The Pennsylvania ledger, or, The Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, & New-Jersey weekly advertiser — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-02-17 00:00:00, page 3

nue to be very scarce and dear in Boston, and that
a vessel from that place, with invalids, bound to
England, lately foundered on the Banks of New
foundland, and every foul on board perished.
Capt. Manly, of the Lee privateer, of io guns,
last week took two valuable prizes, and carried them
to Plymouth.—On Tuesday, as he was again putting
out to sea, he was attacked by two armed vessels,
which he engaged about an hour, when one of
them struck, but before he could take possession of
the prize, another armed vessel of 16 guns engaged
him, and his vessel being much damaged, and the
enemy greatly superior in strength, he was obliged
to row her into Marlhfield.
On Wednesday and Thursday there was a great
firing of cannon at or near Boston, but on what
occasion we have not learnt.
N E W-L ONDO N, February 2.
By a vessel from Cape-Ann we learn, that Wed
nesday fe'nnight a man of war, a snow, and a brig
were seen going into Boston, supposed to be from
England.
N E W-Y O R K, February 12.
The sloop Macaroni, Capt. Hunting, is arrived
at the East end of Long-island from the Weft Indies:
About i6days since the hoop overfet off Cape Hat
teras, by which accident the Captain and one of
the men were drowned; the whole crew were over
board, but all of them except the two before-men
tioned recovered the vessel again, when Ihe loon
righted.
Capt. Lowndes from St. Croix informs us, That
a Danish ship had arrived at that island and brought
in with, him Capt^Faneuil Jones and his crew, be
longing to the ichooner Sally, from Cadis for Mar
blehead, which he took up in their boat 217 leagues
to the windward of Antigua, the schooner having
funk a few days before. Capt. Jones had been on
the coast of America, but having loft his masts and
fails, bore away for the Weft-Indies under jury
mafts.
Capt Lowndes fays, that Several of the tran
sports that lately arrived at Antigua, received so
much damage on this coast, that they were obliged
to go to an English harbour to refit.
.Lad Sunday week his Majesty's ship Mercury,
Capt Graham of 24 guns, arrived here from Bos
ton, having Gen. Clinton on board and a light
transport brig under convoy; the arrival of these
vessels alarmed the inhabitants very sensibly; and
last Friday the transport ship Ketty, with 200 soldi
ers on board, came into port; 'tis said she failed
from Boston in company with the Mercury, and is
supposed to be part of the fleet that lately left that
place defined for the southward.
In consequence of the above manoeuvre, his Ex
cellency the Earl of Stirling, arrived here from
New Jersey, with about loco men; 2000 are daily
expeded from Pennsylvania ; 1000 from Dutchefs
county, in this province, and 2000 from Connecti
cut; so that we may this week have an army here
of near 8000 effective men.
The Mercury, with General Clinton on board,
and the two transports, failed at 4 o'clock yesterday
afternoon.
Extras of a letter from Colonel (noon Brigadier
General) Arnold, dated Camp before Quebec,
January 6, 1776.
'' Before this reaches you, I make no doubt you
will have heard of our misfortune of the 31st ult.
and will be anxious for my fafety. I fliould have
wrote you before, but a continual hurry of business
has prevented me : The command of the army, by
the death of my truly great and good friend Gen.
Montgomery, devolved on me; a talk I find too
heavy under my present circumstances. I received
a wound by a ball through my left leg, at the time
I had gained the firfl battery, at the Lower Town,
which by the loss of blood, rendered me very weak.
As soon as the main body came up with some assist
ance, I returned to the Hospital, near a mile, on
foot, being obliged to draw one foot after me, and
great part of the way under the continual fire of the
enemy from the walls, at no greater distance than
50 yards. I providentially escaped, though several
were Ihot down at my fide.—l soon learned the
death of our General, who attacked the town at
the fide opposite to me: He behaved heroically—
marched up in the face of their cannon, and when
he had nearly gained the pals—received the fatal
ihot —or the town would have been ours. This
occasioned the disaster that afterwards happened to
my detachment, which, after the general defeat,
had the whole garrison to encounter, under every
disadvantage of ground, &c. To return was impossi
ble. as the rout was within 50 yards, and exposed
to the fire of the whole garrison, who had brought
several field pieces out of one of the gates, which
our people would have been obliged to pass. In
this situation they maintained their ground near
three hours, but were overpowered with numbers,
were obliged at last to lay down their arms; about
300, including Capt. Lamb of New-York, and part
of the Train, were taken prisoners, and as near as
I can judge about 60 killed and wounded. Capt.
