The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1779-07-19 00:00:00, page 2

LONDO N, April 8.
% They write from the Hague, that a final
flop is ordered to be put to the further export
ation of naval Rotes to the ports of France on
the Mediterranean.
They write from Paris, that the clergy in
France have received an order from his Mod
Christian Majety, to give in immediately an
exad account of all the land they pofcfs in
quantity and value.
A plan is said to be at present in agitation
to take the management of all the turnpikes
in the kingdom into the hands of Govern
ment, by which a revenue of more than a
million Rerling might be rarfed.
It is not a little surprising that Governor
Johnftone was not more forward to fecund Sir
William Howe in his motion for an enquiry
into his conduct in America. The governor
had declared, that the southern expedition
ruined our affairs ; that the person who plan
ned it, whether it had been the American
Secretary, or Sir William, had been the loss
of the northern army ; and that, whenever a
motion for as enquiry into the conduct of the
war should be made, he would second it, and
give it every support in his power. Notwith-
Randing this declaration; the governor fat
silent the night the motion was made, and
Lord Howe, after waiting in vain for the go
vernor to speak, was obliged to second his
brother. The governor hitherto aimed at
confißency ; in the present inßance he seems
to have entirely forgot it.
Extract of a letter from Paris, dated Marell 30.
" The various departments of Government
are in the highest ferment, and all to a man
opposed to Mons. de Sartine; nor is it with
out very plausible reasons ; repeated losses in
the Ealt and Welt Indies, the trade of this
country totally ruined, &c. are powerful ar
guments against him. The following line in
Voltaire's Henriade is particularly applicable
to poor Sartine.
Tel brille au second rang, quir's eclipse au pre
mier, what our celebrated Hudibras might have
thus expressed. ——
Great whilst he held the second rank ;
But in the firft a Mountebank !
Because he shewed great capacity as Lieutenant
de Police, did it argue that he was equal to the
employment of Prime Miniller in the naval
department?' This certainly would be ac
counted but poor logic in England, where you.
have the moll vigilant and penetrating officer
at the head of your marine, and yet you are
perpetually abusing him."
The following is the conclusion (and most
interesting part) of a long debate, in the
House of Commons, in which Governorjohn
ftone made a long and elaborate Speech.
" Lord Home said, the honourable Gentle
man had declared to the Hcufe, that his fleet
was excellently manned. He begged leave to
-assert the contrary ; his fleet was very far
from being well manned ; it was true, when
the alarm of the Toulon squadron being near
the Hook was firft given, all forts of persons,
many who had been to sea, and many who had
never been on ship-board, came down with the
greatest alacrity, and offered their services on
board the fleet ; he should be ungrateful in the
highest degree, if he did not give them infi
nite credit for their spirited condud on the
occasion; but he should be unworthy to hold
a naval command, if he deemed ships so filled,
snips well manned. The consequence proved
it: for each time he put to sea, and failed
after D'ERaing, his sick encreafed amazingly,
and he was obliged to land them, once upwards
of 360 at a time, in order for their recovery,
and to prever,: those who were well on board
the fleet from being encumbered, in case of an
action, which was what they expeded every
day. Indeed as he went out expressly to fight
D'ERaing, and as the fleets were on the point
of engaging, when Mons. D'ERaing suddenly
filtered his course, and bearing away to the
focthward, was soon from the state of the
weather, out of fight, the honourable Gentle
nit n had no right to lay, that every thine was
rot done that the nature of affairs would ad
roit, to bring the 1 oulon squadron to Action.
The honourable Gentleman had, by tacking
frigates to small ships, and matching joint
parts of our fleet against the large ships °of the
Toulon squadron, accounted to the House for
argument, that we were at least equal to Mons.
D'ERaing. It certainly was a very pretty line
of battle upon paper, but if the French would
have fuffered us so to have picked and chosen
our Rations in a real adion at sea, they would
deserve to be laughed at by every maritime
power, and to be degraded as officers in the
eyes of all mankind. The honourable gen
tleman had formerly been to sea ; he could
only fay it was so long since, that he seemed
to have forgotten his profeffion.
