The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1779-08-23 00:00:00, page 2

The writers of that age raise their stile by a
pomp us description of this fpeftacle ; the most
magnificent which had ever ap eared upon
the ocean, infufing equal terror and admira
tion in the beholders. The lofty masts, the
fuelling fails, and towering prows of the Spa
nidi galleons, seem impossible to be justly
painted, otherwise than by assuming the co
lours of poetry ; and an elegant hittorian of
Italy, in imitation of Cambden, has asserted,
that the Armada, tho' the Blips bore every
fill, yet advanced with a flow motion; as if
the ocean groaned with supporting, and the
winds wee tired with impelling so enormous
a weight. The truth, however, is, the lar
gest of the Spanish vessels, would scarce pass
for third rates in the present navy of England :
yet were they so ill framed, or so ill governed,
that they were quite unweldy, and could not
fail up na wind, nor tack on occasion, nor be
managed in Itorrny weather by the seamen.
Neither the mechanics of ship building, nor
the expence of mariners, had attained so great
a perfection as cou'd infire the security and
government of such bulkly vessels ; and the
English, who had already had experience how
unferviceable they commonly were, were not
difm yed with their tremeaduous appearance.
Effingham gave orders not to come to a close
sigh with the Spaniards, where the size of the
flips, he fufpeCted, and the numbers of sol
diers, would b a disadvantage to the English,
but to cannonade them at a distance, and to
wait the opportunity which winds, currents,
er various chances must afford them, of inter
cepting some scattered vessels of the enemy.
Nor was it long before the event answered the
expectation. A great ship of Biscay, on board
of which was a considerable part of the Spa
nish money, was set on fire by accident; and
while all hands were employed in extinguish
ing it, fne fell behind the rest of the Armada.
The great galleon of Andalusia was detained
by the springing of her mails, and both these
vessels were taken by Sir Francis Drake. As
t : Armada advanced up the channel, the
E i;lifh hung upon their rear, and still infefted
t^m with skirmishes. Each trial abated the
confidence of the Spaniards, and added cou
rage to the English ; and the latter soon found,
that even in close fight, the size of the Spanish
Arps was no advantage to them. Their bulk
exposed them the more to the enemy; while
their cannon, placed too high, (hot over the
heads of the English. The alarm having now
reached the coait of England, the nobility
and gentry hastened out with their vessels, from
every harbour, and reinforced the Admiral.
The earls of Oxford, Northumberland and
Cumberland, Sir Thomas Cecil, Sir Robert
Cecil, Sir Walter Raleigh, Sir Thomas Vava
for, Sir Thomas Gerrard, Sir Charles Blount,
with many others, distinguished themselves
by this generous and disinterested service of
their country. The Engiifh fleet, after the
conjunction of these Chips, amounted to an
hundred and forty fail.
The Defeat of the SPANISH ARMADA.
Fron the Town ^ Country Magazine, j,r
February 1779,'
/-r^HE Armada confided of a hundred and
X thirty vessels, of which near a hundred
were galleons, and were of greater size than
any whic: had,.ever before been used in Eu
rooe. It carried on board nineteen thousand,
t vo hundred, and ninety-five soldiers, eight
thousand and eighty-eight galley (laves, and
two thousand fix hundred and thirty great
pieces of brass ordnance. It was victualled
for fix months, and was attended with twenty
lesser ships, called caravels, and ten salves
with 6 oars a piece.^
The plan formed by the king of Spain was,
that the Armada should fail to the coast
opposite to Dunkirk and Newport ; and having
chafed away all English or Flemish vessels
which might obftru& the passage, (for it was
supposed they could make no opposition)
Ihould join themselves with the Duke of Par
ma, should thence make fail to the Thames,
and having landed the whole Spanish Army,
thus compleat, at one blow, the entire con
quest of England. In prosecution of this plan,
Philip ave orders to theduke de Medina
that io passing along the channel, he should
fail as near the coast of France as he could
with fafety : that he should by his policy avoid
meeting with the English fleet; and keeping
in view the main enterprize, should neglect
all smaller successes, which might prove an
obstacle, or even interpose a delay, to the ac
quisition of a kingdom. After the Armada
was under fail, 'they took a fifherman, who
informed them that the English Admiral had
been lately at sea, had heard of the tempest
which scattered the Armada, had retired back
into Plymouth, and no longer expeCting an
invasion, had laid up his ships, and difeharged
moil of the seamen From this falfe intelli
gence the duke cf Medina conceiving the
great facility of attacking and deltroying the
English ships in harbour, and he was tempted,
by the proipeCt of so decisive an enterprize,
to break his orders, and make fail for Ply
mouth : a resolution which proved the fafety
of England. The Lizard was the firlt land
made by the Armada, about fun set; and as
the Spaniards took it for Ram head, near Ply
mouth, they bore out to sea, with an intenti
on of returning next day, and attacking the
English navy. They were difcried by Fleming,
a Scotch pirate, who immediately made fail,
to inform the English Admiral of their ap
proach : another fortunate event, which con
tributed greatly to the ptefevauon of the
flit Effingham had just time to get out of
port, when he saw the Spanish Armada coming
full fail towards him, disposed in the form of
a half moon, and ftfetching the distance of
seven miles from the extremity of one division
to that of the other.
