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You are hereby required and directed to use all convenient dispatch in Compleating your Provisions to Six Months of all Species and your Stores to the allowed Proportion for Twelve Months, and having so done to proceed in His Majesty's Ships under your Command without loss of time to Virginia where you are to take the Command of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels on that Station (until the Arrival of a Senior Officer) and Employ them as you shall find best for His Majesty's Service according to the Order you will herewith receive.

You are to endeavour to Guard the Entrance of the River Delaware by Cruizers until the Navigation is Open, and His Majesty's Ships can Anchor in the River when you are immediately to repair there in the Roebuck with a Twenty Gun Ship or Sloop leaving sufficient force in the Chesepeak Bay, And you are to use your utmost endeavours to prevent any Supplies getting to the Rebels, to annoy them by all means in your Power, and to protect and defend the persons and property of His Majesty's Loyal and Obedient Subjects wherever they can be distinguished. You are also to procure as many good Pilots as you can for the River and the Coast of the twelve United Colonies, and bear them on a Supernumerary List for Victuals only to be supplied occasionally to the Kings Ships.

Given under my hand onboard His Majesty's Ship Preston at Boston the 25th Decemr 1775