Sir

When I was on my Return home from Dartmouth I fell in C^o. with the barer M^r. Angell¹ and he Inform’d that he was to wait on you to know wether the Defence was to be Rigg'd as a Ship or a Brigg. & Since, I have Mentioned the Matter to many old Sea Captains of my Acquaintance, and find that they all Agree, in my Opinion, that is to make her a Brigg, giving very good Argum^ts. to Support their Opinion, as they say a Brigg will have much the Advantage in Sailing before the Wind & to windward, & a Ship has no Advantage in Sailing large, as the Brigg Can have as many yards of Canvis in her Sails as the Ship—for other Reasons the barer M^r. Angell Can Inform you, as he has been bro^t. up att Sea & whose Opinion in Regard to those Matters (as I have been long Acquainted with him) I would as Soon take as any Mans—he tells me the Work on the Defence will be att a Stand Unless their is Sum Orders given Soon, and that the Men who belong to her are Uneasy to get to Sea as their Wages without Rations &c will not Maintain them on Shore I am [&c.]