Sir,

You being Master of the Sloop Martha, Charter'd by the Board of War for a Voyage to North Carolina, your orders are to proceed direct for Newbern, where you are to dispose of your Rum and Sugar for the most you can obtain, purchase a full load of Naval Stores in the following proportion: Three Hundred Barrels Tar, Five Hundred Barrels Pitch & One Hundred Barrels Turpentine. —

If your Sales should amount to more than will be sufficient to load your Vessel with Naval Stores, you will invest the Ballance in Deer Skins and Bees Wax, Upon your return you are to make the first Harbour you can, in this State or New Hampshire, from whence. you are to give the earliest Notice to the Board by Express. —

It is expected that if you should think you must certainly be taken, that you take particular Care to destroy all Papers you may have rec'd from this. Board. By order of the Board of War,

P S. You will purchase five hundred Bushells white Beans in preference to the Skins & Beeswax

[Endorsed] Boston Jany 23d 1777 — I acknowledge the above to be a true Copy of the orders I have receiv'd from the Honorable Board of War, and promise to obey the same.

Nath^el Stone