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My Lord By not having had any sort of small Vessel under my Command, it has wholly been out of my power to forward Intelligence to Vice Admiral Graves, the present event of Lieutenant [Hugh] Robinson's going to England is So favorable to transmit to your Lordship the inclosed Pieces of Intelligence which I am led to believe are mostly authentick, that I think it might be deemed negligent was I to omit it; ² at the same time having the honor of laying before your Lordship the particular situation of His Majesty's Ships at this Port.

The Phoenix and Asia are only here, it was intended by Admiral Graves that the Viper Sloop should also have been upon this Station but by some misfortune she is not yet arrived notwithstanding she sailed seven Weeks since from Boston. ³ From the severity of the Winter which has already caused great quantities of floating Ice; We are reduced to the necessity of hawling the Ships close to the Wharfs, to which we have fasts that are watched by the Inhabitants of the Town, in consequence of my having represen[ted] to the Mayor this necessity, least some ill disposed people might cut them, which act I should certainly retaliate upon the Town the Rebel party in the Town we are informed threaten to erect Batteries upon some heights, at the distance of about Seven hundred Yards, by which they would certainly annoy the Ships very much, but I do not imagine they will oblige us to mqve, until we have in a great measure destroyed the Town; I have great reason to believe that the Citizens in general are very well affected, and am in hopes we shall remain quiet; unless the Connecticutt and New Jersey People put their threats into execution, which is to invade this City with a body of three or four thousand Troops; should this take place, I am apprehensive they would bring on the destruction of the Town.

I beg leave to mention to your Lordship the impossibility of His Majesty's Ships under my Command, stopping in any measure the supplies passing to the Rebel army; the want of small Vessels puts this intirely out of my power, as the Stores are landed in the North River and carted to a distance from the Ships, and then reshipped to go up the Sound, from the very great quantities of ice it is impossible to risque rowing Boats as they would inevitably be lost among it or drove on shore, in the latter case the people would be made Prisoners.

By two Seamen that has made their escape from the Rebel Row Galleys about eight Days ago at Philadelphia; I find there are Six Sail of Privateers in that River, one of Thirty Six Guns upon Two Decks, and only Three hundred and Fifty Tons, One of Twenty four, One of Twenty one of Sixteen and one of Ten Guns, the other a small one also thirteen Row Galleys, each with Fifty Men; there is in the City a great number of English Seamen who are so guarded as to make it impossible for them to escape, and are from necessity reduced to enter into the Service of the Rebels the People of Philadelphia in order to interrupt the Navigation of the Delawar, have sunk about nine miles from the City Seventeen Caissons armed with very large Iron Spikes, these are sunk in such a manner as to make a serpentine Channel and very narrow; they themselves have already experienced the Effects, by the loss of three or four Vessels some of which were of considerable Value

At New Haven in Connecticut there is two Brig Privateers of Twelve or Fourteen Guns, which are intended to make an attempt to seize the Powder in a Magazine at Needhams Fort upon the Island of Barbadoes, they have been informed it is weakly guarded

By a Letter of authority from the Island of Hispaniola dated the 23d of November The Port of Ocayes upon the said Island was opened as a free port by Proclamation for Six Months; for the importation of North American Produce, the same Letter mentions also their expectation of the arrival of Seven Thousand five hundred French Troops at Cape Francois; and the same number at Martinique; and that there is a great importation of Ordnance Stores daily coming into the Ports upon that Island.

The Continental Congress have ordered thirteen Sail of Frigates to be immediately built two of them are allotted to this Port; and I find are to be Built above the Fort erected about Fifty Miles up Hudsons River

It is certain that the Rebels get at present supplied with Gun powder from the French. A few days since I am well informed two French Men passed through this City in their way to the Continental Congress with passes from Mr Washington the Rebel General at Cambridge, ⁴ these Men had landed a Cargo of Gun powder to the Eastward, and are supposed to be gone in order to settle for the furnishing of further supplies.

It is reported and believed that Mr [Richard] Mon[t]gomery the Commanding Officer of the Rebel Army in Canada, has received a severe Check. But as yet it is impossible to get at the particulars.

My Lord the Papers marked 1. 2. 4 are papers transmitted to Governor Tryon by some body in the Continental Congresss. ⁵ I have the honor to be with great respect Your Lordships [&c.]