that tocrideavour the separation of
a man and his wife at Billingsgate, Wapping,
&c. wh'en engaged in a little family contest of
fifty cuff's, is the sure Way to have an alliance
formed immediately by the Belligerent Parties
against the Mediator, who, from a sudden
commencement of hostilities, the ftipdriority
Of number, fiercenefs of the Combatants,
heated by action, and Stimulated by emula
tion, is sure to fall the viftim of their rage,
and to become the Sacrifice to their reconcili
ation. Though this might not be the case
with us and the Americans, it comes very near
it, and if his Majesty's arms prevail at pre
sent, I have not the least doubt of its being so
directly in point. But Should it be otherwise,
and obstacles procrastinate the subduing the
Americans immediately, we may turn our
arms to a Foreign war, without any danger
of not finding our Provinces again, when we
are disposed to look after them. As to a fo
reign Power possessing them in our absence, it
is not an affair so easily accomplished ; but al
lowing it to be possible and practicable, I fancy
such apower would be heavily tired of their
new f/bjeas, arid the fubjedis of their new
masters, long before we had performed our
manoeuvres by sea and land in other parts.
And when all parties had fatisfied the fer.ti
ment, hnd peace again taken place, We Should
find our fefraftory Colonies convinced that no
Government is equal'to the British, or cah, in
like manner, protest them.
We are now strongly armed, and we feel
our force ; and foreign nations are sensible of
it. They are acquainted likewise, that the
clatter of a little dirty privateer or two, 'com
ing to a part of the coast where they were not
expected is of no consequence, and that they
cannot escape long. They do not attend to
such trifl'i'ng minutiae ; it is the line of battle
Blips and land forces, the Supplies granted for
the year, bur resources and reliances. These,
maugfe all the seditious pamphlets that have
been published, are extremely formidable in
fight of not only Europe, but the whole
world. We have, Sir, amongk us reptiles of
the speckle-belly tribe, who are indefatigable
in their endeavours to mislead the people, and
frequently they succeed; but men of Superior
understanding, both at home and in foreign
nations, know what contempt they are held
in byour Government, by fuffering them to
pass unnoticed.
l am, Sir, yours, B. P.
By a letter received from Amsterdam it ap
pears, that the Shipwrecked People, on Sable
island, who were at firft supposed to belong to
the Aurora, arc the surviving part of the crew
of an Afiatick Ship, wrecked on that Bank in
1761, and eight in number, one of whom
only is an European. The Dauphine, one of
the French King's cutters, commanded by the
Chevalier Lanugny Tromelin, being Sent from
Port Louis in November lad, to reconnoitre
the Bland, and take off some Blacks who had
been formerly perceived there, brought back
seven black women, and a negro child eight
months old. These people said they had been
on that Island ever since the less of the Utile
Indiamen, wrecked there the 31st of July
1761; that most of the crew quitted them,
taking to their boat, leaving about eighty
black men and women, eighteen of whom, Some
time after, embarked on a Sort of Punt, or
Raft, made With Planks faftened on Masts,
which they got from the wreck, and never
came back; that within these twelve .Years,
their number had been reduced to thirteen,
the rest having died through fatigue and want.
That, during the Space of fifteen years, which
they had been there, they had Seen only five
ships, which, Upon Signals made, all attempt-
To the Editor of Lloyd's Evening Post.
Wheat per Bushel; 9s. cd/
Flour, 30s. 6b'
Brown 'Bread, 255. od.
Weft-India Rum, 69. 61.
New-England do. ss. od. .
GAZETTE:
THE
M E RC UR Y.
PRICE CURRENT, in NEW-YORK.
Mufcbvado Sugar, 51. ros.iFine Salt, Bs. cd
Single refin'd ditto, 2s. 2d.;Coarfe Salt, Bs. od
Molasses, 2s. 6d. Indian Corn per Ba. 6s. 6d
Beef per Barrel, 90s. del. ICoffee, is. gd
Pork, 51. 10s. IChocolate, 265. per Do.
