Whereas the Secret Committee of the East India Company have applied to Us for Convoy to the four homeward bound East India Ships named in the Margin[*], which are now on their Passage from the East Indies, and in order to shew the Tract usually pursued by their Ships at this Season of the Year, have transmitted to Us, the Journals of four of their Ships, also named in the Margin[**], together with an Extract from the Journals of their Ships arrived this Year, shewing the Longitude they make in crossing the Line, and in the Lattitude of 15d and 39d North; And whereas we think fit that you shall proceed to Sea in His Majesty's Ship under your command to look out for, and convoy the said four homeward bound Ships to England; You are hereby required and directed to put to Sea accordingly with the first opportunity of Wind and Weather, and make the best of your way to the Island of Fayal, where you are to use the utmost dispatch in taking on board three Months Wine for the Use of the Ships Company; And having so done, You are to proceed from thence to the Westward as far as the Meridian of the Island of Coroo, and then to the Southward, until you arrive in the Lattitude of 15d No unless you shall sooner fall in with the said East India Ships which you are diligently to look out for, keeping for that purpose as nearly as may be in the Tract you shall judge, from a careful perusal of the abovemention'd Journals & Extracts (which will herewith be delivered to you) they will most probably pursue. When you arrive in the Lattitude of 15d No You are to cruize in that Lattitude for 14. days, unless you fall in with the India Ships sooner, and then return, as near as you can, in the same tract, till you come into the Lattitude of the Island of Coroo; And if you shall not then have met with any of the said Ships, you are to make Cape Finisterre, and thence proceed to Plymouth, and wait for further Orders.

If you fall in with any of the Company's Ships abovemention'd, you are to take them under your Convoy, and make the best of your way with them to Plymouth; unless from the Information you may receive from their Captains there should be a probability of your falling in with more of the said Ships, in which case, you are to cruize for such a time, and on such a Station, as in your discretion & judgement you may think most likely for meeting with them.

If you should fall in with two of the abovemention'd Ships, or with the Talbot alone, which is supposed to be the most valuable Ship of the four, You are then to return with them, or her to England, without waiting for any others, unless there is a great probability of meeting with them in a few days.

But as from private Letters lately received, there is ground to believe that the Grenville may have been loaden from Madrass, in which case, she will be equally rich in her Cargo as the Talbot, You are therefore upon falling in with only one of those Ships, to wait a few days longer for the other, notwithstanding what is directed by the foregoing Clause, unless you shall be furnish'd with Intelligence that the Grenville has not been loaden from Madrass.

While you are employed in this Service you are carefully to look out for any Ships or Vessels belonging to His Majesty's Rebellious Colonies in North America, and to use your best endeavours to take or destroy such of them as you may fall in with.

Upon your return to Plymouth, you are to acquaint Our Secretary for Our Information with your arrival & proceedings, and at the same time return the beforemention'd Journals of the East India Ships. Given &c. the 2d Octr 1776.ー

Sandwich Palmerston H. Palliser

By &c. P.S. By a Messenger 3. oClock PM.