Whereas, upon receiving information from Vice Adml Sr James Douglas, Commander in Chief of His Majts Ships at Portsmouth, that a Fever, supposed to be infectious, had got into His Majesty's Ship the Lark, We have, in order to stop the progress of so fatal a distemper, ordered that every Sickly Man on board the Lark should forthwith be sent to the Hospital, and that the Ship should be fumigated with Tobacco & washed with Vinegar; You are hereby required & Directed, to cause the said Ship to be supplied with the quantity of Vinegar that may be wanted for the above purpose, and to pay the Purser for the Tobacco that may be consumed, upon his producing proper Vouchers & Certificates of the expenditure thereof. Given &c 24th June 1776.

By &c P.S.