[Admiralty Office] 4 May 1775.
Sir
The Lords Commrs of His Majesty's Treasury having transmitted to my Lords Commrs of the Admty Copy of a Letter from Hamburgh, relating to a Dutch Hoy at Cuxhaven laden with Arms & Gun Powder, and an Extract of a Letter from Lisbon, concerning a Clandestine Trade suspected to be carrying on between Portugal & America; I am commanded by their Lordships to send you herewith Copies of the same for your information, & to signify their direction to you to take such steps as shall appear to you to be proper to detect the illicit Trade said to be carrying on between Europe & America. I am &c
(By the Packet the same day.)
P. S.
Duplicate sent the 2d June 1775 (By the Raven)
1. PRO, Admiralty 2/548, 372-373, NYHS Transcript.
