The Virginia gazette (Williamsburg, Va.), 1773-07-29 00:00:00

VIRGINIA
GAZETTE.
Open to ALL PARTIES,
but influenced by NONE.
To Mr. R I N D.
TREASURY OFFICE July 20th 1773.
SIR,
IT was with equal Concern and Astonishment that I read in your Gazette of the 15th Instant, under the London Head, the following Paragraphs.
"Extract of a Letter from a Member of the Virginia Assembly dated March the 14th, 1773, to his Correspondent in London, submitted to the serious Consideration of the British Merchants trading to that Colony."
"Our Assembly is now sitting. Almost £. 37,000 new Paper Notes of Credit are to be emitted to redeem those now in Circulation, notwithstanding the Redemption of £. 8,000 of them should have taken Place in 1770, and the Taxes have been actually received for that Purpose: Would it not be wise in the Merchants in Britain to endeavour at obtaining Instructions from the King to our Governor not to assent to any of our Acts for emitting Paper Money?"
I am persuaded that no Member of the Assembly could have been the Author of a Letter so big with the most injurious Reflections upon our Legislature; it must have been the Offspring of some other designing, insidious Person, who, to give Poignancy to his Malice, hath assumed that Character. Had this Letter been confined to the English Papers, it might suffice to give a proper Answer to it thro' the same Channels; but, since it has been republished here, to prevent any bad Influence it may have in this and the other Colonies on the Continent, I beg the Favour of you to publish, in your next Paper, the following Letter, which I have wrote to my correspondent in London. I am, Sir, your most obedient Servant,
RO. C. NICHOLAS.
VIRGINIA 16th July 1773.
SIR,
HAVING already, by different Opportunities, wrote to you upon private and ordinary Affairs, my Attention is now reluctantly, tho' necessarily drawn to a Subject of a public and more serious Nature, in which, I consider not only my own Credit, but the Honor and Integrity of our General Assembly as essentially involved. I cannot sufficiently express my Surprise at reading, in both our late Gazettes, two Paragraphs, of which the inclosed is a literal Copy. The Liverpool Printer, I presume, took them from some London Paper, and, before this Time, they have probably circulated throughout Great Britain. Who was the Author of this extraordinary Letter, I will not venture to guess, lest I should do Injustice to any one; but I cannot believe it could have been written by a "Member of the Virginia Assembly," as is suggested, because every Member of that Body must have been better acquainted with their Views and Proceedings, and, I hope, is actuated by stricter Principles of Honour, than to have given so partial and unjust a Representation. The Author's evident Design was to insinuate that our late Emission of Treasury Notes was wantonly and unjustly voted by the Assembly; that there had been a Misapplication made of the £. 8,000, he speaks of, by the Treasurer, either of his own Accord, or by Direction of the Assembly, or, at least, with their Countenance; and what is worse, if possible, his Letter has a direct Tendency to subject the Conduct of our Legislature, to the Censure of our most gracious Sovereign. Whether the Merchants of Britain have pursued the wise Advice of the Author and endeavoured to obtain his Majesty's Instructions to our Governor "not to assent to any of our Acts of Assembly for emitting Paper Money" would to me be a Matter of great Indifference, unless it were done upon such groundless Affertions; tho' I would fain hope, that Gentlemen of their Discernment, who are so materially connected with this Colony, have not suffer'd themselves to be so easily deluded, and that they must consider our Legislature as respectable enough to be entitled to a candid Hearing, on this and all other interesting Occasions, before their Conduct is condemned. One, and this no inconsiderable Misfortune attending our distant Separation from our parent Country, is, that we are too often exposed to Misrepresentations; various Instances of this Sort might be produced. If any Instructions should be obtained, I am persuaded they can only look forward, and will not interfere with the Laws now in Force, under the Authority of which our Paper Money has been issued and is now actually in Circulation. A Moment's Reflection must suggest to you and every Man of Sense, that a Measure of this Sort would introduce the greatest Confusion into the Country and involve many Individuals in the utmost Distress. For my own Part I never was an Advocate for Paper Money; I believe a great Majority of our Assembly have an Aversion to it and never would have consented to introduce such a Currency amongst us, but from the most pressing Necessity; tho' it is the Opinion of many judicious Persons that a moderate Quantity of Paper, established upon competent Funds, if it could be effectually guarded against Forgeries, would be of great Utility to this Country. From an earnest Desire that the Conduct of our Assembly, in these Money Matters especially, should be placed in a proper and just Point of View, I must beg
