Sir

On receiving your Excellencys Favour of yesterday, I advised with Cap^t Deshon¹ concerning the expediency of sending Water to the Fleet & it was our opinion that as your orders were peremptorily that I should without delay send of[f] as many Vessells as it was possible to get Water Cask for—which I fear will be but two or three Vessells.—² But at the same time supposed at the first arrival of the Fleet at Point-Judath that it was difficult for them to procure Water, but now they are in possession of Connanicutt & the Ferries &^c. that Water can be easily procured from thence, and from a free passage up to Providence with their Tenders, and the numerous Privateers with Water for their respective Cruises on board, shall after despatching what Water I can on board the fleet wait for further Instructions from the Count De Estaing—

M^r N Shaw³ has been on board the Fleet & heard no complaint of that nature— they wanted Cyder, Roots, Greens Onions &c. and on his return here recomended for traders to go down with these things, several has gone & going. M^r Shaw sat of[f] again last Friday for the Fleet—they have Landed on Connanicut the few Sick of the Fleet, in general they are healthy—have nothing new from that way, then what you must have[.] I am [&c.]