Sir!

Not having had the Honour of seeing you since your arrival on this Station, I thought it a duty incumbent on me to inform You of some Circumstances, relating to this Harbour and Yard, with a Copy of the Establishment of the Artificers and others of the Yard, and a List of the Masts, Bowsprits and Yards. This Harbour extends from South East to North West, about three Quarters of a Mile, and though it’s Breadths are unequal, the greatest is not above one half of that: The Entrance is from the Southward, One hundred fathoms Broad, between two Forts; that on the Starboard Side is Called the Horse Shoe Battery, level with the Waters edge. On the Larboard side, about Thirty feet above the Surface of the Sea, is Berkley Fort: The Ships, for the most part, Sail, both out and in. The Bar lies across, between the two Forts, and I remember in the Year 1763, when Admiral Swanton, in the Vanguard had taken on board the Naval Stores from Martinique, I happened to be on board of Her, when She Warped into this Harbour, drawing at that time 23 feet Water; Opposite the entrance is a place, though apart of the Harbour, Called Freemans Bay; here Ships may ride securely, except in the Hurricane Months, in the bottom of that Bay, among the Bushes, is a tier of Guns, which is Called the Mask-Battery. From thence, in going up the Harbour, about North West, the Yard and Old Careening Wharf opens to view; the last lies upon the Starboard side, and the Yard upon the Larboard. They are about 40 fathoms asunder; there are few Storehouses on the Careening Wharf. The House is a strong Building, Erected since the Hurricane; it has three Capstans, and good apartments for the Officers, with Cellars below for the Boatswains & Carpenters Stores; above the Capstans there is a Sail Loft reaching from one end to the other, except an Apartment in the North end taken off for the Captains. It’s Dimensions are 131 feet long, and 36 Wide. The Yard is a Peninsula, projecting from the West into the Harbour; its greatest extent, from West to East, is about 400 feet, and something more than half that, where broadest; there is a Stone Wall Ten feet high, which reaches from Sea to Sea, and the Gate is on the North West side. Upon the North Side of the East point of the Yard, there is a very good Careening Wharf; the House is placed over two Capstans, and is 91 feet long, 30 wide. There is 20 feet of Water at each Careening Wharf. All the Store, Boat and Mast Houses &c^a., are in good Repair and capable of receiving a great many more Stores.

Since Admiral Young Sailed,¹ the Artificers have been Employ’d (except in the necessary Repairs of His Majesty’s Ships coming into Harbour) in Repairing the Launches and Harbour Boats; Making some New, and repairing the old Floating Stages; Building and Repairing Artificers’ Cabins, &ca.

You will please to observe, in the List of Masts, &c^a., that there are none in Store fit to make a Frigate’s Main Mast, or any other Class of Ships upwards, and indeed, what is here cannot be depended upon; for notwithstanding all the usual methods have been tried to ascertain the soundness and sufficiency of a Mast, most of them have been found rotten in the Heart in Working.

I should be happy to be favoured with your Orders, which shall always be punctually complied with; having the honour to be with the greatest respect. [&c.]