Gentlemen

We have proposed that the small sloop Fly belonging to Clarke and Nightingale is now going immediately to Providence shall return hither again directly and bring as many able seamen as she can carry ー If her owners shall agree to this plan to Whom we have wrote for this purpose we shall be greatly obliged to you to use your utmost influence for the procuring of such seamen, it being slowly that we raise seamen here has put us upon this project and we hope that the Rhode island seamen who come to Philadelphia for this purpose will very soon see their own homes again  As this is an essential service to your Country, we have No doubt of your engaging zealously in it ー If the small sloop we have Mentioned should not be able to bring all the Seamen who are willing to enter into this service, we should be glad that you would procure another Vessel that you may think suitable to the purpose to come with the utmost dispatch with such over plus seamen to Philadelphia and a reasonable allowance will be made to her for that service, and she will be permitted if she chooses it to take a load of flour or other Provisions back ー for this purpose it will be best for her to bring Governor Cooks Certificate that such Provisions shall be for the use of the inhabitants there or otherwise for the use of the Continental Army ー I am in behalf of the Committee for Naval Affairs [&c.]