The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-03-17 00:00:00, page 2

• From tbs London gazette.
At the Court at St. James's, the zzd Day of
November, 1776.
Present, tw LING's Most Excellent Majesty
in Council.
HiS Majesty in Council was this Day plea
sed to declare the Right Honorable John
Earl of Buckinghamshire, Lieutenant General
and General Governor of his Majesty's King
dom of Ireland.
St. James's, Nov. 23. The King has been
pleaded to appoint John Coller, Esq; to be
liis Majesty's Consul at Genoa, in the Room
of James Holford, Esq; deceased.
Whitehall, Nov. 23, 1776. The following
Letter from Sir Gey Carleton, was this Day
received by Lord George Germaine.
Whitehall, Nov. 23, 1776.
The following Letter from Sir Guy Carleton
tvas this Da, received by Lord George Germaine.
On beard the Maria off Crosson Point.
M, Lord, October 14.
The Rebel Fleet upon Lake Champlain has been
entirely defeated in tavo Prions; the firft on the
1 1th inst. betaveen the Island of Valcourt and the
Main; and the second on the 13th, within a few
Leagues of Crown Point.
We have taken Mr. Waterbu^g, the second in
Command, one of their Brigadier Generals, with
two of their Dtfls, and ten others have been burnt
and defrayed; only three of 15 Sail, a Lift of
which l transmit, having escaped. For farther
particulars 1 refer, our Lordjhip to Lieutenant Da
cres, who will be the bearer of this Letter, and
bad a Share in both Actions, particularly thef r f,
cohere his gallant Behaviour in the Carleton Schoo
ner, which be commanded, difingulfed him so
much as to merit great Commendation ; and I beg
to recommend him to your Lordship's Noticeand Fa
vour. At the fame Time I cannot omit taking
Notice toyour Lordship of the good Service done in
thefrf Aaion by the fpiried ConduA of a number
of Officers and Men of the Corps of Artillery, who
served the Gun Boats, which together with the
Carleton,fufi aired for many Hours the whele Fire
of the Enemy's Fleet, the rest of the Vessels not being
able to work up near enough to join effectually in the
Engagement.
7be Rebels, upon the News reaching them of the
Defeat of their naval Force, Jet Fire to all the
Buildings and Hcufes in and near Crown Point,
and retired to Ticonderoga.
The Bafai is Jofar advanced, that I cannot pre
tend to inform your Lordfife whether any Thing
further can be done this Tear.
Elf of the Rebel Vessels on Lake Champlain before
their Defeat.
Schooners. Royal Savage, 8 Six Pounders and
4 Four Pounders-Went on Shere, was set Fire
to, and blown up. Revenge, 4 Six Pounders
and 4 Four Founders-- escaped.
A Sloop, 10 Four Pounders---escaped.
Row Gallies. Congreß, two 18 Pounders in
the Bow, two 12 and two 24 Pounders in Stern,
and fix 6 Pounders in the Sides blew up,
Washington, fame Force-taken. Trumble,
ditto, eleaped.
The Lee, a Cutter, one 9 Pounder in the
Bow, one 12 Peun er in the Stern, and four 6
Pounders in her Sides—run into a Bay, and
not known whether destroyed.
Gondolas. Boston, One 18 Pounder in the
Bow, One 12 Pounder in the bides funk.
Jersey, ditto--- taken. One, Name unknown,
fame Force—run on Shore. Five ditto, ditto,
blown up.
Other Veffls not in the AAion.
A Schooner, eight 4 Pounders, sent from
their Fleet fir Provisions.
A Gailey, said to be of greater Force than
those mentioned above-fitting out at Ticon
deroga.
Admiralty-Office, Nov. 23, 1776. Lieutenant
Dacres, of the Royal Navy, arrived here early
this Morning from Quebeck, and brings the
Letters and Accounts of which the following
are Copies.
Copy °f a Letter from Capt. Douglas, of the jT,
to Mr. Stephens, dated at Q^&ck, Ohio. 21/1,
1776.
" Having for the Space of fix Weeks atten
ded the Naval Equipment for the important
Expedition on Lake Champlain, I on the 4th
Instant saw with unspeakable Joy the recon-
Arnded Ship, now called the Inflexible, and
commanded by Lieutenant Schanck, her Re
builder, fail from St. John's 28 Days after her
Keel was laid, towards the Place of Rendez
vous, taking in her 18 Twelve-Pounders be
yond the Shoal, which is on this Side the Ille
aux Noix, in he 4 Way up.
