The Connecticut courant, and the weekly intelligencer — Hartford [Conn.], 1782-12-10 00:00:00, page 2

BRU SSELS, September 9.
,she Madrid Gazette of the 23d of August,
has the following article: " Lall Wednesday
noon his Excellency Prince Mafieraho arrived at
St. Ildephonfo, dispatches from the camp at St.
Roche, by the Duc de Crillon, with the fortunate
news, that in the night of the 15th, they had
•reeled, in the space of five hours, an apaule
meat ten feet in thickness and 9 in height: And
that they had also conveyed thither 600,000 sacks
of earth, in a parallel of 230 toifes, and that they
had opened a communication 630 toifes, with
fafeines, &c. ten thousand men, French and Spa
niards, were employed in the work, and though
it was performed under the fire of the place they
did not lose a single man, which they ascribe to
a very great silence of the men. The Generals
who attended, declare that they did not hear the
fmalleft.noife at the distance 01 fix paces.'
LONDO N, September 10.
Extract of a letter from New-York, August 6;
by the Sir Guy Carleton, arrived at Cork.
" The communication of this place with the
country is so open, that boats, 81c. from Phila
delphia, Boston, and all the northern provinces,
are, admitted without flags of truce, to come in
and purchase goods, &c. without molestation.—
The troops are encamped between King's bridge
and Greenwich. Washington is about 15 miles
off; both armies remain quiet, and no appear
ance of hostilities, which makes us think here,
there is some negociation going^on with the
northern colonies."
A fleet is now getting ready to fail with all
possible expedition, and will rendezvous at Portf
znouth, in the course of a few days, for home
proteaion in the absence of the fleet, against any
attacks that may be made by the Dutch.
Many people are under apprehensions for the
success of Lord Howe, in his present expedition
to Gibraltar from the difparityof his fleet to the
combined forces of our enemies.
Very serious apprehensions are entertained on
many parts of the northern coast, of a visit from
the Dutch in the absence of the grand fleet as it
has been long publickly talked of at Arnfterdam,
that an expedition would be undertaken against
Hull as soon as the fleet failed for Gibraltar.
If the Jamaica fleet, which is shortly expected,
should approach our coast before the return of
Lord Howe, there is great reason to apprehend
they may fall into the hands of the Dutch, not
withstanding the very ftrongconvoy which accom
panies them to Europe.
It should seem that Administration have reason
to expert a very strenuous opposition to the at^
tempt for the relief of Gibraltar; otherwise they,,
would hardly fend thither so immense a fleet,'
under five ofthe best Admirals in the navy.
The Baltic fleet being Itill at sea under a very
slender convoy, occasions great apprehensions at
the Admiralty, as the Dutch fleet will certainly
put to sea in search of them as soon as they re
ceivecertain advice of the failing of Lord Howe's
fleet for Gibraltar.
September 16.
Governor Elliot, whose military prowess has
rendered him the admiration even ofhis enemies,
it is said will visit England shortly after the Spa
niards raise the siege before Gibraltar# A cir
cumhance that is generally believed will take
place shortly after the arrival of Lord Howe,
with fucconrs for the garrison.
The following are said to be copies of two let
ters which lately passed between the Duc de Cril
lon and General Elliot :—
"S I R,
Camp of Buedvefta, Aug. 19, 1782.
