The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1781-02-27 00:00:00, page 1

Government are said to be in possession of ad
vices which positively affirm, that some capital
flips from the combined fleet, have been dis
patched as a further reinforcement to the fquad
ton in the American seas.
A private letter from Rome, mentions, that the
Pope declines daily, notwithhanding he takes the
utmost care of his health. The Cardinals have
already begun their cabals, and are making inter
est with those who can further their designs. It
is thought the chief contest will be between Car
dinal Pruili and the Cardinal York, son to the
late pretender.
Tne Cardinal York is one of the fix Cardinal
Bishops. He was born at Rome on the 6th day
of M^rch, 1725, and created Cardinal in the
rear 1747, when he was only 22 years old. Since
his brother loft all hopes of getting footing in
England, the Cardinal has entertained a bitter
hatred against this country; he hath studied the
complexion of Europe, and waited with earned at
tention for a vacancy in the popedom, when he
shall be of a fit age to be eleded. He is now
puffed it, and being in his 56th year, is eligible.
The Cardinal York is sure of the interest of
several Sovereigns, as well as a great part of the
sacred college, which for some time pad hath re
solved never to eleCt a foreigner. The King of
Sardinia is his relation ; the Kings of France and
Spain will doubtless give him their interests, as
they know his turbulent temper will go great
lengths to embroil England. The Emperor and
the King of the two Sicillies are so connected with
France and Spain, that they will join ; and the
Cardinalwill find nonein the interest of Cardinal
Priuli but the States of Venice and Genoa. The
crown of Portugal hath but little weight in either
scale ; as it.can have no hope ofraifingits fubjeft,
the Cardinal de Saldunha, the only Portuguese
Cardinal, to the tiara, will be careless who gets it.
From Petefburgh there is advice, that the
wholeof the Ruffian fleetwill winter at home, and
not at any port in the Mediterranean, as was ex
peCted ; the report of their having entered the
narbour of Breit is erroneous, as also the account
of their being laden with naval stores for the use
. of the enemies of Great-Britain.
LONDO N, October 21.
THERE were no less than fix thousand tons
of hemp consumed in the late conflagration
at Petersburg, which all belonged to the French,
to whom the loss for some time is irreparable, not
on account of its value, which does not exceed
140,0001. but from the want of that necessary
material for the navy.
Mr. Cruger sent the following letter to the
Sheriffs of Briftbl, when he declined the contest.
" Gentlemen,
" By the desire of my friends I decline the
poll. The majority obtained against me by bri
bery and undue influence, will be a subject of
future discussion.
" Accept, Gentlemen, my warmest thanks for
your impartiality, and believe me, with refpeCt,
Your most humble servant,
HENRY CRUGER.
General Burgoyne having little or no fortune,
it is in contemplation for him to take orders. His
nephew, the Earl of Derby, has two valuable
livings in his gift, the reCtory of Winwick, with
in a small distance of Warrington, in Lancashire,
worth upwards of 20001. per annum; and the
WEEKLY INTELLIGENCER.
HARTFO R D : Printed by HUDSON and GOO DWI N, near the Great Bri^gf^
TUESDA Y, February 27, 1781.
living of Bury, near Manchester, in the fame
county, worth above 12001. The present incum
bent (Dr. Stanly) great uncle to the Earl of
Derby, is very infirm, and it is said will resign
in favour of the General.
We are told from pretty good authority, that
the fiift business of the new Parliament will be
to enter into a treaty with America, the conse
quence of which may be easily forefeen. The
majority of the Colonies is for fettling matters
any way they can.
The Edict of the Court of Portugal relative to
forbidding the carrying prizes into Lisbon, is not
at all relished by our merchants, or owners of
privateers, as it gives a manifeft advantage to the
cruizers of France, Spain and America, over
England, who has not the advantage of a foreign
port nearer than Gibraltar. Although the Por
tuguese have not formally acceded to the neutral
confederacy, this last Edi& is in effect of the fame
consequence as if they had finally done so; for
in their admittance of general neutral commerce,
the unarmed trading ships of the United States
of America will be admjted with those of other
nations into the ports of Portugal.
The Court of Portugal has been the last of the
maratime powers to insult England in their regu
lations for neutral commerce. After embargo
ing for several days all the prizes captured by
Commodore Johnftone's squadron, they graci
oufl y permit those prizes to depart within 20
days. The Commodore failed with his squadron
for the Tagus the latter end of August ; thegoth
of that month the EdiCt is dated, but was not
put forth by authority till the Bth of September ;
a very few days after the Ruffian fleet, for pro
tection of neutral commerce, entered theTagus.
