Fowle's New Hampshire Gazette And General Advertiser

Extract of a letter from Charleston, April 13.

Military regulations, in regard to shipping and craft entering the harbour with great strictness. Upon any vessel's attempting to pass fort Johnson without heaving to and sending her boat on shore, she is saluted by the discharge of a six pounder; and in case of obstinacy, after that with round shot in abundance, at four dollars pr. shot. Upon arriving on shore at the fort a great number of questions are to be answered, and a great deal sworn to—Be the weather ever so bad, there is not the least relaxation of these rigorous laws; the boat must be hoisted out, and sent to the fort, although your people should perish in the experiment, and your vessel be wrecked on the rocks and sands which abound thereabouts. All this would be well enough in time of war, as the situation of the place would seem to demand a good look out to be kept;—but impositions of this kind, I will be bold to say, are no ways becoming an American commercial town in time of peace.