The armada had now reached Calais, and
erst anchor before that p ace, in expedition
that the Duke of Parma, who had got notice
of their approach, would put to sea, and join
his forces to them. The English Admiral
pradifed here a very fuccefsful Itratagem upon
the Spaniards. He took eight of his smaller
ships, and filling them with all combultible
materials, sent them, one after another, into
the inidft of the enemy. The Spaniards fan
cied that they were firelhips, of the fame con
trivance with a famous vessel which had lately
cone so much execution in the Schelde, near
Antwerp; and they immediately cut their
cables, and took to flight with the greatest
disorder and precipitation. The English fell
upon them next morning while in confuting ;
and besides doing great damage ro other ships,
they took and deitroyed about twelve fail of
the enemy.
By this time it was apparent, that the in
tention, for which these great preparations
were made, the Spaniards, was entirely fru
ftrated. The vessels, provided by the duke of
Parma, were made for transporting soldiers,
not for fighting; and that general, when ur
ged to leave harbour, utterly refu fed to expose
his flourifhing army to such apparent hazard,
as it must incur; while the English not only
,were able to keep the sea, but seemed even to
triumph over their enemy. The Spanish ad
miral found, in many rencounters; that while
he loft f) considerable a part of his own navy,
he had deitroyed only one small vessel of the
English, and he forefiw, that, by continuing
so unequal a combat, he mult draw inevitable
deftruCtion on all the remainder. He prepared
therefore to return homewards; but as the
winds were contrary to his passage through the
channel, he refolded to fail northwards, and
making the tour of the whole island, reach the
Spanish harbours by the ocean. The English
fleet followed him during some time, and had
not their ammunition fallen short, by the neg
ligence of their officers in supplying them,
they had obliged the whole Armada to sur
render at diferetion. The duke of Medina
had once taken that resolution ; but was diver
ted from it by the advice of his confeffor.
This conclufi^n of the enterprize would have
been more glorious to the English ; but the
event proved equally fatal to the Spaniards.
A violent temped overtook the Armada after
it palled the Orkneys; the ships had already
101 l their anchors, and were obliged to
keep the sea; the mariners unaccustomed
to such hardships, and not able to govern such
unweiidly vessels, yielded to the fury of the
storm, and allowed their ships to drive either
on the western ides of Scotland, or on the
coast of Ireland, where they were miserably
wrecked. Not half of the navy returned to
Spain, and the seamen, as well as soldiers,
who remained, were so overcome with hard
ships, and fatigue, so dispirited by their dif
comfiture, that they filled all Spain with ac
counts of the valour of the English, and of
the tempestuous violence of that ocean which
surrounds them.f
f It is great presumption to ascribe oter fuc
cefes to our own management, and not to esteem our
felues upon any bf,:g, rather as it is the bounty
of heaven, than the acquisition of our own pru
dence. I am very well pleased with a medal
which was ft uck by Qteen Elizabeth, a little
after the defeat of the invincible Armada, to
perpetuate the memory of that extraordinary event.
It is well known how the King of Spain, and
others who were the enemies of that great princess,
to derogate from her glory, ascribed to the ruin of
theirfleet, rather to the violence of forms and tem
pests, than to the bravey of the English. £)ueen
Elizabeth, injiead of looking upon this as a dimi
nution of her honour, valued herfelf upon such a
signal favour of providence, and accordingly in the
reverse of the medal above-mentioned, has repre
sented afleet beaten by a tempefl, and falling foul
of one another, with that religious inscription,
" Affiavit Deus, et diffipantur."--&, blew with
his wind, and they were scattered.