The Prodigies of Labour which have been
effected since the Rebels were driven out of
Canada, in creating, recreating, and equip
ping a Fleet of above 30 fighting Vessels of
different Sort and Sizes, and all carrying Can
non, since the Beginning of July, together
with the tranfp@rting over Land, and after
wards dragging up the two Rapids of St. Te
rese and St. John's, 30 Long-Boats, the flat
bottomed Boats, a Gondola weighing about
30 Tons, and above 400 Battoes, almost ex
ceed Belief. His Excellency the Commander
in Chief of the Army, and all other Generals,
are of the Opinion, that the Sailors of his
Majesty's Ships and Transports have (for be
yond the usual Limits of their Duty) exerted
themselves to the utmost on this great and
toilGme Occasion ; nor has a Man of that Pro
fefficn uttered a single Word expressive of
Discontent, amidst all the Hardships they have
undergone, so truly patriotic are the Motives
bv which they are actuated. To crown the
whole, above zco prime Seamen of the Trans
ports, impelled by a cue Sense of their Coun
try's "Wrongs, did mod generously engage
th?mfelvcs t serve in our armed Vessels during
the Expedition, and embarked accordingly,
fitch bareg then been our unremitting Toils.
} am happy beyond Exprefion in hereby ac
qtiam.uig my Lord? Coauaidioacis of the Ad-
miralty, that the Deftru&oh of almost the
whole of the Rebel Fleet, in two several Bat
tles on the iith and 13th inst. is our Reward.
I have received a Letter from Capt. Pringle,
df the Lord Howe armed Ship, who com
mands the Officers and Seamen on the Lake,
and who bestows the highest Encomius on their
Behaviour in both Engagements. Ine Rebels
did by no Means believe it possible for us to
get upon Lake Champlain this Year; were
much surprised at the firft of the Van of our
Force; but ran into immediate and utter COll
-the Moment a three-masted Ship made
her Appearance, being a Phenomenon they
never so much as dreamt of. Thus have his
Majesty's faithful Subjects here (contrary to a
crude but prevailing Idea) by Braining every
Nerve in their Country's Cause, outdone them
in working as much as in fighting. The Ship
Inflexible, with the Maria and Carleton
Schooners, all Reconstructions, did the whole
of the second Day's Business, the flat-bottom
ed Radeau, called the Thunderer, and the
Gondola, called the Loyal Convert, with the
Gun Boats, not having been able to keep up
with them. The said Gondola was taken from
the Rebels the Day the Siege of Quebec was
raised — The Loss we have sustained, consider
ing the great Superiority cf the . Insurgents,
is very small, consisting r s between 30 and 40
men killed and wounded, Seamen, Soldiers,
Artillery Men, and all ; eight whereof were
killed out right, and fix wounded on board
of the Carleton.
As to farther Particulars, I must refer you
to Lieutenant Dacres, who, in Justice due to
his Merit for the Part he bore in destroying
the Rebel Fleet, I am in fending upon this
Occ^fion to their Lordflhips in the Stag Trans
port, as also in thereby complying with the
General's Desire, who, for the fame Reason,
is pleased to honour him with the Conveyance
of his Dispatches.
Lift of his Majesty's Naval Force on Lake
Champlain.
Ship Inflexible, Lieutenant Schanck, 18
Twelve-Founders, Schooner Maria, Lieute
nant Starke, 14 Six-Founders. Schooner Carle
ton, Lieutenant Dacres, 12 Six-Pounders.
Radeau Thunderer, Lieutenant Scott, 6 Twen
ty-four, 6 Twelve-Founders; two Howitzers.
Gondola Loyal Convert, Lieutenant Long
croft, 7 Nine-Founders. /Twenty-gun Boats,
each a Brass Field Piece, mme Twenty-fours
to Nines, some Howitzers. Four Long-Boats,
with each a Carriage Gun, serving as armed
Tenders. Twenty-four Long-Boats with Pro
visions.
A Lift of the Seamen detached from his Ma
jesty's Ships and Vessels in the River St.
Lawrence, to serve on Lake Champlain.
Isis, ico Seamen, Blonde 70, Triton 60,
Garland 30, Canceaux 40, Magdalen, Bruns
wick, Gafpee, 18 Seamen each, Treasury and
armed Briggs, 90 Men each.
Province armed Vessels, Fell, 30. Lately
wrecked, Charlotte 9. Volunteers from no
Ship, 9. Ditto from the Transports, 214.
Total 070 Exclusive of tight Officers, and
19 Petty Officers.
Co/, of a letter from Capt. Thomas Pringle, on board
; the Maria cf Crown Point,the 13th of October,
V 1776.
