Mr. Gray, and to the master, for any information; and, not having the least doubt but his Excellency will give orders for vessel and cargo to be immediately restored to master. I am, sir, your most obedient servant,

RICHARD DERBY, JUN.

John Morland, Esq.

JOHN PICKERING TO STEPHEN MOYLAN.

Salem, December 7, 1775.

SIR: It having been referred to the Committee of Safety and Correspondence of this town, to determine whether the brig Kingston Packet, Samuel Ingersoll, master, taken at Nova-Scotia, on suspicion of being engaged in business contrary to the Association of the United Colonies, should be permitted to proceed on her voyage or not, the Committee beg leave to assure you, sir, that it is not from any desire to avoid doing the utmost service in our power for our country, that we must decline giving our judgment in a matter of this importance. It appears many merchants have considered the prohibition in the same light with the owner of the above brig—many vessels being thus employed. Should the Committees in different towns give different judgments, it would lead to great difficulties. We must therefore request that this important question be determined by judges whose jurisdiction is general.

I am, sir, in the name and by order of the Committee of Safety and Correspondence of Salem, your most humble servant,

JOHN PICKERING, JUN., Chairm. P. T.

Stephen Moylan, Esq.

JOHN WAITE TO JOHN ADAMS.

Falmouth, December 7, 1775.

SIR: I understand you are appointed one of the Committee to receive accounts of the damage done by the Ministerial troops and navy in this Colony. Beg leave to enclose you an account of the damage I suffered by removing from my Island for your inspection. , I am, sir, your humble servant,

JOHN WAITE.

Hon. John Adams, Esq.

Falmouth, December 7, 1775.

The town of Falmouth being burnt by the Ministerial troops and navy the 18th of October last, I, the subscriber, being apprehensive of their coming to the Island of Chebeague, in Casco-Bay, where my family and a considerable large stock of horned cattle and sheep then were, applied to the gentlemen of the Committee of Safety, to know if they purposed to continue a guard on said Island, as they had hitherto done. Being answered that they did not, I moved immediately from said Island to the country, back to the town of Falmouth, (distance from said Island being twelve miles,) with my family and stock, consisting of thirteen persons, twenty-four head of horned cattle, two hundred sheep, household goods, &c., leaving behind me one new house, forty-nine by thirty-eight, two stories, two-thirds finished; three old houses, twenty by eighteen, one story; eight hundred acres of land, about one hundred acres of the same clear.

The damage I sustained thereby I humbly submit to the Committee appointed by the honourable Continental Congress.

From their humble servant,

JOHN WAITE.

I think the damage not less than two hundred pounds. If they should be of opinion it is more, or less, I am content.

J. W.

ADVICES FROM THE INTERIOR OF SOUTH-CAROLINA.

Charlestown, December 8, 1775.

We are glad to inform our readers that the troubles which have lately disturbed our Western frontiers, are now in a great measure removed; and, from the measures adopted by the Provincial Congress, and pursued by the Council of Safety, we have now a prospect of peace and quietness in a very short time being restored in those parts.

The following is the best account of the late transactions in that quarter that we have been able to collect:

About six weeks ago, Mr. Robert Cunningham, of Ninety-Six, who had taken a very active part in the disturbances last summer, and who refused to accede to the Treaty concluded by the Hon. William Henry Drayton with the insurgents, was taken prisoner, brought to town, and put in jail, where he still remains. His friends, upon being informed of this, gathered in a body, with his brother, Patrick Cunningham, at their head, intending, as is supposed, to make reprisals. Our late Council of Safety at that time had sent one thousand pounds of gunpowder, and one thousand pounds of lead to the lower Cherokee Indians, who were in great want of ammunition for hunting, and who had given the strongest assurances of observing a strict neutrality in the present unhappy dispute. This Cunningham' party determined to take possession of, which they easily effected, it being escorted only by a few rangers, whom they allowed to depart.

The Congress was sitting when advice of this outrage was received, and they determined immediately to adopt such measures as would effectually prevent the like in future. They accordingly ordered Colonels Richardson, Thomson, Neel, and Thomas, to march with a body of rangers and militia. Major James Maylon, with about forty-six men of the rangers, and Major Andrew Williamson, with about four hundred and sixty of the militia, hearing that the insurgents were increasing daily in numbers, and threatening, while there was no apparent opposition, to ravage the country, joined their forces; and, upon the 17th of last month, having received certain intelligence that the enemy were within a few miles of them, hastily erected a slight square breastwork of old fence rails, joined to a barn, on a spot of cleared ground, on which, in proper places, they fixed a few swivel guns. On the next day, and before the breastwork was quite finished, they were surrounded by about two thousand of the malcontents, that were led on by Major Joseph Robinson, who sent a message to Majors Maylon and Williamson, desiring that they and their men should lay down their arms and surrender themselves prisoners, which was rejected with disdain. The jail, which is about three hundred yards distant from the fort, was taken possession of by Robinson' party, who had like-wise cut off all communication between the stockade and the only spring of water near it. On the same day they took two men belonging to the rangers or militia prisoner, upon which there began a smart firing on both sides, and was continued with little intermission till Tuesday at sunset. Notwithstanding the party in the fort were without water near two days, yet, animated by the example of their commanders, they determined to endure every extremity rather than submit.

On Tuesday evening Major Maylon received a message from Major Robinson, offering a cessation of hostilities for twenty days, which was agreed to. At that time Majors Maylon and Williamson had nearly expended their ammunition, a circumstance they had the address to conceal from their men.

Of our party, fourteen were wounded; one mortally. Of the enemy, it is known several (some say fifty-two) were killed, and many wounded; but particulars are concealed. That their loss exceeds ours is not to be doubted, else why should two thousand men make advances for a suspension of hostilities to five hundred, whom they had a few days before insolently demanded to surrender at discretion?

PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS TO COMMITTEE OF FREDERICK, MARYLAND.

Philadelphia, December 8, 1775.

GENTLEMEN: Your letter of the 24th of November last, being received, was laid before Congress, and I am directed to inform you that the Congress highly approve your conduct and vigilance in seizing Cameron, Smith, and Connolly.

I do myself the pleasure of enclosing you a resolution of Congress, respecting the place of their confinement; and I am directed to desire you, in pursuance of said resolution, to send the prisoners under guard to Philadelphia.

I am, gentlemen, &c.,

JOHN HANCOCK, President.

To the Committee of Frederick City, Maryland.