Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume], November 05, 1823, Image 2

About Harpers-Ferry free press. [volume] (Harper's Ferry, Va. [i.e. Harpers Ferry, W. Va.]) 1821-1824

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ARRIVAL OF THE HORNET.
NEW-YORK, OCT. 21.
The U. S. sloop of war Hornet, Capt.
Smith, arrived at this port on Saturday,
from Vera Cruz, and last from Havana.
Left the former port Sept. 24th, at which
time all vessels there were ordered to leave
the harbor, and the schr. Camilla, of Bal
timore, schr. Tom, and brig George, of
Philadelphia ; several English merchant
vessels, and the British sloops of war
Tyne and Bellette, which had been taking
on board specie and cochineal, were get
ting under way the same evening. Hos
tilities were momently expected to break
out between the town and the Spanish
garrison in the Castle of St. Juan, the
forts in the city to commence the fire,
with the hope of reducing the castle to
subjection. All the old Spaniards ©fi the
city had fled into the castle.
The Hornet touched at Sisal Aug. 14th,
and found that that place, and all the
coast, was governed by the Patriots, and
heard of no pirates in that quarter Off
Gape Antonio, 5th inst. boarded schr. Ida,
Gaul, from Philadelphia, for Alvarado,
all well.
Left at Havana, the U. S. schr. Jackall,
and Greyhound, just arrived from a cruize
off Cartouch, all well on board. The
Grampus, Capt. Gregory, sailed 11th
inst. on a cruize in the Gulf of Mexico—
her crew all well. The Porpoise, Lt. Ra
nt age, sailed in co. for Key West, and
carried Dr. Williamson, (from the Hor
net,) and refreshments for that establish
ment.
Brig Hyperion, and a schr. for this port,
a ship for Hamburg, and a British brig,
came out of Havana under convoy. Ha
vana was quite healthy.
The Hornet has on board specie for
sundry merchants of this city and Phila
delphia. Passenger, Mr. Taylor, U. S.
Consul at Vera Cruz. The following are
the officers of the Hornet—Lts. A. Esk
ridge, J. C. Long, and E. Byrne; Sailing
master P. Cunningham ; surgeon A. B.
Cook; purser Thomas Gardner; mid
shipmen R.Taylor, Swartwout, Hansford,
Morris, Hunt, Watson, and Harris; mas
ter’s mate Dunn ; boatswain Welsh ; gun
tier Whitten ; sail maker Van Voorhies,
and captain’s clerk Swift—all well.
We are favoured with Vera Cruz and
Havana papers, the former to the 23d ult.
and the latter to the 12th inst.
A letter received at Havana, dated
Sept. 22, at the Castle of St. Juan, states
as follows :
“ It is now 8 days since hostilities have
been on the point of breaking out The
Mexicans (as before stated) wanted to
take possession of the Island of Sacrifi
cios. They had sent two gun boats from
Alvarado, and were constructing a bat
tery at Macambo, which commands that
anchorage. We immediately directed the
occupation of the Island by 10 men and
a small cannon, who got there before the
gun boats, and hoisted our flag. At the
same time a flag was sent to the Gover
nor of Vera Cruz, to inform him, that
the Island was occupied by our troops,
and that any insult offered to our flag by
the gun boats, would be considered an
act of hostility. The Governor replied,
he acted by orders from his government,
and should proceed in the execution of
his design ; but, in consequence of the
representations of the people, in the af
ternoon he sent a flag to state that the
gun boats should not approach ; and it
was agreed to await the arrival of further
instructions from Mexico, and General
Victoria. But on the 18th, at noon, in
consequence of an order from General
Victoria, they cut off the communication
with the castle, and reduced us to live on
salt provisions. This aggression again
alarmed the municipality of the city, and
more so, when, on the night of the 19th,
they began to work at the batteries, which
are to act against us—they therefore made
another representation to Gen. Victoria,
at Jalapa, but in vain. On the 20th, the
commander of this castle received a letter
Irani the municipality of the city, which
merely requested him to remain quiet, as
the works they were making; iu the town
were merely for its defence. Our com
mander replied, that such a proceeding;
was singular, and told the municipality
they were not at liberty, which was the
fact. Several persons had fled from the
town in consequence of the violence of
the populace, who cried out, ‘Kill the
Europeans’—and wanted the governor to
attack the castle immediately.
“ In the night of the 20th a flag arriv
ed, with a letter from the municipality,
saying that their efforts to preserve peace
had not succeeded, and another from Vil
la Urnitia, confessing that he had been
obliged to yield to the wishes of the
people and the troops.