I T is with the great est Pleasure that I embrace
this Opportunity of congratulating their Lorcfips
upon the victory compleated the I 3th of this Month,
by his Majesty's Fleet under my Command upon
Lake Champlain.
Upon the i Ith I came up with the Rebel Fleet
commanded by Benedict Arnold: They were at An
chor under the Ijiand of Tjacour, and formed a
Jirong Line, extending from the Ijiand to the Weft
Side of the Continent : '1 be Wind was jo very unfa
vourable, that for a considerable 1 ime nothing could
be brought to Action with them ; but the Gun Beats,
the Carleton Schooner, commanded by Mr. Dacres
[who brings their Lordships this] by much perseve
rance at las got to their Affiance ; but as none cf
the other Teffels of the Fleet could then get up, I
did not think it by any Means advijeable to conti
nue so partial and unequal a Combat ; confquently
with the approbation of bis Excellency General
Carleton, who did me the honour of being on board
the Maria, 1 called on the Carleton and Gun Boats,
and brought the whole Fleet to anchor in a Line as
near as possible to the Rebels, that their Retreat
might be cut off; which Purpose was however
frufi rated by the extreme Obfeurity of the Night;
and in the morning the Rebels bad got a considerable
Distance from us up the Lake.
Upon the 13th I again,aw I I Sail of their Fleet
making off to Crown Point, who after a Chace cf
seven Hours, I came up with the Maria, leaving
the Carleton and Inflexible a-stern ; the re, of the
Fleet dime, out of Sight. The Action began at
Twelve o'Clock, and lajhdtwo Hours; at which
Time Arnold, in the Congress Galley, and five
Gondolas run on Shore, and were directly abando
ned and blown up by the Enemy, a Circum,ance
they were greatly favoured in, by the wind being
off Shore, and the narrowness of the Lake. The
Wajhington Galley fruck during the Action, and
the Re, made their Escape to Ticonderoga.
The Killed and Wounded in his Majesty's Fleet,
including the Artillery in the Gun Boats, do not
amount to 40 ; but from every Info mation I have
yet got, the Lojs of the Enemy mu, indeed be very
considerable.
Many Particulars which their Lord, ips may
wifoto know, I mu, at prefect take the Lobe ty of
referring you to Mr. Dacres; but as 1 am wed
convinced his Modefy will not p rmit him to Jai he w
great a Share he had in this Viarry, givt me bave
to afureyou, that during both Aliens nothing could
be more pointedly good than his I ondufl. 1 ms
also do the Ju,dee to Officers and Seamen 0, this
Fleet merit, by faying, that every Pr/o^iter
my Command exert'd i^^+flves to act % tv sag
Charter , LikQ s<;s).;,,
Government continues as assiduous as ever
in putting the Marine on a refpedable footing.
The Frigate, the Terphfichore and the Dili
gence, which returned to Rochford, are arming
again, to join the Squadron of M. du Chaftault.
Notwithstanding all these movements, we
have every reason to expert a continuation of
peace. As a proof that our Ministry do not
wish to disturb it, on being informed that a
Mr. Silas Deane, had engaged several officers
to serve in the Army of the Rebels in America,
orders were sent to those officers not to quit the
kingdom. Mr. Deane, lodges in the lame ho
tel with Dr. Franklin.
LONDO N,
I Dec. 3. The late Dr. Maty, is fucceded as
I firft Librarian at the Britilh Museum, by Dr.
IMorton ; and as firft Secretary to the Royal
ISociety, by the Rev. Dr. Horfley ; who is
ifucceeded, as under-Secretary, by Mr. Planta,
iof the Britilh Museum.
Dec. 5. A Letter from Dublin confirms the
I Account formerly given, of the British Hero
Privateer, Capt. Speers, fitted out by Mess.
Cole, and Barton, of Port Royal, Jamaica, of
l^Six Poundeisand 8o Men, beingon a cruize,
25 Leagues to the Weft of Jamaica, having
engaged an American Privateer for about an
Hour and ahalf, when the American blew up.
Capt. Speers immediately hoiked out his Boat,
but could only pick up four of the Privateer's
Crew, who said die was called the Sturdy
Beggar, Capt. Pawfon, from Boston, mounted
twenty-two Guns, and 200 Men. The Hero
had 18 Men killed, and 20 wounded.
The Oriflamme,a French Frigate ofz6 Guns,
from Newfoundland, to Brest, blew up in her
Pa4Tage, and the Crew confining of 250 Men,
and others, perished.
