The New Hampshire Gazette Newspaper, September 1, 1758, Page 1

J© . FRIDAY, Sepremeer T, 1758, T HE " New-Hampfhire s ’ K by In this Paer of July 14, No. 93. we gave our Readers " afbort Account of Cape Breton, while in PojJeflicz of the French. As ave bave now made a Congueft of that important Ifla<d, it may not be amifi in the Courfe of thefe Papers, to give Jome Sfurther Extralls relating thereto. ** This is the favourable Crifis, if there can be one, (Jays a late Writer ) for raining the French Trade, and eflablijbing our own ; if we awill but put a total Stop to our injuring their Pro- perty, e, And it is to be koped, no Power; no Artsof French Politicians, nor any plaufible Propofals of Equivalents, will ewer be able to wreft it out of #he Hands of a People, awho have Jo glarioufly re- covered the rightful Poffe/fion thereof —The Mines of PEruU are not a Price for it.” y A further Account of the Yland of Cape Breton, of the Advantages derived to France from the Poffiffion of that Country, and of the Fifbery upon if’s Coafls 3 and the Bencfits that muft necffarily refult to Great Britain, from the Recovery of that impartant Place. ‘+y—HE French pretend that this Country has al- l ways belonged to them, and that they gave it the Name of Cape Breton ; to which they _add, that fo long ago as the Year 1640, they had both Forts and Settlements there ; but when thele Pretences are examined to the Bottom, it will be found that there is nothing in them at all, the Right and the Poffeffion haviog been long before in the ‘Englifh ; for fo long go as the Reign of King James 1, this Country was exprefly granted to Sir William Alexander, in 1622, as a Parc of Nova Scotia ; and -3t was on this Score, that Oliwer Cramwell difposTefl- “ed the French in 1654. Itis very true that- he re- flored it again to a French Proprietor ; but this is fo _far from deftroying, that it is a new Proof of the Right which the Englifh had to that Ifland ; for it was reftored to M. gz /a Tour, upon his proving that he bought it from Sir William Alexander, and paid a valuable Confideration for it ; and therefore, even when it was French Property, the Soveseignty was in.the Crown of England. ; "~ When by the Treaty of Utrecht, Neawfoundland and Newva Scotia was reltored to Great Britain, and we were cheated out of this lfland, which ought likewife to have been reftored as being Part of Nova Scatia, the French refolved to make a Settlement there, in order to mdemnify themfelves for what they had loft ; and for this Reafon it is, that even in their own Accounts of their Etablithments in North- America, they carry this no higher than the Year 1714 and fairly acknowledge, that it was then firft peopled by their countrymen that resired from _their ruined Settlements in Acadia and Neaw/foundland. . The Trath of this appears likewife from the famous Arret of the Council of State, dated May 3, 1723, in which the green and dry Cod from this Country are exempted from all Daties for ten Years, for the Encourageément of the Infant Colony. It muft in- deed be confefed, that by the Affitance of this and other Encouragements, it has grown at a great Rate, fince in about 30 Years it is not only become a very confiderable Colony, but one of the moft confidera- ble that ever the French eftablifhed. It was in Confequence of the great Improvements that had been made there ; and that they had fliil a Profpeé of making, which induced them to change it’s Name, and to call-it from the principal Place or Capital, the 1ifind of Louifiourg, which "Town is feated very advantageoufly, and was very well for- tified, abating that the Mortar ufed in their Works was very bad, infomuch that it was found neceffary to repair the Walls every Spring. To remedy this Irconvenience, they made them exceflively thick ; and ereted two fuch Batteries to cover their. Har- bour, as, if well defended, might have fecured it's Eotrance at leaft againft any Force that ceu'd have been brought againtt it, during a general War; and while {o great a Part of our Naval Strength was ne- ceflarily employed elfewhere. As to the Productions of this Ifland, though they are not much to be boafted of, yet it is very certain, that it is far enough from being fo barren and worth- Jefs a Place, as to make us the more ealy under the Lofs of it, fome Writers were pleafed to reprefent it. There are feveral Coal Mines there, which con- fidering it’s Climate, is a great Conveniency. There is likewife, great Plenty of