s been its protection, has at length
possessed itself of Philadelphia. We say fortune has protected the
army of General Howe, and we have good reason for saying so, when the
fact is, that at the battle of Germantown the enemy were actually
defeated,[46] and accident alone prevented a total and irreparable
overthrow. It would have been otherwise had our young troops possessed
that calmness of discipline and self recollection, which is habitual
to veteran armies. The acquisition of Philadelphia, which Mr Howe
holds at present by a very precarious tenure, cannot have cost him in
the whole fewer than four thousand men, since they landed at the head
of Elk; and we know they have lost two ships of war before Fort
Mifflin, one a sixtyfour gun ship, the other a frigate.

General Washington's army, about eighteen thousand strong, is now
about fourteen miles from Philadelphia, and the enemy have fortified
themselves in the best manner they can, in and near the city, by
double lines from Delaware to Schuylkill, across the common. The
manoeuvres about New York exhibit proofs of apprehension for the
safety of that place, because the enemy have evacuated and destroyed
their post at Fort Independence above King's Bridge, and have drawn in
all their outposts to concentrate their strength, and secure, if they
can, their hold of the city of New York. We hope before the opening
of the next campaign, to put Hudson's River into a state inaccessible
to the enemy's ships of war, and thereby to render their enterprises
on that quarter extremely difficult and dangerous to them.

We have now given you an exact account of our military situation. With
respect to our civil state, we would acquaint you that Congress have
passed the confederation, and sent it to the different States, with
strong recommendations to give it speedy consideration and return.
Extensive taxation is also recommended, and seems to be universally
adopting. You will readily imagine, gentlemen, that our extensive
operations have produced great expense, as our inexperience in war has
not furnished us with that systematic economy, which is so necessary
and so well understood by European nations. We shall have emitted
twenty eight millions of dollars by the close of this year, exclusive
of Provincial currency. The quantity is too great, and of course the
quality is injured. The slow operations of taxes will not afford
adequate remedy, and the offer of sterling interest does not f