The New-York gazette, and the weekly Mercury — New-York [N.Y.], 1777-08-18 00:00:00, page 2

Ifafac, April 24. M. Blanchet, Charge
des Affairs from the Court of Berlin, has given
in a note to the Permanent Council, which
allows them but 24 hours to return a catego
rical answer relative to the fixing the new
vfrontiers, and threatens, in case of a longer
delay, that the Convention of the zzd of
Auguß, 1776, will be broken i,fo fa&o.. —
The iiler.ee of the Council not admitting of
any other interpretation than a formal nega
tive, the Pruflian troops will receive imme
diate orders to re-enter all the places receded,
and which they have lately evacuated.
The Permanent Council, surprised at the
Rite of the above mentioned note, desired the
King would write immediately to his Prussian
Maj-Ry on this fubjeft, and accordingly a
Courier was sent to Berlin with two letters,
which M. Zablocki, Charge des Affairs from
the Republic, is to deliver to Count Falken
ftein, one of which is from the Chancellor,
who being pressed to return an answer to the
note in question, told M. Blanchot, that the
King his Mailer had addressed himfelf directly
to his Prussian Majesty.
This threatening note, and another which
was sent feme time ago, were communicated
to Baren Rewicki, and Count de Stackel
berg, who sent Couriers to thei- refpedive
Courts, whose mediation the Republic claims
conformable to the Treaties. Their answers,
with that of the King of Prussia, are impati
ently expelled.
Lifan, April 15. The firangers are set at
liberty who were imprisoned during the last
reign, for trading in rough diamonds, and all
their effects are restored to them. The Ex-
Jesuits, who were lately let out of prison, will,
it is said, be employed in the education of
you h in great families.
L O N D O N, May 21.
E:\^.:H cfa letter from Batunia, Of?. 18, I//''
" We have the following account of the
deplorable situation of the Bland ofTernata.
" On the ^h cf July, 1775, there were
more than ice knocks of earthquakes felt here,
fume of which were 0 violent that they seemed
to tfoearen the deßruction of the whole Bland.
About the 20th of August they were felt again,
an I the Luining mountain, after a mod dread
ful cxpl&Rm, threw out hot ftor.es, cinders,
and lava, in abundance; and on the §th vs
September the earth was never hill for three
hours, the mountain framed all on fire, and
the mod dreadful Ror,m of thunder and light
ning fell in every part of the Bland, which
threw the inhabitants into inch a confirmation
that they ran from one part to another for
bicker, but done was to be found ; the sea was
PETERSBURGH, May f
^ INHERE has lately been published here a
£ date cf the produce of the Cuftems of
this and other tracing cities in this Empire,
for a term or thirty years, which Dews the
prodigious increafejn our commerce and finan
ces. In 1724 the customs of this capital pro
duced only 10,355 ^^cs, the year following
they were doubled ; in two years after they
amounted to 84/655 roubles, and in.; 26 they
exceeded 100,000. From particular events
trey fell in 1741 to 11,000, but in 17,-2 they
produced 203,734, and two years after they
amounted to 768,058 roubles; at length, in
1/57, the customs brought in 1,000,713 rou
bles, and we make no doubt, as our com
merce has doubly incieafed since, the sum
produced is in a like proportion. The above
is only an account of the ctiftom house duties
fir this city. From the detail in the above
account it appears, that our exports greatly
exceed our imports, cunfequently the balance
of trade is greatly in our favour ; and parti
cularly fiiice 1757 our exports have in a greater
degree exceeded our imports than before that
period, which has brought into our country
great riches, and we have carried on many
branches of buhnefs heretofore unknown in
this country. All we have 50 fear is the be
ginning of new wars, which must greatly pre
judice a country that has occaden for more
Lands than the ordinary ccurfe of propagation
can produce.
£ e rli», Ah 24. The King of Prussia came
to town the 20th inilant. '1 he three following
days his Majesty reviewed the regiments in
garrison here, and thole Rationed in the en
virons, which had received orders to come to
town ; the whole amounting to above 30,00^
men. The King was on horicback about four
o'clock in the morning, and returned about
ten, when the foreign ministers had the honour
<,f paying their rcfpefts. The Hereditary
Prince of Brunfivick attended his Majetty.
