The Pennsylvania gazette — Philadelphia, Pa., 1776-11-06 00:00:00, page 2

A Gentleman of this City has favoured us ^ith London Pa
pers to, the 15th of ^uguft, from nvbicb the following
Advices are taken.
LONDO N. AuguJi 6.
ADVICE is received, from Russia, that seven fail
of men of war, under the command of Vice-Admi
ral Telmanow, are faded from Cronftadt, but to what
part they are bound remains a secret.
The firft of July a French brig put int® Fyal, the Cap
tain of which said in his voyage he spoke with 20 fail,
great and small, of Spanish men of war, bound to Ame
rica.
A Portuguese man of war, of 60 guns, commanded
by Captain Snitzel, has taken, on the coast of Brazil, two
Spanier merchant ships, and sent them to Lisbon.
His Majesty's ship the Worcester, of 64 guns, cast an
chor at Fyal the latter end of June, at which place she
is Rationed to cruise off, to intercept the American ves
sels.
John Wilkes, Esq; is said to be extremely ill at Bright
helmftone.
We hear that a petition will be presented to the Se
cretary of State for the American department, by the
Merchants, to cawfe the Captain of the Yankey privateer
to be kept in custody to answer to them for the property
he has illegally taken, he being the sole owner of the
privateer; and the prizes, of course, will be fold, in
America, for his account and emolument.
The Neptune, Captain Coffin, which is arrived in the
River from the Brazils, spoke with upwaards of 30 Ame
rican whale-vessels; and was informed they had about
100 fail whaling on that coast, most of whom had met
with very great fuecefs.
Extract of a letter from Salsbury, August 5.
" A letter from Exmouth, dated July 31, fays, On
Saturday the 27th inst. off the Start, and on Sunday the
28th in Torbay, onr pilots spoke with a hrge New-Eng
land-built (loop, which mounted 14 carriage guns, and a
number of swivels; they counted above 40 men on board,
some of whom, on the pilot-boat's approach, had their
naked swords drawn; they enquired of the pilots, if any
Eaft-Indiamen were expected; and asked many other
questions; which plainly proved it was an American pri
vateer."
Some of the ballast-heavers murmer greatly at the plan
adopted by government, to employ the felons in that
business, as they fay it will throw great numbers of them
out of employ, by wh ; ch means their wives and families
will become burthenfome to their different parishes.
Yesterday Alexander Wedderburne, Esq; his Majesty's
Solicitor, set out for France. ',
On Friday night an express arrived from Glasgow, with
frcih difpatches' for Lord George Germaine, from Lord
Dunmore at Virginia, brought over by the Nelly, Capt.
Hudson, who was tken up there for that purpose by
Lord Dunmore. Several passengers are come over in her.
Auguf 9. Advices from the Electorate of Hanover fay,
their few manufactures, and their husbandry, are greatly
affected by recruiting and transporting so many men out
of the country.
During the time that General Howe lay at Turtle Bay,
he dispatched several lloops to New-York, Statten-Ifland
&c. to reconnoitre the situation of the American forces
in those parts; they returned and informed him, that
General Putnam lay at New-York entrenched, with a
body of 12,000 men, besides militia; that a great num
ber of Indians were also encamped on a rising ground
on Statten Island, who made a most formidable appear
ance; and that for 21 miles up the Narrows to New-
York, round tt>New England, were nothing but in
trenchments and forts full of men. They further in
formed him, that they were forming an intrenchment
through the middle of Long Island, to cut off any com
munication between him and New-York, provided the
troops from England, and those under his command,
should attempt to make good a landing at the east end
of Long Island.
Capt. Johnson, of the Yankey privateer, and Ross and
Hodges (Captains of the two Weft Indiamen taken by
the above privateer) were fitting together in Johnson's
cabin, a few days after they were taken, when Johnson
having inadvertently laid down his cutlass, Ross and
Hodges took advantage of it, by throwing him on his
back, and seized the cutlass.
The guard Rationed on the quarter-deck having also
laid down his cutlass, in order to go forward, one of
Ross or Hodges's people, who had been let into the se
cret, immediately seized it, and gave the alarm, on which
the men belonging to the Yankey, and those of the mer
chantmen (who ought to have been confined) run wp, and
one of the Americans having caught up a scrubbing brush,
and advancing in a threatening posture, was told by the
man who held the cutlass, that if he advanced a step fur
ther he would take his head off, and ordered him, and
the rest of the men belonging to the privateer, to go for
ward; Ross and Hodges in the mean time having broke
open the armed chest.
Captain Johnson and hls crew were removed from the
Yankey about two o'clock on Sunday morning, and it is
said are now on board the Conqueftadore man of war.
