[Extract]
(No.3)
My Lord

Having received your Lordships Letter of the 12^th April together with the Kings Commission Appointing and Authorizing Us to treat, consult and Agree upon the means of quieting the Disorders Subsisting in the Colonies in North America. And also His Majesty's Instructions for our Direction in the very Important Business entrusted to us; We embarked on the 15^th. On Board His Majesty's Ship the Trident¹ at Spithead, And with the first fair Wind proceeded on the 21^st: in our Course for New York—

On the 27^th of the following month, being by the Reckoning about 70 Leagues to the Eastward of Cape Henlopen, We spoke with His Majesty's Armed Brig Stanley² which had lately sailed from thence. And were informed by her Commander Lieutenant Whitworth that Lord Howe and Sir Henry Clinton, Commanding in Chief His Majesty's Navy and Army employed in North America, were both at Philadelphia. That before Lieutenant Whitworth's departure from that Place, Accounts had been received of the proposed French Treaty with His Majesty's Revolted Colonies having been brought by M^r. Simeon Dean on board a French Frigate to Casco Bay, and transmitted from thence to the Congress at York Town in the Western Extremities of this Province.³ And that some disagreeable Resolutions had already been taken on the Subject of this Treaty, and the Conciliatory Bills.—

Under these Circumstances it appeared so Essential to us to lose no time in our Proceedings, and so Eligible to have the earliest Communication with His Majesty's Commanders in chief, with whom we have the Honour to be joined in our Commission, and with whom we are particularly Instructed to Consult, that We thought it our Duty to make use of the discretionary Power with which We are vested by His Majesty "to repair either to New York or such other place as we should Judge most proper," and We accordingly, not apprized of the positive Orders under which the Commanders in Chief were to act, made the Requisition to Commodore Elliot in writing of which there is a Copy enclosed, in consequence of which he proceeded immediately to the Delaware River and We arrived on the 6^th. Instant in this City, where We have been received and treated with all the Attention that can shew respect for His Majesty's Commission with which We are honoured.—

As no reason had been given to Us before We left England either to believe or Conjecture that the Terms of Reconciliation, however Wise and Liberal, tendered by Parliament to the Colonies would be left almost Solely to their own Operation and Effect, We were naturally surprized to Learn that His Majesty's Army was by Express Orders from Great Britain dated about three weeks before Our departure from London, under a necessity of quitting this Province at a time the most Critical to the opening of our Commission, and with a tendency the most prejudicial to the Conduct of our Negotiation.—⁴

In Consequence of this Order the Commander in Chief had already given Publick Notice of his Intention to Evacuate Philadelphia And a Considerable proportion of the Navy in Obedience to a Similar order had been withdrawn from Chesapeak Bay and other important Stations on these Coasts, so that the Access of French Ships to Supply the Revolted Colonies and Confirm them in their supposed Alliance with France was entirely left Open.—

This being the Posture of His Majesty's Forces by Sea and Land, We found the City and Province of Philadelphia in great Consternation. And the greatest Part of those who had put themselves under His Majesty's Protection were either retiring on Board Ships in the River or endeavouring to make their Peace with the Congress.—

. . . We have as yet received No Answer from the Congress.⁵ And the Evacuation of the Town being determined to take place on Thursday next the 18^th Instant We think proper to Reembark on Board the Trident now lying at Newcastle, about Forty Miles below on the River, and proceed from thence to New York.—⁶ 

In accounting for the Step We have taken in the first Opening of our negotiation by stating Priviledges for America of so Ample a nature We have other reasons which your Lordships knowledge of the Operations projected for the Naval and Military Services of the Year will easily Suggest and which have influenced Our Conduct. But as we cannot state those reasons, though they have been principal Motives with us, We request that in Case our Letter to the Congress should be given to the Public, no Judgement may be formed upon it untill all the Circumstances can be fully explained. 

The Separation of the American Colonies from France and their ReUnion on the present liberal Terms with Great Britain were in the Judgement of almost every Person here Practicable in the Compass of one Active and well Supported Campaign, whether this may be Expected from the present Plan of Operations a very little time will now determine. We are with the greatest respect [&c.]

The Movements of his Majesty's Troops & Ships discribed in this dispatch and made in consequence of Express Orders Sent from Great Britain without any Communication to the Commissioners appointed under the Act of Parliament for quieting the disorders in N^o. America or admitting of any discretion or delay in the Commanders in Chief, I consider as a fatal, ill Concerted, & Ill advised, Retreat, highly dishonorable to His Maj^ys. Arms & most prejudicial to the Interest of his Dominions.