Prince Charles of Lichtenstein, (the Governor
if Vienna) and Count Colloredo were also
present.
Condantirofe, April 3. The last accounts
from Crimea mention, that Taman has been
taken, and -the whole illand plundered by
Schair Gucray ; and that the TurkiD troops,
after lohng 600 men, were obliged to pass over
into Afu.
I he fame accounts add, that the Ruffians
were greatly reinforced at Orkaps and Kin
burn, the commandant of which place has
sent a detachment to Arabas, and 1500 men,
mostly horse, are gone from Jenckale to Caffa,
in order, as it is supposed, to favour the in-
Rallation of the new Chan; and it is also
thought, that notwithstanding al! the efforts
of the opposite party, Dewlet Gueray will be
obliged to quit his residence at Baktfchiafarai.
Madrid, April 20. We have received advice
from Malaga, that the Moors have appeared
before Melille with 8000 horse, and that a
greater number have appeared before Ceuta,
but the courtis under no apprehensions on that
recount, both those places being well provi
ded with every thing necefiary for their de
fence.
I" Since my last orders have been received
here to use the utmeft dispatch in fitting cut
the Buckingham, of 70 guns, (now called the
Grampus ftoreihip) De being much wanted to
carry eloathing for the use of his Majesty's
troops in America. In consequence of this
order, which came on Saturday, an additi
onal number of Shipwrights were set to work
on her this day, and are to be continued till
flic is finifhed."
Extras of a letter from Gibraltar, May 1.
" A vcffel called the St. Michael, Michael
Solari, Mafier, was yesterday entering this
Bay from Cadiz, to which place she had been
chartered to bring round twenty thousand
Mexicos.
“ Almost within gun Dot of our walls De
was brought too by a SpaniD Guarda Costa, on
pretence of searching for contraband goods.
After much abusive language to the Master of
the vessel, he was desired to pull down the
lEnglishlEnglish Colours. A young lad of Genoefe
! parents, but a native of this place, with a
Spirit truly heroic, answered, No—pull down
Ithe EngliD colours! forwhat? Old England
Ifor ever! they Dall not be pulled down. One
j of the Spaniards in the Guarda Costa cried out
f immediately, Matefe Pero: " Kill that dog,"
} upon which four of them difeharged their pie
/ces at him, and killed him on the foot. They
; then boarded the vessel, and not fufficiently
;glutted with his death, cut his body open with
:acutlafs. Having got possession they Wretched
; away for Aigeziras, the town opposite to us;
so extremely boifteroas that deftr.:£tion was
inevitable there, and on the land the earth
opened, and trembled under them, as if the
whole Bland was going to be annihilated; but
b^ the providence of the Almighty, a calm
was reflored, arid the Inhabitants had time to
fee what damage was done; when it appeared
that the Dutch Settlements had fuffered but
little, but it will be some years before the
blunders recover their loss. The King of
Ternata has made a report, that a large trad
of land on the north fide of the Bland, in the
diftria of Xulla Tacory has been swallowed
up, by which fix plantations have been totally
destroyed, and 14.1 perlons have been either
burnt or drowned in the sea, where many of
them took refuge in their boats.
" This report has been confirmed by about
thirty of the unfortunate inhabitants, who are
tendered dreadful objects by wounds and burns
in this Dockingevent. Onthe gth and 6th of
November the earthquakes, and eDufions of
fire, stones, and fulphuro'us smoke from the
mountains, began as bad as ever, but no lives
were loft. The horrors of this night are not to
be described, for the thunder, lightning, and
. most shocking earthquakes continued without
interruption for twelve hours, witli the most
terrible violence. From this ever dreadfully
to be remembered night, there were no more
earthquakes till the ill of July 1776, when
they were again felt for about two hours, but
not violent.