LONDO N, June ;.
The poftfeript of a letter from an officer on
board the Thetis frigate of wgr fays, " From
the difpoiition of the Spaniards towards us
while we lay under the castle at Eftampona, it
appears they have refolded on a molt perfeft
neutrality in this quarter of the globe however.
As soon of we dropt anchor and hove out our
signals, boats came off to our assistance with
provisions of all kinds, and a pilot to have car
ried us farther in under their battery, if it had
been thought necessary."
Yesterday advice was received of the fafe ar
rival of the Baltic fleet (about 50 fail) twenty
of which are laden with timber from Riga, &c.
for the navy. ,
Yesterday being the anniversary of his Ma
jesty's birth-day, who then entered the 42d
year of his age, there was a very numerous and
splendid court at St. James's, to pay their com
pliments to his Majesty on the occasion, which
did not break up till near fix o'clock; the
Prince of Wales, and Bilhop of Ofnaburgh,
and two more of the young Princes appeared
in rich dresses in the drawing room, all of
English manufacture ; and at night there was
a grand ball.
Last night the Spaniflt Ambassador's house,
in Great-George-ftrect, was grandly illumi
nated on the occasion.
It is certainly a fad that Lord North, owing
to the declining Rate of his health, which the
anxiety ofbufinefs has biought upon him, has
repeatedly, within these fix months, dropped
hints of his wish to retire; but affairs are in
such a critical situation, more efpeciaily in the
noble Lord's province of finance, that the ans
wer always is, be cannot be fared.
At the dinner of the Governors of the Tri
inity-Houfe, on Monday, the health of Sir
James Wailace was given, and accompanied
with three cheers, which was the only health
given in that manner.
NEW-YORK, August 23.
Yesterday arrived in this city Lady \v alla.ee,
consort of Commodore Sir James Wallace,
with MiG Wright her Ladyship's filler, daugh
ther of Sir James Wright, Bart, governor of
the Province of Georgia.
The rebel papers mention that Senegal has
been retaken by the English, and two ships of
the line had arrived from thence at Barbadoes
in augmentation to Admiral Byron's fleet..
Lad night arrived at Sandy-Hook the Schoo
ner Irish Hero, Capt. Carre, who left New-
York 13 Days ago; off Chingoteague he de
coyed a pilot, landed 16 Men, attacked and
took a Fort Garrisoned by 20 Men, spiked 2
Guns of 18 Pounders, made Prize of a Sloop
with 6 Four Pounders and ?O Men, a Schoo
ner with 300 Barrels of Flour, and burned
2 Schooners ; while he remained there Two
pieces of Artillery were brought to fire on the
little Hero, and after a Cannonade of many
Hours we happily escaped without any mate
rial injury. she Prisoners he took, amount
ing to aS, were landed, and Capt. Carre has
brought a Receipt for them from Col. George
Corbyne. On Capt. Carre's approach to
Sandy-Hook, he re to. ': the Sloop Gower,
from New Providence with Difpa.ches for
Government
We are informed that the rebels have re
ceived accounts from their army under Gene
ral Sullivan, that in the affair near Tapoga,
an advanced body of 100 men were attacked
by 300 loyalists and Indians, and before the
main body could support them, 67 were kil
led and the remainder 33 made prisoners,
amongst the former was a Major, supposed to
be named Ross, with 4 Captains.
An officer has written to his friend that an
express had arrived with an account of the
deltruCtion of their grand magazine of llores,
ammunition, provisions, &c. &c. collected at
or near Sunbury.—After this success the vic
tors prudently retired to their recesses in order
to strike another blow in a part where, and a
time when, they lealt expected.
**************;********-*******
Public Audion.
(TUESDAY as usual)
Forenoon and afternoon,
By James Inglis,
At his Office, No. 940, in Water-street, will
be fold,
A large and general assortment of MER
CHANDIZE: Many of the articles frefh im
ported and much in demand—Particulars in
Tuesday's paper. Also a cask about 901. value,
Containing a general assortment of PED
DLERY WARES, belonging to a large dealer
in that way, but now leaving off that branch
of business.
