ISTORICAL and GEOGRAPHICAL DESCRIPTION of the IR Walter Raleigh, in 1584, began urnets the fettlement of Virginia, which was #bly carried on until 1606; when King mes I. incorporated two companies in e patent, called the North and South irginia companies. Captain Henry Hudson, in 1608, difovered the mouth of the Hudson's river 40 deg. 30 min. north latitude, upon Jock his own account as he imagined, and imparted his difcovery to the Dutch, who made fome fettlements there but they were driven off by Sir Samuel Argol, Governor of Virginia, as being within the limits granted to the company. King James, however, in 1620, gave the Dutch fome liberty of refreshment for their fhips Mur bound to the Brazils which then belonged to them; and the Dutch taking advantage of the civil wars in England, fo far extended and improved their firft and only coJony in North America, that they formed a province called New-Netherlands; which comprehended thofe territories now called the colonies of New-York, the Jerfies, and fome part of Pennsylvania. As this great extent of land had been poffelfed by a foreign Power, though afterwards furrendered back by treaty, Charles II, to remove all difputes concerning the validity of former grants, was advised to make a new grant of it, to his brother the Duke of York, by letters patent bearing date June 29, 1674. The province and territories of Pennfylvania are by three diftin&t grants. I. The province of Pennsylvania, by patent from King Charles II. dated March 4, 1681. II. The Duke of York, August 24, 1682, fold to William Penn the elder, his heirs and affigns, the town of New. caftle or Delawar, and a district twelve miles round the town. III. The Duke of York by another deed of the fame date alfo granted to Mr Penn all that tract of land, from twelve miles fouth of Newcaftle, to the Hoar Kills, otherwife called Cape Hentopen, divided into the two countries of Kent and Suffex; which, with Newcastle district, are commonly known by the name of the three lower counties upon Delawar river. The northern boundary of the province and territories of Pennsylvania is in 41 deg. parallel of latitude, from DelaNUMB. CCCCLX, VOL. LXVI. war-river weftward to the extent of 5 deg. in longitude; being about 240 English ftatute miles: thence in a line parallel with the river Delawar, at § deg. longitude welt from it, to a parallel of latitude 15 miles fouth of Philadelphia, being about 153 miles in a direct line; but, by the courfe of the river to 42 deg. of latitude, about 210 miles. This is one of the most confiderable of all the North-American colonies; and the fift proprietary was the ion of Sir William Penn, who commanded the English fleet in conjunction with other Admirals, when they were tent by the Lord Protector Oliver Cromwell with Colonel Venables, to reduce Hifpaniola: to which expedition, though fruitless as to the first object of its destination, we owe the ifland of Jamaica. Admiral Penn had been a strong Independent; but, becoming a royalit upon the Rettoration, he was knighted, and commanded the English fleet under the Duke of York againit the Dutch in 1665; in which engagement the Dutch Admiral Opdam was killed; and Penn himfelf died foon after. Sir William Penn, in reward of his fervices to the Crown, had a promife from Charles II. of the grant of this part of America; but his fon who was a Student at Chrift-church in Oxford, together with Lord Spencer, afterward that great Statetman Robert Earl of Sunderland, defpifed the furplice, and patronized the Quakers, who were then perfecuted. Upon their account he folicited the grant promised to his father; and refolved to put himself at the head of as many as would go with him to that country, which he intended to call Pennfylvania. The report is probable, that Mr. Penn, befide his royal grant of the province of Pennfylvania, had alfo a like grant from the Duke of York, to obviate any pretence that the province was comprehended in the grant of the New-Netherlands to that Duke. But as the three lower counties were by deeds or grants diftinct from the royal grant of the province; when it was left by the proprietary to their option either to be united in the jurifdicton of the general government, or to continue a separate jurifdiction, they chofe the latter: thus they continued as two diftinct legifia Y tures, tures, under the direction of one Governor, though their municipal laws and regulations are much the fame. When Mr. Penn had obtained his patent, he invited several perfons to purchase lands under it while he also bought