your Attention to it from first to last. Paper Currencies, I believe, had obtain'd in several other Colonies, on this Continent, long before an Introduction of such a Species of Money amongst us was thought of here. Our Assembly had so little Inclination to it, that, at the first Commencement of those Hostilities, which were introductory to the late War, when they were called upon for Aids, they prefer'd borrowing the Sum desired, even at an advanced Interest. In the Progress of the War, many and earnest Requisitions from the Crown were made of our Assembly; the Sums required, from Time to Time, were so very considerable, that there was no Prospect of borrowing them; could they have been had, the Interest would have proved so enormous a Burthen, that the Country could not have borne it, without distressing the People amazingly. Hence arose an absolute Necessity of having Recourse to a Paper Currency. The Sums voted at different Times were upon proper Estimates, and Funds, the most ample and unexceptionable, were established for the Redemption of the Treasury Notes; indeed I can say with great Truth, that the Assembly was so scrupulous in this Matter, that, rather than there should be the smallest Doubt of their Sufficiency, they valued the Funds at much less, than those, who were best acquainted with them, were persuaded they would yield. The Demand of large Sums was almost annual for several successive Years; the Periods of Redemption of the different Emissions were various, and it would have been too burthensome to the People to have been obliged to sink an entire Emission by Taxes to be collected within the Year. The Consequence of this was, that there became so great a Variety of Paper Money in Circulation, that it was morally impossible to wind up any one Emission at the Period of its Redemption. The Taxes were paid in such Money, as People happened to be possessed of; and you will readily see that the Treasurer was obliged to receive such Treasury Notes, as the Collectors offered in Payment, otherwise the Credit of the whole Money would have sunk at once. It cannot be denied, for I mean to tell you the whole Truth, that the Affairs of our Treasury, after many Years, fell into Confusion. An unhappy Incident, I must say, not entirely peculiar to this Country, tho' it gives me Pain to recollect the Misfortunes of others. I would here gladly draw a Veil over the Infirmities of my Predecessor in Office; but it is necessary, for your better understanding some of my subsequent Observations, that I should recal to your Remembrance, for the Thing was made very public several Years ago, the Mismanagement of our Finances, as well, in not calling the Collectors to a stricter Account, as, in lending out the public Money. Both these Things I have had abundant Reasons to believe, in Respect to the Treasurer himself, were more owing to a mistaken Kind of Humanity and Compassion for Persons in Distress, than any View to his own private Emolument; and, in Regard to the Assembly, they were deceived by placing too large a Share of Confidence in their Treasurer; he was grown old in this and another important Office, both of which he had filled, for a great Number of Years, with much Reputation. Upon his Death, and not till then, his Mismanagement was discovered. The Assembly immediately put this Business into a different Channel; guarded it with such Precautions and Restrictions, as their Experience had taught, and hoped that the World would look forward and be convinced that little Danger of the like Inconveniences was to be apprehended. After this Discovery, a thorough Scrutiny was made into the Affairs of the Treasury; and, in the Year 1767, a Committee being appointed to examine the Accounts of the different Emissions and the State of the several Funds, reported "that the Sum of £. 539,962 10 had been issued in Treasury Notes for public Services. That, after deducting the Notes burnt by the standing Committee, appointed by Law for that Purpose, and what were then in the Treasurer's Hands, there remain'd in Circulation the Sum of £. 206,727 2 2." The Number of Notes burnt by the said Committee, since the above Report, reduces the Balance, at this Time outstanding, as appears, from the Treasury Books, to £. 54,391 5. The Balance due to these Funds from the Estate of the late Treasurer; from the Arrears of Taxes in the Hands of the Collectors (I mean such as are believed to be good) have, upon several and late Examinations of our House of Burgessies, been judged an ample Security for the Redemption of such of these Notes, as remain in Circulation, and moreover to discharge the Balance, which, from some subsequent Observations, will appear to be due from the old Notes to the Funds of later Emissions. The whole visible Estate of the late Treasurer has been sold to answer the Demands of the Public; an Interest of five per Cent. is annually accounted for upon his Balance, every legal Method is pursued to get the Money out of the Hands of the Collectors; and, lest any Deficiency should happen, the House of Burgessies have bound themselves by repeated Resolves to make it good. That this Balance and these Arrears have not been paid before this Time, I believe, has been chiefly owing to the Scarcity of Money and the great Difficulties attending the Collection of it; but both of them have been and probably will be lessened every Year. Most of the Merchants, as well as others, sensible of the Goodness of the Foundation, on which the Security of these Notes is established, have generally (till within these twelve Months, when our Exchange took a sudden and
