Sir

The Briggs Defiance & King of Prusia, after a long delay, longer I think than was absolutely necessary, are ready to depart, & intend attempting to Escape in the Approaching dark Nights. I wish them Success & hope to God they will arrive Safe they have been now more than A month repearing at Portsmouth. the expence attending the repairs & additional Supplys since my last will be furnished you by Capt Paul Loyal one of the Gentn who Superintends the Continental Ship Yard in this State, & I have desired him to give you his Oppinion respecting the Brigg Defiance, it being my Oppinion that She was sent out under an Idea of her falling into the Enemies hands, for the Capt Acknowleages that She left her Port in a leakey condition & without proper Sails, both as to number & Condition and it is my Oppinion that the Continent ought not to pay for the time it has taken to repair her, or to Sustain the loss of part of the flour which was dam[age]d by their neglecting to pump the Vessel in due time. I fear the whole of this flour will be injured by long lying in a hott hold, altho it was good when I examined it about three weeks ago.

I fear Six of your Vessels will fall into the Enemies hands to wit. Taylors, Atwoods, Riggs, Jas. Perkins, Trasks & Stephen Lows. they are blocked up by the Enemies fleet at the head of Elk, where they were sent with Indian Corn & where they have been unaccountably detain'd. they left this the last of June indeed Taylor & Atwood received their Loads early in June and were long detained by the Enemy and Contrary winds at York. Trask about the last of June, Low a little After & Perkins about the middle of July. the first of them has had time enough to have been back from Boston, While they have been laying there Witham, Bennett & Hunt got back just before the fleet appeared in our Bay, they say the Vessels lay at Elk a fortnight before — A Single Article was taken out of them. these three I hope will be ready to depart in a few days, this flour business l fear will be productive of great loss to the Continent as besides the detention & loss of Vessels, there is a large qty of flour Stored that I fear will perish. I am Sir [&c.]