Oswald is among the prisoners, he was with me in
a feleded party of about 25, who attacked the firft
battery: He behaved gallantly, and gained much
honor. The prisoners are used politely, and Suppli
ed with every thing the garrison affords. Governor
Carleton sent to let me know, that the soldiers bag
gage, if I pleased, might be sent to them, which I
shall immediately fend. Though the enemy are
now double our number, they have as yet made no
attempt to come out. We are as well prepared to
receive them, as we can poflibly be in our present
situation, divided at a distance of two miles. I ex
ped General Wooster from Montreal in a few days
with a reinforcement.—l hope we shall be properly
fapported with troops by the Congress. I have no
thoughts of leaving this proud town, until I firft
enter it in triumph. My wound has been exceeding
painful, but is now easy, and the Surgeons assure
me will be well in eight weeks. I know you will
be anxious for me.—That providence which has
carried me through so many dangers is still my
protection. I am in the way of my duty, and know
no fear."
Extract of another letter from the Jame, dated fan. 14.
" The charge whicli has devolved upon me has
been a most arduous talk; our late disaster so dis
heartened the troops, that I have had the greatest
difficulty to keep them together. Our whole force
since the attack amounts to no more than 700 men.
We were for feme time in expectation of an attack
from the garrison, which confined of 1500, but
they have as yet thought proper to continue in their
strong hold; we have effectually blockaded them
up. General Wooster, whom I for some time ex
pected, acquaints me he cannot leave Montreal,
but will fend me a reinforcement as soon as poflible.
Our duty has been extremely hard and fatiguing in
this inclement climate, where the snow is now four
feet deep upon a level; but what cannot soldiers do,
who are fighting for liberty and their country?—l
make no doubt of a large reinforcement being sent
us as early as possible. and of being in Quebec be
fore the spring."
We hear that the following public Bodies, viz.
the Hon. House of Assembly, the Mayor and Cor
poration, the Committees of Safety and InfpcXi
on, the City Battalions and Rifle Companies, are
invited to attend the Honorable Continental
Congress on Monday next, in the Proceflion and
funeral Solemnities appointed to the Memory of
General Montgomery and the other brave Offi
cers and Men, who gloriously fought and fell with
him, in the Cause of American Liberty, before
Quebec.
The Procession will set out from the State-House
at eleven o'Clock, and pacing up Fourth-street
to the new Calvinist Church, will be joined at
Dr. Smith's House by the Clergy of the City and
Faculty of the College. No Perlon can be admit
ted into the Body of the Church, till the Procession
enters; but a Part of the Gallery, capable of con
taining about four hundred Persons, will be re
served for Ladies and Strangers, whole public Spi
rit may induce them to honor the Solemnity; and
as they can only be introduced by Tickets, they
will be pleased to apply for the fame, to any of the
following Gentlemen, viz. Mr. Bremner, Mr. Hare,
Col. Bache, Capt. Peters, or Dr. Kuhn; and to be
seated before eleven o'Clock
Last night arrived here Capt. Souder from Gre
nada. On his passage he spoke a vessel from Cork,
the maker of wliich informed him, that 25 trans
ports, with 4000 troops on board, had failed from
Cork for America. Capt. Souder fays, before he
left Grenada a London paper arrived there, of the
30th of November, with a lift of thirty-nine Com
missioners, that were appointed to treat with the
Congress, among whom were Lord Howe and
Governor Johnson.
A gentleman, who airived Wednesday night
from Cadiz, fays that the English ConfuL at that
place, told him he had received a letter from Lord
Weymouth, in which his Lordship informed him
that Lord Howe and Captain Barrington were to
go to America, in order to Treat with the Con
gress.
Last Monday the Hon. General AfTembly of this
province met here according to adjournment.
On Tuesday last Capt. , from Fyal and
Lisbon arrived here. He left Fyal the middle of
O&ober, at which time two English men of war
were cruising off there and had taken and made
prizes of seven fail of whalers. He left Lisbon the
nineteenth of November, and informs, that the
night before he failed, there arrived a packet from
England, and it being reported that the had orders
for seizing all American ships in that port, the Capt.
made fail early in the morning, to escape their
clutches —By the above, we have reason to believe
Lord North dispatched orders to seize our property
long before he alked leave to bring in a bill for
that purpose.
