[Admiralty Office] 28h January 1775
Sir
I have received and communicated to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty your Letters of the 23d September, 30h of October, 3d 4th and 20th of November, and 15th of December last, giving an account of your proceedings with the Squadron under your Command; And in return I have the satisfaction to acquaint you that their Lordships very well approve thereof.
You will have observed by my Letter of the 23d of last Month that their Lordships were pleased to direct you to send the Rose immediately to England being one of the Newfoundland Squadron and also the Tartar, Glasgow, and Swan Sloop, for the reasons thereinmentioned, when they could with propriety be spared from their respective Stations. I am now to acquant you that their Lordships have ordered another Frigate to be fitted out for the Newfoundland Station, and that you are therefor to consider the Rose as one of the Ships of your Squadron and to employ her in such manner as you shall judge best for His Majesty's Service; But as her Captain is in the same predicament as those of the two Ships and Sloop abovementioned, Vizt that of having commanded her upwards of three Years, their Lordships would have you send her, together with them to England at the fall of the Year, when they can no longer cruize upon the Coast, unless the exigency of the Service entrusted to your care, should render it necessary for you to keep them still longer in America; in which case you are at liberty to do so.
Their Lordships have ordered Six Sloops to be fitted out as soon as possible to reinforce the Squadron under your Command, and will send them to you, as they are severally in readiness; Besides which, the St Lawrence Schooner will be refitted and sent back, and you will see, by their Lordships order of this date, that you are to cause three New Schooners to be purchased and put upon the same Establishment as His Majesty's other Schooners. If besides this Reinforcement You should judge it expedient to hire two or three Schooners in addition to those which you were directed to hire by their Lordships Order of the 13h of October (as you seem by your Letter of the 15h of December to think you should) their Lordships are pleased to permit you to do so, taking care however that they be continued in the Service no longer than shall be absolutely necessary.
I have nothing further in Command from their Lordships but to recommend it to you to concert with General [Thomas] Gage whether any measures can be taken to oblige the People of Rhode Island to restore the Cannon mentioned in Captain [James] Wallace's Letter and to take such Steps thereupon as shall be judged adviseable. I am &c
By the Falcon Sloop at Portsmouth Duplicate sent 3 March