Sir

I had the Honor to receive your Letter of yesterday acquainting Me that petitions had been preferred to your Excellency by Simeon Turner, Isaac Elwell and James Jordan, Masters of Coasting Vessels complaining of being detained and thereby disenabled to bring Us those Supplies we are in Extreme want of; that the two latter say their Cargoes are taken from them without any Account rendered, and that they have otherwise greatly suffered. If our Supplies are to come by the way of Cape Ann Harbour, the complaint of Elwell and Jordan is most certainly just; for one was cut out of the Harbour where he was at Anchor, the other taken upon the point of going in; Turner's Vessel was with difficulty prevented from getting into Salem. ー I hope, therefore, it appears plain to your Excellency that these Cargoes of Wood were not intended to come to Boston, but were for the Use of [the] Rebels; And that to grant their Masters the Indulgence your Excellency desires would operate directly to our prejudice by encouraging Men, inclined from principle, to Supply our Enemies. Their Vessels and Cargoes therefore are, in my opinion, very justly ordered to be libelled and prosecuted to Condemnation.²

It gives Me Much uneasiness that your Excellency Considers the Seizure and detention of these Vessels to be improper, And I shall be extremely Concerned if, thereby, any intended supplies are prevented from Coming to Us; All such as are inclined to Supply Us pass without the least Molestation, Witness several that have lately Come in, and departed again ー My orders are expressly to this Effect, but at the same time to seize whatever is evidently going into other Ports, which I think is agreeable to your Excellency's request.

I most earnestly desire to assure you that anxiously solicitous to co-operate with your Excellency, and to carry on the Kings Service in my department in the Most satisfactory Manner, I am perticularly unhappy when untoward circumstances occasion My endeavours to have a contrary effect. It would give me the highest satisfaction by any Means in My power not only to relieve the present distresses, but to Contribute in guarding against threatned Evils; And I will readily and thankfully receive any information for these or any other purposes of Government that your Excellency can occasionaly give Me; being equally inclined to give every encouragement to those who are willing to assist Us, and to punish every one, who at this time shall dare to Supply the Rebels. I have the honor to be with great respect and regard Sir [&c.]