unexpected Start, owing to the peculiar Complexion of the Times) prefer'd them either to Gold or Silver, as being more convenient for transacting the internal Business of the Country. Under these Circumstances, the Assembly thought it unreasonable and unjust to impose new Taxes on the People for the Redemption of these Notes, as they had already paid more than was sufficient for that Purpose. As Things had unluckily fallen into Confusion, it was judged most prudent to endeavour at reducing them to Order by Degrees, having a proper Regard to the ultimate Security of the Public and every Individual connected with it; indeed, it was apprehended, that over rigorous Measures might be productive of some considerable Losses. The Rise of Exchange, which I have acknowledged did occasion an Alteration in the Preference formerly given to our Treasury Notes, appears to have been chiefly owing to the Misfortunes in Great Britain, and by no Means to a Redundancy either of Specie or Paper Money. Every one, attentive to the Nature of Exchange, I think, must allow that it is regulated principally by the Quantity of Money and the Number of Bills brought to Market; if we suppose the Quantity of Money, to be laid out in Bills, at different Times, nearly equal, and the Number of Bills greatly lessened, this will, of Course, raise the Exchange. It is notorious that a large Proportion, if not much the greatest Number of Bills had been, for several Years past, drawn by the Scotch Factors; these Gentlemen's Draughts have, of late, been restrained to narrow Limits, and, I believe, very few of those, who used to deal most considerably in Exchange, now draw any Bills at all. Our Exchange has fluctuated, for a considerable Time, and generally been under Par: Sometimes it was at 15, 17 1/2, 20, 22 1/2 per Cent. and, I think, last July, when the Misfortunes, that had happened in Great Britain, began first to be felt here, it rose to 25, afterwards to 27 1/2, and, at the last Meeting of the Merchants, to 30 per Cent. This Rise put the Remitters upon collecting all the Specie they could, and hence arose a Dislike in some to Paper Money; but you must think it resolvable into an Incident, which the wisest of Men could not have foreseen nor prevented.
We continued several Years without any Expectation, that we should be under a Necessity of issuing more Paper Money; but, in the Year 1769, a Requisition from the Crown was laid before the Assembly by our late worthy Governor, Lord Botetourt, to defray the Expences of running a Line between this Colony and the Cherokee Country; the Sum desired, according to an Estimate laid before us, was £. 2500 Sterling: The Expences of the Country, for condemned Slaves, Tobacco lost in several public Warehouses and other Contingencies, ran pretty high; and, at the same Time, the Assembly was desirous to make Trial of a moderate Sum of Copper Money, which had been found extremely useful in some of the neighbouring Colonies; these several Articles would have called for about £. 15,000; but the public Fund of our Treasury, as it is called to distinguish it from other particular appropriated Funds, was very low. After considering several Expedients, it was judged most eligible to issue a moderate Sum in Treasury Notes; and, that it might be reduced to the narrowest Compass, we anticipated about £. 5,000, which the ordinary, standing Duties, would probably bring in the ensuing Spring, and only voted £. 10,000. to be issued in Paper Money to pass in Payment to such Persons as were willing to receive it. These Notes were made redeemable the 20th of November, 1771, and the most ample Funds established to secure such Redemption. Accordingly £. 10,000 were emitted in the Paper, of which I formerly sent you a Sample, and which, from its peculiar Texture and the various Checks and Devices, with which it was guarded, every one hoped would have effectually secured the Money against Counterfeits and Forgeries. In the Year 1771 there happened the most extraordinary Overflows of our different Rivers, that had been known in the Memory of Man; vast Quantities of Tobacco were destroyed in many of the public Warehouses; the Merchants and other Sufferers, in a Body, joined in a Memorial to the President and Council praying Relief; the Assembly was called, and the distressed Situation of the unfortunate Sufferers recommended to their immediate and most serious Attention. You must know, Sir, that, by our Inspection Law, under the Authority of which the public Warehouses are established, the Country is obliged to make good every Loss of this Kind. The Assembly met in the Month of July, and, after considering maturely every Proposal, that was offered, they found that nothing could enable them, except a farther Emission of Paper Money, to do the Sufferers that speedy Justice, they had a Right to expect. They therefore voted £. 30,000, the smallest Sum that could answer the Purpose, valuing themselves, in Aid of this, upon what might be saved by picking such Hogheads of the Tobacco, as had been but partially damaged. The Notes to be emitted were made redeemable the 10th of December, 1775, and such Funds were established for their Redemption, as every one, acquainted with them, must be convinced will yield considerably more than the Sum emitted. Both these last Emissions were in such Estimation, that they were generally preferred to any other Money in the Colony; many Merchants, as well as others, brought considerable Sums both of Gold and Silver to the public Treasury to be exchanged for these Notes. Thus

Matters stood till our Exchange rose; but, even then, tho' a Preference was given to Specie by such, as had Occasion to make Remittances, the Treasury Notes maintained their Credit.
