The Pennsylvania gazette — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-07-03 00:00:00, page 2

^ the Schooner Three Friends, Captain Stalker, arrived at
Halifax the a6tb ult. in five <weeke from London, cue
have the following advices.
W E S I'M I NST E R, April 2.
THIS day his Majesty went to the House of Peers,
and being in his royal robes seated on the throne
with the usual solemnity, Sir Francis Molyneaux, Gentle
man Ulher of the Black Rod, was sent with a message
ft^rri his Maje^y to the House of Commons, command
ing their attendance in the Horife of Peers: The Com
mons being come hither accordingly, his Majesty was
pieafed to give the royal assent to twelve public and ten
private Bills.
LONDO N, March 19.
An evening paper of last night fays, out of the provi
sion article of hogs lately sent to Boston, we can assure
the public, that what from diseases, &c. only four bogs
were landed, which, after paying every expence, flood
government in the very moderate sum of eleven hundred
pounds per hog; the fourcrout, from similar cirdim
ftances, cost them seven hundred pounds. —Query: If an
army of fifty thousand men, at the djftance of three
thousand miles, are to be fed at this expence (allowing
them to be victorious) is it not paying too dear for such
aconqueft?
Orders are said to be given from the war office, and
also from the victualling-office, to ft op all provisions from
being put on board the transport ships, and for the sol
diers laying at Portsmouth, Chatham, &c. from embark
ing, and to flop all other proceedings for twenty days.
Yesterday morning four waggons laden with money
were sent off from the Bank, under a proper escort, to
Portsmouth, for payment of his Majesty's ships and the
transports lying there bound to America.
March go. Previous to the departure of the foreign
mercenaries to America, the sums stipulated for their
hire and pay is to be advanced by Great Britain. The
Prince of Waldeck, and several of the German Princes
who have engaged to furnifh troops, are expected in Eng
land. These Princes have a juster notion of the finances
of England to permit their fubjefts to embark before they
are paid for their hire.
It is aftonifhi'ng how any man could even dream of
fending cavalry to America. Only let us for a moment
Conceive a dragoon, with his bags, his bucket, his boots,
his belts, his havre-fack, his cloak, his cantine, his broad
sword and his carbine, galloping round a tree to catch a
rifleman or an Indian !Itis a cow catching a hare. The
idea is laughable, if the consequences were not serious.
Notwithstanding the pacific notion of the Spaniards,
as we have been hitherto amused with, we are credibly
informed they have been a long time both recruiting their
infantry and marine, that they have no less than four
formidable camps at present forming, the principal of
which is not far from the lines of Gibraltar, and that
there is in every department, both civil and military, a
great alacrity for war.
House of Commons, April 2. Mr. Hartly, member
for Kingston upon Hull, rose a little after four; and in
an introductory fp&ech, which lasted till neat fix o'clock,
he went thro' the management of the American war in
all the departments of the army and navy, and en
deavoured to shew that the expence far exceeded what
had been stated the House by Administration; that the
supplies %,ted would prove inadequate; that the esti
mates fell fhoft as they had been laid before the House;
2nd that the real charge of the war for the current year
remained unprovided for. He therefore moved, that a
full and clear account of the total expence for the navy
and army should be laid before the House, and he thought
it would be found to amount to twelve millions. This
is the best information we could collect, and we hope it is
in fubftauce the meaning of the motion, but the gallery
doors, as usual, were locked.
April 11. A council has been lately held at St. James's
on a very extraordinary occasion ; no less, it is said, than
a representation of the commander in chief, and the rest
of the general officers in America, containing their rea
sons against the prosecution of the war, and demonstrat
ing the impracticability of carrying it into execution
with any profpeC tof success.— St. % Chron.
Advice is received from Gibraltar, that one of his
Majeffy's ships of war, belonging to Admiral Mann's
squadron, had chafed five American vessels into the Bay
of Cadiz. The Captain of the man of war immediately
waited on the commander in chief at port, who informed
him, that if he would put to sea immediately, the Ame
ricans should not land their cargoes, but quit the place
in 24 hours. The man of war left the port directly, and
cruized off the mouth of the Bay, till the above vessels
(which were forced to put to sea) came out, which they
made prizes of and carried into Gibraltar.
Orders are sent to Chatham for his Majesty's frigate
Amazon, Capt. Jacobs, of 32 guns, to be fitted out for
the North American station.
Upwards of 700 seamen have lately entered at the
seaports in Ireland, to serve on board his Majesty's ships
of war going to America.
The ships going to America this spring are to fail in
three fleets, viz. one from Cork, with three men of war
and four frigates; one from Plymouth, with two men of
war and three frigates, and the other from Portsmouth,
with two men of war, and only two frigates, which it is
supposed will be a means of keeping the Provincials from
attacking them.
