The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-12-26
RECoLLECTIoNs OF IIss.

HI u
From the Prov. Gozette Dec. 81, ITS.
Copv of letter from JOHN GooDRIcH,
Sen'r., to LORD DuNMoRE, at Nep-
York, dated at ST. Georges in Ber-
muda Goth July, l77S.
MY LORD, ....
made free to trouble you with u few
lines of she 18th and 18th of May, from
Philadelphia; now beg leave to inform
your Lordship, after my escape from the
rebels of he 18th of March, ! proceeded to
New York, and from thence TO Philadei-
phia al those places obtained permission
for two armed sloops to come with me to
this place, to remove our families, and the
small property VIC saved from tile dcstroyers,
to New York, which ne are putting on
board fine new brig, we make free to call
the Dunmore, aud expect to sail in a
few days. The people of this Island are
very unfriendly to Government, and we
don't think ourselves or property safe among
them; we took in cur passage to this place,
FIVE schooners and one sloop, one of them
u fine long one, of Pilot-boat construction,
with one hundred aud TWO bogsheads of
Tobacco on board her we have armed with
30 carriage guns, and sent on cruise,
commanded by Bridser Goodrich with 25
men. beg leave to inform your Lordship,
we have now five sail of vessels, well armed
and completed with warike stores, hut in the
present situation Of affairs arc much retarG-
ed in the prosecution of the business; We
have commissions from this Island as Let
ters of Marque; after the expense and time
of getting them manned, wherever they ar
rive in port where the Men-of. War are,
they press all our men, and two thirds of our
time is lost in getting a new set at them, of
course strangers to the service, and we are
often obliged to send our vessels out half
manned.
beg leave to inform your Lordsh'p, that
/ have made a tender of our services to Sir
Henry Clinton and Lord Howe, with the
whole of our vessels and interest, whenever
they may choose to call on us, for his Ma
jesty's service. l humbly implore your
Lordship's interposition in endeavOring to
secure the men we sail those yessels with
from being :akeu on board his Majesty's
ships, when | assure your Lordship that
myself, my sons, and every one Of our yes
sells are, at a minutes warning, ready for
his Maiesty's service. We have now pur-
chased my old sloop Edward, and are load
ing her for England with Tobacco, being
part of the schooners cargo; have been
prevented from getting my family from Vir-
ginia, his Majesty's ships being called from
that station. A very great trsde is now
carrying on from Maryland to South Caro-
lima, in swift sailing vessels from so to 20
feet keel, that outsaii the copper bottomed
Frigates, unless i, blows gale of wind. l
offered my services to Lord Howe, to build
vessels TO exceed them in sailing, but no re-
gard was paid, to it; when to encourage his
Lordsbip to repose confidence in my asser-
ton, offered to pay for them myself il
they did not answer the purpose.
My Lord, should war continue, this Is.
land would be cf great use to Great Britain
was it garrisoEed and made secure from th.
rebels there is timber enough on il to builC
at least one thousand sail of. vessels, not tc
exceed 300 tons (each,) as the timber is no
large enough to build vessels of greater bur
then. ] consider the Americans will short
ly take possession of it, as nine t.nths o
the inhabitants Of il are at this day rebels
their cruisers often come here and arc kind
Iy received.
Ny Lord, was men, well acquainted witt
building, fixed at this place, and furnsbe,
with keels, keIsons &c, his Majesty NIGH
soon be furnished with feet to comman,
the trade with the Continent, which is yer,
tar from being the case at present.
NY Lord, we are wisbfuI to have tb,
sloop Edward armed with I2 six Founders
provided we can have protection to pre-
vent the il-conveniences pointed to you
Lordship, relative to our armed vessels.
oes leave tn repeat to your Lordship ,h,
gre". utility of garrsonins and sccurin;
'"'' stand for his Majesty. use, as hav
eo"u ''"''n 10 believe il will be secured b
the Americans in n s,..