My Lord,

Your Lordship having in your letter of the 2d instant, inclosed to Us an Extract of a letter from Major General [William] Howe at Boston, wherein it transmitted a Return of the Transports in His Majesty's Service, & acquainted Us, by the King's Command, of the Expediency of sending out Seamen to complete the Transports to their proper Number, and of augmenting the Crews of His Majesty's Ships to a War Establishment; We are in return to acquaint Your Lordship that Directions are given to the Navy Board to take proper Measures with the Owners of the Transports to complete them in their respective Complements, & that having foreseen the Necessity of augmenting the Complements of His Majesty's Ships employed in North America, We gave the necessary Orders to V.A. Graves for that purpose on the 7th of September & 6th of October last.

We are &c.