The Virginia Gazette

CHARLESTOWN, May 15.

On Saturday last arrived the ship King of Prussia, Leonard Hodgson master, from Gibraltar, who tells us that about five days before he sailed, advice having been received that the Spanish galleons were arrived at Cadiz, the Aeolus, and another English frigate, immediately sailed from Gibraltar for the said port, in order, it was said, to receive, or demand, the Manila ransom, which the Court of Spain had put off paying until the arrival of her treasure from the new world. Captain Hodgson says that about a fortnight before he sailed an English ship, which had been up the Levant with tobacco, was ordered to proceed for and put on shore the said cargo at Gibraltar; but when he arrived there, General Irwin, unwilling to give any umbrage to the Spaniards, did not permit the tobacco to be landed, and the ship put out to sea again, but was soon followed by two xebecks, sent out by the Spanish General. The Captain of the ship, seeing an English frigate, got under his protection, on which the xebecks, then alongside of him, thought proper to sheer off. Great quantities of grain were arrived in all ports of the Mediterranean, which had reduced the prices to almost nothing; and it was thought immense sums would be lost by the adventurers in that branch.