By &c.
Whereas we have ordered Captn [George] Burdon of His Majesty's Sloop Drake to repair immediately to Dublin, & taking under his command the Wolf Sloop, and Esther & Lurcher Cutters to convoy the Linnen Ships and other Trade passing between Ireland and England in your stead; You are hereby required and directed (notwithstanding former Orders) to put to Sea in the Sloop you command with the first opportunity of Wind and Weather & proceed & cruize between Waterford and Milford Haven for the protection of the Trade of His Majesty's Subjects, & diligently to look out for, and to use your best endeavours to take, or destroy, any Privatiers or other Ships or Vessels belonging to the Rebellious Colonies of North America which you may be able to come up with.
You are to continue upon the above Service until you receive further Order calling once in 14 days at Waterford to enquire for Orders & to endeavour to procure intelligence, And in case you receive any that can be depended upon of any such Privatiers of superior force to the Sloop you command being within the Limits of your Station or in the neighbourhood of it, you are to give notice thereof to Captn Kearney the Regulating Captain at Cork, and to Mr Foxworthy the Naval Officer at Kinsale for the Information of the Captains of His Majts Ships who may come to those Ports for Intelligence; either by calling there yourself or by sending to them by Post from such other places as you can soonest land the Letters at. Given &c. the 21st August 1777 —
By &c. P.S.
Sandwich Lisburne H. Palliser
