No 11
My Lord

On the 15 Instant, I was honourd with the Receipt of Your Lordships dispatch No 2, of the 1st of January, forwarded to Me, from New York by Governor Tryon. In answer to which, I have already informed Your Lordship, in my former letters, of the Arrival of His Majestys Sloop of War the Nautilus; and likewise of the Galatea, Captain [Thomas] Jordan Commander. And these two, of His Majestys Ships of War, have prevented since their Arrival the Coast of Bermuda, from being Infested, with Rebel Privateers; and Myself carried off. Long before Your Lordships Appointment, I had repeatedly Represented, the absolute Necessity of having some Soldiers here for the better Support of Internal Government. And particularly some at the West End, to preserve wrecked Vessels from plunder, And likewise Some, at the principal entrance, for His Majestys Ships, into Castle Harbour. and likewise some Soldiers at the Forts, that Command the entrance into St. Georges, or Town Harbour, where the Custom House is. In order to Countenance or produce, Some little more Respect to Government. for which end, it is absolutely Necessary, that whosoever may be Honored, with His Majestys Commission as Governor here: He ought to have, the Supreme Order or Direction of them otherwise the Cunning and Deceit of these People, will endeavour, with all the Art possible, to Create a Shiness or Animosity, betwixt the Kings Officers, which they have frequently attempted to do, and for which purpose, they Addressed Captain Collins, master and Commander of His Majestys Sloop Nautilus, at His first Arrival. ー I have been very desirous, to keep the people in Peace, during these American Troubles and unnatural Rebellion, but it was my duty to Report, that some of the Inhabitants, had Addressed the Congress at Philadelphia.

And likewise to Represent, the Attrocious Crime, of the Powder being taken off. And some of the Inhabitants in the Country, preventing a Person from hiring Me His Vessel, to carry Dispatches, to the General and Admiral at Boston to Acquaint them of it.

And further the going on board a Sloop, out at Sea, that I had hired to carry my Dispatches, Sixteen or 18 in Number, and three of them, were Members of Assembly, to ask for my letters or dispatches. When my Negro Man Concealed Himself in the pump, and by which means He preserved my letters, and Carried my dispatches Safe to Boston.

And this was such an Indignity to Government, that I was obliged to Report, and these facts canrtot be Denyd. A week or ten days after this Insult, Captain Tollemache of His Majestys Sloop the Scorpion very, fortunately touched at Bermuda, with a large Transport under His Command, and after consulting Him, I embraced the oportunity, of giving under His Charge, thirty pieces of good ordnance, with the Carriages and all the implements thereunto belonging, out of the Store here, least those Cannon and their Carriages, should be Carried off, as the powder was.

And for the doing of which, the General Assembly, in their Message of the 12 of July 1776, Catechised Me, as your Lordship will find, in their minutes, for sending the said Cannon off. And I gave them for Answer, that I expected His Majestys thanks, for so doing. They likewise prevented Captain Tollemache from purchasing Rice, from different People. And further in Answer to Your Lordships Request, to kn,ow what hath passed, since my letter of the 12 of July 1776.

I wrote to Your Lordship November the 30th No 7 by a Brig bound to Liver"pole, which letter I Suppose could not have reached London, when Your Lordship wrote to Me, on the first of January. I should be very glad, to have it in my Power, to point out any marks of Steady Loyalty, and to confirm the Declarations of their Sincerity sett forth in their Address: by any Evidence of Myne, in behalf of the Bermudians. I have likewise already wrote to Your Lordship, via New York No 8, 9 and No 10, and Reported that a number of Vessels, have been taken by the Nautilus, the Galatea and their Tenders. And many of them belonging to Bermuda. As they stole a trade without entring or clearing their Vessels, with Salt to North America, In exchange for Corn &c. Under the specious pretence of the fear of Starving. They carryed on a prohibited Trade, to too great length; and some vessels it is Said, Carried some Arms, or Powder, and Indigo, from South Carolina, and have been taken by His Majestys Ships before mentioned, the vessels and masters belonging to Bermuda.

These several Seizures, exasperated the People, and caused them to make heavy Complaint against the Captains of His Majestys Ships, notwithstanding the People, were Acting contrary to Law, and Occasioned their writing the Audacious letter to Me upon my prorogueing the General Assembly ー

The very morning that the Nautilus had taken and brought into St George's Harbour, her first prize, Mr John Esten, Judge of the Admiralty Court, resigned. He having been accustomed to Trade, and have Con nexions, in North America, He did not Choose to keep that Imployment.

