The Virginia Gazette

The Public may depend on the Authenticity of the following Intelligence. It is extracted from the Journal of Mr. Valentine Huppli, Supercargo of a Vessel lately from the English Factory at Smyrna to Count Alexis Orlow, General of the Russian Forces in those Seas, dated from Smyrna, August 17, 1770.

"Soon after the Tumult and Massacre that happened here on the 5th past the Consuls proposed to the Magistrates of this Place to permit the Franks to send a Deputation to Count Orlow, the Russian Generalissimo of the Land and Sea Expedition now in the Archipelago, in Order to lay before him our alarming Situation, and endeavour, if possible, to persuade him to spare this Place. They consented to it, and I was chosen Deputy for the English; but just as we were embarking the Oda of the Janizaries, and others, represented that such a Step was not in any Wife honourable for them as Soldiers, who were obliged to defend the Place with their Lives, and that it might not be pleasing to the Porte. This put a Stop to that Deputation. Soon after arrived here a Janizary Aga, and forty one Turks, which Count Orlow set at Liberty, with Orders to come here and represent to the Magistrates their Cruelty in slaying poor unarmed Christians, and that he had it in his Power to repay all such Bloodshed upon his Prisoners; but, on the contrary, if they would assure him that the Rayas and Franks would be well protected by them, he would set at Liberty many more Turks. This set on Foot the Proposal of a Deputation again, and was much pressed by the Turks. We accordingly embarked on Board a Greek Boat the 21st of July, expecting to find the Fleet near Scio; but as we were four Days getting to Foggia, they were then got beyond Cape Baba. Upon this News we resolved to write to Smyrna for farther Orders, whether to return or to go forward, and in Case they resolved we should proceed on our Voyage, we begged they would procure us a good Ship, in Order to perform the Voyage with some Degree of Safety; for in a Greek Boat we run the Risk of being cut to Pieces at the first Place we might touch at, the Shores being all lined with armed Men, very much irritated against the Greeks in particular. After waiting six Days, the Consul procured us the Voligue of Cambaz ie, with eight Turks well armed. This was very necessary, as we could touch at any Place where we might get Information about the Russian Fleet. Accordingly we got on Board the Voligue the 26th of July. The 1st of August we stopped near Cape Baba, and were told that the Fleet was at Tenedos. The 2d we got to Tenedos, but found no Fleet. We were, however, told that they were watering their Ships at Imbros. The 3d we arrived there, and found Admiral Elphinstone in a three Decker of eighty four Guns. He had with him two Ships of seventy Guns, and two Frigates of about forty Guns. He used us very well, but would not receive us on Board, for Fear of the Plague However, under his Stern we had much Talk with him. He told us that as soon as his Water was completed he proposed, with his Division, to block up the Dardanelles, and let no Frank Ship either go in or come out. In Short, he would permit of no Communication by Sea to any One, for he esteemed the Capital as a City besieged, and the Rules of War would not permit him to admit of any Communication by Sea; so that there is no Likelihood of the Passage being free until a Peace, unless the French should join the Turks, and that will soon be the Case. The 4th we set sail for Lemnos. On our Way thither we met a Russian Cruiser, on going on Board, to our great Surprise, I found she was commanded by Captain Jenad She. He had some Russians and Greeks on Board, unknown to Pallpot. They had brought him those Vessels at Tenedos, the largest twenty four Pounders on Deck. The 9th we arrived at the Castle of Lemnos, and anchored near Count Orlow's Ship. He had then only five Ships of sixty Guns, and the Rhodes Stage taken from the Turks, with four or five Cutters of twenty four Guns, three of four small Vessels full of Zantiotes and some Boats of different Sorts. At Noon we went on Board. After several Inquiries concerning the Plague at Smyrna, we were admitted on the Quarter Deck. Count Orlow came out soon after, and received us very well. We delivered our Letters, and after a little Discourse he went on Shore to the Batteries, ordering us to return again next Day at nine O'Clock. We passed that Afternoon on Board, recommending our Case to Count Orlow's Brother, and to some Officers of Distinction, begging their Intercession. The 6th we went on Board again, as by Appointment. The Count was not stirring, being on Shore until two O'Clock in the Morning. We had a long Discourse with the Captain of the Ship, Mr. Gitt, who, having behaved very well, is now made an Admiral, and carries the Russian Flag. He was very much affected with our Narration, and promised to do all in his Power to assist us, but hoped that by making our Situation at Smyrna known, it might be a Means of avoiding the Visit. The Count, being very much at Church that Day, sent word he was preparing his Answer, which would very soon be delivered to us. We retired on Board our Boat, very sorry that we could not go on Shore; but the Count begged of us not to go, saying any Accident might happen to us on the Shore, unless, calling in Ibra- refe, Maniotes, Greeks, Sclavonians, &c. Two Officers did us a Visit that Afternoon, a Swiss and a Provincial. They gave us a long Account of their Battles in the Morea, and of their being obliged to abandon all their Conquests, occasioned by the Greeks' Cowardice, who would not fight, but ran away, leaving the Russians to be cut to Pieces.

