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1780, will probably pronounce it equal, if not fuperior to any upon the continent.

4.

Notwithstanding all the anxieties and avocations attending the war wherein they were engaged, the MaffaMay chusetts general court paffed an act to incorporate and establish a fociety for the cultivation and promotion of the arts and sciences, by the name of THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF ARTS AND SCIENCES. The number of the said academy, who are inhabitants of the state, are not to be at any time more than two hundred, nor lefs than forty. A bill to the like purpose was brought into the house in a former feffion; but the names of the gentlemen inserted being unintentionally arranged by the perfons draughting it, fo as feemingly to give pre-eminence to another before Mr. Hancock, the last declared in the house against having any concern in it, and it fell to the ground: but an alphabetical arrangement in the new one removing the umbrage, the same paffed into an act.

June

The court agreed upon raifing 3934 men for the continental army for fix months; and on the 22d, 4726 more for three months, and the men were to be paid in gold or filver, or bills equivalent thereto. The felectmen of the feveral towns were ordered to collect fhirts, fhoes, stockings, &c. and fubjected to penalties in cafe of non-compliance. They were also directed to draught and procure men. But notwithstanding thefe promifing exertions, the general court will not have furnished gen. Washington by the beginning of Auguft with men fufficient to make good the ftate deficiency; for by his returns of the 23d, 5117 were wanting to complete the Maffachusetts battalions. That they might furnish the 19. provifions required by congrefs, they determined to bor

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row hard money upon the eftates, or the.parts of eftates 1780. of abfentees, wherewith to make the purchases; and on the fame day refolved, that in cafe the monthly fupplies of beef and grain agreed upon, could not be procured by purchase, the fame fhould be impreffed. It was high time for fomething effectual to be done: for the Maffachusetts and New Hampshire lines at and about West Point, though but a handful of men, had at times been many days without bread, on others without meat, and a long while on half allowance; and the officers in the fame condition with the privates, having no money to purchase neceffaries. New York, though confuming at both ends, and bleeding at every pore, had her compliment of continental troops in the field; befide having raised in the month of May 800 new levies to guard the frontiers. On the 21st of that month, Sir John Johnson made his appearance at Johnson-hall. He and his party the next day burnt about 33 houses and out-houses, together with a mill; destroyed cattle and sheep; and killed about a dozen perfons. After digging up his plate, he marched off. While New York was thus fuffering, and ftill exerting herself, feveral of her fifter states that were in full and peaceable poffeffion of their territories, seemingly slept in security, and had not a third of their quota of men in the field.

The American cruifers have been fending in occafionally valuable prizes to different ports; and the people of Boston particularly have been lately in high fpirits, having heard within this fortnight, that nineteen ships of a very rich outward bound Quebec fleet were captured, and that the privateers were in pursuit of the

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1780. remainder. Several of them will undoubtedly be brought fafe into one or other of the states *.

LETTER

XII.

Rotterdam, Aug. 26, 1780.

FRIEND G.

1779. Nov.

25.

HIS British majefty went to the house of peers,

and

opened the feffion of parliament. The royal speech was totally filent with respect to America and the Weft Indies: but ftiled the prefent, one of the most dangerous confederacies that ever was formed against the crown and people of Great Britain. It recommended to the lords and commons the confideration of what further advantages might be extended to the kingdom of Ireland, by fuch regulations as may effectually promote the interefts of all the British dominions. The neceffity of the recommendation was evident from what had already happened upon the meeting of the Irish parliament in October. The further proceedings of the people of Ireland discovered a determination to fecure to themselves fubftantial benefits from a crifis fo peculiarly favorable to the views of the patriotic party. The affociators being jealous, that if the fupplies were granted as usual for two years, a fudden prorogation of parliament would put an end to all hope of amicable redress * About fourteen were brought in.

for the present, called out for a fhort money bill of fix 1779€ months only, and it became the general cry of Ireland. The reprefentatives at length found, that it was indif penfably requifite for them to comply, and the short money bill was accordingly paffed. A neceffity equally convincing, fecured the paffage of that humiliating and mortifying act in Great Britain on the 17th of December. Six days after, the king gave his affent to a bill for granting a free trade to Ireland. The golden opportunity admitting of it, the people of that kingdom have proceeded fo far as abfolutely to deny the right of the British parliament to bind that country in any cafe

whatever.

Government received advice on the 18th of December, that the fort of St. Ferdinando de Omoa, the key to the bay of Honduras, had been taken about the 20th of October, by the troops under the command of capt. William Dalrymple, who had been fent by the governor. of Jamaica to the Mufquito fhore. The men by the help of ladders fcaled the walls, though 28 feet high, and thus made themselves mafters of the fort. Two register ships, with the cargoes of other vessels of note, worth three millions of dollars, were alfo taken. All was gained with the lofs only of about 20 killed and wounded on the British fide, and very few more on the fide of the Spaniards.

Intelligence having been tranfmitted to the British 1780 adminiftration, [by fome, it is thought, whofe duty: bound them to keep the fecrets of the Dutch councils] that a number of Dutch fhips, laden with timber and. naval ftores for the French fervice, in order to escape the danger of British. cruifers, accompanied count By

1780. remainder. Several of them will undoubtedly be brought fafe into one or other of the states *.

LETTER

FRIEND G.

XII.

Rotterdam, Aug. 26, 1780.

1779. Nov.

25.

HIS British majefty went to the house of

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opened the feffion of parliament. The royal speech was totally filent with respect to America and the Weft Indies: but ftiled the prefent, one of the most dangerous confederacies that ever was formed against the crown and people of Great Britain. It recommended to the lords and commons the confideration of what further advantages might be extended to the kingdom of Ireland, by fuch regulations as may effectually promote the interefts of all the British dominions. The neceffity of the recommendation was evident from what had already happened upon the meeting of the Irish parliament in October. The further proceedings of the people of Ireland difcovered a determination to fecure to themselves fubftantial benefits from a crifis fo peculiarly favorable to the views of the patriotic party. The affociators being jealous, that if the fupplies were granted as usual for two years, a fudden prorogation of parliament would put an end to all hope of amicable redress * About fourteen were brought in.

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