“In this situation we have no alterna
tive hut our guns, on which we rely with
confidence. The Mexicans think, that,
in consequence of the situation of Spain,
and the disturbances at Havana, we can
derive no assistance from our government,
and are bent upon putting us down. They
do not reflect on the consequence of a
contest, which will deprive them of their
port, at which they derive a revenue of
{5200,000.
“ Sefit. 23.—This morning all the ves
sels bad orders to leave the harbor, and
to-day a flag has come in from the muni
cipality with a promise that they will
discontinue the works, and Villa Urnitia,
now at night, who had promised the same
thing, says he will go on with them, and
has determined on an appeal to arms.
Upon them, therefore, must fall the odium
of the evils that are about to fall upon
Vera Cruz.
“ It is now eleven at night, and our
troops, owing to fatigue, have not been
able to complete the works, which will
be finished to morrow morning, when we
promise ourselves success.”
BALTIMORE, OCT. 31.
Captain McCoy, of. the schr. Camilla,
arrived at this port yesterday from Vera
Cruz, states, that when he sailed, the cas
tle of San Juan de Ulloa,was still keeping
up the lively cannonade and bombard
ment upon the city of La Vera Cruz,
which commenced the 25th September,
and had been continued almost without
intermission up to the time of her depar
ture. He also states, that en the 15th
inst. on Cape Cartouch Bank, she was
chased from daylight till after dark by a
fast sailing brig of war, under American
colors, supposed to be the Colombian
privateer El Vencedor, known to be cruiz
ing there and to have made some cap
tures, but did not like to trust her.
A letter from Callao, dated July 7, says:
“ Lima is in possession of the Royalists.
The Patriots hold Callao. The armies
are encamped in sight of each other, and
in sight of the shipping.”
The Franklin, 74, was at Callao on the
7th July.
VERY IMPORTANT FROM SPAIN.
The Boston Commercial Gazette of
Monday announces the arrival, at Port
land, on Thursday last, of the brig Milo,
Capt. Hall, in 34 days from St. Lucar,
(near Cadiz,) with accounts to the 19th
©f Sept, furnishing gratifying intelligence
of the success of the Spaniards in de
fending Cadiz and the cause of their
country.
It is stated that, on the 26th of August,
the French attacked the Cano Frocarda
ro, a small island used as a Navy Yard,
and WERE REPULSED, with the loss
of one thousand men, in killed and wound
ed. It was intended to be given up by
the governor ; but the garrison not only
defended the place, but hung tip the gover
nor without ceremony, as an example to
traitors.
It was reported at St. Lucar that the
French had made an attack on or near St.
Peter, the result of which was, that they
had three gunboats sunk, one frigate ma
terially injured and a number of lives lost.
The St Lucar accounts confirm the fall
ofTrocadero; but say it was sold for
70,000 dollars. This, of course, is de
nied by the French, who affirm that it
was carried by the valor of their troops.
It was reported at St. Lucar, Sept. 16,
that Gen. Alavar had retired to the cas
tle of St. Sebastians, for fear of being
shot by Riego. It appears that Alavar
was one df the Commissioners sent from
Cadiz to treat with the Duke, in the ab
sence of Riego. Pie being on the borders
of Malaga, and hearing the circumstance,
proceeded in haste for Cadiz, eluded the
French, and arrived in safety; and by
haranguing the populace on the subject
of their liberty, telling them it was dis
graceful even to offer any terms, the ne
gotiation was broken off.
On the 30th of August, 3000 French
troops arrived at St. Lucar, from Rota,
destined to act against Cadiz, and were
quartered on the inhabitants. The fish
ing craft at the same place had all been
taken by the French, and fitted up for
gun boats. On the 19th, it was said at
St. Lucar that negotiations had been re
newed, but the Constitutionalists doubt
ed the fact.
The Trocadura—Is on a narrow point
or tongue, directly facing the fortress of
Puntales. The French have gained no
thing in taking it; for Soult bad it the
whole period of the last war, and from
this point he threw shells into Cadiz
without effect. On the land side there
can be no approach to Cadiz—the walls, ;
battlements, and cannon, are too power- <
ful; and if properly defended, the French ;
can never take it. If they make the at- i
tack with ships in the bay, they have to i
contend with some dangerous reefs, call
ed the Cochinas and Friales, together
with a frowning range of cannon. There
cannot be less than 1500 pieces of cannon
in the defences of Cadiz, and the French
cannot exten ' the blockade to any length
of time.—[_Nat. Adv.
tlWWM'
MOBILE, SEPT. 30.