The following very remarkable events happen
ed lately at Dublin :—A certain tradesman's wife
of that city dying on Tuesday, her hulband burn
ed her on Wednesday; he married again on
Thursday; his new wife was brought to bed on
Friday; and he hanged himfelf on Saturday.
This morning some dispatches were received
from Gibraltar, by which we are informed, that
on the 25th ult. 6 fail of men of war, which were
under French colours, passed by that place for
the Streights.
Whitehall, November 14, 1780.
Copy of a letter from Sir Henry Clinton, K. B.
to Lord George Germaine, one of his Ma
jesty's principal Secretaries of State, received
by Capt. St. George, one of Sir Henry Clin
ton's Aids-de-Camp, who arrived from New-
York in the Fortune frigate.
Nezu-York, October, 12.
My Lord,
I N my feperate letter of yesterday's date, I
had the honor of informing your Lordship, that
the American Major-General Arnold had quitted
the rebel service, and joined the King's standard ;
and I at the fame time gave your Lordfid])a
circumstantial detail of the reasons that induced
him to take this step, as well as of the unfortu
nate failure of a plan, which I had the most
sanguine hopes, if carried into execution, would
have been productive of the greatest good con
sequences to his Majesty's service, but which
terminated most fatally for Major Andre, my
Adjutant-General, who being taken prisoner,
was tried by a board of rebel General Officers,
and condemned by their sentence to fuller death;
" The Chevalier de Ternay, and his squadron
yet remain at Rhode-Ifland.
" The squadron under my command is in the
best order, and ready for any service.
" Six privateers, mounting 20 guns, and man
ned by upwards of 700 men, have been since my
last captured from the rebels, by his Majesty's
cruizers, and carried into New-York : And this
day, after a chace from the squadron, by signal,
of 6 hours, the Culloden came up with andtook
the privateerfhip Washington, of Boston, mount
ing 20 fix-pounders, and 120 men.
" On the 30th ult. the Pearl, being off Ber
muda, fell in with the frigate L'Efperance, of 28
twelve-pounders, which after an action of two
hours, flruck to the superior gallantry and good
conduit of Captain Montagu. The prize ar
rived at New-York two days ago.
" For the particulars of the above-mentioned
action, fee the following extract of Capt. George
Montagu's letter to Admiral Sir George Bridges
Rodney, dated off New-York, Oct. 13, 1780."
Extras of a letter from Captain George Monta
gu, of his Majesty's fliip I'earl, to Sir George
Bridges Rodney.
" On the 30th of September we fell in with a
French ship, who engaged usclofc for 2 hours, 9
to Mr. Stephens, dated on board the Royal
Oak, at sea, OQ. 4, 1780.
" Having accidentally fallen in with the For^
tune, under the orders of Admiral Sir George
Rodney to proceed to England, I avail myfelf
of the opportunity to acquaint you, for their
Lordship's information, that I put to sea with this
squadron from Gardiner's Bay, on the 10th inst.
intending to cruize between the east end of
Long-Island and Nantucket shoals ; but on the
14th, falling in with the transports and victu
allers under the escort of the Hyaena (from which
the Adamant had fepa ated a few days) I judged
it expedient, on account of the numbers of rebel
privateers fitted out to intercept it, to fee them
off Sandy-Hook, which they entered yesterday.
" I am now proceeding to resume the cruiz
ing station before mentioned.
This expedition will fail the firft favourable
wind, the troops having been embarked for some
days, and every arrangement made for that pur
pose.
Your Lordship will receive herewith a state of
the troops under my command of the firft inst.
together with a distribution of the fame as they
stood on the 6th of that month.
I have the honor to be, with the greatest re
fpe& your Lordship's most obedient and
ihOft humble servant,
H. C LINTO N.
Extra& of a letterfrom Vice Admiral Arbuthnot.'
which sentence was ordered by the rebel General
Washington to be carried into execution upon
this unhappy gentleman, on the 2d inst. 1 fm
cerely lament the melancholy fate of this officer,
who was a very valuable assistant to me, and pro
railed to be an honor to his country, as well as an
ornament to his profeffion.
I had the honor to transmit to your Lordship;
in my dispatch, marked 104, a cony of the in-
Eruditions I proposed giving to Major-General
Leslie, whom I had appointed to command the
expedition to Chefapeak, in order that yourLord
fliip might be informed as to the principal object
of it.
(No. 840.)