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Sir, In obedience to your orders of the 14th Instant, delivered to me by Lieut Tinsley of the Endeavour, I immediately proceeded to the Island of St Eustatia, where, at my arrival, I sent an Officer, to wait on Governor de Graaf, with a Letter, a Copy of which, with his answer, I herewith inclose you.²

His Answer was brought on board to me by one of his Aid de Camps who informed me, that the Governor hoped I wou'd Salute the Fort, and that an equal number of Guns shou'd be returned,' upon the Perusal of the Governors letter, I found an evasive answer was given on the Subject of the Forts returning Salutes to Vessels, wearing the Colours, of the American Rebels. I desired to know of the Aid de Camp, whether he had authority to talk to me on that Subject, his answer was in the Negative, I then, desired him to acquaint the Governor, that till I had a more positive Answer to my Question, I must decline Saluteing the Fort, and that, when I waited on his Excellency (which I purposed having the Honor of doing the next Morning, with the Admirals dispatches) I then did not doubt, his elucidating my suspicions, so far, as to enable me to Salute the Fort; The following was the purport of our Interview, and which past (partly in French) the Governor not being (as he told me) so perfect in the English language, as he cou'd wish, and for which reason I read over, your remonstrance to him, more than once, & 'till he told me, that he perfectly comprehended every part of it, & I really believe he did; for some Words, which a Foreigner might not so well understand, the full force of, he particularly requested an Explanation of.

His Excellency first hinted to me how Happy he shou'd be, to return Gun for Gun, if I did his Fort the Honor of Saluting it, upon which I told him, that before I did my self that Honor, I must have a clear explanation of that part of my letter (which I sent his Excellency on my Arrival) relative to their High Mightinesses Fort receiving and returning the Salutes of Vessels Sailing under the Colours of Pirates and Rebels. His answer was, that Statia was a Free Port, of course all Vessels under whatsoever Colours, were at Liberty to come in there, and if the Fort was Saluted, 2 Guns less was returned to all Mercht Vessels, to Kings Ships an equal Number, I then desired to know, whether, upon a Vessel coming in under Colours that were not known and, Saluting the Fort, whether Curiosity (or in my opinion common prudence) did not lead him to ask, what State they belonged to, before the Fort returned the Salute, and that I apprehended, a Vessel coming into St Eustatia Road, with what was now called American Colours, must fall under that predicament. His answer was — As to his Fort returning Salutes to a Vessel under Provincial Colours, that was what he cou'd account for only to his Masters. I then told him that I must consider his Excellencys Answer as an avowal of the Fact, and that we must drop all thoughts of any Salutes passing between us in Future, for if their High Mightinesses, suffered their Flag to be so far degraded, as to return Salutes to the Colours of a Set of People who bid defiance to all Law, that I cou'd never think of degrading the Flag of the King my Master so much as either to give, or receive Salutes, from the Forts, of a State, who made no distinction between the Flag, of a Lawful Sovereign, or that of a Set of Pirates, & Rebels, which was the only light the King of Great Britains Subjects, who had taken up Arms against him cou'd be considered in, by any State, or Country, that wished to continue in Amity with him. — This was all that passed on the Subject of Saluting the Fort, except the Governor saying, that he was sorry to see, I was inclineable to give Ear to the Reports which were every day propagated to the prejudice of his Government. We then proceeded to discuss the different Heads of your remonstrance & the Memorial of Messrs Bendall & McConnell — His Excellency told me at large, that it always had been his wishes, & Study, to keep up the good understanding which had so long subsisted between the King of Great Britain &their High Mightinesses, and that with regard to the Americans, he never had, nor never wou'd give 'em any Countenance, or Protection, but what he was directed to, by his Orders, That in a Free Port like St Eustatia there must of course be many People, who wou'd do irregular things, and that whenever any came to his Knowledge, he wou'd exert himself in Punishing the Offenders, As to American Armed Vessels sending their Prizes into any part of his Government its what he never means to off er, nor had he ever countenanced any Armed Vessels coming in there, & that had hitherto come (except the Sloop which had taken Messrs Bendall and McConnels Brigg) under Provincial Colours, came there as Merchant Men, and that on the arrival of the abovementioned Armed Sloop, he directly gave directions, for her quitting the Port, which She did accordingly. — I then told the Governor that the Memorialists Bendall and McConnell, thought they could bring sufficient Evidence to prove, that Persons in St Eustatia were, either the sole Proprietors, or part Owners of the Armed Sloop that had taken their Brig, and requested him to call a Council, and let the Memorialists produce their Evidence, and that the Persons accused, by said Evidence might be sent for, he then told me my Request shou'd be complied with in every respect, of which I gave notice to the Memorialists, who were accordingly, with their Witnesses summoned to attend the Council the next morning, The result of which was, as I have heard, (and of which the Governor has given you a full Acct in his Letter) that a Mr Vanbibber a Mercht in St Eustatia was the Person accused of fitting the said Privateer, but I dont find that there were sufficient Evidence to prove it, Vanbibber said, that he neither was directly, or indirectly, concerned in the Vessel, of which he was ready to give his Oath, that he had (by Order) supplyed the Master of her with 50 Johannises, how he disposed of them, he cou'd not say, by what I cou'd learn the reports of Vanbibber's having any concern in the Vessel, proceeded from a conversation (which was overheard) of some Sailors who had been entered for her, They were not then in Statia, but the Governor gave me the most Positive Assurances, that he wou'd, if possible, find them out in order to come at the Truth, and that if any body, under his Government cou'd be found out, to have any concern in said Privateer, that they shou'd be punished with the utmost severity, & full restitution made to the sufferers.

All this seemed very candid and fair, nevertheless, I must beg leave to observe to you, that Governor De Graaf is well known to have given more Aid, and Assistance, to the American Rebels than any other Man in his Government, being by far, the most Wealthy, & considerable Merchant in St Eustatia, he of course, has been the best able to carry on the most extensive Illicit Trade with the Rebellious Colonists. —

I cou'd get no acct of the Schooner called the Gunticanute, but I learnt that many Vessels under like circumstances, had come out from Holland, & sent their Cargoes from St Eustatia to North America.

I made enquiry about some three pound Guns, but was informed that there was no Man in Statia dared sell me one, I went to different places where there were some, and was told, that they were all bespoke.

I beg leave to acquaint you of my having taken on the 15th Instant a Schooner called the Driver, from Philadelphia bound to St Eustatia, three Weeks out, the Master and people quitted her, & got on shore at St Eustatia. I am Sir [&c.]

[Endorsed] In V. A. Young's Letter Dated 31st Decr 1776