Capt. Johnson complains of Capt. Rofs's illiberal be
haviour, in fuffering several people to come on board
since he arrived, and insult him in the most cruel and
gross terms, though a prisoner; and when his brother
came to fee him, after three years absence, Capt. Ross
would not permit them tatalk a minute in private.
If Capt. Ross has secreted his prisoners, is it not wor
thy the interposition of the civil power to compel him to
produce them, that no foul play may be offered them,
till they have taken their trials?
Capt. Johnson, of the Yankey privateer, lately taken
and brought into the river, is a native of New-England.
Previous to the present unhappy difference between this
country and America, he lived as a merchant, in great
repute, at Portsmouth in New Hampshire. Last winter
be had the misfortune to have his house burnt down at
the time when the greatest part of Portsmouth was de
stroyed by the Swan, and other ships of war, at which
time he loft the whole of his property. The restraining
ad taking place, and depriving him from carrying on his
trade, he resolved to go to sea in a privateer, and accord
ingly hired the Yankey for that purpose.
Within these ten days no less than three expresses have
been received by government from General Howe.
The following is an authentic account of <wbat has lately
happened between Spain and Portugal.
" In the course of last year General Vertis, Governor
of Buenos Ayres, repeatedly wrote to the Court of Ma
drid, that the Portuguese daily encroached upon the
rights of the Spaniards, and laid violent hands on those
who dared to oppose them; but as often as the Spanish
minister complained about it to the Court of Lisbon, he
received for answer, “ That it must be some party quar
rel among the neighbouring inhabitants, and entirely
without the lead knowledge of the court." The mini-
fter implicitly was fatisfied with that answer, and wrote
to the general that the two courts were in the belt har
mony and friendship, and whatever happened between
the Spanish and Portuguese fubjeds in that quarter of
the world should be adjusted there, as it did not deserve
the particular notice of these courts.
" In the month of November last, the General sent a
very alarming letter to the Minister, insisting that the
Portuguese, whose forces increased daily, and who con
tinued to commit very daring and outrageous actions,
must have some hostile views, and therefore a proper and
fufficient reinforcement was highly necessary; upon which
the Minister complained again to the Court of Lisbon;
and as the answer did not follow immediately, a rein
forcement of three regiments was sent to Buenos Ayres,
with orders to join the land militia there.
" In the month of December, the Portuguefe* Am
bassador at Madrid waited upon the Minister there, de
claring in his Most Faithful Majesty's name, that he had
not the least hostile intentions, and that dispatches had
just been sent to all the chief officers in that quarter to
reprimand them for their past conduct, and to give the
ftrideft orders to keep their soldiers in due discipline,
assuring him at the fame time that nothing hostile should
be heardjn future.
" The latter end of April the minister, to his greatest
aftonifhmenl, received the following intelligence from
the above Governor: That on the 17th of March a Por
tuguese squadron, consisting of 1% ships of different sizes,
commanded by an English officer, attacked, near Las
Patos, five Spanish vessels, but the wind (which blew
very violently) happened to be in favour of the latter,
so that the former were scattered and obliged to retire;
however, some hundreds were killed and wounded in
the engagement; and that the English officer who had
the command, in a fit of difpair, threw two English of
ficers (whom he accused of cowardice) overboard, and
shot himfelf through the head. This was immediately
sent to the Court of Lisbon. The answer was, that it
might have been done previous to the late orders having
been received; but it was without the least knowledge
of the court. The Court of Madrid, notwithstanding
this answer, became suspicious, and orders were given
for an armament.
The Yankey privateer, with her guns and all her stores,
is ordered to be fold immediately, that the purchase mo
ney may be divided among the persons who took her.
A correspondent observes, that nothing but infatuation
could influence Administration in fending troops and mo
ney to conquer the Americans ; fpccie is what they prin
cipally want, and we have lent them a million of money,
which will circulate through that country, and never re
turn to Old England. The most effectual way to reduce
America is by the exertion of our naval strength, which
would destroy their trade, keep our navy on a refpeCtable
footing, strike terror into the natural enemies of Great-
Britain, and the money railed for equipping our fleets
would circulate at home.
" This is the nature of Don Cafton's (the commander
in chief of the united fleet) ambaffy to the Court of
Lisbon. All Europe is anxious to know how this mat
ter will end; and we hear that the Courts of Great-
Britain and France have both declared that the request
of the Court of Madrid is founded in justice and equity,
and should be complied with, as a fatisfadion to the
grossly offended Court of Spain. Mean while both France
and Spain are ready to crush the treacherous Portuguese
in case of non compliance."
