The Newport gazette (Newport [R.I.]), 1779-10-06 00:00:00

NEWPORT
GAZETTE
P U B L I S H E D
W E E K L Y
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 6, 1779.
BY HIS EXCELLENCY WILLIAM TRYON, Esq.,
Governor and Commander in Chief, of the Province of New York, and the Territories depending thereon in America, Chancellor and Vice Admiral of the same, and Major-General in his Majesty's Army.
A PROCLAMATION.
H IS Majesty's approbation of the zeal of his faithful subjects, in equipping letters of marque, for destroying and distressing the commerce of his enemies, being signified, together with his determination to commence hostilities against the Catholic King and his subjects, and the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty having dispatched proper authorities for granting letters of marque, to make captures of Spanish ships and vessels; I do hereby invite all persons whether landmen or seamen, in any part of America beyond the British lines, who may be desirous to quit the rebellion, or the rebel lines, and to enter either into the merchant service, or into any private vessel of war, to repair with all convenient speed to either of the outposts of his Majesty's army, in any colony on the continent: and I am authorized by Vice-Admiral Arbuthnot, commander of his Majesty's fleet in North-America, to give this public assurance, that every such person coming in as aforesaid, or in a cartel ship, and not already belonging to either of the King's ships, shall not be impressed to serve in any of the King's ships within the limits of his command.
Given under my Hand and Seal at Arms, at New York the Seventeenth Day of September, 1779.
WM. TRYON.
By his Excellency's Command, B. J. JOHNSON, Pro. Sec.
L O N D O N, July 3.
IT is asserted, that Admiral Hughes had orders sent after him to proceed to attack the Phillipine islands or the Manillas, or both, as circumstances should be, as soon as ever the Spanish manifesto was delivered.
 Sir John Lockhart Ross, in a letter to a friend, mentions his most sanguine hopes of beating the French and Spanish fleets, notwithstanding their superiority in number to the English. He thinks, in the old fashion'd way, that 33 men o' war, manned with hardy Britons, are more than a match for 42, crewed with French and Spaniards. 
 July 6. By the returns made to the War commission, 222 bills received the royal Office, it appears, that upwards of 8000 men, which is the greatest number known men have been impressed in the course of a fortnight for many years. Letters from Lisbon mention, that a fleet 
 On the 29th of June, at Edinburgh, there ver mine has lately been discovered in the was a meeting of the principal inhabitants of Brazil, and that orders are given for make- in the parliament house, to vote an address of thanks to the king for the discovery of a new of supply to his Majesty at this alarming time. 
 Orders are sent to Cork and Kinsale, in raising two thousand men for government Ireland, to build four ships of war at these service in North Berwick, which are most ports, for his Majesty's service; and, it is of them fishermen, who are the most likely intended, shortly, to introduce the practice to prove useful men in sea service. 
 of building ships for the government service. The Earl Hauconberg, and General Dundas, have offered their services to his Majesty. Extract of a letter from Plymouth, July 4, 1758. 
 Arrived the Lizard Light, from Sir of Yorkshire, at their own expence; which Charles Hardy's fleet; and the Courser offer has been accepted. 
There have been some differences in the cabinet of late, relative to the withdrawing the troops from America, which we have
"Arrived the Leonora, from Madeira, last from Penzance; the Ann Schooner, from Morlaix for Virginia, with felt and bale goods, a prize to the Milford frigate. The troops from America, which, we hear, have been entirely put an end to, by the interposition of a great personage, who has declared, "America must be conquered!"
N E W - Y O R K, Sept. 21. Yesterday arrived the Catharine Navy Victualler, and another ship from Cork.
Likewise a Spanish ship, of 220 tons, which they left the 18th of July last, under with wine, from Barcelona for Peterſburgh, convoy of Commodore Sir Andrew Snape a prize to the Milford frigate. Hammond, in his Majeſty's ship Roebeck.
 "Sailed the Stag frigate, for Ireland; with the Delight sloop, two armed East- and the Three Brothers armed ship, with Indians, and forty-eight sail of transports the trade under convoy for the Eastward." and other vessels, having on board a very Extract of a letter from Falmouth, July 1. respectable reinforcement for the colony of 
 "This day arrived a flag of truce from Port Orient, with the Governor, some officers and soldiers, belonging to the respectable reinforcement for the corps of Royal Artillery, augmentations for the British army, and some regiments of German troops." 
