I have the Honour of sending to your Lordship the Triplicate of my Letter dated the 25^th. of February last.¹ Since which Time there has not been any Attempt made by the Americans to disturb the Inhabitants of these Islands. 

In Consequence of my Application to Sir Peter Parker the Admiral commanding at Jamaica requesting some Assistance to protect His Majestys Subjects in these Islands. He dispatched the Hornet Sloop of War Captain Haswell with Orders to him to co-operate with me in any Measures that might be conducive to His Majestys Service or the Protection of these Islands, which Sloop remained here sometime, then sailed for Turks Island. 

I have hopes that Lord Howe will send some Vessel of War here, as I have repeatedly by Letter endeavoured to convince him of the Necessity of it.²

Your Lordship will receive herewith the Address of the Council and the Address of the General Assembly wherein they request of me to represent to the Throne their Inability to putt the Forts in a proper State of Defence, and to petition His Majesty to give the necessary Orders for their being repaired, fortifyed and garrisoned, they likewise request of me to represent to the Throne, the Necessity there is for some Naval Force to be stationed at these Islands.³ The General Assembly have passed an Act whereby they have layd some additional Duties in order to enable me to hire some Men to do Duty in the Forts.

The Forts are in so ruinous a State that I have been obliged to hire Artificers and Workmen to give them some Temporary Repairs, and I have pledged myself that they shall be paid. 

I have by this Opportunity wrote to Lord Townshend the General of the Ordinance and enclosed to him the Demand of the Storekeeper for Guns Ammunition and Stores necessary for the Forts, and have also requested of him for Leave to draw on the Ordinance Board, for so much Money as the Expence of repairing the Forts amounts to. Your Lordship has herewith Copy of the Store Keepers Demand. 

To you my Lord as the Patron of His Majestys Colonies I must make my Address entreating of your Lordship to represent to His Majesty the necessity there is for the Forts in these Islands to be repaired fortifyed and garrisoned, as well as that some Naval Assistance should be stationed here for the Protection of these Islands and also that the Board of Ordinance may receive Directions for the paying of such Bills as I may draw on them for the temporary Repairs of the Forts. 

When the Independent Company (consisting of 150 Men Officers included) doing Duty here was disbanded. His Majesty was graciously pleased to give Orders that a Detachment consisting of two Companies from some Regiment in North America should be stationed here to do Garrison Duty. Upon the breaking out of the Disturbances in North America, the General commanding there⁴ order'd that Detachment from hence to join his Army in Boston, since which Time the Bahama Islands have been left destitute of any military Force. 

I am satisfyed if two Companies of His Majestys Forces had been here at the Time of the Rebel Invasion in 1776 the Governor would have been able to have defended the Forts, and consequently the Guns and Stores would have been safe, and for want of such Force, His Majesty has sustained a great Loss, as will appear to your Lordship by the enclosd Return of the Store Keepers.⁵

The very large Quantitys of Salt that the Americans are supplyed with from these Islands and particularly Turks Island, makes it absolutely necessary for me to have some Orders for restricting that Trade. 

I flatter myself with Hopes that in Consequence of my Representations, how very necessary it is, that these Islands should be putt in a good State of Defence that some military Force will be order'd here and if so, I must entreat of your Lordship to give Orders for there being sent to me the Powers for granting Letters of Marque, as many of the Inhabitants are willing to fit out proper Vessels for that Purpose, provided we have a Force to protect their Property from the Ravages of the American Privateers. 

I expected to find here the several Acts of Parliam[ent] relating to the Trade of the Colonies. upon my Application to the President of the Council, he acquainted me he had not any. I must therefore entreat of your Lordship to give the necessary Orders for their being sent to me. I have the Honour to be [&c.]