In the Month of January last it was, after much Difficulty, discovered that both these Emissions had been counterfeited. The Forgeries were executed in so very ingenious and masterly a Manner, that those, who might be supposed best acquainted with the Money, were deceived. The Signers, the Engraver the Printer and the Numberers of the Notes could not, for some Time, be convinced of the Counterfeits. The Discovery happened to be made when there was a general Meeting of the Merchants in this City; this occasion'd a great Interruption in almost every Kind of Business. The united Voice of the whole Trade seem'd to be, that all the Notes of both Emissions ought immediately to be called in. A Memorial from the Treasury was presented to his Excellency the Governor, who summoned his Council, and, by their Advice, the Assembly was called. The Subject underwent the maturest Deliberation; many Expedients were proposed and duly weighed. Could the Money have been borrowed with Certainty and in Time at a reasonable Interest, this would have been thought the most eligible Measure; and, I am persuaded, would have been adopted, without searching for any other; but there was no Prospect of it; the Representatives of the People collected from all Parts of the Country could not say with Certainty where so much as £.1000 was to be had. In such a Situation what could have been done? Something every one saw was necessary; the Circulation of the Money, in most Parts, was stop't, tho' every Method had been used to make the Public acquainted with such Marks, as distinguished the good from the forged Bills, so soon as the Counterfeits were detected. Unwilling as the Assembly really was to issue more Paper Money, it was found, at last, that no other Method could be safely relied on. There happened to be in the Country a Quantity of Paper imported some Years ago by one of our most considerable Merchants, who with several others had a Design of establishing a private Bank. This Paper was fabricated in London by a very eminent Hand, as you may see by the Sample inclosed. The Assembly was of Opinion that it would afford a much better Security against Forgeries, than any we had before made Use of, and therefore resolved to make Trial of it, for a short Time. In Order to determine the Quantity necessary, the State of the several Funds was accurately examined, and there was found to be in Circulation of the two Emissions in 1769 and 1771 the Sum of £.36,834; about £.29,000 of the last added to the former made up this aggregate Sum. Here it will be necessary for me to make a small Digression to explain to you the Cause that so large a Sum of this Money still continued out, and this will farther shew my Reasons for speaking so fully of the Fund of old Notes; which, but for the Circumstances before mentioned, would all have been sunk long ago. You'll be pleased to observe the Variety of Money we must necessarily have had in Circulation; it consisted of old Treasury Notes, those of 1769 and 1771 and what Gold and Silver might happen to be in the Circle. The Taxes to redeem these later Emissions were, as formerly, paid in such Money as the People had, and the Treasurer was obliged to receive such as was offer'd him. The Author of the Extract of the Letter says "that the Redemption of £.8000 ought to have taken Place in 1770, and that the Taxes had actually been received for that Purpose." He must allude to the Notes of 1769, for the others were not issued till the Fall 1771; but, in both these Assertions, he is egregiously mistaken. You'll be pleased to recollect, from what I have said, that, at the Time he mentions, there could have been collected but one Year's Taxes, and these were not then all paid into the Treasury. The Truth is, and this seems to be all that is necessary to be known, that the Taxes, appropriated to the Redemption of these Notes, had yielded and there had been paid into the Treasury, before the last Meeting of the Assembly, considerably more than the £.10,000 emitted; besides which there were some Arrears due to that Fund in the Hands of the Collectors. Of the Taxes, appropriated to the Redemption of the Notes issued in 1771, there had been paid in Part for the first Year's Collection the Sum of £.5947 18 7, besides there were also considerable Arrears due to this Fund, which every Endeavour is used to enforce the speedy Payment of. But it must not be supposed that these Taxes were chiefly paid either in Specie or in the particular Notes of the two last Emissions. The Fact is that they were paid indiscriminately in different Sorts of Money, tho' principally in the old Notes, as the new were less defaced, and most People wished to keep