The 7th of August we went on Board, as usual, sharing all the Tea whom we thought had any Power to help. We heard that they expected this Winter 18 Ships more of the Line, with Provisions, Ammunition, &c. that they propose to attempt passing the Dardanelles until next Spring, only to block up the Passage with their Ships, in Order to hinder Provisions, &c. going up. The 8th Ditto Mr. Leslie and I went on Board, without any of the other Deputies. Count Orlow sent for me in to his Cabin. I went in, and had about an Hour's Discourse with him. He spoke Russian, which the Secretary interpreted to me in French. I laid before his Excellency the miserable Situation we were in at Smyrna, and begged his Compassion in very moving Terms. He answered that he could not make public his Intentions, as that would evidently hurt his Operations. He spoke of the English in a very kind and affectionate Manner, and assured me that the Prisoners he would present us with were entirely on Account of the English, for as to the others he was not desirous of favouring them; that as our Consul had begged of him not to show any Partiality, he proposed to present the Prisoners to us all, but that I should acquaint Mr. Hayes that they were entirely to favour him. When I came out Mr. Leslie was sent for in, and he had some Discourse also with Count Orlow. When we returned to our Voligue I proposed going on Shore a little, for I was quite tired of remaining on Board so long. They all declined my Proposal, upon which I went alone on Shore. I visited all the Batteries, the Camp, the Town, in Short every Thing that was to be seen. Amongst other Things, I heard several Cannon Balls fired from the Castle, whistling near where I stood. The Town was full of Muscovites, Maniotes, Albaneze, and Sclavonians. The Houses being open, I went into several, also into Mosques, Baths, &c. The 9th we were all sent for on Board, and had Permission to wait upon Count Orlow in his Cabin. After some Discourse he presented us his Answer to the Consuls, and we took our Leave. We were treated with Punch all that Afternoon by the Officers, and had a View of the Ship, which was cleared below on Purpose. Towards Evening we went on Shore, Leslie and I, with an Officer, and reviewed what I saw before. This Officer is Mr. Dugdale; he commanded a Fireship, and behaved so well that he is now Post Captain. The 10th Mr. Gode, the Commissary, who was formerly a French Merchant at Constantinople, brought the Prisoners on Board the Count's Ship. We were then on Shore, preparing to dine under the Tree, near a Fountain. We were sent for, and went immediately on Board. The Count ordered Coffee to be presented to all the Prisoners, and asked them, by Means of his Dragoman, if they wanted for any Thing. They came and kissed his Waistcoat Pocket several Times, declaring that they had been treated very well, but hoped, as the Deputies from Smyrna were come to beg their Liberty, that they might be set free. But as the Janizary Aga, whom he had set at Liberty upon Condition he should return to him with an Account of what had happened at Smyrna, had not kept his Word, he would not release either the Serbetgee or the Cady, only four Chawdars of each; so he gave us eight Men, four Women, and five Children, some of which were from fifteen to eighteen Years old. When this was settled there came out of the Cabin a Child, a Girl about seven Years old, the handsomest I ever saw. The Count took her in his Arms, and was very kind to her. Her Story is this. Ahmet Effendi Tarapani Imini, of Cairo, returning on Board a French Ship to Constantinople, when he came to Scala Nova, heard that the Turkish Fleet had burned that of the Muscovites, upon which he landed, and went on Horseback to Constantinople, to carry the News there, and sent forward in the Ship his Wives and Children, - Chawdars, &c. also his Harem and Servants, amounting to thirty seven Persons. This Ship was taken by a Russian Cruiser, and brought into the Fleet. Four Chawdars and this Child came on Board, by Order of the Count, and gave this Account of themselves. The Count was so much touched with Compassion at the Sight of this Child that he gave her a Diamond Ring, and told them that from that Moment they were all free, and that he would send them all to Constantinople the first Opportunity. This Visit, when I was on Board, was the third Time he had seen the Child. All the Prisoners kissed her Hand, begging she would intercede with the Count for them. After this the Count gave her a fine Furr of Shamoy, and sent her in his own Barge of twenty four Oars on Board her Vessel. The Count proposed, in a Day or two after we sailed, to send her and that Family up to Constantinople to her Father Ahmet Effendi, in a Russian Ship, freighted on Purpose, and he himself would be at all the Expense. This Kindness greatly affected us, as it shows him to be a kind compassionate Man; and upon this we build our greatest Hopes that he will not come here, after having laid before him the terrible Consequences that would follow such a Visit. In the Evening we returned on Shore with Messrs. Gode and Dugdale, and dined together. After that I went once more into the Town, but was very near being shot from the Castle; for on jumping over a Wall, near the Mosque, a Shot passed just by my Ear. Next Day, the 11th of August, we sailed. In the Evening met a Russian Cruiser of Metelin, who, seeing so many Turks on Board, without any Ceremony fired three Guns into us, but happily no One was hurt. I went on Board and showed the Passport, upon which he was frightened, and begged Pardon, hoping he had not hurt any Body. Next Day, the 12th of August, we arrived at Smyrna."

