We hear from Rhode Island, that Col. Esek Hopkins, a brave and experienced officer, is arrived there, at the town of Bristol, with 700 men, sent by General Washington in order to protect the inhabitants from the Piratical incursions of a Captain Wallace, and other Free-Boaters, acting under the pretended authority of a set of Traitors, aiming to establish a tyrannical government on the mins of the English Constitution.

This Pirate, Wallace, having presumed, in a cowardly dependance on his lawless force, to demand the property of the inhabitants, and like other Robbers, threatening them with destruction in case of refusal, which threat he inforced, by murderously and treasonably firing a number of shot against the town of Bristol, the inhabitants of which, sent on board the said Pirate, a Committee to expostulate with him on the baseness and villany of his conduct. ー In his vindication, he shewed them the orders of the more atrocious and bloody Traitors, under whose authority he acted, by which he was directed to fire upon, murder and destroy every town or city, where there should be the least appearance of men in arms, in order to defend their rights and liberties; and he told them, that in case there should be the appearance of men in arms, in opposition to His illegal demands, he should certainly fire upon them. After he had by threats, extorted from, and robbed the inhabitants of as much of their property as they were, on such a sudden demand, able to produce, Col. Hopkins and his forces arrived, and on being told Wallace's menace of firing upon the town, in case of the appearance in it of men in arms, he let the people know his orders from the General, which were, at all events to prevent the Pirates from landing, or receiving supplies from the shore; and that instead of being intimidated from defending their property, by fear of the town being fired upon, they might be assured he would destroy the town, rather than the Pirates should land in, or draw supplies or advantage from it.