May 26. They write from Constantinople,
that the matter of war or peace with Russia
seems to be in an undecided fate ; and that
the Janissaries in Turkish Vaiachia had revolt
ed, and committed great excefres ; but the
Bafha had sent such a force against the Muti
reers, that they were soon difperf'ed ; some of
them were seized and imprisoned, and others
severely puniDed as examples to thy rest.
Other letters from the fame place advise,
that affairs fecm to wear a better afpedt for
the Turks on the fide of Persia, an infurreftion
having taken place in that country, which had
caused most of the troops on the TurkiD fron
tiers to be called home.
May 28. Some very interefiing news from
America, by the way of France, is said to have
arrived at the French Ambaifador's, which his
Excellency immediately communicated to Lord
George Germaine. It is said to be very agree
able to Government.
Yeflerday upwards of two thousand Hand cf
mufquets were Dipped off from the Tower,
on board two transports bound to New-York.
Extrafl cf a letter from Portsmouth, May 27.
" This morning arrived at Spithead his
Majelly's Dip the Arcthufa, with ieveral Ihips
from the Downs, bound to America, who @re
to remain till the other Dips that are getting
ready to join them."
Monday last orders were given cut, and
notice sent to all the officers whose regiments
are in America, for them to immediately join
their refpedive corps. Two Dips are waiting
at Portsmouth to carry them over, otherwise to
fend notice, that their places may be filled up
with others.
The vcffel called the Mercer, carried into
Whitehaven, taken by the crew, proves to be
the Dip formerly named the Earl of Errol.
Admiralty Office, May 26, 1777.
Capt. Jarvis, of FT Majesty's ship the Fcu
drayant, in a letter received this day, gives an
account of his having taken on the 19th inst.
the fchooncr finch, John Adams, nafter, which
had failed that morning ft n Nantz, bound
to Sefton, with arms and ch curing, for the use
of the Rebel Army; and by : letter also re
ceived this day from the Hon. Capt. Levefon
Gower, of the Valiant, it appears that on the
14th infant he had taken a New-England
vessel, but last from Charles-Town, laden with
rice and indigo, bound to Nantz : The for
mer is since arrived at Flymoutli ; the latter
at Portsmouth.
Yeferday morning ten Dips, that have been
fitted out as Letters of Marque, came out of
dock, and immediately fell down to Gravef
erd, in order to take on board their leading,
and proceed on their voyage to America.
Extract of a letter from Chatham, May 26.
but being obliged to make Ductal t^cks 0-Lire
they could get to it, our frigates in the Bay
were apprized of what had happened, and with
all the alertness pofible manned their boats,
and difoatched then ) under the command of
the Matter of the Alarm to retake the vessel.
On feeing this, the Spaniards ran her in for
the Dore. Our Bailors came up to her, and
though on their own coast, which was by this
time lined with Spaniards, boarded her, sei
zed every bag of the Money, and brought it
fafe to the Garrison.
“ One cannot too much admire the good
conduct Ihewn on this occasion, and the un
daunted spirit of of the BritiD Sailors, who in
spite of a great discharge of final! arms from the
Guarda Coffa, from the people on the coast,
and from the great guns on Point Negro,
recovered the specie, which was thus forcibly
with-held by the Spaniards.
“ The veftl being aground was left to
them with all the heavy goods that were on
board, and the Spaniards have since got her
off, and carried her to Algerizas, were De
remains till the affiair is fettled. The value
of the goods on board her amounts to seven
thousand dollars, the property offerers! Tra
ders in this garrison."
It is thought that our military edabliffiment
at Senegal will be given up by Government
as no longer worth their keeping at such an
immense expence.
fune 4. Of the thirteen vessels which were
to fail in company from Charles Town to
Nantz, eight have already been brought into
the several Ports of Great-Britain, viz. two
into Portsmouth, four into Ply mouth, one by
the crew into Whitehaven, and another into
Liverpool.
To morrow his Majesty will go in state to the
house ofpeers, and give the royal assent to the
following bills, viz. the servants tax, the auc
tion and auctioneers tax, the finking fund,
the Longitude, the vote of credit, the rolls
estate leases, and some others that now lie
ready ; that business being over, his Majel'ty
will make a most gracious speech from the
throne; after which it is cuftomery, the Lord
Chancellor, by his Majesty's command, will
prorogue both houses of parliament.