the Jands from the native Indians, which was certainly the most equitable right he could acquire in them. The Swedes had encroached upon the Dutch at New-York, and fettled upon or near the frefhes of the Delawar. The King of Sweden appointed a Governor here, who had frequent disputes with the Dutch Governor. The Swedes applied themselves chiefly to huf bandry; the Dutch to trade, whereby they became more formidable than the Swedes, and obliged them to fubmit to their fuperiority. Accordingly John Rizeing, the Swedish Governor, made a formal furrender of the country to Peter Sheyvefant, the Dutch Governor; after which the Dutch were expelled by the English, who thereby made the poffeffion more eafy to Mr. Penn. There were a few English here before Mr. Penn fent over the firft adventurers under his patent; and, as Governor of them, he appointed Colonel William Markham his nephew; to whom both the Swedes and Dutch fubmitted Thofe who embarked as adventurers were generally Quakers from London, Briftol, and Liverpool: fervants were to have 50 acres when their indentures expired; and owners of land, 50 acres a head for fuch fervants men or women. When the province began to be somewhat planted, Mr. Penn went over himfelf with about 2000 perfons; fo that, as he judiciously obferved, this province was at once made a country. He took the Government into his own hands, purchafed the Indian territories, divided the country into proper diftricts, and established Courts for the administration of justice. The original draught of the conftitution of this province was made by that great patriot and lawyer, Sir William Jones; who had too much understanding, virtue, and honour to neglect the voice of the people in a question, in which their religion, liberty, and property, were fo intimately concerned. The provice of Pennsylvania was afterward mortgaged to Mr. Gee and others for 6600l. fterling In the year 1713, Mr. Penn by agreement made over all his rights in Pennfylvania to the Crown, in confideration of 12,000l. but before the inftrument of furrender was executed, he died of an apoplexy; and Pennsylvania ftill remains in the family. The province of Pennsylvania is bounded on the east by the river Delawar and the ocean; on the weft by the northern part of Chefapeak bay, which feparates it from Maryland; on the fouth by Maryland; and on the north by feveral Indian nations. It was at firft divided into the three counties of Philadelphia, Bucks, and Chefter, each fending eight Reprefentatives to the Affembly: the county of Lancaster has been added fince, which fends four Representatives; and two new inland back counties of York and Cumberland, which are allowed two Members each. All thefe, including two Reprefentatives from the city of Philadelphia, make thirty-four, that compofe the House of Affembly. The three lower counties, called the territories, on Delawar-river, are a dif tint jurifdiction; and their Affembly of Reprefentatives confifts of fix Members from Newcastle county, fix from Kent and fix from Suffex counties; in all eighteen Members. The city of Philadelphia is fituated in 39 deg. 58 min. north latitude, and in 75 deg. weft longitude, about 100 miles from the fea, between the Delawar and Schuylkill rivers, near their confluence. It is laid out in a plain, confifting of eight long ftreets of two miles, and fixteen crofs ftreets of one mile each, at right angles, with proper fpaces for public buildings. Mr. Penn, in 1701, granted a Charter for erecting the town into a corporation and city, under a Mayor, Recorder, Sheriff, Town-clerk, eight Aldermen, and twelve Common-Council-men. The plan of the city was drawn up by Mr. Thomas Holme, who was appointed Surveyor-general of the province. It has two fronts toward the water, one on the eaft fide facing the Schuylkill, and the other on the west facing the Delawar. The city flourished fo faft, that there were about 100 houfes erected there within the first year, and they increafed until it became a populous city. The names of the ftreets denote the feveral forts of timber common in Pennfylvania; as Mulberryftreet, Saffafras-ftreet, Chefnut-ftreet, Walnut-freet, Beech-ftreet, Afh-street, Vineftreet, Cedar treet, &c. There are alfo feveral other streets, particularly Highftreet, which is roo feet broad; and fo is Broad-treet, which is in the middle of the city, running from north to fouth. All owners of 1000 acres and upward had houses in the two fronts facing the rivers, and in the High-ftreet extending from the middle of one front to the middle