, " The honourable gentleman had asserted
that New-York was able to defend itfelf;
that the fleet might have been hauled up the
North-River, and the banks lined with men
to annoy the enemy, and at least keep them
oft till Admiral Byron came to the assistance
of the whole : New-York, the mere port of
New-York, was totally out of the question ;
it wamot worth a moment's consideration ;
the army was the object to be taken care of,
and if the fleet had been so hauled up the ri
ver, what was to become of all the victualling
transports from Great Britain and elfewher%
of the packets, and a variety of vessels daily
to be expefted, and materially necessary to be
provided for? He, in these, and in every
other point, thought very differently from the
Hon. Gentleman; the two opinions were in
the judgment of the House; they would
doubtless weigh them properly, and confider
them as the opinion of Captain Johnftone,
opposed to that of Admiral, perhaps the most
infignifieant in the whole lift of Admirals
Admiral Lord Howe.
“ The Hon. Gentleman talked in rather a
harsh manner of officers refuting to serve ; he
had only to fay, that his services were ever at
the command of .nis country; but when he
found the Lords Commissioners of the Admi
ralty were opposing all their power to his cre
dit as an officer, he thought it not fafe for him
as a man who regarded his honour to hold his
command; and as every gentleman mull fee
the mifehief which was likely to arise, where
there exifteef a jealousy between the Ministers
and the officers in important situations, in
which mutual confidence was indefpenfably
necessary, bethought he did his country belt
service by retiring, and leaving his poR to be
occupied by men not so unfortunately circum-
Ranced as he had found himfelf."
" Governor fobnflone, in reply to what the
noble Lord had said, declared, although he
was no more than Captain Johnffone, that he
would not give up his experience to Admiral
Howe, or any other Admiral whatever; he
had seen as much service as the noble Lord,
and had been in more battles. What he had
offered relative to the affair between the En
glilh and French fleets on the arrival of the
latter off Sar.'y-Hook, he submitted to
the House as his opinion, an opinion not
theoretically formed, but founded on pro
feffional knowledge; nothing that had
fallen from the noble Lord had afforded him
the least reason for altering his sentiments,
and he so far differed from the noble Lord,
that, inßead of refuting to serve in this moment
of public exigency, he would take any com
mand that should be offered to him: many
gentlemen in that house well knew that at the
commencement of the American war, he
would not have accepted of any emply against
that country, because he thought the war un
just in its end, and oppressive in its principle
and mode of carrying on : the case was now
materially altered ; this country had done
every thing which became her, to convince
America of her readiness to aft refpefting the
United States, with lenity, with moderation,
and with justice. France had perfidioufly
broken her treaties, and seduced America into
an offenfive league against Great-Britain ; in
such a crisis it behoved every man who felt
properly for the injured honour of his country,
to liep forward and offer his services ; he, for
one,, was ready to exert his utmost abilities in
any capacity that Government might think
proper to employ him. If his country called
for his services, so far from attempting to pre
scribe the condition upon which he would
serve, he would accept even the command of a
bumboat !"
Copy of a letter from his Excellency General
Grant to Brigadier General Meadows, dated
St. Lucia, Dec li, 1779.
" I cannot express how much I feel myfelf
obliged to you and the troops under your
command, for repulsing with so much spirit
and bravery, so great a body of the enemy:
I own it was just what I expected from you
and them ; and I am sure under your com
mand, they will always behave in such a man
ner as to do honour to you, themselves, their
King, and the country they serve; and I mutt
beg of you to express my gratitude and thanks
to them in the strongest manner."
Orders from Brigadier General Meadows, Dec 19.
" Brigadier General Meadows has the high
est fatisfadion in communicating so flattering
a letter from the Commander in Chief to the
troops under his command, and begs leave to
mark to the officers and men his admiration of
their gallantry and good conduct in the affair
of the 18th inttant. He feels too much to add
more, than that at the head of such a corps he
must be pleased to live, and proud to die."
