By James Young Esqr Vice Admiral of the Red, and Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Ships & Vessels employed and to be employed at Barbados and the Leeward Islands and in the Seas adjacent
Whereas the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty have directed me to appoint Convoys for the protection of the homeward bound Trade from these Islands: You are hereby required and directed to Compleat the Victualling &c of His Majesty's Ship Hind under your Command, to three Months, and forthwith proceed to St John's road Antigua, and make Known to all Masters of Merchant Vessels bound to Great Britain, or Ireland, whose Ships or Vessels are now ready for Sea, that you are appointed to Convoy them and direct the Masters of said Vessels, to put themselves under your Command and obay such Orders and directions as they may receive from you, and take especial care they do not loose Company with his Majesty's Ship Hind, You are to Sail from St Johns Road 13th of June, with all such Merchant Ships as are then ready, & proceed with them to Basseterre St Christophers at which place, you are also to collect and take under your Orders and protection all such Merchant Vessels bound to Europe as may be Assembled there; The Beaver and Cygnet Sloops are directed to bring the Trade from the Southern Carribbee Islands, and the Favorite Sloop is directed to bring the Trade from Barbados and Dominico to the place of rendezvous, to be there by the 12th of June: If you therefore find on your arrival at Basseterre that the aforementioned Convoy are arrived there, you are then to sail on the 13th with the Trade for Europe, but if it should happen that the Convoys from the Southern Carribbee Islands and from Barbados and Dominico do not arrive at St Kitts before the 15th June, you are in that case to waite at Basse:terre till said Convoys Are likewise assembled at the place of General rendezvous, and as soon after as possible to proceed without a moments further delay with the whole Trade for. Europe under your Convoy, and protection, in which you are to be assisted by Captain James Richard Dacres of His Majesty's Sloop Sylph who is directed to put himself under your Command and Orders for farther proceedings, and you are to take said sloop under your command and issue Such Orders to her Commander as you may think most proper for the defence & protection of the Convoy Commited to your care, with which you are to make the best of your way to Spithead, and you are hereby strictly required and directed to take all possible care on your part not to seperate from the Ships and Vessels, which may put themselves under your Convoy, and to give such Orders & Instructions to their masters, as you may conceive may be most likely to prevent their Seperating from You, and in case any of them do loose Company with you, or disobay your Orders, you are to transmit to the Secretary of the Admiralty A List of their names with the Circumstances attending such seperation or disobedience of Orders, on your arrival at Spithead you are to acquaint the Secretary of the Admiralty therewith, sending him a List of all such Vessels as come under your Convoy, with remarks on the behaviour of their Masters during the Voyage, and also transmit him the Publick Dispatches you will receive from me, for which this shall be your Order
Given under my hand on board
the Portland at English Harbor
Antigua the 11th June 1777
By Command of the Admiral G.L.
