Honored Sir

Inclosed I send a Copy of my last letter to the marine board — Also Copies of my letters to you since my Arrival here in the Alfred. — As the good government of the Navy is of the greatest importance, it is a duty incumbent on every Man who is honored with a Commission in the Service to contribute all within his power to so Valuable an End. — You will not therefore I am persuaded charge me with disrespect Altho' my free Sentiments may not Perhaps, always correspond with your own. — it would give me much more pleasure could I Join with the other Commanders in Pointing out hints for Useful Rules & regulations — We have had Sundry Meetings here for this purpose without being able to Effect any thing. — And as this is a natural Consequence where the understanding is contracted I have determined that if I Subscribe to Nonsense it shall be Nonsense of my own not that of others!

There are no Officers more immediately wanted in the marine department than Commissioners of Dock Yards to Superintend the Building and Outfit of all Ships of war — With power to Appoint Deputies to provide & have in constant Readiness Sufficient Quantities of Provision Stores Slops &c. So that the Small number of Ships we have May be constantly employed and not Continue Idle as they do at present — Besides all the Advantages that would arise from such Appointments the Saving which would Accrue to the Continent is worth attending to; had such men been appointed at the first the new Ships might have been at Sea long Ago. — The difficulty now lays in finding Men who are deserving and who are fitly qualified for an Office of such Importance. —

Captain Thomson [Thomas Thompson Jof the Raleigh Frigate in my Opinion Understands the Business in all its branches he Seems a Merchant, a Man of the world a Gentleman — And the construction and Equipment of the Raleigh by his particular Advice does honor to his Machanical turn an[d] is an Evident Proof of his Judgment so that every thing might be expected from his Segacity and forethought — And from what I have heard him express, I believe he would Undertake to Superintend the Building & Equipment of the Ships lately Ordered. —

The Navy is in a wretched Condition. — It wa[nts] a man of Abilities at its head who could bring on a Purgation and Distinguish between the Abilities of a Gentleman and those of a Mere Sailor or Boatswains Mate for till such distinction is made the Navy will never become Respectable. — A Man who hath the Meanness of Soul to Deny his wor[d] is a Despicable being Indeed! he sinks beneath the Condition of the poorest Reptile that Crawls on the Earth — And it is not Uncharitable to Suspect him as being Capable of any Baseness Whatever. — As the Action brought against me for taking Men out of the Eagle Privateer where I found deserters from the Navy is a Matter which nearly Concerns America as well as myself. — I will add a Paragraph from a Letter which I lately received from Colonel [Daniel] Tillinghast of Providence as follows — "The Commodore has just left me of whom I requested to know his determination either to disavow his orders to you or to comend your conduct that I might acquaint you thereof Agreeable to your desire, to which he reply's 'You have his Orders in Writing which, if that will Justify your Conduct its well.'" now Sir, I have proof that he both Sent and gave me from his own mouth express Orders [to] take all the Seamen out of Privateers where I found a Deserter from the Navy. — But this is not the first Slip he hath made for I have frequently heard him Affirm that he served America without Pay. — if so why is he so earnest about claiming a Twentieth part of all prizes. — this leads to an Enquiry whither that Claim be well or ill founded for it would be Absurd to Suppose that the Congress mean to give him Such a Reward for Smoking his pipe at home — it being altogether Unprecedented in a Navy Establishment even in Countries where other Sinecures and Abuses are Common. — When the Commander of a Fleet or Squadron goes to Sea in Person or is on a Foreign Station the Case is very Different.

You cannot at such distance imagine the discontent which prevails among the Seamen in th~se Eastern States on Account of Prize Money — They Stand Aloof and will not Re-Enter untill that Matter is Settled — and there is no prospect of its ever being Settled while Individuals lay Claim to Shares who were not present at the Captures — Lawsuits, Duellings, and endless Animosities will be the Consequence and the publick Service will be Neglected and at a Stand while this dispute Subsists — As it is a direct Violation of a Resolve of Congress that any person whatever other than the Captors should Share in Prizes. An Explanatory Resolve is the Most Speedy and Effectual Method to put an End to the Controversy and restore harmony to the Service. — No man or private Society of men hath a Right to add to the Established laws of the land Yet by the Inclosed Invitation we see that Individuals in the Navy have Assumed that Authority.

I must repeat what I asserted formerly that unless some happy expedient can be fallen upon to induce the Seamen to Enter into the Service for a longer term than Twelve Months it will never be possible to bring them under proper Subordination, and Subordination is as necessary, Nay far more so in the Fleetthan in the Army Present Advantages tho Small will Operate far mo[re] on the minds of Seamen than Future Prospects tho great. — they ought at least to enter during the war — if not during pleasure — And all Deserters ought to be Capitally punished instead of this there hath not been a Single Instance of Inflicting punishment on a Deserter but on the Contrary they have even been paid for the time of their Absence — And they are Suffer'd to parade thro' the Country with impunity without being Question'd. — were these matters rectified we should hear of no such thing as Desertion the American Navy would soon become respectable to all the Wor[ld] Gentlemen of parts & liberal minds would Join [it] from all Quarters and Felicity would lend us h[er] Standard. — I shall only Add at present — that the Navy would be far better without a Head than with a Bad one. — I have the honor to be with the greatest deference and Esteem Sir [&c.]

[Endorsed by Jones] Boston Feby 10th 1777 Copy of a letter to the Honble R. M. —