Longevity of a Dog.—Died, at the mills
of Major J. P. Kennedy, a short time
since, the faithful dog “ Par-doe,*’ of more
than 23 years of age. Few, if any, of the
species ever reached so great an age.—
Pardoe was celebrated for his fidelity to
his master. He did much to endear the
race to man, to share whose company
they alone, of all the beasts, have left the
forest.
M IS CEL LA N E 0 U S ARTICLES.
Progress of Printing, ctfc.—In theEng
lish Parliament, the annual motion for
reform in the representation had been
made by Lord John Russell, and negativ
ed by a vote of 269 to 164. The result
was received with loud cheering by the
opposition, as showing an accession of
strength to their cause. In the course of
his speech lord Russell stated several
facts to show the improved state of all
classes from the increased means of in
struction, and the propriety and justice
of giving to the mass of population a re
presentation proportioned to its increas
ed relative weight and improvement. He
stated as among the results of his inqui
ries into the extension of the means ol in
struction, that the sales by one booksel
ler’s house, in London, amounted to ^5,
000,000, sterling, (upwards of $22,000,
000,) worth of books; that they employ
ed sixty clerks, paid ^5,500 for adver
tisements, and gave constant employment
to no fewer than 250 bookbinders. The
increase of circulating libraries had also
been very great, there being about 1000
of those establishments in the kingdom,
and from 1500 to 2000 marts for the sale
of books distributed throughout the coun
try ; in addition to all which was the
quantity of newspapers annually distribut
ed, the number of which for the year 1821,
he estimated at 23,600,000, and of those
11,000,000 were London daily papers,
country papers, 7,000,000. The increase
of presses in 40 years had been from 79,
the whole number in 1781, to 284, in 18
22; yet with a population of 18,000,000
so provided with the means of knowledge,
a majority of the representation in the
parliament was returned by less than
8,000 electors.
Ireland.—The number of inhabitants
in Ireland is estimated at 6,846,949, and
the number of Irish acres at 6,809,709 ;
so that there is more than one individual
to an acre. In England, the number of
English acres is 32,342,400, and the inha
bitants 11,486,700, or nearly three Eng
lish acres (about two and a quarter Irish)
to an individual. But the difference be
tween the relative size of the tenancies is
far greater. In a barony of about thirty
square miles in Ireland, nearly one half
of the farms are less than five acres, and
only one in thirty is above fifty acres.—
In the United States we have about seven
hundred acres to each individual.
[ Phil. Aurora.
NEW-YORK, OCT. 25.
The forenoon of this day was the dark
est we have ever witnessed, except dur
ring the total eclipse. Our workmen
were compelled to use candles nearly the
whole morning, and, though sitting in a
lower room, with four large windows, we
were obliged to order a candle at half
past 11 o’clock. It rained the whole
morning, and at half past 11 we were vi
sited with a heavy thunder shower.
Empiricism.—Two respectable physi
cians have certified, in the St. Lawrence
Gazette,thaljon the 7th ult. a Mrs.M’Dow
ell, wife of William M‘Dowell, of the
town of Madrid in that county, fell a vic
tim to the unwarrantable violence com
mitted by a Mrs. Davis, lately from the
Black river country, who pretends to
practice Midwifery and some other bran
ches in the medical department. The
circumstances pertaining to this tragical
event, are too shocking to admit of pub
licity.
Quacks Beware!—An action was lately
brought in the county of Albany, (by her
nearest friend,) to recover damages from
a physician for negligence and mal-prac
tice in setting the plaintiff’s arm, which
bad been dislocated at the elbow joint.'—
The case was fully made out, and it ap
peared that the arm had been rendered
;ntirely useless. The jury returned a
verdict of-six hundred dollars damages
:’or the plaintiff.
Mourning Dress.—A writer in the Bos
ion Recorder condemns the practice of
rearing mourning at funerals, as being
innecessary because by no means indica
;ive of true grief, and as being an oppres
sive burthen to the poor. He recently
leviated from this custom in the case of
i deceased individual of his family, and
ransmitted $10 to the American Educa
ion Society, as a part of the sum saved.
[Col. Star.
It is stated in the Boston paper that
Mr. Chautray, the celebrated sculptor at
Pimlico, near London, is now engaged in
preparing a colossal statue of Washing
ton, which he hopes to complete, and
send to Boston within the next year. Mr.
C. was selected some years ago, by Presi
dent West and Washington Alston, Esq.
as the European artist best qualified to
execute this work, but his other avoca
tions would not permit him to undertake
it sooner. The sum paid in by the in
habitants of Massachusetts, amounted on
the 1st. Oct. instant, to gl4,730 91, so
that there will probably be ample funds
to complete the pedestal and the appen
dages.