Dec. 20. " The lines to be manned when
the drums beat to arms.
Dec. 21. " Whenever the picquets are
attacked, the drums to beat to arms, and the
lines to be manned immediately. As soon as
our gallant and generous enemy are seen to
advance in great numbers, the troops are to
receive them with three huzzas, and then to
be perfectly silent and obedient to their offi
cers ; whilst they are cool by day, and alert by
night, they have nothing to fear. If the ene
my want our arms let them come and take
them.
" During the attack some of the drums to
assemble round the colours of the fifth regi
ment, and beat the grenadier's march."
Extract of a letter from Portfmoutb, April 8.
" Admiral Arbuthnot is failed from Spit
head to St. Helen's, in the Europa, with the
Russel, Robust, Defiance, Guadaloupe, and
Cygnit men of war, with the Lucifer, fire
Ihip, to fail the firft fair wind for New-York.
" The Britannia of 100 guns, is failed out
of harbour for Spithead. This ship was
launched here about 12 years since, and was
never at sea.
It seems evident from the transports now
going out to New-York, that Administration
are determined to make a great effort this year
in America. The forces amount to 7000 men.
BALTIMORE, June 29.
The Governor of the commonwealth of Virginia,
by advice of his council, hath ordered Henry Hamil
ton, Esq; Lieutenant-Governor of the settlement
at and about Detroit, and Commandant of the
British garrison there, under Sir Guv Carleton ;
Philip Dejean, Justice of the Peace for Detroit; and
William Lamothe, Captain of volunteers, prisoners
of war, lately taken in the Illinois country, to be put
in irons, confined in the dungeon in the public gaol
at Williamiburg, debarred the use of pen, ink and
paper, and excluded all converse, except with their
keeper, being considered as fit fubjeas to begin on
with the work of retaliation.
PROVIDENC E, y$ 6..
The general afferably of this Rate, at their
late feffiou, naked an aft for assessing a tax of
two hundred and twenty-five thoufazd pounds,
upon the inhabitants of this Rate, for the pay
ment of the continental tax apportioned to
this Race for the year 1779, one half of which
sum is to be paid into the treasury on or
before the 20th day of December next : Also
an a& for assessing a Rate tax of sixty thousand
pounds, to be paid into the treasury on or
before the 20th day of Augull next.
FISH-KIL L, July 8.
Extras of a letter from an officer at Salem, 'July 3.
" Yesterday morning about fun-rife, a de
tachment of the 2d regiment of light dragoons,
confiding of ninety men, commanded by Col.
Sheldon,polled nearPoundridgemeetlng-houfe,
were notified of the advance of the enemy by
our videts ; our horses being previously faddied
and bridled, the men were ordered immediate
ly to mount ; as soon as we were paraded, thee
nemy's horie were difeevered rapidly advancing
about 360 or 4.00 in number. Theeuemy having
drove in our advanced parties, they began the
c * arge on the detachment, which from the great
superiority of the enemy, wnsoLliged to move
off. The enemy pushed hard on our rear for
more than two miles, in the course of which
a feathering fire was kept up between their ad
vance and our rear, and a confiant charge
with the f.vord. The country through which
we passed being very mountainous and rocky,
cauled many of our horses to blunder and
fall, which occasioned some to fall into the
hands of the enemy. We immediately col
leded some of the militia, and began to pursue
the enemy, following them below North-
Castle church. They moved off with such
great precipitation, that we could not come
up with them. Before the enemy moved off
they burnt the meeting house at poundridge,
the dwelling house of Benjamin Hays at Bed
ford. They as usual, plundered most of the
houses they came to, and set fire to several
houses, which were fortunately extinguished.
" Our loss, on this occasion, was 10 wound
ed, 8 miffing, and 12 horses miffing. The ene
my's loss, I killed, wounded uncertain, 4 pri
soners, 4 horses taken, and one ditto killed."
CHATHAM, July 6.
