Custom House Bristol 4th May 1776
Honble Sirs This Afternoon Mr. Wright Assistant to the Surveyor at Pill, has brought Us the 54 inclosed Packets and Letters which he Seized on board the Christian ー Alexander Master from Georgia mentioned in the Postscript of our Letter of this days date. 2 The Captain has brought his Vessel up to the Quay by this Evenings Tide, and has this Instant been with Us. He says that he left Georgia the 29th. of March and Arrived here this Morning, he also says that the Scarborough Man of War Captain Barkley in company with several other Armed Vessels in the King's Service and two Transports came to Savannah the beginning of March and took from the several Vessels in the Port about 900 or 1000 Barrels of Rice for the Service of General How's Army, 300 of which Barrels were taken from Captn. Alexanders Ship which was almost the whole of his Cargo, for he has brought home only about Twenty Barrels of Rice and a few Deer Skins ー The Captain likewise informs Us that the Raven Sloop of War Captain Stanhope came to Savanna a few days before he left it and brought Advice from Cape Fear, that General Clinton was Arrived there with the Forces under his Command and 'twas expected he would be joined by some Thousand of the Inhabitants well Affected to Government, indeed the Captain Adds, that the Majority of the people of property, in the two Carolinas and in Georgia, had the same Loyal and Friendly disposition towards Government and were very Desirous of getting rid of their present Slavish Dependance on their New Tyrannical Masters And the Captain thinks that all the people in Arms in Georgia do not exceed 400 Men ー The Captain about three weeks since spoke with a Vessel from Plymouth bound to Newfoundland which a few days before had seen and spoke with another Vessel from Philadelphia with Dispatches for Government from the Cong ress. We are Your Honours [&c.] Dan: Harson F.Hammond
[Endorsed] Bristol 4th May 1776 Collector and Comptroller Transmit several Packets and Letters seized on board the Christian ー Alexander Master from Georgia.
1. PRO, Colonial Office, 5/148, 57--60.
2. The. postscript referred to reads: "We just now hear that a Vessel called the Christian is arrived in King Road from Georgia; but as we have received no Letters from the Officer at Pill, and the Captain is not yet come up to Town, we can say nothing particular concerning her, nor do we know what news she has brought ー D.H. F.H.," ibid., 61-64. The papers brought by the Christian were sent from the London custom house to Lord Germain, ibid., 53-56 and 61--64.