A Pojie in America.—-At the reques
a deputation from South America, toe
late Pope of Rome appointed Monsignor
Muzzt to be Apostolic Vicar in the new
world. He is to be clothed with exten
sive powers, and to be a kind ot substi
tute for the Pope’s own authority in go
verning the Church in America. I he
holy father “ deplores the error of the in
surgents who contemn the authority of
the mother country,” but, “desirous not
to jeopardise the eternal salvation of so
many Christians,” he has granted their
petition for the appointment of a Patri
arch.—[Co/. Star.
Shocking.—The house of a Mr. Aquil
laTodd, in Bertie county, N. C. was de
stroyed by fire on the 11th inst. Pie and
his wife were absent from home, and
two of his children in the yard at the
time, the eldest of whom ran to the house
to rescue the youngest, ,but did not suc
ceed, and, with it, fell a victim to the de
vouring element.—[Balt. M. Chron.
—omm «*■—
Portugal.—The NewYork Gazette says
“We have late dates from Lisbon, which
represent Portugal in a very unsettled
state, and on the eve of a counter revolu
tion
SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
BALTIMORE, OCT. 25. 1
The handsome purse of one thousand
dollars, produced yesterday the best run- V
rung which has yet been witnessed. The
racers which started were those named
yesterday, viz:—Col. Johnson’s mare
Betsey Richards,-'rider in white dress and
red cap; General Winn’s sorrel horse
Sumpter, rider pith blue jacket; and Mr.
James Howard’s brown horse Jim Crack,
rider with yellow jacket. They set out
at the hour appointed, Betsey Richards
in front, and Sumpter and Jim Crack
close behind. Betsey Richards preserved
her lead and came out ahead at the end
of the heat—but the interest was greatly
increased by the handsome performance
of Jim Crack and the close match of his
speed with Sumpter, each being at time-s
before the other during the rounds. The
time of running the first heat, four miles,
was eight minutes, Jive seconds.
In the start of the second heat Sump
ter was for a moment in front; but Betsey
Richards soon shot ahead and retained
her advantagewith apparent ease through
out the heat. In this heat Sumpter was
between the other two; alternately near
ing Betsey Richards or falling behind to
wards Jim Crack. In the coming out, i
Betsey Richards was first and won the :J
purse; Sumpter second, and Jim Crack 1
drawn up after coming within the dis- 1
tance post. Time of running the seco^|r
heat eight minutes, eight seconds. Up^lF
the whole the race was a very fine one,
exhibiting great powers on the part of
the animals engaged in it.
The large amount of the purse and the
very fine weather drew to the course ma
ny thousand persons, including the beau
ty, fashion, and respectability of the city.
The marked order and decorum which
prevailed in this vast crowd was a subject
of remark to many—reflecting the highest
credit upon the Maryland Association.
[Balt. American.
Washington Jockey Club Races.
The First Day.—The Purse of Five
Hundred Dollars, four mile heats, was
won by Mr. Johnson's Betsey Richards,
in two heats, beating Mr. Wynn's Sump
ter, with apparent ease, though the heats
were w’ell contested—the Race being said
to be a better one than that run between
the same two horses at Baltimore.
I he Purse of Two Hundred Dollars,
lor 1 wo Mile heats, was yesterday run
for. Six Horses were entered, as stated
in our last.
Of these Mr. Wilson’s Experiment, J
Mr. Ramsay’s Doubtful,, and Mr. Stone- 1
street’s Cornwallis, were distanced the
first heat.
In the second heat Dr. Thornton’s
Southern Eclipse was distanced, and the
heat was won with great ease by Mr.
Winn’s Vanity, beatiug Mr. C. Strother’s
Atalanta.
The Third Day’s Race, Three Mile
Heats, for a Purse of Three Hundred Dol
lars, was won with apparent ease by Mr.
Winns hilly Vanity. Mr. Ramsay's
Horse was distanced the first heat; and
after the first heat Mr. Johnson's Horse
W ashington, was drawn, not being in or
der to run.
1 he day was fine, and the running
swift. A free Purse for a Saddle was run J
after the regular Race, and made much
sport; seven heats, of a mile each, being
run before it was decided.—[_Aat. Int.
WEEKLY ALMANAC.
NOVEMBER,
1823.
5 Wednesday
6 Thursday
7 Friday
8 Saturday
9 Sun day
10 Monday
l \ Tuesday
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