ExtraA of a Letter from Barbados, Ofl. 1.
" The Pomona Sloop of War has had the
greatest Success that ever any vessel was known
to have on this Station, having taken seven and
twenty Vessels whdft cruising from this Island,
mod of which she has brought in here, and
they have proved a very seasonable Relief,
being laden with Flour and Lumber for the
French and Dutch Inlands.
Admiralty-Office, Dec. 9, 1776.
Advice was Yesterday received by Express,
that a Fire broke out in the Ropehoufe in his
Majesty's Yard at Portsmouth, about Half an
Hour after Four o'Clock, on Saturday in the
Afternoon, which burnt with great Violence
and consumed the fame, except the outer
Walls, which are landing, but by the timely
Assistance and vigorous Efforts of the Work
men of the Yard, the Seamen of his Majes
ty's Ships, the Marines quartered ^t Ports
mouth, and the Men belonging to the Ord
nance with their refpedive Officers, it was
happily prevented from extending to any other
of.the Buildings in the Yard, and was totally
got under at Ten o'Clock laftNight, nothing
but the Embers being left burning. The Loss
sustained by this Accident, except the Damage
done to the Ropehoufe, is not considerable,
confiding chiefly of Part of the Princess Ame
lia's and Deal Cadle's Rigging, the Imple
ments belonging to the Ropemakers and Rig
-ging-Houfe, a small Quantity of Cordage,
and some Toppings of Hemp. It is not yet
discovered by what Means the Accident hap
pened.
Dec. 12. Yesterday the Rev. Dr. Beahdy
Porteus preached before their Majedies and
a great Number of the Nobility at the Chapel
Royal, from the sixth Chapter of Isaiah, and
thefird Verse. The Sword of State was carri
ed to and from Chapel by the Earl of Affiburn
ham. Afterwards their Majesties returned to
the King's Palace to Dinner.
Yesterday being appointed for the observing
a General Fad, the Lord Mayor and the follow
ing Aldermen, viz. Efdaile, Kennet, Rawlin
son, and Clarke, the two Sheriffs, the Cham
berlain, and other City Officers, went to St.
Paul's Church, where a Sermon was preached
by his Lordship's Chaplain.
The Solemnity of Yesterday was frilly ob,
served by ail Ranks of People through the Ci
ties of London and Wedminller, all the chur
ches of which ^ere crowded with attentive
Congregations,— The Houle of Peers and
Commons attended Divine Service at the Ab
bey, at St. Margaret's ; the Lord Mayor,
Shcriffand C< urt of Aldermen at St, Paul's ;
at each of which Places very excellent Sermons
were preached on the Occasion. Ihe Lord
Mayor an • his :übe appeared in Mourning,
and the tw^ r d efs.ate e.^s Lkewife carried in
a fable dcabberd. 1 " 0 Battalions of the Foot
Guards, headed by their refpedive Officers,
atenc^d Server ar om< riet-Chapel, where
a fuitab^ Difc°mf was preached to them by
Dr. Bruce - U or the w^L, we hear from
all (carter- cha. the Dav wa -spent in a man
ne^ Ila .ai) becoming so awful oa OeGafioa.
'T'HE conjectures formed here on the hr
rival of Doctor Franklin, are greatly
changed, aS it appears certain that the Do&%
after having waited on the English ambaflador,
has been to Versailles, to aft leave of the
French minister to continue at Paris with his
family, promising not to trouble himfelf with
any public affairs, and declaring that he is
entirely devoted to the King of England, as
well as his son, the Governor of New-Jersey.
Dec. 20. It is believed, that Dr. Franklin
will not succeed in the object of his coming to
Paris, the King having forbid all his Ministers
either to receive him or answer any of his
Letters. It is likewise said, that the Count de
Marepas has caused it to be intimated to Mr.
de Beaumarchais, that he mult not interfere in
the Affairs of the Americans.
P A R I S, December 20.
AEnlra'-Ofxx Vv. CT
C^pt. Murray, of h. o Majedy'sShip the Le
vant, in a Letter dated in the Tagus the 29th
of November, gives an Account of his having
taken, on the 1 Bth of that Month, a Ship be
longing to the Congress at Charles-Town,
South-Carolina, bound to bourdeaux, with a
lading of Rice and Indige, valued, according
to the Invoice found on board he;, at 37,200].
Currency.
