No 18

My Lord  A few days agoe, Your Lordships Dispatches reached my Hand, Via South Carolina.

In Answer to Your Lordships letter No 8, to the propositions in former letters, which Your Lordship is graciously pleased to Say You will Attend to, at a proper time. Your Lordship may now be of opinion, that the Situation we are now in, will Require it, more than in profound Peace. first in respect to the Care of any Stores that may be here. As there may be but few friends to Government here.

Secondly Since the bill was passed, to prevent the exportation of Corn, Rice, flour, and all Sorts of Grain that might at that time be in these Islands, or hereafter might Arrive, to detain any Vessel even bound to the West Indies. with any such Cargo. Several Vessels have been Stoped, and their Vessels and cargo detained, Notwithstanding We have Stoped more flour and Rice particularly than we are able to purchase and Consume, while it be good.

I have Called the Assembly by Proclamation twice, Upon the Several Petitions of the Masters of Vessels, and the owners of the flour and Rice. And Your Lordship may find that it was pointed out in their own Bill, to Call the Assembly, Yet Notwithstanding they have as Yet neglected to meet.

And there is a large quantity of flour and Rice that remains unsold, that hath been Shipped and Consigned to Ports, in the West Indies And the vessels have touched at Bermuda, to see their friends, or for Water or some other Cause.

I have received a Petition addressed to the Legislative Body from Sr George Colebroke Sr James Cockbourn and others from Dominica but the General Assembly have neglected to meet as yet to hear it read. The[y] have Chosen Delegates here Who have Petitioned the Congress at Philadelphia to Supply them with Indian Corn. And they wait for the return of their answer, before I suppose they will meet.

I could Supply General [Thomas] Gage and [William] Howe &c &c and my two Sons, that are with the Army; with fresh Stock (or provisions) of Different Sorts which it is Said they much want. But I cannot Confide in any Person here at present  they Say they may have their Vessel burnt. I could send either four oxen, some Sheep Pigs and Poultry of Different Sorts &c. The Sick and wounded might be taken care of here, as the best and mildest Climate and Situated near enough for a Repository for Stores.

I will enclose this letter to my private agent or to one of my Children at School in England, that the Address may not be seen here. The letters and the last dispatches were opened by the Committee of Inspection, at South Carolina.

few People to be trusted, or any Dependance on what they write, in their News papers concerning the Army or themselves.

And the best way to Send Your Lordships dispatches will be to Barbados or Antigua, as oportunity May offer.

I have the Honor to be My Lord [&c.]