Last Monday Capt. Tabaoda arrived here in a Sloop from Curracoa, which Place he left the 22d of November, and 13 Days after having sprung a Leak he put into Ocony; eight Days before he left Ocony a ship arrived there from Havre de Grace, the Master of which informed him that a Declaration of War had taken Place between Spain and Portugal, and that the same was daily expected between France and Great-Britain. The Cargo of the above sloop is very valuable, consisting of Blankets, Duck, some Powder, &c. The sloop run into Newport Harbour last Saturday, and narrowly escaped being taken by the Enemy before they perceived the Harbour was in their Possession.

Last Monday four Ships and a Tender came down the Sound, and passed this Harbour in the Evening.

The following is an Extract of a Letter, from a Gentleman of Honor and Distinction, a Prisoner in New-York, dated 26 Dec. 1776.

The distress of the prisoners cannot be communicated by words, twenty or thirty die every day, they lie in heaps unburied, what numbers of my countrymen have died by cold and hunger, perished for want of the common necessaries of life, I have seen it. This Sir is the boasted british clemency (I myself had well nigh perished under it.) The NewEngland people can have no idea of such barbarous policy, nothing can stop such treatment but retaliation. I ever despised private revenge, but that of the public must be in this case but just and necessary, it is due to the manes of our murdered countrymen, and that alone can protect the survivors, in the like situation, rather than experience again their barbarity and insults, may I fall by the sword of the Hessians. I am &c.

Deserted from the armed Ship Oliver Cromwell, belonging to the State of Connecticut, a Molatto Fellow named John Short, sometimes calls himself John Smith; is about 20 years old, and 5 feet 6 or 7 inches high, poorly cloathed, his only jacket blue. Whoever will apprehend and deliver him on board said ship, shall have all necessary charges paid, and a very handsome reward from

N. B. Whoever may apprehend him is desired to secure what money he may have about him, as he has stolen from Mr. Roger Gibson a considerable quantity of cash as he went off.