Screen anb ^meffi^.
ed to land, but from the great danger were
obliged to'defift. That some time ago, a Ship,
called La Santerelle, sent h boat On Shore,
and gave therfl some Assistance, but the wea
ther being boiflerous next day, prevented the
boat coming again to take them off. That a
Sailor belonging to the boat taking a fancy
to one of them, staid on the Island, intend
ing to g° 011 board his drip next day when the
boat Should come back, but beings as well as
they, disappointed, whs obliged to take up his
residence anfong them; that, about three
months ago, he embarked on another raft,
with three black men, and three women, in
hopes of reaching of Madagascar.
The manner in which these people lived,
after their fhipwrec'k, whs as follows: They
built, from the wreck of the Ship, a fort of
a cabin, on the mod elevated part of the
Island, and covered it with the Shells of turtles,
which they caught in great abundance, and
on which they chiefly subsisted; by way of
change of diet, they caught some fifh, and a
few Birds, with their Eggs, They dug a hole
in the find, which fupplicd them with a bra
kish kind of water, being their only drink.
The 'feathers of the birds which they caught,
curiously worked together, was their covering.
The Inland is nothing but a bank of coral,
a quarter of a league in length, and three
hundred Perches broad; its highest part about
fifteen feet. The violence of the Sea has
thrown up, on its banks, all around, a quan
tity of broken coral and sand, by which
means the centre of the Inland is much lower
than the files. There is neither grals, tree,
nor Shrub, grows on it, nor any kind of ve
getable, except a kind of Potatoe, or durang
(called in French foldanelle), which grows
among the sand. The whole Island is sur
rounded with Breakers, which extends up
wards of a hundred and fifty fathoms to the
south, and are very near the Shore on the
North Side.
Three of the Sharpers, who robbed R> Brad
ley a Yorkfeircman, of fol. at a tavern, near
Charing- cross, on Friday lad, were late on
the fame evening brought before Sir John
Fielding, in Bow-street. The waiter having
been committed in the morning by that ma
gistrate, he was in the evening put to the bar
again, with three accomplices, when Bradley
again made good his charge. Being aSked
what they had to fay in their defence, one of
them was their Cicero on this occasion: He
advised Sir John " to reconsider the matter :
" the countryman fdid he had been defrauded
" of 101. it might be true : he was not one of
" the parties. The countryman must mis
“ take: but if he had loft the money, why,
" he and the other parties were ready to ref
“ tore him his money back again, and then,
" where was the harm r" He also advised
Sir John to recoiled that a prison was no place
to educate in : That he never had been brought
to his Worship before, and, if allowed to
make restoration, pledged his honour he would
never be brought there again, and hoped his
Worship would confider it in its proper light.—
" That I certainly Shall, said Sir John. There
" is a poor, harmless, Simple countryman,
" who came up to town to purchase a place
" in the life-guards, and a parcel of villains
" seduce him into a houfc of refpe&able ap
" pearance, which you and your comrades
" frequent for carrying on your villainy. You
" have Stripped him of his money, made him
" a beggar, and then to screen yourselves
" made a scheme to kidnap him soy the East
" India service. Talk to me of restitution!
" Restitution for a felony! Every one of you
" ought—ought —I hope you will—be hang
" ed, for you have committed a robbery ; and
" I promise you, what lies in my power fliall
" be done to bring you to- condign punish
" ment: You were not aware, perhaps, of
" your having committed a capital offence,
" but I now acquaint you with it ; and I hope
" you, too, will confided it in improper light."
The waiter begged Sir John would confider
his case, as he only feiated as servant. “ I
“ don't care for your ficiating or officiating,
" replied Sir John, you held the man whiil
" your accomplices made off with the money,
“ and threatened to bring a press gang if he
" made a noise: You are as much a principal
" as the rest. You knew they were Jharps and
<c afifted them in the robbery." They were
all sent to Tothillfields Bridewell for further
examination 011 Wednesday next.