THIS D A Y,
Will be SOLD, at II o'Clock,
A quantity of R U M,
A few Barrels ofSUGAR,
Bar I RO N,
MAHOGANY,
And a few DRY GOODS.
At P. M"Davitt's Office.
To be Sold at Public Auction,
To-morrow at 12 o'Clock, at Murray's wharf.
The fails and rigging belonging to the ship
Good Hope, all of which are in excellent condi
tion, and almost as good as new.
The Masts, Spars, and Yards,
Which are frefh, and uncommonly large,
AY PRIVATE SALE.
By THOMAS LUDLOW, jun.
Publick Auction.
This DAY at 12 o'Clock, on the Dock
below the Co§ee-Houfe,
A few puncheons of rum,
A few pipes and quarter-calks of wine,
A parcel of mufeovado sugar,
A parcel of choice beaver skins,
zo barrels of frefh limes,
And feme broad cloths.
TO-MORROW,
At the Coffee-Houfe,
40 Tierces of new Rice,
100 Cases very best Geneva,
10 Puncheons of old Jamaica Spirits,
And a Parcel of Bar Iron. Also,
The Sloop SALL Y,
Burthen aboue 85 Tons, well found ' with a Suit
of new Sails, as fee now lies in the Dock below
the Exchange.
DANIEL M'CORMICK.
Auction at the Coffee-Houle,
To-Morrow, at 11 o'Clock,
20 Firkins best irifh butter,
10 Barrels of beef,
6 Ditto of starch,
At Twelve o'Cleck,
A likely NEGRO WENCH,
Twenty-two years old, is used to cooking
and housework, an indisputable title can be
given by a regular resident of this city. For
particulars apply to
Hugh Parker.
FOR SAL E,
On board the Ship Nancy, lying at Cruger's-Dock,
A New CABLE,
Twelve and Half Inches, 120 Fathom,
A new TOW LINE.
A CAUTION to the Pab'ic 'ngrn-ra! h't
m)e particularly to Misha its, Cartains
of Ships, and th)fe concerted ii trading?
the Eatt or W it in lies, N > th-A.neriea, *:.
h,.LE daily c^ louts of njuoe, receivesy ip.l-
I'ous m dici.i:B sod for Mount's Drops, .m
---pa^ed Lhly by me, requires the m ft furious afteaim,
as well ill fafecy to the patient, as ray own in ereth
Those Lnpoftces nit on yat m t t., deceive by h t^
bills printed like mine, and battles of the fam: m u 3
and inscription, but are even daring enou th to ciuw.tr
feit my hand writing ; Some I wave u vfhrj, niiwnh
ftanding which, the fame md-^&cei are ©mrinued ;
others ute in>rzcaution by vending msd c nes under th?
names of M^RROEN r,M :RU>E.N f,N DID )N &c.
and Several make use of their own mmp,aliening the r
bein; aifrhntiH> mt. Cat it be pofft ut for any mm to
think me so weak, as to difebfe such a vlH.i.ne feerrt
to m / Servants, more especially those ct so menial a fort
as to be employed in the distribution of pamphlets, pack
in'; upaad delivering boxes at th:differe it ton,, with eve
ry drudgery at endanj? JJIV NORTON.
The following few, from the many w:1 aJ hmticated
cures, are fully fuffirient to prove the utility of ihT:
Drops, fold by HUGH GAINE, in bottles at Twc.vc
Shillings each, viz.
Mr. Cou chard, formerly the First Clerk of Leut.
General M~lv I, when Governor iu the Wft lides,
cured of a mart violent Scorbutic humour on has hands,
neck, face, &c.
Mr. William Bbeezd, teacher of writing and matbe
mativks at A idlem, Co&hire, of inornate Scurvy.
Tne son of M . R. Latham, at B uckingham-houfe,
near Thetford, Norfolk, of an inveterate icurvy u 1 his
leg' and thighs.l
Mr. Stephen B Iron, L-ece Lancafffre, of an invete
rate cu vy of fifteen years ft^noing.
Ms. Hefttr drudd, at Leigh, in Effix, of a violent
and long handing Scorbutic disorder in her face.
Capt. Culvert, in the East Lidia Company's service,
of fc rbutic blotches.