^ BOST O N, July 24.
Extract of a letter from Capt. Stepien Hills, to
his wife, dated Halifax, 'July 10, 1777.
“ Iwas taken by the Flora frigate the 7th
infant. I fought her as long as possible I
could. All the people that were taken are
on board the guard ihip with me ; this is the
firft day of my confinement ; I have met with
very kind treatment hitherto, anti hope I Dall
have rcafon to fay so at the laid. When 1 was
taken the Rainbow was in chace cf the Han
cock and Boston almost out of fight to the
wellward.—l hope if Capt. Manley arrives he
will fend down a cartel for us, or we may flay
a long time else. Mr. Adams in taking the
Dip Fox, got badly wounded in the left hand,
but had got better and in a fair way of doing
well."
July n. By a Gentleman arrived in Town
Yelterday, and who left our northern Army
last Friday, we learn that they have djfmantled
Fort-Edward, and retired to Moses Creek ;
where they are determined to make a Stand —
till General Burgoyne appears in Sight.
Last Tuesday D'nnight a Party of Indians
attacked General Nixon's Brigade, killed 7
and took 17 Prisoners.
Lase Thursday a Lieutenant and Serjeant
were scalped by the Savages near Fort-Edward.
O America! O America! I lament for your
Simplicity ! May your Children exert them
selves with more Vigour, and look out with
greater Circumvention, or they will be un
done!
Extras of a Letter from Fort-Miller, July 17.
" Sunday last arrived here General Nixon's
Brigade from Peek's Kill, witli a fine Com
pany of Artillery : They have left all their
Baggage here and gone out upon a Scout.—
Yesterday the Enemy took two Waggons with
Provifiens. A Number of Officers are under
Arrell at this Place for Cowardice."
We have it from the best Authority, that
the Garrison of Ticonderoga, when given up
to our implacable Enemy, confided of gooo
Troops, well arm'd, difciplin'd, coathed, and
a Plenty of Provisions.
KINGSTON, (Efopus) July2r.
We hear that upon the news of the evacua
tion of Ticonderoga, our troops and militia
came in from all quarters in such numbers,
that there were soon after at Fort Edward and
the polls near it, an army of above 20,000
men, who, it is hoped, may in their turn driva
General Burgoyne out of the country fafter
than he came, and may also properly check
and chastise those Indians, and worse Savages
the Tories that joined them, who on the news
of our quitting Ticonderoga, began to difeover
a hostile disposition towards us, and that they
were only restrained by fear from ailing as
open enemies.
July 28. We learn that some villainous de
signs of thq enemy (befitting the baseness of
SCOTLAND.
Aberdeen, May 19. We are informed, that
upon application of Lord Adam Gordon, the
King has been pleased to approve of the 129
recruits, raised in the North, by Colonel Ben
jamin Gordon, of the 48th regiment, being
transferred to the Cameronians, now serving
under General Sir William Howe in America,
which with the two additional companies
already raised by his Lord Dip in Scotland, will
nearly compleat that gallant old corps to the
American eftabliffiment.
their, cause) to be executed by their feorl
emifariec ,in General WaDington's camp,
was lately discovered, and the aDors-properly
punill)cd.
PHILADELPHIA, Avguft 6.
" Lewis down, Augufl 2, 1777, 8 o'clock,
A. M.
“When T wrote to you last, 1 acquainted
you of a large fleet being near the Capes ;
they made for our bay till the evening, arid I
expected next morning to have seen them
within the Cape, but when daylight appeared
they were several leagues farther out than they
were the night before, which I imagined was
owing to their being but a very little wind and
a wl.o'e ebb tide in the night; however at 9
o'clock, A. M. on the 31st ult. the Commo
dore, which was one cf the nearest Blips to
the Cape, fired 2 gun and hoitted a flag, and
bore down on the fleet, the wind being to the
westward. About noon it fell calm, and about
2 o'clock, P. M. the wind came to the south
ward, and the fleet flood off by the wind, ex
cept four frigates and four tenders, which are
in and near our road. Just before sun-set we
were alarmed from the Light-houfd that the
fleet was standing in again ; however, on
the firft of August they were entirely out of
fight. Whether they are gone to the South
ward or Northward is not in my power to tell.