Copy of the Letter written by his Excellency Count Orlow, dated Lemnos, August 8, 1770.

"I received your Letter of the 21st past, by the Deputies of your Nations. The Picture of your Terrors affects me. I had imagined them, and have endeavoured, as far as it depended upon me, to prevent your Entreaties. I shall, in this Answer, acquaint you with my Way of thinking.

In conforming to the Principles of my most august Sovereign I conform myself to those of Humanity. In following the Dictates of her high Will and Pleasure I follow the Law, ever inviolable with me, of affording every Assistance possible to the Nations, either Allies or neuter. Such are, and ever shall be, Gentlemen, the constant Maxims of my Conduct; Maxims which determined me, the Moment I was apprized of the Commotion of the Populace of Smyrna, to alter my Intentions with Regard to that City, that the Sight of her Imperial Majesty's Fleet, by augmenting the Consternation, might not increase the Tumult. To that Effect I set at Liberty the Janizary Aga, who was one of my Prisoners of War, with several other Turks. The Instructions I had given the former had for Object to put an immediate Stop to the Massacre, and especially to provide for the Security of your Persons. He engaged to execute this punctually. Has he done it? This is what I cannot warrant, having very good Reasons to mistrust a Man who, being released on his Parole, does not return. You see, Gentlemen, that even by preventing your Prayers I have neglected Nothing that could convince you of the Nature of my Disposition towards you.

It would be a great Pleasure to me to grant all that you ask at present, if various Reasons, the Force of which you yourselves must Needs be sensible of, did not forbid it, and, at the Same Time, did not excuse me. Can I be answerable, without committing myself, for what Time and Circumstances may suggest to me to undertake? As to what you would fain make me believe, against all received Notions, that the City of Smyrna ought to be looked upon rather as a Colony, formed by divers European Nations, than an Enemy's Town, that seems to me inconceivable. According to the same Principles, I ought to look upon as such even the City of Constantinople itself, and after that all the other maritime Places in the Ottoman Dominions where there are European Establishments.

As to what regards your Commerce, be totally persuaded that the Forces under my Command shall not only give them no Disturbance, nor do them the least Prejudice or Damage, but, on the contrary, so long as her Imperial Majesty's Flag shall reign over these Seas, you may depend on her Protection, of which you have already had convincing Proofs, provided there is Nothing contrary to the Rules of War; and if even the Sight of my Fleet off your City should happen to occasion any Tumult, I shall, in that Case, be as culpable as I am for the total Destruction of the Ottoman Fleet, the unhappy Fate of which has cost you such great Alarms.

The Releasement of some of the Captives, and the humane Treatment of the Officers, has not produced in Turkish Heads at least the Effect I had Room to expect, after such a Step on my Part. That Want of Gratitude might authorize me to alter my Way of thinking of them; but, in Consideration of your Instance, I am willing to give Liberty a few more of them, and that merely to oblige you and direct you every Motive that might give Room thereto. May this Conduct serve as an Example to our Friends!

Make yourselves easy, therefore, Gentlemen, and rest persuaded that you will always find me disposed to render you all Kind of Service; and that the Security, if only of the allied Nations, but even of neutral, dispersed and scattered along our Enemies, and flying who have Reason to the Protection of my august Sovereign, shall ever be a constant Object of my peculiar Care, knowing, with the whole Universe, that her Glory is founded by Nothing but her Humanity; that she has then an Army only to punish the Infringers of the Faith of Treaties, and that its just Indignation is as dreadful to them as her Attention to her Allies herewith. I promise you therefore, Gentlemen, in her Name, for as much and as long a Time as depends upon me, without disrespecting our military Operations, to secure your Persons, your Families, and your Effects, sacrificing even to that End some Trophies of her victorious Arms. As to my Part, my whole Ambition is that of contributing, as much as possible, to her generous Sentiments; happy to be employed in making the remotest Countries sensible of the rare Virtues that characterize her great Soul, and to make Use of her Power to inspire both Terror and Security. In short, I must beg the Consuls to excuse my not having answered each of them separately. As all their Letters turn only on the same End, I thought it was done by answering the general One. The short Stay of the Deputies has deprived me of the Satisfaction of being serviceable to them. The People, however, they will give you an Account of my Offers, and that you yourselves, will do Justice to my Sentiments towards you. I am, with Consideration, Gentlemen,

Your most affectionate Servant,

Count ALEXIS ORLOW."