Reported 280 years ago (Feb 27 1739): Austrian war ships ready for campaign on Danube

From the seventh surviving Belfast News Letter, February 16 1738 (February 27 1739 in modern calendar):
By The Newsroom
Published 22nd Feb 2019, 09:09 BST
Updated 22nd Feb 2019, 14:24 BST
Belfast News Letter February 16 1738 (February 27 1739 in the modern calendar). This is the earliest surviving paper after the title went up from one sheet to two (from two sides of news to four)Belfast News Letter February 16 1738 (February 27 1739 in the modern calendar). This is the earliest surviving paper after the title went up from one sheet to two (from two sides of news to four)
Belfast News Letter February 16 1738 (February 27 1739 in the modern calendar). This is the earliest surviving paper after the title went up from one sheet to two (from two sides of news to four)

GERMANY. Vienna, Jan. 27.

The Ships built here to be made use of the next Campaign upon the Danube, consist of six little Frigates, carrying each twelve Guns. It is confirm’d, the Generals and other Officers who are to serve in Hungary, have Orders to repair to their Post towards the End of next Month. They write from Verona, that the Grand Duke of Tuscany before his Departure for Florence from the Palace of Buri, gave Brigadier Brattico, who commanded the Venetian Guard, a Gold Watch set with Diamonds, to present to the Governor of Verona. His Royal Highness presented to the Brigadier himself a Gold Snuff-Box and a fine Ring; to the Colonel of the Cuirassiers, a Gold-hilted Sword; to every one of the Captains, a Silver-hilted Sword; tp the other Officers, Etuis and Snuff-Boxes; and to every Solider of the Guard, a Ducat. The Grand Duke also distributed 200 Sequins amongst the Officers of the Magistrates of Health.

FRANCE. Paris, Feb. 11. N.S.

Much of the surviving paper is ripped so that parts of the reports are lostMuch of the surviving paper is ripped so that parts of the reports are lost
Much of the surviving paper is ripped so that parts of the reports are lost

We have received Advice from Hayre de Grace, that they have found about 1300 dead Bodies on the adjacent Coasts, which they suppose to be the Crews of the Ships cast away in the [missing word, begins la] Storms.

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PLANTATION-NEWS. SOUTH-CAROLINA. Frederica in Georgia, Oct. 8

The Troops that came over with General Oglethorpe, landed at the Soldier’s Fort the 19th of September and were saluted by all the Cannon. The General encamped near the Fort, and stay’d till the 21st to forward the Disembarkation, and gave out necessary Orders. The Regiment is above compleat, the General having given Directions for bringing our supernumerary Men for fear of Sickness; and as they have a healthy Passage, and the Detachment here defore having been also very healthy, the Regiment is not only compleat but there are near forty Supernumeraries attending on it. There is also another remarkable Thing in this Regiment, that all the Officers of it are now present in their Post. On the 21st Day of September the General came up hither, and was saluted by fifteen Pieces of Cannon from the Fort at this Town: The Magistrates and Townsmen waited upon him in a Body, to congratulate him upon his Arrival, and to testify the great Sense they had of his Majesty’s Goodness in providing for their Security; so that they can now go on with improving their Lands, which they have hitherto been much hindered in by continual Alarms.

The Inhabitants of the Town went out the 25th with the General, and cut a Road thro’ the Woods down to the Soldiers Fort, in a strait Line, so that there is an open Communication from thence: they performed this Work in three Days, tho’ it is near six Miles thro’ thick Woods. Several Indians are come to Town in order to meet the General; they hunt and carry Venison every Day to the Camp: they report, that the chief Men from every Town in the upper and lower [word missing] Nations, will set out from their [word missing] to come and see him as [words missing] have Notice of his Arrival [word missing] soldiers who lifted in [words missing] from Gibraltar, have [words missing] have been in the [words missing, first begins Span ...] Furlow to one was [words missing] to debauch some of [words missing] in the Regiment, [words missing] to join with them [words missing] One of them [words missing] Roman Catholic [words missing] intended to acknowledge [words missing] Authority. They have [words missing] a General Court Martial [words missing] port is not yet made. [words missing] General set out for Savannah [rest of report missing]

[The latter parts of this report are missing due to a huge tear in the 280-year-old paper. General James Oglethorpe, aged 42 at the time of this report, was founder of the colony of Georgia. He was an MP and social reformer]

Hamburgh, Feb. 3

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Yesterday passed an Express from London in its way to Copenhagen, wherein, it is said, a Project for amicably determining the Difference arisen on Occasion of the Signiory of Steinhorst was contain’d, which, it is hoped, will have the desired Success. Letters however from Copenhagen bring, that they continue to make there, with all Diligence, the necessary Preparations for a Campaign; and it is pretended, that the Court of Denmark persists in the Resolution of not entering into an ulterior Negociation upon this Subject, before the Satisfaction shall be made which it demands, in respect to dislodging the Danish Troops from Steinhorst.

SWEDEN. Stockholm, Jan. 23.

It is much taken Notice of, that the Foreign Ministers have not been made acquainted with his Majesty’s having resum’d the Government, tho’ they were inform’d of this Resolution to resign it to the Queen.