" His Royal Highness Comte d'Artois, who
has received permission from the King his bro
ther to aflift at the siege, as a volunteer in the
combined army of which their Most Christian
and Catholic Majesties have honoured me with
the command, arrived in this camp the 15th in
stant. This young Prince has been pleated, in
passing through Madrid, to take charge of some
letters, which has been sent to that capital from
this, and which are addressed to persons belong
ing to your garrison : His Royal Highness has
desired that I would transmit them to you, and
that to this mark of his goodness, and attention
I should add the strongest expressions of esteem
for your person and character. I feel the great
er pleasure in giving this mark of condefeenfion
in this august Prince, as it Furnishes me with a
pretext, which I have been anxiously looking for
these two months that I have been in this camp,
to allure you of the high esteem I have conceived
for your Excellency; of the sincere desire I feel
of defervirfg yours, and ofthe pleasure to which
I look forward of becoming your friend, after I
fhallhave learnt to render myfelf worthy of the
honour of facing you as an enemy. His High
ness the Duke de Bourbon, who arrived here
twenty-four hours after theComte d'Artois, de
sires also that I should aflure you ofhis particular
esteem. Permit me fir, to offer you a few trifles
for your table, of which I am sure you must stand
in need : As I know you live entirely on vegita
bles, I should be glad to know what kind you
like best. I shall add a few partridges for the
gentlemen of your houfhold, which I presume
will not be disagreeable, in the excessive heat of
this climate, at this season of the year. I hope
you will be obliging enough to accept the small
portion which I fend with this letter.
I have the honour to be, See."
His Excellency General Elliot, &c.
The ANSWER.
"S IR,
Gibraltar, August 20.
" I find myfelf highly^honored by your oblig
ing letter of yesterday, in which your Excellen
cy was so kind as to inform me ofthe arrival in
your camp of His Royal Highness the Compte
d'Artois, and the Duke de Bourbon, to serve as
volunteers at the liege. These Princes have
shewn their judgment in making choice of a
master in the art of war, whose abilities cannot
fail to form great warriors. lam really over
whelmed with the condefeenfion of His Royal
Highness, in fuffering some letters for persons
in this town to be conveyed from Madrid in his
carriages : I flatter myfelf that your Excellency
will give my most profound refpeds to His Roy
al Highness, and to the Duke de Bourbon, for
the expressions of esteem with which they have
been pleased to honor so infignificant a person
as I am.
" I return a thousand thanks to your Excel
lency for your handsome present of fruits, ve
getables and game: You will excuse me, how
ever, I trust, when I assure you, that in accept
ing your present, I have broken through a reso
lution, which I had faithfully kept since the be
ginning of the war; and that was, never to re
ceive, or procure by any means whatever, any
provisions or other commodity for my own pri
vate use; so that, without any preference, eve
ry thing is fold publickly here, and the private
soldier, if he has money, can become a pur
chaser, as soon as the Governor. I confefs I
make it a point of honour, to partake both of
plenty and fearcity, in common with the lowest
of my brave fellow soldiers: this furnifhes me
with an excuse for the liberty I now take, of en
treating your Excellency not to heap any more
favours on me of this kind, as in future I cannot
convert your presents to my own private use.
Indeed to be plain with your Excellency, though
vegetables at this season are scarce with us, eve
ry one of us has^got a quantity proportioned to
the labour he has bellowed in railing them. The
English are naturally fond of gardening and cul
tivation; and here we find our amusement in it
during the intervals of rest from public duty.
" The promise which the Duc de Crillon
makes to honour me, in proper time and place,
with his friendship, lays me under infinite obli
gations: The interests of our fovereighs being
once solidly fettled, I shall with eagerness em
brace the firfl opportunity to avail myfelf of so
precious a treasure.
" I have the honour to be, &c."
His Excellency the Duc de Crillon, &c.
Sept 19. We give the public the following
account, upon the credit of a gentleman of
known veracity: When the Royal George over
fet, the live flock upon deck were naturally left
floating on the water; among these were two
sheep, which swam to Ryde in isle of Wight,
and brought on ihore with them a little boy in
petticoats, seemingly between two and three
years old, having an arm over each of their
necks. The child is likely to do well, and ha
ving loft both its parents in that unhappy cata
flrophe, a naval officer who was present, inti
mated an intention of adopting it.
