Honble sirs
I have the honour to congratulate you on the Success of the Hancock & Boston Frigates, which have fallen in with, & taken the Fox a twenty Eight Gun ship — they fell in with a forty Gun ship a few days before they took the 28, and would certainly have carried her, had she not been reliev'd by a 60 Gun Ship; Capt Manley engaged the 40, three Glasses before the Boston could get to his Assistance, but they've given the Brittons Ample proof that Americans are not more Bashfull at Sea than they are by Land — We are inform'd that 50 Americans which were on board the Fox emediately Entered & about the same number of Brittons, together with one hundred men they put out of the two Frigates have manned the Fox and she was left Cruising with the Hancock, Whilst the Boston Went into Sheepscut to repair — I know not wether she goes out to joyn them again or designs to return to return [sic] here, we lost eleven men in the two Ships & kill'd fourteen of theirs — Thus the Account stand, exactly as I received it last evening from a man well known in town; who came from Booth Bay, where he saw Mr Murray a Divine, who gave him the foregoing account, which he had from Capt McNeill who he din'd with the day before, on board his Ship in Compy with some of the Officers of the Fox, the Capt being on board the Hancock — I hope this is a happy prelude to our future Naval Exploits — I have the honour to be [&c.]
The Man who brings this Account can't ascertain the time when the engagement happen'd — no doubt the honourable board will give directions in what manner the Continent may avail themselves of this Valuable Acquisition, I take the liberty of mentioning it thus early, as she belongs to the Captors —
I Wrote to Mr Langdon under the 14th desiring him to send me from 80 to 100 Bbls pork —