Timber, both Oak and Fir, proper for buildieg Ships ; and Specimens have . Containing the Frefbeft Advices Nums. 100. GAZETTE Foreign and Domeflick. e g been fent to France of a very fine Kind of Marble. But the Truth of the Matter howev=r is, that this Ifland, which, fince it has been in their Hands, has a third Time chang'd its Name, and is now cailed Ifle Royale, i¥*hiefly valued for the excellent Fifhe- ry upon it’s Coafts, and for it’s many coavenient Harbours. The principal of thefe was formerly called the Harboar of St. Anne, but at prefent Port Toloufe, into which, Veflels of 400 Tons Burthen may at all Times enter, aud the Bay is large enough to hold 1000 Ships of that Size. Befides this, Whale Port, Englith Harbour, and Spanith River, though not large, are very commodious ; fo that we need not wonder that this Place is become the Cen- ter of the French T'rade in this Bart of the World. Here it was that all Veflels bound from Old to New France touched in their Palfage, and here again, they called in their Return from Canada. There was al{o a vaft Refort of Ships hither from Nants, Rochelle, and all the Ports on the Coafts of Nor- mandy, exciufive of the Men of War fent thither an- nually with Military Stores and Provifions. The Ifland of St. John, which is 80 Miles in Length tho’ not above three or four Miles broad, and on the Coaft of which, there has been always the beft filh- ing in ; the Gulph of St, Lawrence depends entirely upon Cape Breton, and falls with it into our Hands, which greatly enhances the Value of our Conqueft. tis very probable that a great Part of our Readers may be at a Lofs to conceive, at leaft in it’s crue and full Extent, the Value of this Fithing-Trade ; and therefore to make this as clear as poffible, it is ne- ceffary fo obferve, that vaft Quantities of dried Fifh are annually tranfported to Spain, and to all the Countries bordering on the Mediterranean, in which chiefly by their Poffeffion of this Country, we have been, fince the Utrecht Treaty by the French Tra- ders, in a Manner beaten out. It is inconceivable how their Trade has increafed from their Poffefion of this Ifland ; fo that from fending fewer thana hundred Ships, which was the Cafe in 17135, they have rifen by Degrees to 1200 and upwards ; and for fome Years palt they have 2&uaily made five Millions of Quintals of Fifh, green and dry ; and of thefe they have fold fuch a Quantity, as muft have praduced an immenfe Sum of Noney, which was ail clear Gains to them ; and confidering our jult Title of this Country and Fithery, {o much taken out of our Pockets. There was goad Reafon therefove to fay, that when this Ifland was given to the French for the Sake ofa Peace, we parted with a Mine of Gold, or indeed with a better Thing, fince if we " keep and fortify Cape Breton, and improvethe Fith- ery there to the Degree of which it is capable, it will very foon produce to this Nation between two and three Millions Sterling per Annum ; which is {o far from being a Random, or extravagantCalculation, that it may be {afely averred to be rather below than above its Value, We may add to al! this, thatif it highly concern- ed us as a tradiog Nation, to recover fuch an impor- tant Branch of Commerce, and which of Right be- longed to us, oat of the Hands of thefe Competitors, it behoved usno lefs as a Maritime Power, to deprive our natural Enemies of fuch 8 mighty Asivauntape as was derived (o them from the Poffeflion of this Kith- ery, for fuppotting and increafing the Force of their Marine. [Itis univer(ally allowed, that both the a- bleft and the hardieft Seamen are in all Nations, bred by their Fifheries ; and we know by Experience, that the Newwfour."and Fifuery has been, in that Re- fpe&, a conftant Seminary to the Biitith Navy. We may from hence form-a pretty juft Idea of the great Blow given to the French, by taking from thema Country, the Trade of which emj.’oyed yearly at lealt 20 Thoufand Seamen, jome of their own Wri- ters fay many more. By regaining the Ifland of Cape Breton, we have fecured an impenetrable Bar- rier for our Nothern Colcaies, and we have thrown the French Settlements into that precarions State; from which we have refcued our own. We have befides divided the French Colonies.from each other, and from old France; fo that benceforward, they muft in Time of War at leaft have fuch an uncertain and unfettled Correfpondance, as will greatly leflen, if not wholly deftroy their Commerce. NEWPORT, ((Rbode-1fland) Auguft 