 The Catherine parted from Commodore Hammond's fleet on Thursday last, and on Monday was attacked by a rebel privateer which she beat off: The advices received by her, are, that the grand fleet, consisting of between thirty and forty sail of the line, had sailed from England in quest of the combined fleets of France and Spain, which were at sea and amounted to forty sail of 
 Extract of a letter from Falmouth, July 3. "Yesterday arrived a Spanish snow of about 200 tons burthen, from St. Sebastian's, laden with cocoa, brandy, wool, &c. and a Spanish brig of 100 tons, from Malaga, laden with wine and fruit, bound to France; sent in by his Majesty's ship of war the Hector." 
 Yesterday was sent into this port, the ship Roehampton , laden with provisions, from Boston, bound for the West-Indies, to supply Count D'Estaing's fleet. She was captured by his Majesty's frigate Virginia , which, we hear, has taken another prize. The Roehampton was taken by the rebels last fall, on her passage to Quebec, from 

Imports, but the difference of the cargoes is simply compensated for the time B.V. rebels had her in possession.
We hear that there is now such a disagreement between the inhabitants of New Jersey, and those of Philadelphia, that intercourse with regard to trade is entirely at an end, as the committee at Philadelphia will not permit any of their goods to cross the Delaware for the use of the inhabitants of Jersey, neither will the last mentioned province admit any of their produce to be sent to Philadelphia.
We hear General Washington is collecting all his force and stores to West Point.
On Friday the 17 inst. departed this life, at Gewaunts on Long-Island, Colonel Peter Vosburgh, of Kinderhook, in the county of Albany, a gentleman of probity and fortune, who was banished from his family for persevering in loyalty to his sovereign: His remains were attended to the grave by numbers of respectable Loyalists from that county.
Sept. 24. By advices brought by the Romulus, from Halifax, we learn, that his Majesty's frigate Licorne, which was captured from the French by Admiral Keppel, has, on her passage from England to Newfoundland, taken a French frigate and sent her for England; she has also made prize of a French ship of twenty-four guns, and a rebel brig of sixteen, both of which she carried into Newfoundland.
By a gentl man who arrived in the cartel from Boston last Wednesday, we are informed, that the inhabitants of that town are under the most violent apprehensions from the royal army, which had operated so powerfully upon them that many had retired, with their effects, to the interior part of the country.
We hear from Connecticut, via Long-Island, that the people resident on the coast of that colony are almost petrified with the fear of a speedy chastisement, which they are conscious their crimes merit.
The last advices from Britain are truly encouraging, and must give sincere pleasure to every Loyalist. The magnanimity and spirit of the nation soars above all danger and difficulty; the exertions she has already made in fitting out her navy, which must soon reign unrivaled on the ocean, are stupendous; nor has she been deficient in providing for her internal defence and making preparation for annoying her enemies in every part of the world; disdaining to solicit foreign alliances the Sovereign finds every resource in the loyalty and affection of his subjects.
The Letter of Marque ship Glencairn, from Glasgow for this port with a valuable cargo, had the misfortune to be captured by the rebel cruizers; but before they got her into any of their safe ports, she was re-taken by his Majesty's ship Romulus, and sent into Halifax.
A cartel Schooner with prisoners for exchange arrived here from Boston, by her we learn, that the people there have an unconquerable antipathy against the French resident amongst them, five of whom have lost their lives in the frequent mobs which have lately happened at that place.
Extracts from Rebel Papers.
W O R C E S T E R, September 2. As we often have occasion to blame our enemies for publishing false accounts, particularly after they have been worsted in any action, we would by no means put it in their power to find fault with us on similar occasions. We have waited long enough to have had a particular account of the Penob-
scot Expedition from Boston, and which has been promised; but when it will come from that quarter we cannot tell. From the various accounts we have had, the general report
stands thus, that our commanders by sea and land after they had taken a redoubt or two of the enemy's, reconnoitred until the enemy were reinforced with several ships. Upon appearance of these, two of our vessels made an escape, two afterwards fell into the hands of the enemy, and the residue were effectually secured by fire, &c. An irregular troops made an irregular retreat, it is in imitation of an irregular Brigadier, and a new haggled Commodore, without any loss excepting the whole fleet (saving two vessels) and all the military stores, &c. about 70 men who were taken prisoners, a few killed, and a small number that died with fatigue in going through the woods. Thus ended the Penobscot expedition. The question now is, who is to blame? — Certainly not the under officers and privates.
B O S T O N, Sept. 23. We hear that a Court of Enquiry is now sitting in this Town, to enquire into the failure of the Penobscot Expedition.
