[Extract]

I have the honor to send you herewith the Translation of a resolution passed by Congress and published on the 15th of May, to abolish any authority on the part of the Crown, and to recommend to each Colony to chose its own Government. It is even reported that, in consequence, the provinces of South Carolina and Georgia have already elected each a Governor, a Council and an Assembly.

The instructions of the Capital of the Province of Massachusett[s] tend no less but to divest the King of Great Britain of any authority in America, and the language used in them is of the most hostile nature. The King of England has already made the only reply of which they might be susceptible. He has sent fifty thousand men and a fleet of eighty sails to subdue these Colonies. Considerable forces such as these can only be victorious wherever they attack, and with military victories coming to the support of political operations, we must hope that this year will see the end of a war detrimental to the subsistence of our Islands and which may provoke incidents that might endanger general Peace.

On the 5th of this month, an accident occurred in Portsmouth on board the guardship Marlborough. Four barrels of powder which had been set aside by the Gunner caught fire. The explosion caused great damage to the ship and cost the lives of 17 persons besides 43 men who were critically wounded. This ship had been recently brought from the roadstead to the port for repair. Fortunately, most of the powder had been removed from the magazine when the accident took place. It is believed that these four barrels which caught fire had been set aside by some dishonesty of the Gun. ner who proposed to sell them for profit. The Captain was not on board the ship of which the crew was composed of only 180 men. I have not heard that any officer was wounded.