Admiralty Office 15th August 1776.
My Lord,
Your Lordship having in your letter of the 9th inst. signified to Us His Majesty's Pleasure that the Ships which have been ordered to be provided to carry the Regimental Cloathing to North America, should be sufficiently manned and armed to defend themselves against any of the Rebel Cruizers thereupon to the Navy Board; in case of Separating from their Convoy, we gave the necessary Directions & They having in return, by their Letter of the 12th instant, sent us a List of the Ships taken up for the Service abovementioned, with their force, and acquainted Us that, if those Ships are not judged to be of sufficient Strength to defend themselves against the Rebel Cruizers, they have reason to believe that Others capable of mounting Guns sufficient to make a better defence, cannot be procurred in time, We send Your Lordship herewith a Copy of the said Letter for His Majesty's Information, and beg leave to observe that if it be His Majesty's Pleasure that other Ships of greater force be taken up for this Service, the Season will be so far spent that it will be impracticable for the Ship destined to Quebec, and very precarious for those bound to New York and Halifax to make their Passage this Year, But that if it be His Majesty's Pleasure that the Ships which have been already provided, and have nearly (tho' it is to be lamented so late) taken in their Loading, should proceed on their Voyages, care will be taken to appoint sufficient Convoys for them, and to put trusty Sea Officers on board each of them, the better to guard against their separating from their Convoy, & to direct their Proceedings, and defend them if attacked in case of Separation. We are &c
Sandwich. H. Penton. H: Palliser.