Mr. Rubric Mac Donald, of a Scorbutic eru tiorf
whfreure is attested by Pr. Coopr, of J hn-otr.et,
Ctvendifh Square.
Mrs. Miry Late, at. Mrs. Field's, Calle-Street, Lei
cester Fields, cured of the Serophula. or king's evl
Lieut. CoL Feyrac, late of hit M jeftv's iS.h or royal
regiment of foot, of a most violent feurvy.
Mr. John Good, late surgeon to his Majesty's fl up
Fe f rif, of a m >ftdangerous and ob Finite fibula
Mr. John F>ft&, at the Rose, Wel ng, in Kot,
of a leprosy, attended with rhsumatc pains
The daughter of Mr. D. D vis, fchnoi-maler. If.
lington road, of an 1 iveterate hum >ur, occasioned by the
relics of the (mall-pox.
John Crew, at the Dolphin I in, K nglm upon
Tha nA, of several Wtioae fores or ulc-a on his 'eg*.
Mrs, Ann COxford, of Kingftune, OxoMih re, of a
paralytic disorder.
Mr. James Snowmen, ofh's M j'ftr's fa , A quilon,
of a giddiness in his head, so violent as co render him
incapable of Walking the deck.
Mr. Thomas Smith, at Porno r fl, Vorkfhie of an
inveterate feurvy oacafijned by a ureit,
Mr. Atwood, in the market-place Bath, of an inve
terate feutbutic hunlour, which affatted his head and
face.
The son of Mr. Thomas Wilkins, of Oxford, of a
scorbutic humour in his guns, by which toe falival
glands were id fwelLd and i firmed, that it was with
difficulty he could open his mouth to receive nourish
ment.
The daughter <f Mr. Robert Inglis, of Leith, of an
inveterate Scurry.
Mr. Charles Cook, of Cork-street, Liverpool, of an
inveterate feur vy.
rr^ AKEN up in tiie E ilt-River, a few Days ago,
.I a final! ANCHOR. Whoever it belongs to
may have it again, paying Charges, and proving
their Property, by applying to Joseph Try lor, of ihe
Victualler P ace an 1 Plentv, lyin at L ;ng Tfl^ d.
WAN TED, a d?fcr&et, m dale aged Woman,
that can be well recommended, can jm
and iron, and quill take rare of 3 or^ Child f n.
None need apply hut such as can bring an unexcep
tionable Character. For Particulars apply to
Hugh Gaine.
J ift arrived from Bristol,
And to be fold on board the NANCY, Capik
Marshall lying at Cruger's-Wharff,
SUPERFINE FLOUR,
GHEE^E,
BEST DOU SLE GLOUCESTER,
BEST SINGLE GLOUCESTER,
TAUNTON ALE,
CYDER,
SUN AND JAR RAISING,
BEEF IN BARRELS,
PORK IN BARRELS,
BU TTER,
TRIPE IN KEGS,
SPLI T PEASE,
GROATS.
WAN fED, a fa) failing %/,' mounting
20 Guns, and otherwise well-armed and
manned, to be chartered for the IJland of Jamaica,
and to return to Nene-Forb again. For Particu
lar a,,h to Hugh Gaine.
ANDREW MARSCHALK,
Accommodates Company with
TEA and COFFEE,
Morning and A fter noon,
In the genteelest MANNER,
At his Hou.e near the Gr^enwicb-Road, and
next to Mr. Lifpenurd's.
He keeps the befl LI QU 0R S 0/ all Kinds.
A BAND of MUSIC
Will attend every MONDAY and THURSDAY
Afternoon for the Entertainment 0) Company.
N. B The Gardens will be t legally illu
minated in the Evenings, Weather permitting.
Y^OUND, among the Ruins, Two SWIVEL
GUNS. The owner on proving his pro
perty and paying charges, may have them
again. Apply to the Print r
The Ship LC) N DJN >
Joseph Richardson,
^W^ MASTER,
'''"^ Murray's Wharff ;
,OILs good Accommodations for
Passengers, mounts 20 Carriage Guns, and will fail
in all this Month. For Pass gers apply to the.
Commander on board, or to Thomas Ludlow, Jun<
No. 916, Water-ttrect.
~W A
A Parcel of the best White Oak States and
Heading, for which a generous Price
will bf given. For farther Particulars apply
to Hugh Gaine.