The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-09 00:00:00, page 2

WILLIAMSBURG, June 28.
By a gentleman from Bermuda, who left that island the
f^h inflant, we learn that advices had been received from
M'artinico, just before he failed, that great preparations were
making there for feme important expedition, which no qne
doubted was against the British Weft-Indies ; and the gen
tleman fays, he shall not be at ab surprised to hear that the
chief part of the islands are in the possession of France in a very
few weeks. That the men of property in the islands have
been for some time whipping offtheir valuable effects to Eng
land, and. ordering insurances to be made on their estates ;
and that the price of provjfions has risen to an enormous height,
corn felling at eighteen shillings per buffiel, pork at four half
joes the barrel, butter at fix ihblings a pound, and Hour
fetches any price, that is asked.
Extra&,ofa letter from Col. Hendricks, to Brigadier General
Lewis, dated Hampton, June 26, 1776.
" I* fend you four men under guard, who were taken on
Monday, on, board a brig from Barbados, bound for Dun
more. Early on Monday morning, we had information that
a brig was aground, off Willoughby's point. Major Leitch
immediately made all poffibie hade, with twelve men, .on
board a small pilot boat which was in the bafon, 1 jaded with
tobacco for the Weft-Indies, in order to examine what she was.
On coming on board, he found she was from Barbados, bound
for Norfolk, with the supercargo on board, loaded with three
hundred and eleven puncheons of rum, and a few barrels of
limes. On examination the Major found the had got ag ound
about twelve o'clock the preceding night, that Ite was very
fall, and confequenJy that he had no other way to proceed
than to leave his people on board, and come to Hampton
for assistance to lighten her. A sloop bound'up James river
was pitched on for this purpose,. being the only vessel in our
harbour. Unluckily, however, both wind and tide seemed
to conspire againlt the measure, by putting it out of our power
to get her down before a tender of ten carriage guns appeared
in fight of the brig ; on which Lieut. Herbert (of Capt. Lilly's
armed veffel)-thought prudent to fend the pilot boat off, in
order to know whether the vessel in fight was an enemy .or
friend, which was soon discovered to be the former. In the
mean time, Mr. Herbert threw overboard five hoglheads of
rum, and luckily got the people off, in a boat from the other
fliore (except one who happened to be down in the hold) the
pilot boat refufi gto come on board to take them off. They
got all fafe ashore, although the tender kept up a constant fire,
upon them ; two of the brig's crew being on board the pilot
boat, and other two before brought on ihore by Major Leitch.
The brig belongs to Mr. Walsh of Barbados, and the whole
of the people on board seemed much chagrined at the appear
ance of our beat, and no doubt as much elated on our being
obliged to quit her. A convincing proof of thefriendfeife the
Weft-indian, have.for us."
Last Monday a snip of war, with a transport or two, arrived
at Gwyn's island, where it is thought they have landed be
tween two and three hundred troops, from the number of tents
which have been eroded.
A transport is taken, by a privateer, with ninety-five High
landers on board,, and forty pieces of cannon, four and fix
pounders.
W A TERTOW N, July 1.
Part of,the ministerial fleet, which had been plying off and
on the harbor of Bolton for eight or ten days pad, took their
departure from thenceon Saturday last.
A gentleman in Newport last week, measured and weighed
very accurately, four gallons of sea water, which weighed just
340
thirty-three pounds, which he evaporated over a fire, and ob
tained therefrom exactly one pound and three quarters of good
fair.
.PROVIDENCE, June 29.
Captain Daniel Bucklin, in the Montgomery privateer,
from this place, has retaken, and lent into Dartmouth, the
brig Betsy, formerly of this port ; she had been taken by the
Argo frigate, and condemned at Antigua, from which place
flie was bound to Ireland, with one hundred and thirty-five
puncheons and eighteen tierces of rum.
Yesterday Capt. Samuel Chace arrived here from the Weft-
Indies, having on board ten pieces of cannon, a quantity of
fail-duck, some powder, faltpetje, brimdone, &c.
, * NEW YORK, July 8.
The,fleet from Halifax, we informed our readers- in our
l^tf wdS arrived at Sandy-Hook, to the amount of one hqn
dred'and thirteen fail. Tis difficult from, their situation to as
certain their number, but we suppose it does not exceed one
hundred and thirty fail—Monday it came up into YakesT-
Bay below the Narrows—Tuesday several ships came to at
the Watering-place —Wednesday , more followed—and by
Thursday noon the whole fleet was at anchor in a line from
Kill Van Kull to Simonfon's ferry on the eafl fide of Staten
liland. The Asia brought up the rear of the fleet, and in the
Narrows was fired at from a small battery on Long Island,
which compliment was returned by about forty twenty-four
pounders,, one of which lodged in thfiw&of the house of
Mr. Bennet, out did. no hurt to the fami y ; and three fnat
had hearfoe much mifchtef to the house and family of Mr.
Dennife Dennife, one of them narrowly miffing, the kitchen,
wherein was a number of the family ; a second struck the
barn-, and the third destroyed much of the fence of the gar
den oppofire the front door of the mansion house.
Part of the army is now encamped on Staten-Island, anti
we havener [he lead reason to doubt, will endeavor to secure
the north? fitie -thereof by entrenchments, whilst the Dipping
protects ihecther parts of it.
As soon al the troops landed, they paraded the north shore,
and on Wodnefday morning made the r appearance near Eli
zabeth-Town point ; but toe country being soon alarmed,
they retreated, took up the floor of the draw-bridge in the
fait meadehys, and immediately threw up some works.
Their ue^r approach to Elizabeth-Town point greatly
alarmed the inhabitants of Essex county, and particularly the
people of Elizabeth-Town and Newark, but they are now in
a condition.tQ receive them whenever they may think proper
to approach.
Two young men from Elizabeth-Town crossed the river in
a canoe last Thursday, and fired upon the regulars ; buta
number of them rushing out of the woods, they were obliged
to retreat and cross the river again,
A sloop of twelve fix p,orders, belonging to the fleet from
Halifax, laylhg in the Kills near Mr. Decker's ferry, was
almost torn to-pieces last Wednesday morning, by a party un
der the command of Gen. Herd, from the opposite shore;
with two eighteen pounders. The crew fobn abandoned the
sloop, and we suppose she is rendered entirely unfit for any.
farther service.
We hear two men of war now lay near Amboy, in order, it
is supposed, to stop all navigation that way.
The number of Highlanders, lately taken prisoners in the
different vessels from Scotland, amounts, to about seven hyn^
dred and fifty.