Sir

Having communicated to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your Letter of the 10h Instant representing that the Chatham is the worst and oldest of any of the 50 Gun Ships upon the North American Service, as well as extremly unfit and inconvenient for a Flag Officer commanding in Chief on a Service where his Ship is to be his constant residence, and therefore desiring that the Vigilant may be fitted properly for you, and sent out in the Spring; I am commanded by. their Lordships to acquaint you that as Fifty Gun Ships are judged to be of a sufficient size for the Service on which you are going, they cannot consent to the Vigilant being fitted out for that purpose; and that as the Chatham has lately had a Vice Admiral on board of her, Their Lordships cannot conceive but that she is very fit for what she is now going to be employed in. I am &c