The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1780-02-21 00:00:00, page 2

S^tig ^ ^ Swift Parted, Cap. ]
Nicolls, arrived here with the \
Ofobw, November and December
Mails! /corn Falmouth, in 55 Days,
h who a We have the following Ad
vices viz.
His Majesty's most gracious Speech
to both Houles of Parliament.
HO US E of LORD S,
Thursday, November 25.
Q—HIS Day, at 3 o'Ci'ock, his Majesty, at
{ tended hr theDake of N >rthumberland,
Matter of the Horse, and Lord Willoughby de 1
Broke, Lord of the Bed Chamber in Waitin;r,
vent to the House of Peers, and being feared
on the Throne, the Commons were sent for,
when his M rje'dy made the foilr^ing mod
gracious Speech:
My Lords and Gofiemen,
I Meet you in Parliament at a time when we
are called up in bv every principle of duty,
and every conideration of interest, to exert
our united Efforts' in the Support and defence
ofour country, attacked by an unjust and un
provoked war, and contending with one of the
r^ft dangerous confederacies that ever was
formed againit the crown and people of Great
Britain.„
The designs and attempts of our enemies to
invade this kingdom, have, by the blessing of
Providence, been hitherto fruitrated and disap
pointed. They (till menace us with great ar
maments and preparations ; but we are, 1 trull
on our part, well prepared to meet every attack
and repel every insult. I know the character
of my brave people : The menaces of their
enemies and the ipproach of danger, hive no
other effect on their minds, but to animate
their courage, and to call forth that national
fpirit,which has so often checked and defeated
the projects of ambition and injustice, and en
abled the British fleets and armies to protest
their own country, to vindicate their tyn
rights, and at the fame time to uphold, and
preserve the liberties of Europe, from the rest
less and encroaching power of the House of
Bourbon.
In the midst of my care and follicitude for
the fafety and welfare of this country, I have
not been inattentive to the Rate of my loyal
and faithful kingdom of Ireland. I have, in
consequence of your addresses, presented to me
in the last session, ordered such papers to be
collected and laid before you, as may assist
your deliberations, on this important business ;
and I recommend it to you to confider what
further benefits and advantages may be exten
ded to that kingdom, by such regulations and
such methods as may most effectually promote
the common Brength, wealth, and intereib of
all my dominions.
Gentlemen of the House of Commons, /
The proper estimates Ihall in due time, be
laid before you. I fee, with extreme concern,
that the necessary eftablifhmeots of my naval
anl military forces, and the various services
arid operations of the ensuing year, mull ine
vitably be attended with gr L and heavy ex
pencez ; bnt 1 rely on your wisdom and public
spirit for such (applies, as the circumstances and
exigencies of oar affairs Ihall be found to re
quire.
My Lords and Gentlemen,
I have great fatisfaftion in renewing the as
surances of my entire approbation of the good
conduct and discipline of the Militia, and of
their Ready perseverance in their duty ; and I
return my cordial thanks to all ranks of my
loyal fubjeds who have Rood forth in this ar
duous conjuncture, and by their zeal, their
influence, aud their personal service, have
given confidence as well as Rrength to the na
tional defence. Trusting in the divine pro
vidence, and in the justice of my cause, I am
firmly resolved to prosecute the war with vi
gour, and to make every exertion in order to
compel our enemies to lilten to equitable terms
of peace and accommodation.
The Humble ADDRESS of the Right Honour
able the Lords Spiritual and Temporal, in
Parliament assembled. Die Jovis, 25° No
vembris, 1779.
" Mod Gracious Sovereign,
" U7E, your Majesty's most dutiful and
loyal fubjeds, the Lords Spiritual
and Temporal, in Parliament assembled, beg
leave to return your Majesty our humble
thanks for your most gracious Speech from the
Throne.
" The juß sense we have of the blessings we
enjoy under your Majeßy's government, and
the indignation we feel at the unprovoked and
unwarrantable aggression of our enemies, who
seek to deprive us of those blessings, and threa
ten your Majesty's kingdoms with invasion,
will continue to animate our resolutions, and
redouble our efforts in the national defence.
We trust that those efforts, seconded by the
zeal of a faithful and loyal people, will, under
cne providence of God, be fully fufficient to re
pe! every attack, to fruftrate the hopes, and
defeat the designs of any confederacy that may
be formed againit your Majesty's Crown and
dominions.