April 13 General Burgoyne carried with him 1300 flat
bottomed boats, all ready framed, to carry his army
across the lakes to penetrate into the back settlements of
New-England.
Extrafl of a letter from Madrid, March 17.
" Our court teems to have quite given up the proposed
attempt of a second expedition against Algiers. All the
preparations for that expedition have now another desti
nation, and are said to be intended to watch over our set
tlements in America, as the war between England and its
Colonies renders it necessary for all powers who have any
settlements in those parts to put them in so secure a situa
tion, that they may be in no danger of Suffering from the
abovementioned disputes."
Extras of a letter from Briflo!, April 13.
" This morning arrived here the Hibernia, Knethell,
from Cork, who failed from thence the 9th instant, and
informs, that the men of war, with upwards of forty fail
of transports under their convoy, failed the 3th from the
Cove, and as the wind blew frefh at N. E. smd continued
;f® for many days, it is imagined they must be got quite
clear. The Tartar. Captain Russel, and the Friendly
Trader, with several volunteers on board, failed from this
place for Cork and America."
April 16. Letters from Stockholm advise, that the
great activity shewn in putting the army, fleet, and for
trelfes in the belt hate of defence, causes much talk;
which, added to the like activity at the Pruffiau ports,
make feme think all things are not right between the two
powers; Time, however, will clear up this matter.
Letters from Warsaw advise, that the journey of Prince
Henry of Prussia to Peterfburgh is looked Upon to relate
to the affairs of other nations besides those of Poland.
The Spaniards are augmenting every garrison of the
least confeq'uence in the Streights. At Barcelona an entire
new battery is raised of 18 pounders, ail brass.
Some new regulations are to b@ .made in the naval de
partments, for which orders are sent to the Commission
ers of the several dock yards to attend the Admiralty
Board the 2d of next month.
April 19. Yesterday an express arrived at Lord Ger
maine's office from Gov. Tryon at New-York, which was
immediately sent to the King at Buckingham-house.
The last French mail brought certain accounts, that
there was a fleet equipped at Toulon, and ready teput
to sea upon three days notice, confiding of twelve ships
of the line of battle, three frigates and a bomb.
Extract of a letter from Gofport, April 15.
" Since my last arrived at Spithead ten transports, to
take on board the Guards, &c. going to America.
" His'Majefty's ship Garland is put into Commission at
this port, and the command given to Captain Pearson, and
is ordered to fit for America."
HALIFAX (Nova-Scotia) May 14.
Last Tuesday morning arrived a vessel from Canfo, by
her we learn, that a fleet of transports (about 13 fail)
full of troops, were seen off that place, supposed bound
f° r Quebec.
Saturday night arrived a packet from England for their
Excellencies Admiral Shuldham and General Howe.
May 28. Wednesday last was sent in here by the
Orpheus frigate, Captain Hammond, a French schooner,
which by her course, when taken, was bound to Block-
Island, near Connecticut.
Since our last several transports and victuallers arrived.
By the above vessels we hear, that a number of trans
ports with German troops, in his Majesty's service, on
board, were seen going up the English channel, the latter
end of April ult. to join Admiral Howe who was ex
pected to fail for America about the middle of this month.
Sunday last arrived his Majesty's ship Swan from New
port, Rhbde-Ifland.
C H,ARLES-TOWN (South-Carolina) May 22.
On Monday Capt. Tufts, in the colony schooner De
fence, returned from a cruise, with a brigantine belong
ing to New-York, that had been a whaling. The fame
day an Englilh man of war and her tender appeared off,
and yesterday morning Capt. Turpin, in the colony bri
gantine Comet, with a large ship, a prize, hove in fight.
The man of war had lain at an anchor off the bar all the
preceding night, and as soon as the Comet and her
prize appeared, weighed and gave chace; the wind being
at S. W. and the man of war considerably to leeward,
she could not come up with the Comet or her prize, both
of which bore down for the bar; but, unfortunately,
the tide just then turning, and the prize ship drawing 17
feet water, it was found impracticable to bring her over,
she was therefore run aground about 3 miles to the N. E.
of Fort Johnson. Capt. Tufts had, previous to this,
gone down with an intention of affording all the assist
ance ke could to bring off the prize, but hkewife run
aground, and the tide falling prevented the Comet
coming near her. The man of war, taking advantage
of these circumstances, 'fent her tender, full of men, to
the prize, which had been abandoned, and set her on fire.
She was the St. James, Capt. Wilson, and was bound
from Jamaica to Bristol, with a very valuable cargo of
rum, sugar, &c. all of which was entirely loft. A few
random shot were exchanged between the man of war
and the Defence; the Comet fired some guns at the ten
der, but, being at a considerable distance, it is supposed,
without effect.
