To the PRINTER.

Mr. [James] Rivington having in his last paper promised, that in a future one, would be published, a narrative of the conduct of Capt. Watson, of the ship James, lately from Glasgow; and as I conceive, from the general tenor of the publications in his paper, that if therein the narrative should appear, it will give very little satisfaction to any of the parties concerned, or to the public, Therefore I desire you will, in your next, insert the following full and authentic account of that whole affair, as related by those who knew the truth of every particular.

On Thursday the 2d instant arrived here from Glasgow, the ship James, Capt. Watson, with a cargo of coal and dry goods, but as she did not arrive within the time prescribed by the 10th article of the association of the continental congress, a strict watch was constantly kept, by some of the sub committee, and a number of inhabitants, to prevent the landing of any goods, in a clandestine manner; and the Captain was requested to procure such necessaries, as he might stand in need of, and immediately quit the port; with this request he seemed rather unwilling to comply, and was encouraged to hope, that his cargo would be landed, from the assurances of a number of ministerial tools, who promised to support him; for which purpose they employed a few vagrants, to go on board the ship (which then lay in the harbour) and bring the colours on shore, with a view of raising a posse, to assist in landing the goods; but the banditti that were collected for this purpose, were soon suppressed by the inhabitants, who are for supporting the association, and who began to assemble in great numbers; upon which the Captain conceiving the ship to be in danger, he sent the Mate on shore, requesting assistance, to get her under sail, as the seamen refused to do their duty; this request being complied with, they immediately got her under way, and fell down about 4 miles below the city, where she remained (attended by a boat, with a member of the committee, and some of the townsmen on board) till last Thursday night [February 9] , when she was brought into the harbour again, by an officer, and a number of men belonging to his Majesty's ship King-Fisher; which ship it is supposed, came down from Turtle Bay, expressly for the purpose of protecting her, and intiuiidating the inhabitants: As soon as it was known that the ship was coming up again, the people were greatly exasperated, began to assemble together in great numbers, and immediately went to the Captain's lodgings, seized him, and after conducting him through many of the principal streets, attended by a prodigious concourse of people, he was without suffering the least hurt or in jury put on board a boat, with some hands to row him, and sent off: His ship then lying at anchor, two miles below the town, he went on board the man of war,which lay in the harbour, where his own ship did not arrive till the next morning, when she came to anchor under the cannon of the King-Fisher. In this situation matters remained, till Saturday morning [February 11], when they began to unmoor the ship, intending to get under sail, but was prevented by the Lieutenant of the man of war, who hailed the ship, and demanded if they had a clearance, and on being answered in the negative, he ordered them not to unmoor; this obstruction greatly exasperated a number of people, that were collecting together to see her get under sail, who went immediately in quest of the Captain of the King fisher,1 to know by what authority he detained the ship, but they could not meet with him; he was however soon after waited upon, by one of the gentlemen to whom she was addressed; and on being informed of the Lieutenant's conduct, and asked his reasons for detaining her, he replied that he had nothing to do with her, and immediately gave orders to the Lieutenant to let her pass; she accordingly got under sail the next morning about 10 o'clock, accompanied by a boat, with two of the committee, and a number of inhabitants on board;which boat (after taking out the pilot) left her at 2 o'clock P.M. about a league to the southward of Sandy Hook, with a fresh gale, and at half past 4 o'clock P.M. she was out of sight ー As every artifice has been used, and a variety of manoeuvers put in practice (by a set of ministerial hirlings) in order to get the cargo of the above mentioned ship landed, it must give real pleasure to every lover of his country, to observe, that the good people of this city, are determined to support the association of the general congress, at all events.