Secret

By the Viscount Howe Vice Admiral
of the White and Commander in Chief
of His Majestys Ships and Vessels
employed and to be employed &c in
North America.

Whereas several Transports under the Conduct of Cap^t Dalrymple,¹ Commander of His Majesty's Ship the Juno, with the Cerberus and Haerlem Armed Sloop, have been order'd to assemble in Cape-Cod-Bay, to be in Readiness for receiving the British and Foreign Troops made Prisoners under the Command of Lieutenant General Burgoyne; In order for their Conveyance from Boston to England, pursuant to a Convention executed at Saratoga the 16^th: of last October.² And whereas I have since been advised that the Persons in the chief Authority amongst the King's rebellious Subjects in these Colonies, have declared their Refusal to perform the Conditions of the Convention with Reference to the Release and Embarkation of the said Troops, as expressed in the Copy of their resolutions annexed;³ Whereby the longer Detention of the Transports on the New England Coasts, becomes unnecessary for the purpose of their previous Appointment: You are therefore hereby directed to proceed in the Centurion with the utmost Dispatch You are able, to join the said Ships of War, Armed Sloop and Transports, in Cape-Cod Harbour, and to take the Command for the future Disposal of them, as hereinafter expressed.

The Transports having been Originallay destined for England, it is still meant to persevere in that Intention, as far as may be consistant with a necessary Regard to the future Use of the Provisions embarked'in them for the Subsistance of the Troops; You are (as the Nature of the Anchorage in Cape Cod Harbour will admitt) to cause the said Provisions to be the [more] speedily removed into any, the smallest Number of Transports best adapted from their State and Condition to receive the same; For being brought under Convoy of the Frigates and Armed Sloop back to this Port: Either to the Southward of the Nantucket Shoals, or by the Channel through which they proceeded for Boston, asjudged expedient. The Provisions are to be disposed of, as the General commanding at this Port shall appoint; And the Captains of the Frigates and Lieutenant in the Armed Sloop, to take Orders from the Senior Captain of His Majesty's Ships remaining here, in Case of my Absence at the Time of their Arrival.

You will be yourself to put to Sea at the Same Time in the Centurion with the rest of the Transports which You are to attend until they have passed to [the] Eastward of S^t. George's Bank, And then leave them to be conducted by the Agent on their further Passage to England: Sending a Copy of these Instructions, and of the Resolutions beforementioned, together with an Account of your Proceedings in consequence, to the Secretary of the Admiralty for the Information of the Board, in the Agent's Care. And having parted with the Transports, You are referred for your future Governmt to the Contents of the Sealed Orders deliver'd herewith.

But in Case, upon your Arrival at Cape-Cod Harbour, you find it impractible to remove the Provisions with any Dispatch as above expressed; Captain Dalrymple is to repair with the Ships of War and Transports before under his Conduct, for lodging the Provisions at this Port. And having seen the Convoy in Safety, until the Transports have entered the Nantucket Channel on their Return, Or past the Southern Part of the Shoals without the Island, You are then to open the Sealed Packet delivered for your future Guidance as aforesaid. Given on board His Majesty's Ship Eagle at Rhode Island 23^d February 1778