essed by the Massachusetts Historical
Society.]

NEW-YORK, May 8. On the 3d Arrived here a Sloop from St. Thomas, in
whom Mr. John Vryling, who Sail'd the 23d Decemb. last from Boston, in
the Ship _St. Jacob and Philip_, of whom was Owner and Merchant,
Charles Farnam Master, bound for Barbadoes, and on the Sabbath
following, lost her Mane and Misin Mast in a Storm, taken in sight of
Barbadoes, and carried into Martinico, and says that 7 Weeks ago was a
Prisoner at Martinico, that the Governour permitted him to go in a
French Sloop bound for St. Thomas, That the French have taken 130 odd
Vessels this War into Martinico, and when he left it there was 17
Privateers out.[2] The Ships lately taken and carried thither are, the
_Venetian Merchant_, Captains, Alexander, the Ship _Virgin_, John
Sherwood, _Brintania_ William Bartrum, Darvar of Bidiford, Richard
Barton of Liverpool, Henry Punsunby of Dublin, John Reading of
Barbadoes, belonging to Boston, Twisden a Brigantine, Chadwel another,
Farnam a Ship, Andrews, Porter a Sloop. Nicholas Bradock, and Crute of
Philadelphia, Peylton of Bermuda, Johnson of Maryland, a Sloop, Penley
Master, Stephens a Ship of Boston taken into Guardiloop. after Mr.
Vryling had been 14 days at St. Thomas, had advice from Martinico, 5
Brigantines carried in thither, on Board of one of which was Major
Wheeler of Barbadoes[3] and several other Passengers, but what Ports
bound to, or to whom the Brigantines belong'd, heard not. The Ship
_Princess Anne_, bound from Barbadoes to London, being Leaky put into
St. Thomas, there condemn'd as insufficient to go to Sea. Yesterday
from Albany by information from our Indians acquainted, that the
French of Canada are sending out 300 men to attack some parts of N.
England. We have very rainy, dirty, and cold Weather for the Season,
and so continues. We hear the Virginia Fleet Sails the last of this
Month. Captain Davison hopes to Sail this Month.[4] The Wind and
Weather hinders our Pensilvania Post coming in.

[Footnote 2: A letter written from Martinique a little later (June 27)
by a captive colonel from St. Christopher's says, "We have had 163
vessels brought in here since the warr, ... there is about 30
privateers now belonging here, so that it's almost impossible for a
vessel to pass to or from the Islands without a good convoy, and then
they take some from them". He encloses a petition from some 300
British prisoners, "some whereof have been here 16 months