" In such a crisis, the approach of danger
Can serve only to call forth that national spirit
which always rises with the occasion that'de
mands it, but never displayed itfelf in a more
i uportant conjuncture, though it has f..often
protected the liberties of these kingdoms, and
of Europe in general, and has enabled the Bri
.•:]& fleets and armies to withstand, arid defeat
the designs of that restless and aspiring ambi
tion, which has so frequently disturbed the
peace, and invaded the rights of mankind.
" We are deeply sensible of your Majesty's
paternal goodnefe; which does no; confee itfelf
and we humbly beg leave to assure your Ma
jesty, that they will meet with our most hearty
concurrence and firmed support.
His MAjESTY's most gracious Answer.
" My Lords,
I Thank you for this dutiful and loyal Ad
dress, The spirit and resolution with
which you Hand forth in the national defence,
and the support you promise to the vigorous
measures I am determined to pursue, must teqd
to reltore, upon fair and equitable terms, that
general tranquility, which 1 have ever endea
voured to maintain ; and your attention to
those important objeßs I have recommended
to you, wiil T doubt not, increase the gene
ral >rofpcrity of all my fubjefts, which is my
I tolriHnt and invariable aim."
'the humble ADDRESS of the House of Common# to
) th§Kl^G,
" Mod Grati/us Sovereign,
« % ?E, youi MajeUyfomoft duri'ul and loyal fubjefh,
VV the Cerumens of Great Britain in Parliament
afabji, behave to retain your Majesty the shanks
pof this House, for your most gracious fprceh from the
j throne..
'; We are truly fen Able that, in the present arduous
fituatfon of affairs, we are called upop by every principle
and every fentiinent of duty to your Majesty, and to those
wt represent, to exert and to unite our utmost efforts in
tthe support aAd defence of out country against a most un
just war, and one of the most dangerous confederacies
that was ever formed against the crown and people of
Great-Britain.
'' We fee end rever, thegoodnefs of Divine Providence
in frustrating and difoppointing the designs of our ene
mies to invade this kingdom: And whenever they at
tempt to carry their menaces into execution, we truss that
their attacks will be repelled, and their enterprize de,
seated, by the btyffiig of the fame Providence on the va
lour and intrepidity of you, M fcßy's Fleets and armies ;
and thar your Lf^jeAy'e grrerou* and ^endearing declara
tion of your confidence in the character and courage of
your people will be juftified, by the most convincing
proofs, that they are fiill animated by the fame ardour,
and the fame spirit, that have in former times carried this
nation through so many difficulties and dangers, and
have so often enabled.their ancestors to protest their
country and all its dominions, aud to save not only their,
own rights, but the libertieVof other free fates, from
the restless ambition and encroaching power of the hou'.e
of Bourbon;
“ We acknowledge, with thankfulnefs, your Majes
ty's Goodness and attention to the Address of this House,
refpe&ing your loyal and faithful kingdom of Ireland, in
being pleased to order such papers t/ >be communicated to
this House, as may assist our deliberations on this im
portant business : And we beg leave to assure your Ma-'
jefly, that we will not fail to take into our consideration
what farther benefits & advantages may be extendedto that
kingdom by such regulations, and such methods, as may
mofteffectually promote the common strength, wealth
and interests of all your dominions.
Permit us, Sir, to return our humbie thanks to vour
Majesty, for the gracious manner in which your Majesty
renews and confirms your entire approbation of the good
conduct and Ready discipline of the national militia ;
and to assure your Majesty, that we concur most sincerely
with your Majesty, in acknowledging and applauding
the meritorious zeal and fervicea of those Loyal subj ds
who flood forth in the hour of danger, and who have ad
ded confidence, as well as strength, to the national de
fence.
Your Majesty's faithful summons receive with grati
tude, and take a sincere part in your Majesty's paternal
expressions of concern that the various and extensive ser
vices and operations of the en ding year must unavoid
ably be attended with great and heav« expences: yet,
when it is considered how much the commerce, the pro
fyerity, and the fafety of Great Britain depend on the
issue of this contest, wedobbt not that such powerful con
siderations and motives will induce all your Majesty's
fubjeCh to fuftlin, with chterfulnefs and magnanimity
whatever burthens ffiall be found necessary for railing
such supplies as may enable your Majesty to prosecute the
war with vigour and effect, and to make every exertion
in order to compel your enemies tb lifted to equitable
terras of peace and accommodation.
