National Gazette

Extract of a letter from New-Providence,
June 19.

"You will no doubt be surprised to see
the date of a letter from me at this place.
but when I inform you of the cause, & you
are made acquainted with the treatment
Americans receive from the British cruiz-
ers, your surprise will be removed, and
you will probably feel that indignation,
which every American ought upon such an
occasion.

"I sailed from Aux Caves about a fort-
night since, with an American sloop bound
for Baltimore, full of freight, when eight
or nine days after leaving Aux-Cayes, I fell
in with the schooner May Flower, a priva-
teer belonging to this port, who took me
into possession as having French property
on board, and sent my vessel and cargo here
for trial. On their first taking me, they
mentioned that American property was not
to be disturbed, but that all French proper-
ty they were determined to have; and in
consequence of an information lodged by
one James M'Alpine, who was, or acted as
master of a schooner belonging to Virginia.
they were particularly informed my vessel
and cargo were both French property; this,
although an infamous falsehood, had induced
them to libel both sloop and cargo, and be-
ing an entire stranger here, and destitute of
the money necessary to secure sureties for
the cost, I am necessitated to give up my
property, where I have all the prospect in
life of gaining my claim of the sloop, which
God knows is just, if I had wherewith to
support my claim; in this situation I know
not what to do, and all the consolation I
can have in my mind, is to menace them
with the hopes of revenge.

"I am not alone in this business, there
are now here seven American vessels, with
the greater part of their cargoes libelled,
and more expected every day, many from
Aux-Cayes, which are likewise informed
against by the said M'Alpine, they have
likewise libelled the schooner M'Alpine
was in, merely from his saying he was sold
in Aux-Cayes, and altho' the proprietor
was present, and nothing can be proved to
ascertain the sale, yet I think, and am
afraid, his chance will be small of recover-
ing her—for it is hard going to law, where
the Devil sits judge."