[Admiralty Office] 15th [sic 17th] 1776 2
[Extract]
Sr. I have communicated to my Lords Commrs of the Admty your Letter of the 10th of December last enclosing Copies of the Orders you have given to the Captains of the Squirrel & Maidstone for Cruizing off the Little Caico's & Heneago to intercept American Vessels which their Lordships very well approve of.
And in return to that further part of your said Letter wherein you recommend the purchasing two Schooners to be also employed in that Service, I am to refer you to the Order you will receive herewith for purchasing three of those sort of Vessels and directing you will appoint them to such Stations as may effectually answer that desireable end.
Their Lordships are concerned to hear of the Accident which hath happened to the Diligence Sloop at Pensacola but still more from the apprehensions you are under about the Ferret Sloop which seems so well grounded that they cannot any longer continue a Hope of hearing a favourable account of her.
Duplicate by the Winchelsea
1. PRO, Admiralty 2/551, 127-28. .
2. This letter seems to have been erroneously dated by the copyist.