And the Captains of the Men of War, being anxious to have the Seized Vessels, brought to Tryal, as soon as possible, I was obliged to appoint, Mr John Randle Mr OBrians Deputy Secretary, a Judge of the Court of Ad miralty, for the time being, as the most Loyal Man I could find, and the fittest Person, for the present purpose, where every Man is concerned in Trade more or less, and I soon found out, and joined with Mr Randle, a second Judge Mr Farmer, who my Lord Dunmore, had imployed, as a Judge of the Admiralty in Virginia, when Mr Farmer, was obliged to leave Norfolk and go on board some Vessel, for months with my Lord Dunmore. ー The Legislative Body having passed an Act, in May 1775, to prohibit the exporta tion of flour, Indian Corn, Rice, or any kind of provisions, that might be in these Islands at the time, or that hereafter might be brought in, which was thought absolutely necessary at the time, to Ease the People from the Apprehensions of Starving, in a place where so little Cultivation is carried on, depending chiefly upon nurseing up the Cedars, the building of vessels for Sale, and the freight and Trade, of those Vessels, but the knowing ones; had a more extensive View, of carrying on a larger Trade, than might be neces sary to prevent our Starving, and Supplying the Enemies of great Britain in Rebellion, with large quantities of Salt

And the Leaders of the Assembly Availed themselves of that Act to make themselves popular, and to serve particular Traders or their Friends, and when so much Rice, flour, wheat &c. Arrived, as they were neither able to purchase or consume, it was detained by that Law, And I had Petition upon , Petition, to allow them to carry some off. particularly such Rice or flour &c, as had been purchased for the lnhabiants of Antigua, and Dominique, and the Masters of such loaded Vessels; having only Called in at Bermuda to See their families, were detained by the Act of Assembly. And the prayer of these several petitions could not be granted, without the meeting of the General Assembly; and therefore I Summoned them to meet, there several times, but in Short they refused to meet, and at last sent me for answer, that they must wait, for an Answer, from the General Congress; to know if they could obtain a Supply of provisions. (an Answer having. Arrived I Suppose) they afterwards met, and by Vote of Assembly, permitted such Persons only, to carry off, Rice and flour, as they thought proper, And I was obliged to Assent to such their Votes; or otherwise the Detention of the Peoples property, belonging to Antigua or Dominique &c would have laid at my door.

And notwithstanding my Repeated Reports, before Your Lordship entered into office, of the Conduct and behaviour of the General Assembly, which may be Seen, on their Minutes, and the Transcripts of their proceeding sent home, from time to time Years ago, and their constant Attempt, and endeavours, to encroach on the prerogative of the Crown. the People have never had one Reprimand or particular Request, or Demand, from His Majesty, to pay their Ministers of the Church properly, (on which Account We have but one at present in Bermuda, to officiate for all the Nine parishes), or to pay any of the Officers of Government Regularly.

Their Views by such behaviour, is to usurp the Executive power of Government, by obliging every inferior officer of Government, Constantly to petition and Sollicit them for the payment of their Stipulated Salaries, and to raise no money Certainly, for the necessary Contingencys of Government. Ten months after the passing of the Act, to prohibit the exportation of Corn, floµr, Rice &c Provisions began to grow scarce; Excepting about two or three thousand Bushels of Wheat, which they wanted to send off, it having but a Slow sale here, as they prefer Indian Corn for their Negroes. Upon which I turned the tables upon them in their own way, by adjourning the House of Assembly from time to time that the Wheat might not, be sent off by Vote: Until all the Wheat was sold by Retail; otherwise I believe Numbers of People would have Starved.

And I had the thanks of many People, for Rejecting the Petition, of those that were Interested in the Wheat, by not meeting the General Assembly, the Leaders of which would have Voted for its being sent off.

The Act of Assembly for preventing the Exportation of All sorts of grain, being soon afterwards expired, the General Assembly made another Bill, similar to the former, which passed the House of Assembly, and board of Council; but as I had found the inconveniency, and partiallity of the Operation of the former, After letting the Bill lay with Me for Consideration, Until the next meeting of Assembly, which was about a month, when they readily came But I sent down their bill Dissented to. Only two or three days, before I received His Majestys Disapprobation of the former Act, which had had its operation for a twelve month.

And I thought Myself very fortunate in having so done, in Opposition, both to the House of Assembly, and Council as it proved to be His Majestys pleasure.

I have Reported in my former letters the Insult and Opposition, that Lieutenant [William A] Merrick of the Galatea met with at the Salt Kettle and for which some of the Inhabitants of Bermuda have been highly Culpable. And notwithstanding, they will not give in any Evidence, or inform of, or give up the Offenders, upon which Captain Jordan hath Carried some of the Masters of the Vessels, that He had taken to New York. Notwithstanding they got their Chief Justice to grant them a habeas Corpus for those Masters of Vessels, but to no purpose, for Captain Jordan would not give them up. Giving for Answer, that He would not, until they brought the Offenders, that made opposition at the Salt Kettle. They likewise Attempted to Arrest Lieutenant Merrick, for detaining one of their boats, in which Boat, He took several prizes. upon which the People are so much exasperated, that they have sent an Embassy with an Address to Lord Howe. I could have wished that the Captains of the Men of War had been a little more moderate, and that the People had not deserved so much Rigour. The Galatea hath followed the Embassy to New York, and the Nautilus is in Castle Harbour, three miles round the point of Davids Island by Water from Me, And without any Internal Support, I leave your Lordship to Judge, in what a Situation I am in. I have the Honor to be with the greatest Respect [&c.]

[Endorsed] Bermuda 19th April 1777 Governor Bruere (No 11) R 19th August