Mellish King George
Whereas it is of great consequence to His Majestys Service that the Transports named in the Margin[*], the former being laden with Cloathing, the latter having on board Recruits for His Majts Regiments of Foot in Canada should be safely convoyed to Quebec, You are hereby required & directed to take the said Transports under your Convoy & proceed to Sea with the first opportunity of Wind & Weather & make the best of your way with them to Quebec accordingly taking all possible care yourself & giving the most positive Orders to their Masters respectively that they do not loose Company with you. And whereas we have directed the Board to appoint Mr Horsenail a Midshipman of the Navy to go on board the Mellish with Instructions to superintend the navigating her to explain to her Master the Convoy Instructions & Signals, and in case of separation to Direct the Ships proceedings agreable to the Rendezvous & Orders you may give him & in conjunction with the Officer commanding the Troops put on board her, to assist in defending her against the Cruizers of the Rebels in case she should be attacked, You are farther required & directed to give Mr Horsenail such additional Instructions as you shall judge proper for the purposes aforementioned & to lend to the Mellish from the Ship you command a careful diligent Petty Officer to assist Mr Horsenail in executing the duty with which he is charged, which Petty Officer will be paid by the Navy Board an Allowance to make up his present Pay equal to four Shillings a Day from the time he shall be so employed.2
Having seen the said Transport Ships safe to Quebec you are to make the best of your way to join Vice Adml Lord Howe at Sandy Hook, or wherever you may learn his Lordship is, and upon joining him deliver the inclosed Packet to him & follow his orders for your further proceedings.
Given &c 28th Augt 17763
By &c PS
J. Buller H. Penton H. Palliser
1. PRO, Admiralty 2/101, 281-82.
2. It is interesting to note that the Mellish was the first ship to whom the Lords of the Admiralty sent a midshipman and a petty officer for additional protection against rebel cruisers, and became the first ship, so reinforced, to be taken by one of the said "rebel cruisers," the Continental ship Alfred, Captain John Paul Jones. Before sailing the master of the Mellish had made an affidavit "to defend her in case of being attacked." Ibid., 106/2594.
3. Similar orders were sent this date to Captain James Feattus, H.M. Sloop Vulture at Spithead, to convoy storeships and victualers to Halifax and then report to Admiral Howe at New York. Convoy was also to include H.M. Sloop Hunter. Ibid., 2/101, 284-85.