By late intelligence from the western army,
we find they are altering their rout. A road
is cleared round the lake to enable a party to
penetrate to St. John's; while others are to
seize Ofwegocha, so that we may soon hear
from our friends in Montreal.-
Last Tuesday night about 40 regulars, and
as many refugees, from Staten-Illand, made
an excursion to Rahway and Woodbridge,
when they Riot Capt. Skinner, of the militia,
and took off about 15 of the inhabitants, among
which were Capt. Samuel Meeker, of the light
horse, and Capt. Christopher Marlh ; but by
the timely exertions of a few Militia, who
collected immediately, they were restrained
from committing any other mifehief. Several
of them were wounded, oneof whom fell into
our hands, and expired the fame davt
The legislature of the Race of Massachusetts
Bay, has laid an embargo, and prohibited the
exportation of wheat, flour, rye, Indian-corn,
rice, bread, beef, pork, bacon, live Rock,
and other provisions, from any sea port within
that Rate; which commenced the zzd of June
last, and to continue until the 15th of No
vember next.
NEW-YORK, July 13.
We are informed, that the Troops and Ves
sels that lately failed from hence on an Expe
dition to the Ealtward, under the Command
of his Excellency Major General Tryon, and
Commodore Sir George Collier, after being
joined by a Detachment from the Garrison of
Rhode-Ifland, passed over from Huntington,
on Long-Eland, to the Connecticut Shore, and
on the 6th inst. landed the Army in two Divi
sions, near New-Haven ; after driving off se
veral Parties of the Rebel Militia they attack
ed and took a small Fort, which was instantly
demolished and the Guns in it rendered un
ferviceable ; the Town was soon after entered
by the Sailors and a Corps of Refugees, the
public Stores and several Veffcls deltroyed;
many of the Houses were much damaged, as
the Rebels followed their usual Practice of se
creting themselves in them and firing upon the
Troops. The Refugees carried their Depre
dations along the Ccalt a considerable Way
on each Side of the Town. It is said they be
haved with great Spirit on the Expedition,
and that after having beat off a Party of Mili
tia and destroyed a small Village at a Place
named Mill-River, a Deserter came to them
the fame Evening and informed, that a Ta
vern-keeper who had commanded the Militia
that opposed them, declared in his Presence,
that he intended next Day to burn down two
Houses belonging to Friends of Government,
which were left unmolested. The Deserter
was immediately employed a: a Guide, and
before Sun-rife next Morning the Threatner's
House, Barn, Grain, Hay, &c. were reduced
to Alhes.
From New-Haven the Army proceeded to
the Town of Fairfield, which they fired, and
next Day embarked and came over to Hun
tington.
On Sunday the Army paid another Visit
to the Coail of Connecticut, and it is said,
after having destroyed the Town of Norwalk,
reimbarked yesterday Morning,
NEW-YOR K, July 17.
One Coombe, a spy, was difeovered, ap
prehended and sent to this City from Staten-
Island, on Thursday last.
By 3 Gentleman from Maroneck we are in.
formed, that the Royal Army are encamped
there in excellent Order, and the Men in the
highed Health and Spirits : Between the En
campment and King's Bridge 250 Hay-makers
are employed ; and if the prelent fine Wea
ther continues, it is imagined they will, in a
few Days, have a Sufficiency of Hay cured to
Supply all the Horses in the Garrison narl
next Spring.
The loyal Refugees, of whom the greatest
Prince in the world may be proud to be Sovc"
reign, have purchased the fine frigate Oliver
Cromwell, mounting 20 Guns, lately, taken
from the Rebels by Captain St. John Chin&ery.
in his Majesty's Ship Daphne : They have
given the Command to Captain Harris Hatch,
whom they have ordered to cruize with the
Sloop General Leslie, of 10 Guns, and the
other armed Vessels fitted out by them, to take
Vengeance on the enemies of Peace and good
Government.
