Sir

I have frequently received your letters advising me the particulars of your several Cruizes, and with pleasure assure you that the Contents in every instance have been very acceptable, always entertaining & in many parts useful!, these letters I have from time to time communicated to the Members of the Marine Committee all of whom express their satisfaction with your Conduct. You wou'd no doubt expect an Answer from them to your proposal for a Cruize this Winter on the Coast of Africa ² and such they intended to give you long since but the confusion occasioned by their removal from this City to Baltimore & the Multiplicity of business that has unavoidably crowded on every Member of Congress, put it out of their power to give that attention to your department that they wou'd always wish to carry into every American Concern, thus Circumstanced they never doubted that your Active genius wou'd find useful! employment for the Ships you Command, as you were so near the Commodore & cou'd go cloathed with his Authority & they have not been disapointed for you have in this way made a most usefull & Successful Voyage to Cape Breton & thence to Boston. Major [John Gizzard] Frazer ³ passing through this City (which I have never left) sent me an account of that Cruize which appeared to be in your own hand writing, pleased with your Success, I transmitted it to Congress and wrote that, if they pleased, I wou'd point out an enterprize or two for you to undertake & leave the Choice to yourself, this was agreed to, and my present design is to fulfill that promise, when I made it, I had in view either to gratify your desire by undertaking an expedttion as you proposed to the Coast of Africa, or to gratify my own by undertaking what I think will prove a more usefull one & nearer home. I have pretty good information that there is Stationed at Pensacola only two or three Sloops of War from 10 to 16 Guns, and that at that place there is not less than 100 ps of Brass Artillery which our Armies are much in want off, These insignificant Sloops of War lie there in perfect Security or now & then take a Cruize along the Coast of Georgia & Carolina, shou'd they be met with they will inevitably become your prizes, Shou'd they be out of the way Pensacola may become the more easy prey, it is true that Governor [Peter] Chester has been trying to put that place in a posture of defence, but he has no Troops and the inhabitants will never defend it, therefore my plan is that you shou'd take the Alfred, Columbus, Cabot, Ham[p]den & Sloop Providence proceed first to the Island of St Christophers where a sudden & unexpected attack will carry that place being very defenceless, there is a Number of Canon & Stores there, as well as Merchandize or-various Sorts that we are in want of and I fancy you will make a considerable booty, this however is not what I have so much in View as to alarm not only the Inhabitants but the whole British Nation, it will oblige the Ministers to provide for the Security & protection of every Island they have & by that means they must divide their Force & leave our Coasts less carefully gaurded from St Kitts (where your Stay must be short) you can proceed down to Pensacola, I apprehend the best passage might be down the South side of Hispaniola & then you might give an alarm to the North side of Jamaica by putting into some of the outports there, cutting out their Ships &c in all which you must be expeditious as their Fleet will be after you, Shou'd you decline meddling with Jamaica the best passage will be down the No Side of Hispaniola through the passage of Cape St Nicholas & Cape Maize & then down the So Side of Cuba, When you arrive at Pensacola it may be well done to send a Brigt & a Sloop to Cruize off the Mouth of the Mississipi so long as you remain in that quarter but they Shou'd wear English Colours & never go so near into the Balize as to be known for any thing but English Cruizers, there is at this time not less than£ 100,000 Sterlg Value in goods up that River the remittances for which, will come away in the Months of March, April & May, in Indico, Rice, Toho, Skins & Furs, so that this alone is an object worthy of your attention, but as I have said before, disturbing their Settlements & spreading.alarms, Shewing & keeping up a Spirit of Enterprize, that will oblige them to defend their extensive possessions at all points is of infinitely more Consequence to the United States of America than all the Plunder that can be taken, if the[y] divide their Force we shall have elbow room & that gained we can turn about & play our part to the best advantage which we cannot do now, being constantly cramped in one part or another, It has long been clear to me that our infant Fleet cannot protect our own Coasts & that the only effectual relief it can afford us is to attack the Enemies defenceless places & thereby oblige them to Station more of their Ships in their own Countries or to keep them employed in following ours and either way we are relieved so far as they do it, I do not pretend to give you any Account of the Coasts or Harbours, Strength of Fortifications or mode of Attack, for I cannot doubt you being well acquainted with these things, knowing as I do that you have been a Commander in the West India Trade, & at any rate your appearance will be unexpected, the Enemy unprepared, they have no Troops and the very sound of a Great Gun will frighten them into submission. Govr Chester will no doubt, know where the Brass Artillery are deposited and be glad to surrender them as a ransom for himself & his Capital. when your business is done at Pensacola you may give them an alarm at St Augustine, but here they have some Troops and you must be careful of your Men. I think you shou'd carry with you as many Marines as possible for they will be usefull & necessary in all your Land Excursions. The Southern Colonies wish to see part of their Navy and if you find it Convenient & safe you might recruit & refit at Georgia, South or North Carolina, there make Sale of such part of your Prize Goods &c as wou'd be usefull to them, learn where was the safest Port to the Northward & then push along to such place of safety as might be necessary for refitting & remanning the Fleet. Shou'd you prefer going to the Coast of Africa you have the Consent of the Marine Committee but in that case I apprehend you only want the two Ships & Sloop Providence, remember it is a long Voyage that you cannot destroy any English Settlements there and that if you meet any of their Men of War in those Seas they will be much Superioµr to you in Strength, &c you may it is true do them much mischief, but the same may be done by Cruizing to winward of Barbados as all their Guinea Men fall in there, however you are left to your choice and I am sure will choose for the best. Shou'd there be a difficulty in getting all the Vessells fully manned with so many Seamen as you may think necessary take the more Marines & you will get Seamen from Prizes in the Course of your Voyage. It is a standing instruction from the Marine Committee to the Commanders in the American Navy, to be careful of their Ships, the Materials & Stores, to use well their officers & Men, preserving however Strict discipline, to treat Prisoners with Humanity & generosity, and to keep them advised of their proceedings as frequently as Circumstances will permit. Wishing you the utmost Success, I am Sir [&c.]

P S If you get the Brass pieces Land them in the first port in these States & have them Valued —