The Pennsylvania evening post — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-04-23 00:00:00, page 1

N E WT ERN (Nordr-Carolina) March 20.
ON Thursday latt arrived here, in twelve days from St.
Euftatia, in the armed schooner Cafwell, Mr. John
W. Stanly : of this place, who gives us the follow
ing, viz.
That forty fail of tfanfports, blown off the coast, had ar
rived at Antigua within a few weeks. Five of them had
failed for Bottom, under convoy of the Viper ; the remainder
were to fail in a few days under convoy of the Hind, and se
veral vessels armed in Antigua with guns, &c purchased part
ly in St. Euftatia for that purpose.
That the English inlands had been in the utmost distress for
provisions, which by this time mufl have been greatly increas
ed, had not forty or fifty fail of American vessels, chiefly pro
vision loaded, and bound for foreign islands, been seized by
the drips of war, and sent into Antigua, St. Kitt's, Domi
nica and Nevis ; the inhabitants of which islands were so in
censed against the Americans, that those who happened to be
there were treated with the utmost severity. Some have been
shackled, and -thrown into a dungeon, for only expressing
their sentiments ; others obliged to quit their ' property, and
fly to the French for that protection they could not find among
the English. - An inflance of the firft kind happened in An
tigua while Mr. Stanly was in the islands, in the imprison
ment of Mr. Campbelbof New-York, and of the second in
the flight of Mr. Peter Wikoff of Philadelphia, against whom
an information was lodged by one M'Connell, that he had
seen Mr. Wikoff bear arms about twelve months before in
Philadelphia. This was deemed high treason, as appears by
a proclamation of Governor Shirley's offering a reward of
five hundred pounds for apprehending him.
Among the many vessels seized under the prohibitory a&
are the following. From New-York, the sloop Sally, Doge,
Charming Polly, Truxen, America, Campbell, and schooner
Polly, Aldine. Rhode Island, Captain Sweet, Fairfield. Sloop
Diamond, Whitney, Salem. Brig America, Lambert, Phila
delphia. Ship Nancy, Kirby, and brig , Gregg, North-
Carolina. Brig Sally, Ridge, and schooner James
Green, cleared by Governor Martin. Georgia, a brig, Capt.
Deane. Virginia, a brig. South-Carolina, brig, Union,
Boyd. Connecticut, a sloop, Capt. Jones. New-York, a
'floop, Capt. Gibbs.
The cruisers are so exceedingly vigilant among the islands,
that few vessels escape them. Notwithstanding which, a brig
from Baltimore, a snip (Liberty, Capt. Monro) from Phila
delphia, and two pilot boats from the fame place, had got
in fafe to St. Martin's and St. Euftatia early in this month.
A brig belonging to New-York, with wines from Lisbon,
got into St. Euftatia the eleventh inst. The mailer fays a re
quifi: on was daily expected to be made by the Court of Great-
Britain for 'he delivery of all American vessels in the port,
which would undoubtedly be complied with. In Martinique
and Guadaloupe there are at this time about eight thousand
troops, not long since arrived from France, who are induftri
cufly employed in repairing their old fortifications, and erect
ing new ones, particularly on the heights that command the
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TUESDAY, APRIL 23, 1776.
201
plain through which the Eritifh troops puffed to the back of
fort Roysl, when they reduced that place.
The French appear exceedingly friendly to the American
cause, which they would have promoted by a much larger sup
ply of arras'and ammunition than they have hitherto im
ported, had they not been' doubtful of the Amcreans sub
mission to the claims of Parliament, and of course a'difeon
tinuance of the demand for warlike stores, which in that case
would remain in the hands of the importers..
The confmen toast among the French, from the General
down to the merchant, is the indepfaiance of America ; until
which is declared, they fay our war with England can only
be looked on as a domestic* broil unworthy the public coun
tenance of those powers who would cheerfully enter into
frtendfhip and alliance with them, could it be done with pro
priety. It is a truth, that a certain great man in those islands
wishes to have the honor of transmitting to his most Christian
Majesty an application from the Continental Congress to the
court of France, which he would engage should be presented
and answered, provided it avas dated the firJi year of the repub
lic of America.
The Committee of Safety for this di&ria have ordered Col.
Cafivell, commanding officer of the Newbern battalion of
minutemen, to march immediately to Bruufwick, to join the
other forces of this province in opposing Gen. Clinton, who
is arrived there with a considerable force. The Committee
have also ordered seven hundred and fifty of the militia of
the several counties in this diftria, to march under Col. Caf
welL and we expeß in twelve or fifteen days, to have fifteen
thousand men embodied against Governor Martin's cutthroat
army.
WILLIAMSBUR G, April Tz.
Since the defeat of Major Grant and Commodore Barclay,
in Georgia, they have begun to plunder the gentlemens plan
tations in their neighbourhood; and from Arthur Middleton,
Esq; on the Carolina shore, they have carried off fixty-five
slaves.
Sir James Wright, Governor there, with his two daughters,
has retired on b sard the Scarborough, thereby abdicating his
government, and leaving behind him an estate valued to at
dead eighty thousand pounds sterling.
Charleftown, in South-Carolina, is defended by upwards
of one hundred and thirty cannon, from twenty-fix to nine
pounders, mounted on thirteen forts, batteries and bastions,
at the entrance into the harbor, and round the bay; with Con
tinental and Provincial battalions, and thirteen complete
uniform Provincial companies belonging to the town.. They
have likewise fitted out three armed vessels; one of them a
flip mounting twenty-four guns, called the Prosper, the Hon.
William Henry Drayton, Esq; commander ; the brig Comet,
of sixteen guns, Capt. Turpin ; and the schooner Defence,
Capt. Tufts of twelve guns. The two latter, well manned
and fitted, were lying ready to join the Continental fleet, off
Sullivan's island. Their Provincial Congress, at their last
meeting, have prepared such a form of government as they
[Num. 19U