P H I L A D E L P H I A, Sept. 9. By Captain Ashmead, arrived here in three weeks from St. Eustatia, we learn, that Count D'Estaing and Admiral Byron's fleets had been out at sea some time; but they had no accounts there from either of them, when he sailed.
From the New York Journal, of August 9, printed at P'keepsie, &c.
FOR the information of the good people of the United States of America, I send you for publication a report of a Committee of Congress made to that body on the 30th of April last. The information contained in this report being of the highest importance, it is evident that M. Lee could do this country no essential service as a Commissioner, either in France or Spain. What then could have induced further gestation in Congress to vote for his continuance (twenty two being against it) and some of them to assert, that he was the proper person to represent these States at the Court of Madrid, is hard to conceive. But how they can reconcile their conduct to their constituents, it is now become necessary for them to explain. Facts speak for themselves, and are placed in a clear light by the following report of a Committee of Congress, appointed for that purpose.
The undersigned members of the Congress of the United States of North America, have the honor to inform the said Congress.
THAT upon good grounds, having been led to believe, that the conduct of Arthur Lee, Esq; late one of the Commissioners representing these United States at the Court of Versailles, and now sole Commissioner to represent the said States at the Court of Madrid, was disagreeable to these Courts, unconciliatory to their subjects, and prejudicial to the honor and interest of the said States.
They were astonished to hear an assertion made in Congress, on the fifteenth inst. by an honorable Member from Massachusetts Bay, as from the highest authority in America, that the said Commissioner is possessed of the confidence of the Court of Versailles; and since, another assertion, by another honorable Member from the said State, that the said Commissioner is the most proper person to represent the said States at the Court of Madrid; assertions which, being made in the debate on foreign affairs, were made to influence Congress to continue the said Arthur Lee, Esq; as the public
Minister of the said United States to the Court of Madrid at the expected negotiations for a general pacification, under the mediation of that Court.
That the undersigned, impressed with a conviction in such an important conjuncture, the Minister to represent the said States at the Court of Madrid ought not to be disagreeable to that Court, nor the Court of Versailles, in faithful alliance with these States; and that the interest of the said States demanded that it should be precisely ascertained, whether or not the said Commissioner was disagreeable to the said Courts, for certain information upon the point they have from the necessity of the case, been compelled to apply to the Minister Plenipotentiary of France, residing near Congress as the highest source of information in America, that in consequence of such application, the Minister Plenipotentiary produced to the undersigned an original letter from the Count d'Vergennes, Minister for Foreign Affairs, at the Court of Versailles, dated the 29th of October, 1778 in which after having stated the intelligence which has been communicated to Congress by the Minister Plenipotentiary, in February last, and after having assigned some reason for not having communicated that intelligence to the American Commissioners in Paris, the Count d'Vergennes concludes with these words, "I bide I confess to you, that I fear M r . Lee and all those about him".
That the Minister Plenipotentiary adds that this consideration induced the Court of Versailles to keep secret from the said Commissioner the intended falling of Count d'Estaing, for America, until his fleet was ready to put to sea; that the said Count d'Vergennes, by his conduct on several occasions created the highest disgust in the Court of Versailles against him. That the Court of Madrid, in the closest connexion with the Court of Versailles, entertained the same sentiments respecting the said Commissioner, not only on account of his conduct on those occasions but because of his imprudent conduct in Spain; and in a word the Minister Plenipotentiary expressly declared, that he got every reason to think, that neither of the two courts, have that confidence in the said Commissioner, which is necessary to your success to the negotiations of a foreign Minister. The undersigned having received such decisive information from the Minister of France, with liberty to communicate the same to Congress, think it their indispensable duty to the United States, and to themselves, to lay the same explicitly before this supreme Council of America; to the end that they may not be misled to continue the said Commissioner, as the representative of these United States, at a Court in the highest manner disgusted at his conduct, and at which, of consequence his negotiations must be unsuccessful. But if unfortunately it should be disregarded, they will have the consolation to reflect, that in giving this information, they discharged their duty to the United States; and that having given it, they cannot justly be held responsible for the consequence of a measure bet too likely to prove unconciliatory abroad, ruinous to the finances at home, and an impediment to a speedy and honorable pacification. Securing the independence of the United States of North America.
Signed by the Gentlemen of the Committee, (Copy) Laid on the table, and read in Congress, April 30, 1779. [The reader will recollect, that the votes in Congress are estimated not by the number of persons voting, but by the number of States represented.]