Yesterday Morning fe'nnight a Brig from the
Weft-Indies and a Schooner, were, during a
severe Thunder Storm overfet without Sandy-
Hook, it is said both Crews, one Negroe
excepted, took to their Beats and were saved,
and that the Brig has been towed alhore by his
Majeßy's Ship Galatea.
The Galatea, on her late Cruize has taken
five Prizes, owe of them a Schooner loaded
with Filh, is arrived here, and the other four
expected every Tide.
^4%'^'M?^^ : ^4^^^
Io be fold by the Puncheon, or leffcr
QU ANTIT Y,
Genuine Barbados Cane Spirits,
Warranted Six-Years old.
Enquire at No. 937, WATER-STREET.
The FRIGATE
Restoration,
(Formerly the OLIVER CROMWELL,)
Is now fitting for sea, and will be ready in fix
davs to join the ASSOCIATED
REFUGEE FLEET,
Lyingin Huntington-Harbour, and intending
soon to pay a visit to the Rebel Coast:
ALL GENTLEMEN who are desirous to enter
on board said ship as officers, shall be provided
for agreeable to their merit ; and all good SEAMEN
who wife to join this determined band of LOYAL
ISTS, are desired to repair on board said ship, ly
ing at the Navy-Yard, where they shall receive
FIVE GUINEAS, Advance,
THREE POUNDS, Sterling
Permonth, and one Ihare of all property taken from
his Majesty's revolted fubje&s by sea and land.
Mr. LEONARD flatters himfelf, that this en
couragement will be fufficient to induce every well
wisher to his Majesty and the British Conftituti^,
to engage in an undertaking, where profit andhoncr
are inseparably blended.
N.B. As Mr. LEONARD is determined, at all
events, to adhere punauioufly to the orders of the
Commanders in Chief both by fez and land, he
warns ail persons who are engaged in either service
not to apply, unless with permission, for he must and
will rej^a them.
ACARGO~~ot '
Superfine FLOUR,
Imported in the Toms, Capt. Houghton,
from Liverpool, and to be fold by
Hugh and Alexander Wallace.
c rt c k^t:
A Set of Gentlemen propufe playing a Match this
day, and every Monday during the ftimmer
season, on the Cricket Ground near Brooklyn Ferry.
The company of any Gentleman to join the set in
that exercise will be very acceptable.
A large BOOTH is ere&ed for the accommoda
tion of fpe&ators.
JUST Imported, in the Brigantine Sir William
Ermine, Duncan M'Naught, Mailer; from
Glasgow, and to be Sold by Thomas Bu
chanan, and Co. No. 212, Queen-Street,
BEST cargo beef in barrels and tierces,
best rose butter in firkins and kegs, dou
ble Gloucester cheese, dipt and mould can
dles, turpentine soap, Rarch in boxes, barley
in kegs, fine frefh Hour, oatmeal in barrels,
ALSO, a large aflortment of dry goods as
usual.
L O S T,
ON Friday afternoon, a bunch of Keys:
Whoever has found them, will be re
warded for the trouble of leaving them with
the Printer.
JOHN LIK
Has for SALE, on the most reasonable terms, by
the piece or package,
IRISH linens, I Pins, horn & ivory combs,
Irish Greetings, Ribbons and ferret,
Check linens, Tapes and gartering,
White and brown dowlas, Broad cloaths, with trim-
Oznaburgs and tweel, mings,
Nuns thread, Second and coaife cloaths,
Oznaburgs and hitching A general assortment of
threads, coarse woollens,
Lawn, and gauzes, Fine, common and mih-
Mullins and cambrics, tary Shoes,
Printed linens and cottons! Callimancoe shoes,
Silk, cambrick, and check ! Portmantua trunks of all
handkerchiefs, j sizes,
J e ^s, ISham Buck breeches,
Satinetts, Leather gloves,
Lastings, Fine and felt hats,
Camblets, Writing paper,
Callimancoes, Window glass,
balloons and tarcmies, Pewters copper and tin
Bombazeen, ware,
Queens fluff, Hard ware and cutlery,
Corduroys, Q Ntils, &c. &,
Corderett, & Dinch cord,