[Extract]

Dear sir I recd your Favour of the 5th of Novr & the Enquiries relative to Vessels suitable to be armed, Commanders & Seamen to man the same, secure places for building new Vessels of Force &care important in their Nature, & to have the same effectually answered I propose to submit them as soon as may be to the Court that a Committee may be raised for obtaining the Facts from the Maritime Towns ー

I congratulate You on the Success of the Continental privateers which have lately brot in one of the ministerial store Ships & several other prizes of which You will doubtless have a List from the General. a privateer is fitting out by Private persons at New Port to mount 14 Guns & I hope soon to give an Accpunt of several by this Government & many more by Individuals. the late Act & Resolve for fitting out armed Vessels in this Colony, I apprehend will have a good Effect, having already animated the Inhabitants of the Seaports who were unable to command much property, to write in Companies of twenty or thirty Men & go out in Boats of 8 or 10 Tons Burthen which they call "Spider Catchers" ー One of these the last Week brat in two prizes, the last of which was a Vessell of 100 Tons burthen from Nova Scotia loaded with potatoes & 8 or 10 head of Cattle. two Days since I was at Marblehead & the Lively prepared for a Decoy appeared about two Leagues off & so deceived one of the Continental Commanders then in the Harbour that he put to Sea after her. One of the Spider Catchers like a brave Fellow gave likewise Chace to the Frigate, & by the Time they had got within Reach of her Guns they found their Mistake & were obliged to make Use of their Heels whilst the Ship with a Cloud of Sail pursued & pelted them; they did Run with great Dexterity & like Heroes escaped ー

P.S. By Mr Sullivan from Middeford  We are just informed that another Store Ship is carryed into portsmouth;² he Came thro' that Town so that there is little Reason to doubt it ー