Duplicate
Judging it necessary upon the Arrival of the Toulon Squadron,1 to increase the Force under my Command by an Addition of two more Fire-ships, I directed the Transports described in the Margin2 to be purchased, and they were prepared by the ready Assistance of the chief Officers in the Ordnance Department, accordingly.
I thereupon nominated the Lieutenants James Watt, late of the Roebuck, and William Henry King O'Hara of the Eagle, to the Command of them by the Names of the Sulphur and Volcano; And I am to hope, from the Spirit with which that Service was undertaken by the two Officers, that the Lords Commissioners will see fit to confirm the Appointments.3 I am [&c.]
Howe
L, UkLPR, Adm, 1/488, fols. 310–11. Addressed below close: "Philip Stephens Esqr./Secretary of the Admiralty.” Docketed: “No. 72./2 Augt. 1778/Sandy Hook/Lord Visct. Howe/(Duplicate)/Rx 25 Octr/Original not/come to hand."
1. That is, the French fleet under the command of Vice-amiral comte d'Estaing.
2. Notation in left margin: “Albion/Army Victualler/Nancy/—Do—."
3. Watt was already a commander when he was assigned to Sulphur, for Howe had promoted him to that rank when he assigned him command of H.M. armed ship Delaware in Nov. 1777. See Howe to Stephens, 23 Nov., NDAR 10: 584. Howe called him lieutenant in this letter because that promotion had not yet been confirmed by the Lords of the Admiralty, who did so on 10 Feb. 1779. Watt's command of Sulphur was of short duration as he was medically invalided to England in Sept. 1778. See UkLPR, Adm. 1/489, fol. 91. O'Hara's promotion to commander was likewise approved on 10 Feb. 1779 and he too commanded his fire ship only a short time, leaving Volcano on 6 Oct. 1778. See UkLPR, Adm. 51/4385, p. 8b.
