The New Hampshire Gazette

LONDON

March 25. On receiving the news of the late condemnation of the cargoes of some Dutch ships at Doctors Commons; the clamour of the French Dutch party at Amsterdam rose to the greatest height. A fresh deputation from the merchants of that city and Rotterdam arrived at the Hague on the first inst. and the next day presented the following petition to the States General:

"High and Mighty Lords,

The undersigned Deputies of the merchants of Amsterdam and Rotterdam, most humbly represent to your High Mightinesses, that they have heard with the deepest concern, that an express arrived last night from London, with the disagreeable news that on Saturday the 24th past, the cargoes of several Dutch vessels, which had been seized in their return from the West-Indies, were confiscated, and declared lawful prizes, in a large assembly of the Civilians of Doctors Commons. Now, as your petitioners are justly afraid that this confiscation will have a fatal effect on the trade of this country; and, as they foresee that a much greater number of other vessels in the same circumstances, which are detained in the ports of Britain, will run a risk of having the same fate; for these causes, the petitioners, take the liberty to apply to your High Mightinesses, most respectfully to supplicate you to take both these points into serious consideration. From a full persuasion of your equity, they hope, that out of regard to the public welfare you will be graciously pleased to employ every method, which to your great wisdom shall seem proper, for hindering the sentence in question from taking effect, in order to prevent the dangerous consequences which such sentences may hereafter occasion. And your petitioners, &c."

It is said that this petition made a great impression; and that a motion was made to send one or two of the principal members of the Regency to London, to make a final effort for accommodating matters amicably. It is also said that another motion was made to send a minister to Denmark to negotiate a defensive alliance with that crown, in case the embassy to England should prove fruitless. It is added, that whilst these things were under consideration, Mr. Yorke received letters from London, which gave room to hope that an amicable accommodation might in the end take place. However, a resolution was delivered to Mr. Yorke, requesting the British ministry to suspend the execution of the sentence passed on the cargoes of the Dutch ships.