of the other. Every one of these had about an acre of ground, and the leffer purchasers about half an acre in the back itreets; by which proportion, even the leaft had room enough for a houfe, garden, and a little orchard. The land on which the city ftands is high and firm; and the convenience of cover, docks, and fprings, have very much contributed to the commerce of the place. Veffels may ride here in fix or feven fathom water with good anchorage; and the ware houfes on the quay are built into the river three ftories high. The city at present is computed to contain 30,000 inhabitants; and there are eleven places of public worship: viz. one of the Church of England, two Prefbyterian, two Quakers, one Baptilt, one Swedish, one Dutch Lutheran, one Dutch Calvinist, one Moravian, and one Roman Catholic. This province contains feveral other confiderable towns, as German-town, Chefter, Oxford, and Radnor; all which in any other colony might claim more particular attention: but the city of Philadelphia, beautiful beyond any city in America, and in regularity unequalled by any in Europe, totally eclipfes all the relt. In fome years more people have tranfported themselves into Pennsylvania, than to all the other provinces together. In fhort, it has increased fo greatly fince its eltablishment, that the inhabitants are computed to be 350,000; and the country is cultivated 150 miles above Philadelphia. The people are hardy, industrious, and if they cannot in general be called rich, they are well lodged, well fed, and for their condition well clad; and this at an eafy rate, as the inferior people manufac ture the most of their own apparel, both linen and woollen. The air in this province is ferene and clear; the winter holds from December to March, very cold and fevere; fo that the river Delawar, though broad, is often frozen over. The months of July, August, and September,, are extremely hot, but the country is frequently refreshed by cool breezes. It may be remarked, that in the plantations fouthward from New-York, the woods are full of wild vines, of three or four fpecies, all different from those in Europe: but whether from fome defect in their nature, in the climate, or the foil, or what is more probable, from want of fkill and attention in the planters, they have produced no wine of a good quality; though the Indians make a wine from thence for their own ufe. It is alfo obfervable, of the timber in these colonies, that toward the fouth it is not fo good for fhipping, as in the more northern provinces. As we proceed fouthward it becomes lefs compact, and rives eafily, a property that, while it renders it unfit for for fhip-building, makes it more useful for ftaves. The produce of this country is corn, cattle, timber, pot-ash, wax, skins, and furs; and they carry to the Carribbee iflands falted beef, pork, horfes, pipeftaves, and fish: taking in return fugar, rum, and molaffes. From England they have cloathing, furniture, hard ware, and, all forts of tools. There is a flourishing academy established at Philadelphia, which has been greatly encouraged by contributions from Great Britain, and promifes to become a bright feminary of learning. ACCOUNT of the PRUSSIAN Military Difcipline: By Dr. Moore. NSTEAD of troubling you with Ndy obfervations of my own, on the nature of the Pruffian discipline, or the principles on which it is founded, I fhall give you the fubftance of fome converfa tions I have had on that fubject with a Pruffian Officer of character, Walking one morning in the park, we faw a poor fellow finartly caned, for no other reason, but because he did not return the ram-rod into his piece with fo much celerity as the rest of the platoon. I turned away with indignation from the fight, which the Officer obferving, faid, You think the punishment too fevere for the crime-There was no crime, fad I the ram-rod flipt through his fingers by accident, and it is not poffible to imagine, that the man had any intention to perform this important inotion lefs rapidlythan his comrades. Every thing must be confidered as of importance by a foldier, replied my Pruffian acquaintance, which his Officer orders him to do. In all probability, the fault was involuntary but it is not always poffible to diftinguish in voluntary faults from thofe that happen through negligence. To prevent any man Y 2 from from hoping that his negligence will be forgiven as involuntary, all blunders are punished, from whatever cause they happen; the confequence of which is, that every man is more attentive and alert than he would