[Extract]

Sir:  Your Favor of the 30th August and 2d Inst. are duly received; The Concurrence of the Committee in the Bermuda Voyage is very agreeable and I hope will prove a happy Earnest of its Success; Inclosed is a Letter to the Inhabitants of that Island of the tenor you have Suggested; but I shall depend upon Capt. [Abraham] Whipple's not making use of it, except in Case of real Necessity.

I am to acknowledge your kind assistance to Capt. Bayler in his late Errand, and must desire you to make known to Messrs. Clark & Nightingale, that I am very sensible of the Patriotic and disinterested Part they have acted on this Occasion. . . .

The Removal of the Stock from the Coast and Islands, will I hope have its Effect, in sending the Minesterial Plunderers empty home. We have yet no Accounts of the last Fleet, except 6, who retum'd from Louisburgh with Coal, a few Days ago.

I need not mention to you the vast Importance of gaining Intelligence of the Enemy's Motions and Designs, as early as possible; The great saving to the Continent both of Blood and Money; a Detection of our secret and most Dangerous Enemies, with innumerable other Advantages, would result from the Interception of their Correspondence at this Juncture; I have therefore thought Proper to propose to you the Seizing the Mail by the next Packet; She is Hourly expected from England; her Force of Men and Guns inconsiderable; none but Swivels and only mann'd with 18 men.

If the Vessel proposed to go to Bermuda should cruize for a few Days off Sandy Hook, I have no Doubt she would fall in with her; In which Case she might with little or no Delay land the Mail, in order to be forwarded to me and proceed on her Voyage; But if there are any material Objections to this Mode, I am still so anxious upon the Subject, that I would have it tried with another Vessel at the Continental Expence and will for that end direct, that any charge which may accrue in this Service shall be paid by the Paymaster here, upon being duly liquidated.

It will be necessary that some person well acquainted with the Packets should be on Board our Vessel, or the Stopping inward bound Vessels indiscriminately will give the Alarm and she may be apprised of her Danger; The choice of a proper Officer with the care of providing a suitable Vessel &c. I must leave to you. should it meet with the desired Success there can be no doubt the Honble. Continental Congress will distinguish and Reward the officer and men who shall have done so essential a Service; Nor shall I fail in making known to them how much the Public Service is indebted to you for your Zeal and Activity on all occasions. I am Sir &ca.