them in Circulation. You must know, Sir, when there were, several Years ago, new Regulations established for the better ordering the Affairs of the Treasury, that a standing Committee was appointed of Gentlemen of unexceptionable Characters, who were to examine the Treasurer's Accounts by their proper Vouchers, and to them the Treasurer is obliged to produce the several Balances in his Hands; of which they give him a Certificate, to be published, for the Satisfaction of the Country, in our Gazette. In December last the Accounts were all strictly examined by this Committee; the Treasurer produced the several Balances due to the different Funds, the Accounts of which are kept entirely distinct: There were then in the Treasury of old Notes £.19,590 19 which the Committee burnt and destroyed together with £.923, all there was of the Emission of 1769. Of the former Sum, £.9536 5 7 properly belonged to the other Funds. There were in the Treasury about £.2000 of the Notes of 1771, great Part of which had been received for Duties appropriated to defray the current Expences of the Country, and which were therefore properly applicable to those Purposes; these together with what Specie and Bills of Exchange of undoubted Credit, which were in Hand, made up the exact Balances due to the Country on each particular Account. The Balance due from the old Fund to the new at this Time, including the Notes lately burnt, appears to be £.13,172 19 2. Before the Forgeries were discovered it was judged most prudent to destroy the old Notes as fast as they came in; this could make no Difference to the Public or any Individual, as the Funds, on the Whole, are, upon such good Grounds, believed to be amply sufficient, and, in Case any Deficiency
should happen, the public Faith is plighted to make it good. The Specie, which remained, it was absolutely necessary to reserve in the Treasury to exchange for every Sort of the Paper Money, as it was brought in from Time to Time. In the Course of Payments, it frequently happened that there were received considerable Sums of the new Notes for the Use of the old Fund; which the Treasurer exchanged for old Notes with such Persons, as were willing to receive them. In short, in this complicated Business every Endeavour hath been used to support the Credit of the Treasury and to do the Public, as well as every Individual the utmost Justice. The chief Object has been to gather in the Taxes with all possible Expedition, to take proper Care of the Money, when received, and to apply it so far, as could be done, to the Purposes, for which it was intended. But to return to the Proceedings of the Assembly. These you will be best able to judge of, by having Recourse to the Act herewith sent. The Author of the Extract asserts that "almost £.3,000, new Paper Notes of Credit are to be emitted to redeem those now in Circulation." If he would take the Trouble to read the Act, as he surely ought to have done before he ventured to pass his Century, he will find his Assertion to be groundless. The Truth is this; it was thought necessary that all the outstanding Notes of both Emissions should be immediately called in. The Time appointed, for the Redemption of those issued in 1769, was elapsed, and therefore they could not properly be redeemed by issuing other Bills of Credit. The Notes of 1771 were not redeemable, 'till the 10th Day of December 1775; there could be no Impropriety in substituting other and better Paper Notes in Lieu of these, redeemable at the same Time. Upon such Principles you'll find the Act was framed. The Treasurer is empowered, not to issue Treasury Notes to that Amount, as is affected, but to borrow any Sum not exceeding £.36,834: The Money, when borrowed, was to be apply'd, in the first Place, to the Redemption of the Treasury Notes issued in 1769, and when this was done, then to redeem the Notes of 1771; but, if the Treasurer was not able to borrow the Whole or any Part of the Sum, in one Month, he was then empowered to issue his Notes for any Sum, that might be requisite to make up the Deficiency of such Sums as he could not borrow, to be exchanged for the Notes of 1771. These new Notes were not made a legal Tender, but were to pass to such Persons only, as should be willing to receive them. For the Repayment of such Sums with Interest, as might be borrowed, and, for the Redemption of the new Notes to be issued, you'll find that all the Funds of the other Notes are expressly mortgaged, and, moreover, the Act declares that, if they should prove deficient, "the same shall be made good by the Public". You will find that a farther Provision is made, which was thought would be extremely useful and the most