otherwife be. I remember, added he, that it was very ufual on field-days for the diagoons to have their hats blown off. No-body fufpected that they had bribed the wind to play this trick; yet a general Officer, being put in bad humour by the frequency of the accident, gave orders to punilla every man to whom it should happen; and lince that order was put in force, the hats have been much seldomer blown off. I then mentioned a fact which appeared to me ftill more extraordinary. A huffar, at the last review, had fallen from his horfe at full gallop, and was fo much bruifed, that it was found neceffary to carry him to the hofpital; and I had been affured, that, as foon as the man fhould be perfectly recovered, he would certainly be punished for having fallen. Now, continued I, though a man may be a little carelefs about his hat, it cannot be imagined, that this huffar was not ferionfly inclined to keep his feat; for by falling he might have broke his neck, or have been trod to death: or, even if you chufe to fuppofe, that he did not ride with all the attention he ought, yet, as he received one severe punishment by the fall, it would be cruel to inflict another. I have nothing to oppofe to the folidity of your argument, replied the Pruffian, but that General Seidlitz, who was the beft Officer of cavalry in the world, first introduced this piece of cruelty, fince which it is certain, that the men have not fallen fo often. The King imagines, continued the Pruffian, that difcipline is the foul of an army; that men in the different nations of Europe are, in thofe qualities which are thought neceffary for a foldier, nearly on a par; that, in two armies of equal numbers, the degrees of difcipline will determine how far one is fuperior to the other. His great object, therefore, is to keep his own army at the bigheft poffible degree of perfection in this effential point. If that could be done by gentle means, undoubtedly he would prefer them. He is not naturally of a cruel difpofition.-His general conduct to Of ficers of rank proves this.Finding that the hopes of promotion, and a sense of honour, are fufficient motives to prompt them to their duty, he never has had recourfe, except in cafes of treachery, 10 any higher punishment than difmiffing them. In fome remarkable inftances, he has difplayed more mildness than is usual in any other fervice. some of his Generals have allowed towns of the greatest im portance to be taken by surprise; others have loft intire armies, yet he never was influenced by popular clamour, or by the ruinous condition of his own affairs in confequence of thofe loffes, to put any of the unfortunate Generals to death. And when any of them have been fufpended for a certain time, or declared, by the decree of a Court-martial, incapable of a military command under him, he has never aggravated the fentence by any opprobrious commentary, but has rather allevisted it by fome claufe or meffage, which fpared the honour of the condemned General. The common foldiers cannot be kept to their duty by mild treatment. Severe and immediate corporal punishment is found abfolutely neceffaryNot to use it at all, or to use it in a degree incapable of producing the full effect, would be weakness. Soldiers are sometimes punished for flips, which perhaps all their attention cannot prevent; because, though it is impoffible to a certain, that any particular man could have avoided them, yet experience has taught, that, by punishing every blunder, fewer are committed on the whole. This fufficiently justifies the practice of what you call crue ty, but which is in reality falutary difcipline; for an individual suffering unjustly is not so great an evil in an army, as the permitting negligence to pafs unpunished. To allow ten guilty men to escape, rather. than risk the punishing of one innocent perfon, may be a good maxim in morality, or in civil Government, but the reverse will be found preferable in military discipline. When the Pruffian had finished his dif courfe, I faid, You feem to neglect all thofe incitements which are fuppofed to influence the minds of foldiers; the love of glory, the love of country, you count as nothing. You address yourself to no pallion but one.--Fear is the only inftrument by which you compel your common men to deeds of intrepidity.-Never mind the inftrument, replied the Prussian, but look to the effect. I am convinced, answered I, that British fuldiers, with that degree of discipline which fubults in our army. which is not hear fo rigid as yours, animated by their -native |