The ship Rose, from this port for Ireland, is
cast away in the English channel; the vessel and
cargo loft. ~
The English men ofwar have taken the brig Grey
hound, Capt. Stevens, from this port for the Weft-
Indies, and the ship Peggy, Capt. Davidson, also
from this port for Europe, both of whicli they lent
into St. Kitts.
A letter just received from Norwich, in Connec
ticut, fays, that the Renown man of war is arrived
at Bohan, and brings intelligence that three Com
PHILADELPHI A.
In Committee ^Safety, Philadelphia, Feb. 14.
As the Committee of Safety for this province
have adjudged my late condud to be inimical to
the cause of American freedom, I am sincerely sor
ry that I have given ahy displeasure to my coun
trymen, and do solemnly declare, that I never in
tended, by any thing I have said or done, to ob
ftru& the measures carried on for the maintaining
the liberty of these colonies.—l do farther, in the
like solemn manner, declare and promise, that I
will not for the future throw any reflexions on the
public measures aforefnid, or the advisers or pro
moters of them, nor in any manner whatever en
deavour to obftrud or diferedit such measures.
missioners, said to be Lords, are appointed to come
over to America.
I do also resign my feat as a member of the Com
mittee of InfpeXion and Observation for this county.
Signed, Thomas Austin.
Extras from the Minutes.
WILLIAM GOVETT, Secretary.
Method of extracting Salt-petre from damaged gun
ponder.
ITOU must have filtring bags hung on a rack,
A with glaized earthen pans under them; then
take any quantity of damaged powder, and put it
into a copper, with as much clean water as will co
ver it; and when it begins to boil, take off the
feum, and, after it has boiled a little, dir it up;
take it out of the copper with a small hand kettle,
and then put some into each bag, beginning at one
end of the rack, so that by the time you have got
to the last bag, the firft will be ready for more;
continue thus, till all the bags are full; then take
the liquor out of the pans; which boil and filter as
before, two or three times, till the water runs quite
clear, which you must let hand in the pans for
some time, and the salt petre will appear at top.
To get all the falt-petre entirely out of the powder
take the water from the falt-petre already extract
ed, to which add some frefh water and the dregs
of the powder that remain in the bags, and put
them together in a vessel, to hand as long as you
plcafe; and, when you want to extract the nitre,
you must proceed with this mixture as with the
powder at firft, by which means you will extras all
the falt-petre; but this process must be boiled lon
ger than the firft.
At the Request of a Number of Gentlemen, and
particularly some reputable FARMERS, —
is now Printing by Subscription, by JAMES
HUM PHREY S, junior, for the Advan
tage of the Country in general.
RURAL (ECONOMY:
Or ESSAYS on the
Practical Parts of Husbandry.
Designed to explain several of the most important
Methods of conducting Farms of various Kinds;
including many ufeful Hints to Gentlemen
Farmers, relative to the ceconomical Manage
ment of their Business.
Containing, among other Enquiries.
OF that proportioned Farm, which is, of all
others, the moil profitable.
Of the best Method of conducting Farms that con
sist all of Grass, or all of Arable Land.
Of the Means of keeping, the Year round, the most
Cattle on a given Quantity of Land.
Considerations on the (Economical Conduct of
Gentlemen Farmers,
Of the cheapest Way of manuring Land.
Of the Comparative Profit of Farming different
Soils.
Of the New Husbandry.
Of Experimental Agriculture.
Of the Management of Borders of arable Fields.
Of Periodical Publications concerning Rural Oeco
nomics.
To which is added, The
RURAL SOCRATES:
Being Memoirs of a Country Philosopher.
By the Author of the Farmer's Letters.
CONDITION S.
I. It will be printed on the fame paper and type
with the SPECIMEN; will contain between
three and four hundred pages (large OXavo) and
finifhed shortly.
11. The Price to Subscribers, in blue boards, will
be ONE DOLLAR, bound, Ten Shillings. To
Non-subscribers the Price will not be lels than
Tavelve Shillings, in blue boards.
111. Those who fubferibe for twelve books to
have a thirteenth gratis.
SPECIMENS may be had of the Printer.
As this work if properly circulated must prove of
general utility to this country, it is hoped it will not
want for proper encouragement. It is well wonlq,
the perusal and particular attention of every inhabi
tant on the continent, citizens as well as country^
men. Gentlemen who rent out farms will find their
advantage in distributing them among their tenants.
Subferiptions are gratefully received by
said j. HUMPHREYS, jun. in Front-fireet, the
Corner of BlacQhorfe alley, Philadelphia.