[Extract]

No. 255.

. . . As regards the Worcester and the Nonsuch, I wished to find out details through Lord Sandwich. He told me that it was true that the ships were armed, but that it had nothing to do with the Portuguese. I asked him where they were going, and he told me it was a secret. Demonstrating that he did not wish me to speculate on it, he told me he had despatched orders yesterday morning to .the captains, instructing them to examine all American shipping flying the English flag, trading with the islands and European ports, for the purpose of stopping them from taking materials of war and carrying them to the Rebels, ... The coasts of Holland are being closely watched, because they are intuitively distrustful of them.