Paris, Oct. 29. The Ereft fleet has only
waited for orders from the Court to fail ever
since the 18th cf this month. It was reported
to have failed on the 23^ but that is notcon
firmed; many people imagine the grand ope
rations intended will be laid aside till the next
campaign, and that the fleet will only fail to
conduct the Spanish fleethome, and will then
return without fearing Sir Charles Hardy,
whose fleet is now nearly equal to ours,.
Paris, Ofto 31. We have received letters
from Spain which inform us, that the Gover
nor of Gibraltar having quietly fuffered the
troops of his Catholic Majesty to raise their
works and batteries of 200 cannon against that
place, had, just afer their finishing them,
played on them with such good effect as total
ly to destroy their works, and difmouht their
batteries.
Hague, Nov. 2§. We hear that the States
General delivered a memorial to Sir Jofab Yorke
to one part of your dominions, but is anxious
for the prosperity or the whole, and, in the I
midst of your care and solicitude for the fafety
and welfare of this country, has led your at
tention to the Rate of your loyal and faithful
kingdom of Ireland. Guided by the fame sen
timents which promoted the humble address
we presented to your Majesty the last fellion,
we will continue our attention to those impor
tant objects your Majesty's wisdom recom
mends, and, after deliberately weighing the
whole, will cunfider what further benefits may
be extended to that kingdom, by such regula
tions, and such methods, as may most effectu
ally promote the common Ijrength, wealth, and
interests of, all your Majesty's dominions.
“,Your Majesty's approbation of the good
conduct and discipline of the militia, and of
their Ready perseverance in their duty, and the
fatisfaction your Majesty expresses in the con
dudt of yowr loyal fubje&s of alfranks, who
have Rood forth in this arduous conjuncture^
must redouble that zeal, extend thatinfluence,
and increase those personal exertions, which
have given confidence, as well as ftrengtb,
to the national defence.
“ We fee, with great fatisfa&ion, that your
Majesty, trusting in the Divine Providence, and
in the justice of your cause, is firmly resolved
to prosecute the war with vigour, and to make
every exertion, in order to compel our enemies
to lißen to equitable terms of peace and accom
modation. Such spirited arid vigorous mea
sures mutt be conducive to so desirable an end ;
the day before if, t rdr\, ?h ; ful%rc? o,"h:b j
vas; " That tb^r iigh Mighii^frs, in an- }
Javer to the Amb^a^or, deciare, that they have
given arders to oblige Paul 'Jones to depart fr<.m
1 the Texel, as joon as vend and aveathtr psrmit;
that their high snightintfes cannot interfere in tb%
re,orcAon of the flips andprtjn^ s, that all they
have done tn this affair entirely coincides with the
tenor of treaties, and that their High Mightiness
therefore desire the K.iwg and the nation to be J&tis
fcd with theje regulations ; that it was never in
tended to furnjh Paul fonts upon bis arrival in
the Tercel with any ammunition or fucc6ur,or in any
r/fpefl to ackno wle,e the independence of America."
The memorial concludes with df^ing tbit no fur
ther repre/entatioKS may be made on this tukjea ; to
which were also added the orders to, the Admiralty
.of AmJierdam to give Paul Jones to underfund
that be mu, depart as soon as the wind is fair, and
that if these J, me&jures were im,~cf/ual, be
jbould be obliged to fail. For which purpoje their
High Mightinesses bad requefed the Prince Stad
bolder, as High Admiral to order the Command
ing Admiral in the Texel to put ibe above-mentio
ned resolution inforte.
Hague, Nov. 25. Letters from Amsterdam
bring an account that Paul Jones, in conse
quence of the injunctions of the States General
to foil with the firft fair wind,is actually failed
but that the famous Cape. Cunningham, who
eleaped out of prison in England, and was to
have gone with Jones, has altered his intention
and is gone to Paris.
'L ONDO N, Novera. 1.
The Court of Spain are giving all imagin
able encouragement to American seamen, find
ing them much better than their own. A ship
I of the line fitting out at Cadiz for th'e Havan
nah is burnt to the Water's edge by accident.
There is a great bußle at the court ofVerfailes
on account that the Spaniards do not seem to
be in a humour 30 prosecute the war with vi
gour, against England, his Sardinian Majesty
and the Austrian minister interfering. Out of
30 privateers fitted out at Dunkirk, only four
remain, but what are taken, and the Wishes
and prayers of the inhabitants of that place,
are, Peace with the Engli,. Letters from Brest
fay, 12000 seamen have lately died on board
the combined fleets of France and Spain. The
Experiment privateer has carried into Leith,
at .privateer, supposed to belong to America,
but manned with Spaniards. A French priva
teer belonging to Cherburg, is carried into
Weymouth, mounting 12 guns. The Terror
Cutter has sent into Margate, the Amiable
Princess, of Dunkirk, of 10 guns and 75 men.
