The Virginia Gazette

The following letter, and extract of one without a signature, were taken out of a prize vessel:

"His Excellency General Howe.

"SIR,

We have the honour of addressing to your Excellency four vessels loaded with rum and molasses, by order of Messrs. Mure, Son, and Atkinson, of London. The first is the Fame, Capt. Thornton, with 350 puncheons of rum; the Anne, Capt. Kennedy, with 175 puncheons ditto; the Loyalty, Capt. Atkins, with 124 casks of molasses, and 100 puncheons of rum; and the Mary, with 130 casks of molasses. We hope this little fleet may get safe to New York, although, we fear the chance is against them. We have used every influence in our applications to the Admiral for a convoy the whole way, but he declared it was totally out of his power, and hath only granted one about 15 or 20 leagues through the Windward passage; but we hope a small portion of your Excellency's good fortune may be extended to them also, the news of which only reached us yesterday. And as it is so important in its nature, as to call forth the gratitude of every well meaning subject in his Majesty's dominions, I beg I may be permitted to testify my sense of it, in ardent wishes that your Excellency may long live to enjoy the fruits of the never fading laurels you have obtained. Honoured by your Sovereign, may you ever be revered and respected as the restorer of peace and concord to a free and generous people.

I have the honour to be, for Mr. Mure and myself, your Excellency's most obedient and most humble servant

GEO. SCOTT.

"KINGSTON, Dec. 26, 1776."

"SIR,

At Kingston, Dec. 26, 1776.

"We have shipped some fruit on board of Capt. Thornton, who has orders to send part of them to you. I hope they will come safe to hand, and prove acceptable. It was only yesterday that we were regaled with the accounts of General Howe's happy success over those restless disturbers of the peace of mankind, a circumstance which must endear him to his country, and render him immortal to posterity. It has removed a cloud from the minds of people here which they conceived had threatened them with famine for some months past, and which the disaffected part of the community had been but too successful in magnifying. I am, with respect, Sir, your most obedient humble servant.

J. MITTE

P. S. If you can, without trouble to yourself, procure me two or three rifle barrelled guns, it would oblige me; let them be the best and lightest.

"I forgot to mention that the Mary schooner by contract is to be unloaded in 7 days, or to pay thirty pounds for every day she is detained beyond that time.

"Daniel Chamier, Esquire."