The man of war is still in the Offing, and this after
noon her tender took a small coasting sloop, thought to
be from Winyaw with turpentine.
WILLIAMSBURG, June 22.
Last Monday an express arrived at head-quarters from
General Lee, who left his Excellency the 6th instant at
Little River, on the road to Charleftown, with three bat
talions of the North-Caroling troops, marching with all
possible expedition to the assistance of that place ; General
Clinton, with upwards of 50 fail of men of war and
transports, having appeared off their bar the Tuesday be
fore, where they call anchor. Two other North-Caro
lina regiments, and Col. Muhlenburg's Virginia battalion,
were iikewife on their march for Charleftown: with
whose assistance it is not doubted but our brethren in
South -Carolina will be able to defeat any attempts of
their enemies, and, when under the conduct of 10 able
and experienced a commander, give them that chastise
ment which they are so richly entitled to.
By the fame express we learn, that a sloop arrived at
Charleftown the 25th ult. from St. Euftatia, with 10,000
wt. of gunpowder ; the master of which informed, that
a large vessel had arrived at that island from Holland,
deep loaded with arms and ammunition. He aifo said,
that all the French ports in the Welt-Indies were now
open to us, and that their ships of war have received or
ders to protect our vessels in and out of their harbours;
that the French arc fortifying Dunkirk, which produced
a remonstrance from the British court, but without effect,
Yesterday the Hon. Convention made choice of the fol
lowing gentlemen to represent this dominion in General
Congress, for one year, viz. George Wythe, Tho
mas Nelson, Jun. Richard Henry Lee, Thomas
Jefferson, and Francis Lightfoot Lee, Esquires.
This morning Capt. James Barron came to town from
Jamestown, with the agreeable news that he and his bro
ther, in two small armed vessels, were fafe arrived there,
with the Oxford transport from Glasgow, having on
board 217 Scotch Highlanders, with a number of women
and children, which they took last Wednesday evening,
on her way up to Gwyn's island, to join Lord Dunmore.
The people on board inform, that they are part of a b®dy
of 3000 troops which failed from Glasgow for Boston,
but upon 'nearing that place was in our poffeffiou, they
fleered their course for Halifax; that they had been taken
by the Andrew Doria, one of the Continental fleet, who,
after disarming them, and taking out all the principal
officers, with such of the tranfport's crew as were ac
quainted with navigation, put eight of their own hands
on board to bring her into port, but that the carpenter
of the transport formed a party and refeued the vessel
from them, and was conducting her into Hampton road,
when the two Captain Barrons very fortunately came
across them, and moored them fafe at Jamestown, where
they are now disembarking, and are expected in town
this day.
WATERTOWN, June 24.
Yesterday afternoon 13 large ships were seen standing
in for Boston, thought to be the remainder of the Scotch
fleet, with their convov.
PROVIDENCE, June 22.
Wednesday last the officers taken by Capt. Biddle.out
of two transport flrips from Scotland arrived here, and
Tuesday last one of the above mentioned frigates ran
in with a Imall breeze, and fired two broadsides into the
Columbus, Capt. Whipple, as she lay becalmed near
Newport, which killed one man, and cut some of her
rigging.—As soon as the wind struck the Columbus,
Capt. Whipple returned the compliment with a broadside,
when the frigate sheared off.
; Wednesday last Capt. Church arrived here from Hispa
niola, with some powder and arms.
NE W-Y 6 R K, July 1.1
The ship taken on the South fide of Long-Bland is one
of the transports from Greenock, with a number of High
landers on board, eighty butts of porter, &c. ^ome of
the officers and their ladies came to town last Tuesday.
We hear it js proposed, that after three months, the
currency of all copper coin, made of base metal, or
wanting in weight, to be totally foppreffed, and that the
rest is to pass at the rate of 15 for an eighth part of a dol
lar. And if it fhall.appear that there is not a Sufficiency
for common use, that it will be all called in, and a new
impreflion struck of Continental copper coin, of a large
size, twelve of which is to pass for an eighth part of a
dollar, of which no other coppers are to pass current.
Last Thursday week the privateers Montgomery and
Schuyler, of this port, retook and carried fafe into a port
to the Eastward, two whaling brigs from Brazils, belong
ing to Nantucket, a schooner belonging to Cape-Ann,
with sugar and molasses, and a sloop from Rhodc-Illaiid,
with lumber and flour.