The Hawke has sent a rich St. Domingo man
into Jersey. The Marquis of Carmarthen is
going to raise 500 more men for government.
A Treaty is nearly concluded between Russia
Denmark, and Great- Britain. The Genois,
from Cayen for Haver, is sent into Plymouth,
rihip from Norway with' mails intoJ'ortfmouth
and the Dauphinefs of Dunkirk into Dover.
'Nov. 6. An American privateer called the
Independent Hero, of 16 guns, is taken and
earned into Cromartie, in Scotland, by a ship
belonging to Glasgow. A ship from Haver
for Bolton, with a^ms, &c. i, taken and carried
into Cork by the Renown Letter of Marque.
Ten ffiips of the Line are ordered on the Hocks
immediately. Every parish in Great-Britain
are soon to raise 4 men, which will be an ad
dition to the army of 50,000. Lord Macartney
is returued from France, and has had a private ,
conference with his Majesty. The Dutch have
have ordered all their settlements in the East-
Indies to^be put in a proper state of defence.
Nov. 11. The Jason, Sloper, from Cowes,
to New-York, is taken by an American pri
vateer of 16 guns. The Earl ofCarJiile is ap
pointed firft Lord commissioner of trade and
plantations. The States general intend to have
30 Blips of the line ready for sea by april next
and to augment their land forces. The Sth
instant, the Who's-afraid privateer carried a
large St. Domingo man into Liverpool. The
Felucca, from Cape-Francois, is carried into
Falmouth."
Nov. 13. The Earl of Hillfborough is ap
pointed Secretary of state 'for the northern
department in the room of Lord Weymouth,
who retires on a pension of 30001. a year. The
king of Spain has forbid any Ruffian men of
war to enter any of his ports in the Mediter
ranean on any account. Four British regiments
6of Hanoverians, and 4 Anfpache/s, will be
sent to America in the Spring, and will amount
to 10,000 men. An American privateer of 20
guns is carried into Cork by the Ambuscade
Frigate.
Nov. 16. On Friday last a courier "arrived
in town express from Paris with advice, that
most of the edicts of Count D'Eftaing made
after the confoeft of Grenada, has been re
feined by order of the Court, in consequence
of the spirited memorial of the Chamber of
Commerce. The proprietors, therefore, of
estates in that island will not be wantonly dif
poffeffec iof them by the decrees of a perfidi
ous vi&or, and even the sugars that were rea
dy for exporting, are ordered to be shipped,
for France, and from thence to be sent to
England in neutral bottoms, for the use of
, British owners.
Extract of a Letter from Corke, Novem. 8.
“ By a Portegueze ship arrived here in 11
days from Lisbon, we have advice that four
Englilh privateers had taken a Spanish man
of war from the Havannab, bound to Spain,
and another ship of immense value, and car
ried them into Lisbon, One of the above
privateers is said to be the Fury of 26 guns."
I here are the strongest appearances of an
approaching rupture between the Courts of
Versailles and Peterfburgh; the Ruffian Am
bassador having suddenly left France without
taking leave.
Th - tigle priva^er A Poole, is arrived hr,
F. Imoath; lie ha aken a French Wed-.n
da man, and sent uer to Liverpool,
H>v. a;. A Sphffh.ihip, of between 603
and 700 tons, laden with fagar, coffee, log
wood, and hard dollars, bound from the Ha,
vannah to Cadiz, valued at 200,®001. is takeh
by the Antigaliican privateer, and carried in
to Lisbon.
Nov. 18. Libels and Pafquinades against
Government are drfly Buck up in Paris, The
Roman catholicos of Ireland have entered into
a fubferi nion to raise recruits for the Service
of government. The Salem, from S.Carolina
is carried into Penryn. A ship of 64 Guns, to
be called the Edinburgh, is contrasted for to
be built at Leith. Monday arrived at Wool
wich, the Providence of 36 guns, a French
Frigate, taken by the Raby. A squadron of
Ruffian men ships are arrived in the Mediter
ranean.