The people of Ireland, in the linen trade, have fuffered
very much by the stoppage of the importation of flax feed
from North-America, from whence they used to have
great quantities; at present they, indeed, have some
from America, but then they receive it by the way of St.
Euftatia and Amsterdam, by which means the price is
greatly enhanced, and a loss fuffered by the country in
the employment of Dutch bottoms in carrying the fame.
Augu/t 15. Yesterday Lord Shelburne attended the le
vee at St. James's for the firft time for several years past;
at the fame time he took leave of his Majesty previous to
his departure to France.
This week upwards of fix thousand letters from New-
York, Halifax, and other parts of America, have been
received by different people in London, which were
brought by the New-York Packet, and transports that
have arrived since Friday.
A gentleman arrived from Cadiz informs us, that three
Spaniffi frigates, five transports with four regiments of
foot, and four victuallers, the day before he left that
place, failed for the Havannah.
By a private letter from the above place we are inform
ed, that an American privateer had arrived in that bay,
with some Spanish gentlemen on board that had been
some time at the Congress.
A great number of transport ships, in government ser
vice, now lay off Deptford, taking in naval stores for the
use of the fleets in America, which, as faft as their lad
ings are compleated, fail round for Portfmouh to proceed
to Halifax.
“ In the beginning of May, the Court of Madrid re
ceived dispatches that open hostilities were commenced
by the Portuguese ; that on the 2d of April 30 Portuguese
transports, having on board nine regiments and 300
pieces of cannon, commanded by German and English
officers, failed up the river Rio Grande, attacked the
fort St. Thecle, which was soon delivered up to them;
they further advanced and attacked the fort St. Tberefa,
(which by this time they are in possession of, as also of
that of Monte Video ;) General Vertis, in a hurry, went
with the garrison of Monte Video, and some artillery,
to oppose them, but was defeated; about 400 of his men
were killed, and about 100 wounded ; and when the dis
patches came away they were marching towards Buenos
Ayres.
“ Upon this alarming intelligence a general armament
was ordered throughout Spain, and some of their squa
drons united with the French, and the matter reds now
thus: the Court of Lisbon still insists that all this was
done without their order or knowledge; but as the lat
ter two forts, viz. St. Theresa and Monte Video, were
not taken before the 27th of April, a time when the or
ders of the Court of Lisbon (which according to the
above-mentioned declaration were sent in the beginning
of December last) must have been received, and conse
quently the officers have adted contrary to the royal or
der, the Court of Madrid insists that these offenders shall
be punished with death, which they richly deserved at
any rate, whether they acted against their orders, or
whether they a&ed without the knowledge of the Court
of Lisbon ; and if this be done, the Court of Madrid
will confider themselves amply fatisfied; but if this re
quest is not complied with, the latter will judge, (and
which is most probable) that it was done with positive
orders from the former court, and consequently they
will proceed to an open war, in which they will be as
sisted by the Court of France.
Orders are given to the Commissioners of the Navy to
take four ships into government service, to carry corn and
other provisions to Jamaica and Antigua, all intercourse
with the American Colonies, from which those places
were supplied, being flopped.
The late heavy rains have greatly impeded the har
vest, which, by this time, would otherwise have been
near over in many parts of the kingdom.
Extract of a letter from our Correspondent at the Hague,
Aagujt 9.
" The differences between Spain and Portugal become
daily of more importance; and we now plainly fee,
that the war between Great-Britain and America has a
great influence over the above affairs. It is true, that
the Court of France pretends to be peaceably inclined;
the Court of Spain pretends to be of the fame inclina
tion; but the whole Spanish nation (most undoubtedly
led on by the Nobles and Grandees) all cry out for a war,
insinuating that whilst Great-Britain is so deeply enfold
in a civil war, it will be impossible for her to defend Por
tugal, and consequently the latter will soon be conquered;
and if in case Great-Britain should attempt to ^ it for
Portugal, the whole continent of America mud then take
part with the Spaniards; so that at any rate fuccefsis al
most sure, The Britilh Minister at Madrid openly de
clared, that his Britannic Majesty would not leave his
allies on account of the present civil war, Minorca and
Gibraltar being well fortified, and battles by land and
sea should be fought for the Portuguese, in case Spain in
fixed upon a war.
" By tire last advices from Madrid, dated the 11th ult.
they were rather apprehensive that it would end in an
open war. According to these advices, an army of 40,00 c
men were ordered to march towards the Portuguese ter
ritories, commanded by Count Aranda, the Duke of
Grillon, and Don Pedro Cevallos ; and that the Portu
guese Minister was just preparing to return to Lisbon
when these advices came away: About 10,000 men were
ordered to embark for Buenos-Ayres, notwithstanding it
being almost too late in the season for that undertaking ;
nay, the intelligence from that quarter concerning the
insolent behaviour of the Portuguese is very alarming.
