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My Lord The Eleven Sail of Transports having kept pace with the Renown in equipping themselves to proceed to their destination; I have ordered Captn Banks to take them under his Convoy and directed the Hope Captain Dawson to assist in performing that Service, as at this Season the Fogs are intollerable.

The Milford, Captain [John] Burr arrived here yesterday to Victual and Water, which I have compleated to four Months, and ordered her Commander to Sea immediately: as at present not one Ship of War is on this Coast, and many small privateers are hovering near Boston, and I'am very apprehensive will soon find their Way to our Neighbourhood: so soon as they learn the State of the Coast.

Permit me my Lord most earnestly to represent to your Lordship the necessity of a Ship to be stationed at this, because it is a place where all the Rebellious Subjects are confined, but no place is to be found for that purpose, the few Prisoners which General Howe brought Hither he wasobliged to ask for the Province Goal, a small miserable Place, and since his Departure 7 out of 12 have broke their Confinement & escaped to Windsor where they have been secured; be assured Sir, it is with the utmost reluctance, I trouble you with Prisoners, or about them, but I have not a Centinel to place over them, or to do any other the smallest Service in the Defence of the Yard: I have not even a Boats Crew: the want of which I had well nigh been prevented from paying my respects to your Lordship.

The Hospital my Lmd is another Distress that I am deficient in Language to express my feelings about.

Provisions are at this place, and the Circumstances of the Place such, that no part of the Orders of the Commissrs of Sick & Hurt have been able to have been complied with: they have conceived that the Inhabitants of the Place would have received them and that the Surgeon would have lodged and boarded them for fifteen pence a day: no person is to be found that will recieve those people, neither can a proper place be procured to make an Hospital of, without hiring an old house, and put in repair at the Kings Expence perhaps about 150 Pounds, not that at present do I know of such a one: but if some Care is not taken before the Winter, very disagreeable will be the Lot of those poor People who may be put sick on shore: The Commissrs of the Sick presuming that Boston would be the place where the greatest part of those Men would remain sent the Surgeon to that place & thought little of this the Contrary is the fact for when the Fleet sailed from hence last, Mr Dickson of the Hospital Ship, put all his miserable Objects on shore to us to be taken care of and if a place could have been found, we should not have had fewer that [sic than] One hundred since here I have been; this I have represented to Admiral Shuldham & now beg your Lordships Excuse for this long detail.

Yesterday in the afternoon arrived the Malaga Transport with one Company of Hessians, which I immediately caused to be watered, to embrace the opportunity of sailing with this Convoy.

I am sorry to acquaint your Lordship of the unfavourable Situation we are likely to be in, if visited in the Interior parts of the Province, as you will perceive by the inclosed Deposition[*] with three others to the same effect and confirmed by Lieutenant Flood, and Mr Franckland [Michael Francklin], both whom returned from Cumberland, the latter was the Lieut Governor, a very sensible Man, who I sent to that place to give me Information, & also to call in the Military to his assistance in disarming the Suspicious, & confining the Notorious; very active he has been, and brings me unfavourable Accounts of the Disposition of the people, however he has inrolled near 100 who have taken the Oath of Obedience.

I am not under any apprehension except the laying Waste the Province, with those St Johns Indians who however I think so soon as they know for Certain the fate of the Rebels in Canada, w1ll not be induced to Act: notwithstanding I am informed great Pains have been taken to bring them over

May I pray that your Lordship will order the Captains stationed in the Bay of Fundy to correspond with me upon occurrences proper to be communicated.

I cannot at present recollect any other Circumstance to trouble you with, except annexing the State of the Kings Ships at this place and to acquaint you that the Hay Ships are every moment expected, when the Niger shall not lose a moment in joining your Lordship.

The Tamer has been on Shore and is otherwise in so bad a Condition that I am apprehensive she must be Careen'd before she can leave this place.

Permit me to ask your Lordship that if it is your wish in future, that such Ships that may arrive here with accidents, and have not had an opportunity of receiving your Lordships Order on that head, may be careen'd should I think there is an absolute necessity: and repair them as the Circumstances of their Defects may require: the particulars of which, your Lordship will always receive from &c.

[*] Which Deposition contains an Affadavit of there being 1500 Rebels being within three days march of Cumberland which is since proved not to be true.