21. We have the Pleafure to inform the Publick,That on Thur{day Morning lag, we receiv'd the moft a- greeable News of the Surrender of the important Fartrefs ot Louifbourg, on the liland of Cape Breton, the 25th of July, to the Obedience of his Britannic Majelty. Our Acclamaticns, upen this joyful Oc- cafion, were ufher'd in with a Royal Salute of z¢ Cannon, from Fort George, which was fellow’d by a regular Difcharge of apwards of 300 more, from the Town aand Shipping in the Harbour, the latter with all their Colours flying, made a fine Appear- wnce. The Inhabitants at the fame Time, were agreably entertain’d with feveral beautiful Ficurss, reprefenting Britannia holding ti-¢ Emblem of Peace and War, and trampling the Standard of France un- der her Feet ; Mercury defcending, and approaching Britannia, with the Welcome Meffage, of the Sus- render of Louifbourg. The Arms of Great-Britaia in Miniature, and underneath, Fame, pointing te- wards the illuftrious Guardian of our American Li- berties, the Hon. WILLIAM PITT, Efgq; A Dutch Man with a droll Countenance and Drefs, regailing bimfelf, and foeering at the contending Powers. A French Minifter and his Lady, looking over his Shoulders, with a moft dejefted Afpe, exprefling the prefent diftrefs’d Circumftances of France : The whole was well executed, and a pretty Amufement. In the Evening, the Gentlemen of the Town began to exhibit their Fire- Works, at the Ifland oppofite to the Town, whereon ftands Fort George ; when up- wards of 400 Rockets were plaid off ; and as Num- bers at the fame Inftant appear’d in the Air, the Profpe& was very beaatifal. Several Parts of the Town were illuminated ; Royal Healths dranks, and on this great Occafion, the Admiral’s, General's and the reft of the brave Officers at the Siege of Louifbourg. Our Demonftrations of Joy, were conducted with great Spirit and good Decorum, and concluded to general Satistaltion : And we have the utmoft Reafon to believe, that the feveral Denomi- nations of Chriftians in this Town*and Colony, - will make wife and religious Improvements of fo fignal a Favour of Divine Providence. ~ Capt. Godfrey, who arrived here on Tuefday laft from Jamaica, informs us, That fix Days before he came into Port, he {poke with the Privateer Ship Defiance, of New: York, retarning from a Cruize ; the Capt. whereof, acquainted him, that he met with a Veflel bound to South Carolina, whe had been five Weeks from England ; from whom he re- ceiv'd this agreable Intelligence : That there had been an Engagement between the King of Prufiia and Count Daun, the latter of which was totally de- feated, and that Count Daun fell in the A&tion— This has a very great Appearance of Truth, as our laft Advices acquaint us, that the two Armies were within three Hours march of each other. The Houfe of Auftria will now undoubtedly liften to a feparate Peace, which may greatly facilitate the Ne- gociation fubfitting between his Pruffian Majefty and the Ruffians. And the prefent unfettled State of the Swedifh Nation, which at beft can only reprefent the Fly, upon the Coach Wheel, who made a Buftle, with, What a Duft do 1 raife ? Will not prevent that great Prince from turning his whole Arms againit France (who has ever been more the Plague, than the Scourge, of her Neighbours) ; when our moft fanguine Withes may be gratify’d, in viewing her ftript of Power and Grandeur, with which fhe now too tauch exults, and expos’d in her true Charafter— Infolent in Profperity, and fawnipg in Adverfity. On Saturday laft, the Privateer Brig Defiance, of this Port, Walter Chaloner Commander, retorned from-a Cruize of ten Months. On the 11th of July, he took a French Snow, called the Latcmeife, from Rochelle, loaded with Wine, Oyl, Flour, Soap, Can- dles, &c. which he carried into Monti Chrifto: And on the 24th of July, in Company with Capt. Ber}a- min Wagton, in the Georye, of this Port, Capt. Chriftopher Hopkins, in the Prince George, of Pro- vidence, and Capt. James Devereux, of the Ship St. George, of New York, he took a French Felacca, bound from Marfailles to Hiipaniola, tho" fhe pre- tends to be a Genoefe ; but as fhe is' wholly naviga- ted by French Officers, and has chiefly French Papers ‘on bdard, we doubt not but (he will prove a lawful Prize. Her Cargo confifls of Bale Goods, Fruit, &c. and is faid to be worth 2¢;oco 1. Sterling. ke par- ted with her and the Snow five Days dgo ; the Fe- lucca is bound to New-Yoaik, and the Spow arrived here Yefterday, =~ 4 We