The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

BOSTON October 17.

Upwards of five Months have expired since this devoted Town has experienced all the Horrors of the Boston Port Bill, & as if these were not sufficient to satiate the Malice of our Enemies, Severities which that Act, vengeful as it is, did not know of, have been grafted upon it. Many Instances might be mentioned, suffice it to say, that a Scow with Boards and old Iron has been Seized in a Mill-Pond, & libelled in an Admiralty Court; a Boat owned by one Stewart, with Sand for our Floors, has been taken in the Harbour and the Sand thrown into the Sea, without the Form of a Trial; as was a Lighter Load of Hay coming up from Braintree: The Produce of Lands near the Town have not been suffered to be taken off; and a Float carrying Sheep to feed on one of those Islands, has been obliged to carry them back again: Bread, Meal, and other Provisions, were not suffered to pass a little Ferry to Charlestown, and their Ferry Boats have been taken and detained for daring to attempt a Passage after nine o'clock at Night: Our numerous Poor are suffering by the Rise of Wood, Butter, Cheese, and other Provisions, not permitted to be brought up as usual from the little Rivers and Bays in our Harbour, and when our Tyrants have been expostulated with For these illegal Proceedings, they have insultingly replied, that agreeable to the Act of Parliament, it was to distress us: and this their Intention has been so effectually accomplished, that it may be affirmed, without exaggeration, the Loss this Town has sustained within only one Month of our Blockade, exceeds the whole amount of those generous Donations received from our sympathising Friends thro the Continent. Added to all this, our Town is surrounded with Ships of War; and it is said the Fleet at Newfoundland are to winter in this Harbour: Formidable Fortifications are erected and others erecting at the only Avenue to this Town: Chains & Chevaux de Frise already provided to stop up the Entrance at Pleasure: Four Regiments encamped on the Common, with a large Train of Artillery and Mortars; one Regiment on Fort-Hill, one on the New Fortifications on the Neck, and another Regiment at Castle William; three Companies just arrived in the Rose Man of War from Newfoundland, Transports dispatched some Time past to New-York for two Regiments from thence and the Jersies, and to Quebec for two Regiments from that Quarter: Military Stores and Implements of all Kinds are collecting in this Town, which has now the Appearance of a Garrison. Reports are propagated here, and the English Papers announce that 6 more Regiments are coming from Europe. What may be the Intention of all this, and what ought to be the Conduct of this and the other Provinces upon so alarming an Occasion, we shall not pretend to say. This Capital is a Spectacle to them and to the whole World, a Striking Example of what is to be expected from the uncontrollable Power claimed by a British Parliament over these Colonies that have not a single Representative in it; but under all these Sufferings and Terrors, Boston has not yet renounced the great and common Cause for which it suffers.