[Extract]

Sir I had the honour to address myself to you the 19 Instant, since which I have received undoubted Information, that the genuine instructions given to Conolly, have not reached your hands, that they are very artfully concealed in the tree of his saddle & covered with Canvas so nicely, that they are scarcely discerned, that those which were found upon him, are Intended to deceive if he should be caught, you will certainly have his Saddle taken to peices in order to discover this deep laid plot ー

Inclosed is a Copy of Genl Howe's Letter in Answer to the one I wrote him the 18 Instant, the Conduct I am to Observe towards Brigadier [Richard] Prescott in consequence of these Letters, the Congress will Oblige me by determining for me ー The Gentlemen by whom you sent the money are arrived ー the sum they brought tho large, is not Sufficient to Answer the demands for the Army, which at this time are remarkably heavy ー...

I will take the Opportunity of the return of these Gentlemen to send Col [Moses] Kirkland to you for examination & that you may dispose of him, as to you may seem proper

A Committee from the Genl Court of this Province called on me the other day, Informing me, that they were in great want of Ordnance for defence of the Colony ー That if what belonged to them, now in use here, was kept for the Continent they will be under the necessity of providing themselves with others ー Of course what is kept, must be paid for ー there are many of the Cannon, of very little use, But such of them as are good I cannot at present part with ー perhaps when I receive the supply from New York & Canada, It may be in my power ー Mr [Peleg] Wadsworth has sent in his report respecting Cape Cod Harbour, Copy of which you will receive herewith, also a letter which Col Little put into my hands from a Mr Jacob Bayley to him It contains some things that may be worthy the considera[tion] of Congress ー We have made good progress in the works on Lechmore's point, they would have been ere this finished, but for the severity of the weather, which prevents our people from Working ー I recd a Letter from Governor Cooke, which expresses the fears of the people of Rhode Island, lest the ships which we had Information were sailed with some troops on board, were destind for Newport, I sent Major Genl Lee there, to point out to them, such defence as he may think the place capable of ー I sincerely wish he may be able to do it with effect as that place in Its present state, is an Asylum for such as are disaffected to American Liberty ー Our Return, of Inlistments to this day amount to 8500 men. I have the Honor &c