Dec. 19. The Number of Troops embarked
at Cadiz, under the Command of Don Ce
vallos, did not exceed 9000, and a Letter
from thence fays, that they were not provided
with Stores and Cannon proper for the At
tack of any regular Fortification, and there
fore, though their Destination was not pub.
lickly known, yet from the above Circumstan
ces, and the (Quantity of Provisions they car
ried, it was thought they were intended for
the Spanish Settlements in America.
Dec. 24. Several of the American Priva
teers, which cannot with Safety put into the
Ports they belong to, they being guarded by
his Majesty's Ships of War and Cruizers, have
at length commenced Pirates, and have plun
dered a Number of Vessels of different Na
tions in the Weft Indies, andin the Gulf of
Florida, of Provisions and Merchandize, for
a Subfiftepce; ©ne Vessel in particular, a Brier
of ten Guns, was detected in plundering a
French Merchant Ship, near "1 urk's Island,
by a French Frigate, by whom fhs was taken
and carried for some Port in Old France.
Dec. 19. At Spithead there are now
twelve men of war of the line, nearly man
ned, except the Hedor. in Portsmouth harbour
there are Seven Blips of the line fitting for
sea.
Dec. 26. A letter from Sheffield fays, that
they hardly ever were fuller of business than at
prelent; and workmen were even advertised
forin several branches. This is a fact not to
be disputed.
Jan. I i. Dr. Franklin resides at the Hotel 'd
Entragues, in Tournon <reet, Paris. The
King has, we hear, forbid any ofhis Minißers
receiving or answering any letter from him.
January 14. Letters from Rotterdam, by
the lad mail, declare, that orders had been for
some time dispatched to all the Governors of
the Settlements belonging to the States Gene
ral, toast with the utmost caution with refpeft
to aflitling such American vessels as might put
into their ports, their High Migh'tineffes be
ing determined not to give the least cause cf
complaint to their old allies the English.
In consequence of the above inftrudions,
the fame letters add, that two Bermudian Sloops
having taken an English Guineaman, the latter
end of November lad, and carried her int®
St. Euftatia, the Governor of that island di
reded the crew immediately to be set at li
berty, and ordered the American Captains to
depart with their prize in three days.
A letter from Plymouth, dated January 10,
fays, " Came in his Majesty's Ship Raifon
able, from a cruize: She took off Cape Fini-
Berre, an American privateer, called the Dor
ton, of 18 nine-pounders, and 14 swivels,
with 119 men, and has 9000 dollars on board.
" The Raifonable parted with her in a gale
of wind ; but the privateer's men are on board
the man of war."
fan. 15. All the English transports lately
returned from New-York and Quebec are con
tinued, except about ten, which were thought
too small.
It is a known fad that his Grace the Duke
of Northumberland has given away in charity,
since the beginning of last month, between
seven and eight hundred pounds.
As soon as the Raifonable arrived at Ply
mouth, an express was sent up to the Admi
ralty with some papers of consequence taken
out of her prize.
The crew cf the Dorten privateer, brought
in by the Raifonable, were put on board the
Ocean guard ship of 90 guns, and, it is said,
the Captain will be tried for his life as a pirate.
fan. 16. The foremaft men of his Majesty's
Ship Squirrel, arrived at Portsmouth from the
Weft Indies, have received 141. a man prize
money.
Extraa of a Letter from St. Makes, Dec. 24.
" An advice-boat arrived here with dis
patches from the Governor of Cape-Francois,
has brought an account, that twp American
privateers, of considerable force, having run
into that port, and come to an anchor, were,
by the Governor's orders, obliged immediately
to put to Sea again. The Commanders of the
above vessels pleaded their Blips had sustained
considerable damagein a gale of wind, but the
Governor, who turned a deaf ear to their in
treaties, informed them, if they did not in
stantly obey his orders, the garrison Should
immediately fire into him."
By accounts from the manufacturing towns
of Birmingham, Sheffield, and from the cloath
ing parts cf Yorkshire, business was never
more flourishing than at present in every
branch.
By a letter from Lisbon, dated December
21, we have the following account of the
Bate <f the King of Portugul's health: hi^
Majesty could no longer bear the exercise of
being wheeled about his apartment in hi^
armed chair, and for a week preceding this
date, had not been out of bed. No person
but the Queen, the confeffor, the Secretaries
of State, and the physicians, were admitted
to fee him.
All the sloops now building are of a new
construction, to mount 14. fix pounders, and
some above. No more of the eight gun Sloops
are to be built, they having proved of ver,
little Service.
A frigate of 36 guns and two Poops of war
are to be added to & fu/oe akvady ca t,e
coast of Africa.