probable Means to prevent Forgeries. The Treasurer is directed to redeem these new Notes on the 1st of June 1774 by applying, in the first Place, so much Money, as shall then have come to his Hands of the Duties and Taxes; and, if these should not be sufficient, he is empowered to borrow Money; and if he should not be able to do this, he is then directed to issue other Treasury Notes to redeem such of those directed by the Act to be first issued, as may, at that Time, remain in Circulation; these other Notes are to be imprinted upon the most proper Paper, that can be procured from Great Britain, in the mean Time. This Act hath been and will be strictly conformed to. None of the new Notes have issued, except in Exchange for those of 1771, tho' many of the Merchants and others would gladly have taken them for those of 1769 also. The whole Sum that can be issued will not exceed £.29,000, and I am hopeful, I shall be able to do with less. The Shortness of the Time allowed for borrowing, before the Notes were to be issued, I know was objected to by some; but Necessity urged the Assembly to it, and after Experience proved that they judged rightly. At a Meeting of the Merchants in January, it hath been observed that a Stop was put to great Part of their Business in the Money Way. I am persuaded the Case would have been much worse at their next Meeting in April, had not the new Notes been prepared ready to be exchanged for the others; besides, tho' I have, ever since the Assembly, been desirous of borrowing any Sum in Specie, that could be had for the Purpose, I have not been able to procure more than £.4,100. Knowing the great Scarcity of Gold and Silver in the Country, I offer'd, from the first, to take in the Notes of 1769 and 1771, and to pay Interest for them; but in this I could not succeed. Some Persons might have been disappointed that there was not offer'd a higher Premium for Money, than five per Cent. Interest; but the Assembly could see no good Reason for this; indeed it seem'd a probable Means of relieving one Part of the Community at the Expence of another. Some Creditors, it was feared, would have been too apt to distress their Debtors for the Sake of an advanced Interest. From this Relation of Facts, the Truth of which may be proved by undoubted Testimony and the most authentic Documents, I submit it to your Candour to determine, how far the Author of the Extract can be justified in his groundless and ill-natured Assertions. The best and wisest of Men may differ in their Opinions, as to the Propriety of Measures, especially in Cases of Intricacy and Importance; it is possible that the more judicious, and such, as are better acquainted with Things of this Sort, may discover some Errors in our Proceedings which have escaped us; but for the Purity and Uprightness of the Intentions of our Assembly, from first to last, in all these Money Transactions, so far, as they have fallen under my Observation, and for the Justice of every Thing done at our Treasury, since I have been honoured with the Management of it, I will venture to pawn my Credit with you and the whole World.
It only remains for me to beg your friendly Indulgence for the Trouble I have given you by so long a Letter, and to assure you that I am, with the highest Sentiments of Esteem, very respectfully, Sir, your most obedient humble Servant, RO. C. NICHOLAS.
B O S T O N, June 28. Last Wednesday the House of Commons of this province, passed an humble petition and remonstrance to the King, praying that his Majesty would be pleased to re-
move from their posts in this government, his Excellency Thomas Hutchinson, Esquire, Governor, and the Honourable Andrew Oliver, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor. Eighty members for, and eleven against, the petition.
The letters of Governor Hutchinson, and Lieutenant Governor Oliver, are printed in a pamphlet, and it is expected that the messages, answers, reports, and resolves, by the Boston Assembly, will be printed together in a volume.
N E W Y O R K, July 5.
About twelve years ago Thomas England, of Philadelphia, tallowchandler, was suddenly missing, but afterwards found floating in the river, and from many circumstances, it was generally thought that he had made away with himself; but a few days ago a letter was received by the Governor of Philadelphia from Virginia, informing him that a person had delivered himself up, and says that he having some words with the said England on one of the wharfs struck him with a stick, which killed him, and then to hide the murder, he threw his body into the river, and that he has been wandering ever since a vagabond, continually tormented by his guilty conscience.