When they disappeared the wind was about
South. I ffiould have sent off this express be
fore, but delayed it from reports being often
brought that they were landing in again.
The Roebuck went off with the fleet, and has
not been seen since.
That brigadier Pcor, brigadier Patterf<m,~
and brigadier Roche de Formoy be directed to
repair to head quarters.
Elugufi 3. Rejoined, That general Walhing
ton be diiefled to order the general whom he
shall judge proper, to relieve general Schuyler
in his command, to repair with all possible
expedition to the northern department, giving
him directions what number of the militia to
call in from the dates of New-Hampfhiie,
Massachusetts-Bay, Connecticut, New-York,
New-Jerley. and Pennsylvania.
That notice be immediately sent to the exe
cutive powers of the said Rate^, and that they
be earnestly requeued to get the militia in those
parts of their iefpeaive Rates molt contiguous
to the northern department, ready to march at
a moment's warning, and to fend with all
possible expedition, such parts of them as the
general commandingin the northren department
hull require, to serve till the 15th of Novern-
HENRY FISHER.
" N. B. Nehemiah Field and San.uel Ed
wards, both pilots, went on board {he enemy's
Dips from the beach-"
A Letter from Benjamin Franklin and Silas Deane,
Ljqrs; to Lord Stormont, the Englifo Embefador
at Paris.
My Lord, Paris, April 2, 1777.
W r E did ourselves the honour of writing
some time ago to your Lord Dip, on
the subject of exchanging Prisoners. You did
not condefeend to give us any anfiver, and
therefore we exped none to this. We how
ever take the liberty of fending yot icopies of
certain depositions, which \ye Shall transmit to
Congress, whereby it will be known to your
Court, that the United States are not unac
quainted with the barbarous treatment their
people receive when they have the misfortune
of being your prisoners here in Europe; and
that if y<ur condor towards us is not altered,
it is not unlikely that severe reprifJs may be
thought justifiable, from the necessity of put
ting some check to such abominable practices.
For the fake cf humanity it is to be wished
that men would endeavour to alleviate, as
much as poffible,' the unavoidable miseries
attending a date of war. It has been said,
that among the civilized nations of Europe,
the undent horrors of that state are much dimi
nilhed; but the compelling men by chains,
stripes, and famine, to fight against their
friends and relations, is a new mode of barba
rity which your nation alone had the honourof
inventing; and the fending American prison
ers of war to Africa and Asia, remote from all
probability of exchange, and where they can
scarce hope ever to hear from their families;
even if the unwholfomnefs of the climate docs
not put a speedy end to v eir lives, is a man
ner of treating captives that you can justify by
no other precedent or custom except that of the
black savages of Guinea.
We are,
Your LordDip's most obedient,
Humble servants,
B. FRANKLIN, S. DEANE.
Lord Viscount STORMON I'.
To the above letter the following infolcnt
reply was made,
" The King's amhafador receives no letters from
' <Rebels, except when they come to ajk mercy."
In C ONGRE S S, July 29, 1777.
Rfalved, That an enquiry be made into
the reasons cf the evacuation of Ticonderoga
and Mount Independence, andinto the coa
du& of the general officers who were in the
northern department at the, time of the evacu
ation.
That a committee be appointed to digest and
report the mode cf conducting the enquiry.
% /'^, 30. Refolded, That major general St.
Clair, who commanded at Ticonderoga and
Mount Independence, forthwith to repair to
head quarters.
August i. Refolded, That major general
Schuyler be directed to repair to head quarters.
That general Waffiington be directed to or
der such general officer as he Dall think pro
per, immediately to repair to the northern
department to relieve General Schuyler in his
command there.