On board one of the whalers (Captain Burker) came
passenger, William Hallock, of the whaling brig Elliot,
of this port, who, on the 19th of May, was taken and
carried into Antigua, having on board 250 barrels oil, and
gives us the following account viz. That Captain Helms,
with 400 barrels was carried into Antigua also; and Cap
tain Jenkins, into Dominica, with 150 barrels; that Cap
tain J^ger with 400 barrels had got into Guadaloupe ;
and Captain Darling, with 400 barrels more, had arrived
at St. Lucee ; that Captain Pinkman with 220 barrels was
left on the Brazil coast, and he supposed all the other
whalers were well.
Oue of the above-mentioned vessels was taken by the
Greyhound frigate, Captain Dickenfon, from Halifax for
New-York, having General Howe on board. The ship
failed from Halifax the 9th of June, in company with a
fleet of 130 fail.
In conftquence of an information lately made that sun
dry persons had entered into a solemn agreement to aid
and assist our unnatural enemies in making themselves
masters of our city, several of them were apprehended ;
and on Friday last one of those conspirators, a soldier in
his Excellency General Washington's guard, was execut
ed in a field near this city, in the prefcnee ®f a multitude
of fpedators.
The number of transports now at Sandy-Hook, we
hear, amounts to 113 fail, and we have not the least rea
son to doubt that General Howe is in this fleet. From
the number of troops now here, and those on their way,
from different parts of the country, it is computed our
army will soon amount to 25,0c® men.
A boat from the fleet was reconnoitring in our harbour
last Saturday night, but a shot from one of our batteries
soon made her tack about.
We hear that four more transports with troops, befidea
those already mentioned, have been lately taken, and
carried into some of our ports to the eastward.
PHILADELPHIA, July 3.
Yefterdav the CONTINENTAL CONGRESS declar
ed the UNITED COLONIES FREE and INDEPEN
DENT STATES.
Yesterday Captain Metfon, late of the snow Dickenfon,
of this port, arrived here from Bristol, but last from the
Weft-Indies. He failed from this place last February,
bound for Nantz, but the Mate, assisted by the crew,
seized and confined the Captain on the coast of Portugal,
and then altered their course for London; the southerly
winds driving them into Bristol Channel, they arrived at
Bristol the Bth of April, when the mate proposed to set
off immediately for London with all the letters and pa
pers' on board for the infpeftion of government. The
vessel was detained at Bristol till the determination of go
vernment concerning her should be known.
C°„ °f a Letter from Lieutenant-Colonel Campbell to Ge
neral Ho^e.
SIR, Boflon, °fune 19, 1776.
" I am sorry to inform you that it has been my un
fortunate lot to have fallen into the hands of the Ame
ricans, in the middle of Boston harbour; but when the
circumstances which have occasioned this disaster are
understood, I flatter myfelf no refleaiun will arise to
myfelf or my officers on account of it.
“ On the 16th of June the George and Annabella
transports, with two companies of the 71st regiment of
Highlanders, made the land of Cape-Ann, after a passage
of 7 weeks from Scotland, during the course of which
we had not an opportunity of speaking to a single vessel
that could give us the smallest information of the British
troops having evacuated Boston. On the 17th at day
light we found ourselves oppofitc to the harbour's mouth
of Boston, but from contrary winds it was necessary to
make several tacks to reach it. —Four schooners, which
we took to be pilots or armed vessels in the service of
his Majesty (but which was afterwards found to be four
American privateers, of eight carriage guns, twelve swi
vels, and 40 men each) were bearing down upon us at
four o'clock in the morning ; —at half an hour thereafter
two of them engaged us, and about eleven o'clock the
other two were clofc along fide. The George transport,
on board of which Major Menzies and I, with 108 men
of the 2d battalion, the Adjutant, the Qnarter-Mafter,
two Lieutenants and five volunteers were passengers, had
only fix pieces of cannon to oppose them ; and the An
nabella, on board of which was Capt. M'Kenzie, toge
ther with two subalterns, two volunteers, and 82 private
men of the firft battalion, had only two swivels for her
defence. Under such circurnftances 1 thought it expedi
ent for the Annabella to keep ahead of the George, that
our artillery might be used with more effect and less ob
ftrudion. Two of the privateers having stationed them
selves upon our larboard quarter, and two upon our star
board quarter, a tolerable cannonade ensued, which, with
very few intermissions, lasted till four o'clock in the
evening, when the enemy bore away and anchored in
Plymouth harbour. Our loss upon this occasion was
only three men mortally wounded on board the George ;
one killed and one man slightly wounded on board the
Annabella. —As my orders were for the port of Boflon,
I thought it my duty at this happy crisis to push forward
into th^ harbour, not doubting 1 Ihould receive protect
have since been conducted to a place of fafety in the
country, as were alfa.a number of Officers belonging to
the British navy, who have been confined for some time
past.
We learn, that a frigate from Halifax has joinedm
Cerberus at Block-island.