July 8. Last Monday morning, a little before sun rise, a smart shock of an earthquake was felt at New Town in Jamaica, and Forster's meadows, on Long Island.
The two whaling vessels lately arrived, it is said, have made very profitable voyages, and may encourage others to go upon the same business.
P E R T H A M B O Y, June 27.
Two men, who came from New England about a year ago, and passed by the names of Stephen Waterman and John Swan, hired a house, and pretended to set up the silversmith's trade. Some time before another, by the name of Noah Colten, set up the same trade at Middletown Point. Their conduct was soon suspicious; and on Saturday last four men were apprehended in Woodbridge; Swan at work in his shop, with a man of some property, near 80 years of age, named Brown. Several instruments for making dollars were found hid in the house, a flatting press in the shop, and other tools hid in a post hole, the brook, and other places. As Waterman was from home, and with a suspicious man, the officers proceeded to the house of one Hutchins, near Bound Brook, who had been also suspected. In their way they met Waterman at a tavern; he attempted to get off, and was seen to throw away something, which one of his pursuers took up, and found to be five pieces milled, intended for half joes. He was soon taken. The officers proceeded to Hutchins's, from whence two men escaped, supposed to be Colten and one Boyd, a New Englandman. The persons apprehended were examined on Sunday. At first they prevaricated, and at last refused to answer; but being separately examined, and suspecting the proof much against them, one of them made a full confession, by which several persons in different parts appear to be concerned with them. The dollars made are of 1758, 1762, and 1766, and have been formerly described in the newspapers; the joes, not being complete, no other description can be given of them than that they are all of 1743 and 1761.
P H I L A D E L P H I A, July 10.
Extract of a letter from Annapolis, July 2.
"Our Assembly are passing an act for selling forty thousand pounds sterling bank stock, and to lend it to the people in Maryland to keep up their credit, which will be of great service at this time, as there are such numbers of failures in England."
Since our last arrived here the ship Jenny, Captain Milvaine, with 170 passengers from Londonderry, and the snow Charlotte, Captain Curtis, from Waterford, with 80 passengers.
Monday last arrived here Captain Hunter, in 33 days from the bay of Honduras, by whom we learn that the sloop Industry, Captain Glyn, from the bay for New York, was, in the night of the 10th of May, drove by the current on the Northern Triangles, where the vessel and cargo are lost, and one Mrs. Emory drowned. The crew, with John Peck, ship carpenter, Peter Wright, his wife and child, passengers, took to the boat, on board of which they remained 5 days before they got to St. George's Key, without any provision, except one fowl amongst the whole, the blood of which was given to the child, which preserved its life.
We hear that the loss of the Spanish register ship, on the Northern Triangles, as mentioned in our paper of the 16th ult. has enriched most of the settlers at the bay by the great quantity of money spent among them by the Spaniards, and the indico which they have got up from the wreck, so that most of them think of removing to other parts of the continent, and many who left their former places of abode in debt, talk of paying all off.
W I L L I A M S B U R G, July 29.
Arrived in James river the Friendship, Nesbit, from London, and the Venus, Oliffe, from Dublin; the latter with 70 indentured servants, which, Captain Oliffe assures us, makes up the amazing number of 18,000 servants that have arrived on this continent, from Ireland, within the space of one year. Captain Nesbit spoke the Mary and Elizabeth, Mason, from Philadelphia to London, and the Nancy, Nelson, from Virginia for Lisbon, all well.
WOULD BE GLAD OF EMPLOYMENT, A YOUNG man capable of managing a CLERK'S OFFICE, who will wait upon any person wanting a deputy in that business, on their application by letter to Mr. William Pollard, clerk of Hanover. He can be well recommended.
To be SOLD, on the premises, on Friday the 13th of August,
A TRACT of LAND, lying in Essex county, containing about 500 acres, whereon Mr. John Merritt now lives. This land was conveyed by Thomas Gresham and the said Merritt to the subscriber (of which the public has heretofore been advertised in the Virginia Gazette) and has lately been recovered in the court of the aforesaid county. Six months credit will be allowed, on giving bond and good security to the subscriber, who undertakes to put the purchaser in possession.
ARCHIBALD RITCHIE.
TAPPANHANNOCK, July 15, 1773.
I INTEND immediately for GLASGOW. SARAH CRISP.