A report prevailed yesterday, that advices
were received in town the preceeding evening,
with certain information of the Duch fleet ha
ving failed from the Texel on Sunday morning
last. The enemy's squadron was said to consist
of 17 fail of the line, 14 of which were two
deckers, and as their object was certainly to in
tercept the Baltic fleet so long expected, great
apprehensions were entertained yesterday re
fpefting their fafety. No official accounts, how
ever, have yet been received of the Dutch fleet
having left the Texel.
N E W - YOR K, November 23.
Copy of an order of jCongrefs, releasing Capri
By the United States in Congress assembled;
November 7, 1782.
On the report of a Committee to whom was
referred a letter ofthe 19th of August, from the
Commander in Chief, a report of a Committee
thereon, and motion of Mr. Williamson and
Mr. Rutledge relative thereto, and also another
letter of the 25th of October from the Comman
der in Chief, with a copy of a letter from the
Count de Vergennes, dated the 29th of July last,
interesting for Captain Afgill.
Resolved,
That the Commander in Chief be direded and
he is hereby directed to set Captain Afgill at
liberty.
CHARLES THOMSON, Secretary.
Copy of a letter from General Washington te
Capt. Afgill covering the above Resolve.
SIR,
Head-Quarters, 13th November.
IT affords me lingular pleasure to have it in
my power to transmit you the inclofed copy of
an aril of Congress ofthe 7th inst. by which you
are released from the disagreeable circumstances
in wliich you have so long been. Supposing you
would wish to go into New-York as soon as pos
sible I also enclose a passport for that purpose.
Your letter ofthe 18th of October, came re
gularly to my hands, I beg you to believe that
my not answering it sooner did not proceed from
inattention to you, or^a want of feeling for your
situation, I daily expeCted a determination of
your case, and I thought it better to await that,
than to feed you with hopes, that might in the
end prove fruitlefs. You will attribute my de
tention of the enclosed letters which have been
in my hands about a fortnight, to the famecaufe.
I cannot take leave of you, Sir, without as
suring you, in whatever light my agency in this
unpleasing affair may be received, I never was in
fluenced through the whole of it by sanguinary
motives, but by what I conceived a sense of my
duty, which loudly called upon me to take
measures, however disagreeable, to prevent a re
petition of those enormities which have beenthe
fubjea of difeuffion, and that this importantend
is likely to be answered, without the effufion of
the blood of an innocent person, is not a greater
relief to you, than it is to Sir,
Your most obedient and humble servant,
(Signed) G. WASHINGTON.
Nov. 27. This day the brig Iris came into this
port, being one of the fleet of 18 fail, chiefly
transports and victuallers, arrived fafe at th®
Hook from London, in seven weeks passage, un
der convoy of the Cerberus. By the Iris, Capt.
Cadclough, we learn, that on the day the above
fleet failed, a dispatch vessel arrived, which left
Lord Howe's fleet entering the gut ofGibraltar,
without opposition.
The Cerberus, on the passage, captured two
Spanish merchantmen.
By the above fleet we have received the fol
lowing glorious intelligence from Gibraltar, ex
traded from London papers to the 7th of last
month.
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE.
HAGU E, October 1.
We have just received the following private
intelligence from Paris, the contents of which
are fufficient to excite the tears of every humane
person.
Paris, September 26.
SIR,
I here fend you the melancholy relation ofthe
disasters which happened at the feige of Gibral
tar.
On the 9th the land batteries began to play on
the place, the fire was well supported and direct
ed, and every day made some progress, there was
no doubt therefore entertained, that when the
floating batteries began their fire Gibraltar mult
soon capitulate.
On the 13th the eleven floating batteries took
their Ration for attacking the place on the fide
next the sea. The arrangements having been
made without any obstacle, at nine in the morn
ing, the firing began from the floating batteries,
which mounted altogether 193 brass cannon,and
had besides above 150 other cannon, that served
for ballast, and for charge in case of accidents ;
these cannon were all 24 pounders.
The whole firing atonce,both from the land @nd
sea, presented the most dreadful feene th^t can