Nov. 20. The Atlantic privateer has car
ried into Pool a French ship called the Royal
Lewis, from Martinico, with Sugar, Coffee.,
&c. Governor Johnson is failed with his squa
dron for the coast of Portugal.
Decern. 2. It will be a fatisfadion to the
frieads and relations of the ingenious philoso
pher and adventurous seaman, Captl Cook, to
be assured that we have the belt authority to'fa,
that he is fafety arrived in the river Canton,
in China, in perfect health, three days before
the Danish ship who brings the intelligence
left that place, and that he would soon fail for
Europe.
Lord Stormont is made Secretary of State in
the Room of Lord Weymouth : He takes the
place of Earl Gower; and Lord Hillfborough
is in the Room of Earl Suffolk.
House of Commons, Dec. 2. Agreed to the
report of the resolutions of yesterday, on the
s u pply- That 85,000 seamen including marines
be employed for sea fervice' for 1780, and that
41. per man per month, be allowed for main
taining the said men, including the ordnance
for sea service.
Lord North, in answer to a speech made by
Mr. Hartly, said, " The dangerous confede
>racy against this nation, mentioned by his Ma
jesty, certainly meant that of France, Spain,
and the rebels in America. He did not think
it necessary to make a separate clause of Ame
rica, It was comprehended, and he certainly
did not mean to withdraw the troops from Am
erica, nor yet to allow the independance of the
colonies. His lordship spoke slightly of a con
versation that had palled between him and Mr.
Hartley, about a truce with France, but he
did not approve of the proportion ; for he
would not tacitly acknowledge the indepen
dence of America. And as to a truce,he looked
upon it in the fame light as the truces which
Spain made with Holland and Portugal, when
those countries were separating from the
Crown of Spain, They ende^ in a peace, ac
knowledging that reparation. This was the
lure held out in order to draw Great-Britain
by a trace to acknowledge the independence
of America, that it might be the ground for
confirming It in a treaty of peace. He did
not doubt the gentleman meant well, but he
had the misfortune not to agree with him in
opinion, and he never expe&ed to hear a loose
conversation repeated.
Orders are gone down to Portf^outh for 10
fail of the line to hold themselves in readi
ness at a moment's warning to fail for the
Weft-Indies; they are to take under their con
voy transports with 10,000 troops, in order
to attack the French sugar islands.
Extras ofa Letter from Amjierdam, Nov. 2.
“ I think it is impossible for France to Hand
out the contest another season, if they cannot
get better supplied with naval Bores; they
are offering immense freights to the Dutch
ships who will bring them hemp, iron, and
such goods, from Amsterdam to Brest; but,
on the other hand, Sir Joseph Yorke has de
clared, that if any Dutch ships ate in future
taken by the English, carrying naval stores to
France, they Ihall not be paid their freights,
as hath been the case hitherto. They are in
the utmost perplexity at the Hague, pressed
on o/e fide by England, threatned on the
other by France, and utterly incapable of
giving any thing but good wor^s toother par
ty-”
Extras of a letter from a Merchant in Nantz to
bis friend in rimferdam. dated Nov. 2, 1779.
'' We are all in a dreadful situation. Oar St,
Domingo fleets valued at upwards of sixty milk
ons of livres, are mostly taken by the Erghjh, or
have foundered at sea, only sixteen fail being as
yet arrived having the misfortune to be totaly fe
derated in a bard gale of wind off Bermudas, in
which fix jail funk outright. We bad endeavou
red to bury the rememberance of the grievous losses
we bad fuflained by the piracies of the englfh in the
former years of this unhappy war, in the plea/ing
reflection that this Juperiprity of the united fleets
mus afford ample Jecurity in this, but we are mij
'faken and undone. Martinico and Dominica
are totally dejiroyod by a terrible hurricane; the
corps of faggr and provifons are torn up by the
roots, not a blade of corn left /landing; it is almost
impossible but one half of the negroes mus perift ;
the white inhabitants had not provisions for a month
Ever, jhip in theJe Islands were either driven on
feore, totally loft, andjearce a bouje left funding
in either of them. In foort, there are but few tra
ces of Jo dreadful a calamity having befallen an,
country. Bankruptcy awaits all our merchants,
and our ruin is compleat."
Dec. 7. Two 20 gun Blips are ordered to fail
immediately, to carry dispatches to Sir Henry
Clinton, who at this time is supposed to be in
South Carolina.
Yesterday Captain Salter, of the Hussar fri
gate arrived at the Admiralty Office with dis
patches from Gibraltar. On his passage he