Whereas We think fit that you shall command His Majesty's Storeship the Elephant; You are hereby required and directed to take upon you the Charge & Command of her accordingly, her Officers & Company being hereby strictly required to observe & follow your Orders; And, you are carefully to observe & follow the General Printed Instructions, and such Orders & Directions, as you shall from time to time, receive from Us, or any other your Superior Officer for His Majesty's Service.

And, whereas We have ordered the said Storeships to be fitted & stored for a Voyage to North America, mann'd with Forty Men, agreeable to the annexed Scheme, and Victualled for Six Months with all Species of Provisions except Beer, of which she is to have as much as she can conveniently stow, and to be supplied with a proportion of Wine or Spirits, in lieu of the remainder; You are hereby further required & directed to use the utmost dispatch in getting her ready for the Sea accordingly, and in receiving onboard such Stores as the Navy Board may have to send to Halifax, and then falling down to Galleons Reach, take in her Guns & Gunners Stores at that place, & proceed to the Nore for further Orders.

Given the 17th July 1776.
To Lieut Bukinoe hereby appointed to
command His Majts Storeship the Elephant
at Deptford

By &c P. S.