" On the other hand, we are astonished to find the
obstinacy of the Court of Lisbon.
“ In Ihort, we may assert, that several Courts of Eu
rope are concerned in the affair; and though this dispute
may appear trifling to many, yet it is the very beginning
of a general war, in which many mighty empires may
fall, and little ones grow opulent and powerful."
The miniherial writer, in our paper of Saturday, be
trays, fays a correspondent, the weakness of that cause
which he espouses, by the chain of falfhoods which run
throughout the whole of his paragraph, and whenever an
advocate is drove to that wretched resource, it deftyoys
the credit which otherwise his assertions might gain over
our understanding. The author asks, “ Whether the
Minidry are not struggling to support the constitutional
rights of this country, most treacheroully (he fays) in
vaded by those very people who are bound, by a double
tie of duty and gratitude, to yield obedience to the legif
latiye authority of its parent state?" Our correspondent
denies that this is the object of the dispute, for no at
tempt has ever yet been made by the colonies to wound
the vitals of our constitution ; they have stooped to a de
gree of meanness in their original endeavours to prevent
a rupture; they were spurned upon at the bar of the
House of Lords, and that nothing might be wanting on
the part of administration to raise their indignation, they
were proclaimed by the vociferous Sandwich, Denbigh,
and other noble Lords, as the most defpicablc of the hu
man species. The Americans, however, did not give way
to the firft transport of resentment; vilified as they were
by the most feurvy reflections, they repeated their at
tempts, and were as often disappointed; they relinquished
every right, but those which nature bestows upon them
as inhabitants of this terrestrial globe, in order that go
vernment might be furnifhed with no just pretence for an
open contention; and these very rights, it seems, mult
be (leferted before the proud-hearted Minister will con
defeend to treat with the rebellious Congress ; whatever
claim on the score of " duty" we may be said to have to
the Colonies, we cannot be allowed to have any on that of
" gratitude;" for it is notorious that in the last war
we squeezed them to a most fhameful and overbearing de
gree for supplies. It is ridiculous in the Minister to insist
upon that '' obedience to the legislative authority,"
which would strip them of every spark of title to freedom ;
if they must at last be slaves, let them preserve their li
berty to the last hour of their strength, and those who
fall in supporting the noble opposition to an arbitrary sett
of unprincipled Ministers, will die " glorious in their
just defence."—The question, “ for whom are the Mini
dry contending?" is eaiily answered, and mult appear
obvious to every moderate man. Their view in this un
natural war was to enrich themselves ; —they considered
a conquest as the immediate consequence of the firft spi
rited resolve. The honour of a Nobleman was pledged
for success. The noble Libertine undertook that the
On Tuesday afternoon died at his house in Grosvenor
Place, the Right Hon. Lord Cathcart, one of bis Majes
ty s most Honourable Privy Council, and lately appointed
one of the Lords of his Majesty's bedchamber, in the room
of the late Lord Marfham.
Tuesday a ship arrived from Quebec, which brings let
ters dated the 6th of Juy from thence, and of the 4th
from Montreal; they inform us that Gen. Carleton had
left 1000 of the foreign troops to garrison Quebec, and as
many at. Montreal, and that the main army, consisting of
^OOO regulars, and 2000 Canadians, with a large body of
Indians, making twelve tribes, were getting and alfem
bling the vessels and batteaus as faft as possible upon Lake
Champlain, in the neighbourhood of St. John's (in which
they had already made great progress) towards embarking
the army, and proceeding to Crown-Point in pursuit of
the rebels, and from thence to enter the province of New-
York, &c. Mean while, nothing could exceed the eager
ness of the Britilh army in general to come up with the
enemy; and several parties of Indians had already made
excurlions through the woods and swamps as far as
Crown-Point, and Hain many of the scattered Provin
cials, and were frequently bringing in scalps (although
against Gen. Carleton s orders) nor is it possible for him
to prevent it effectually, or those savages to desist from
their cruel practices.—The King's army are in great fpi
rits, very healthy, and abound with all forts of provisions.
Copies of the Declaration of War by the Provincials
are now in town, and said to be couched in the strongest
terms that having mow drawn the sword in defence of
all that is dear to them, they are determined never to
sheath it till a full compensation is made for the cruel op
pressions they have sustained.
It is said the American provinces have not only declared
themselves independent, but that they have sent memo
rials thereof, and of their proceedings, to most of the
Courts in Europe.