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By Captain Walter Griffith
Commander of a Division of
His Majesty's Ships and
Vessels at Rhode Island.

You are hereby directed to proceed to Sea in His Majesty's Ship under your Command, and having seen the Forage Ships and Navy Victuallers with His Majesty's Ship the Isis, safe into the River Delaware which Ship is to Convoy them up the said River, agreeable to the Orders given Captain Raynor¹ for the purpose: You are then to proceed and Cruise in Company with His Majesty's Ship Maidstone between the Lattitude of 38º: 30" and 40º: 30" N^o. and 66º. 00" and 70º. 00["] West Longitude for the Term of Six Weeks, but you are nevertheless, at Liberty to extend the Limits & Term of your appointed stay at Sea according to Circumstances, & the Intelligence, you may receive, for furthering His Majesty's Service, for preventing any Trade or Intercourse with the Rebellious Colonests & intercepting the Ann'd Vessels fitted by them, for the Annoyance of the Trade of the King's faithfull Subjects.

It being intended that Two Frigates should at all Times keep together, in Order to Act in greater Force, when not supported by any Two Deck Ship as it is expected that some Ships of Value & Force may soon arrive in the Rebellious Ports, Probably under French Colours, and if any Two should be under Orders to Cruise together, and should by Accident part Company; The Senior Captain is to give a Rendezvous for the purpose of Joining again, and if during the Time other Cruisers should fall in Company it is recommended to the Senior Captain to have as much regard to that Circumstance as his Orders will admit of.

If you should during your Cruise, meet with a Pacquet from England, or any other Ship, in which Major Cuyler,² first Aid de Camp to Sir William Howe is Embarked: You are to receive the Major and the Dispatches with which he is Charged, onboard your Ship (or as the Senior Captain then in Company shall direct) if so desired, as well as the Publick Dispatches addressed to the Admiral, or General in other instances, and Convey the same for being forwarded up the Delaware, with the greatest expedition to the Admiral; giving Convoy to the Pacquet, as far as your different destinations will admit and at the Expiration of your Cruise, you are to return to this Port for further Orders: And for your General Conduct, when employed in Cruising or otherwise, whether at present or in future, on this or any other Station: You are also, to have regard to the knowledge you may obtain, respecting the several places of Anchorage on the Coasts of the Northern Provinces, in Case it should become necessary to have recourse thereto, on any Emergency, or for preventing the disadvantage of our Ships being forced from their Stations, in the Winter Season: And the further knowledge you may gain of the most probable means of intercepting the Enemys Ships passing to, and from, the New-England Ports, or any other Ports; And if you have a suitable Opportunity, of doing so (Previous to your own amval in Port) you are to Communicate such information, both to Commodore Hotham,³ at New-York; The Commanding Officer at Halifax, and to me, for Our Guidance in any future Services; And for your further information, if you should fall in with any of the Cruisers, belonging to the Halifax Division, which may have a Letter directed to me on the Kings Service, you are to Open it, in Order to avail yourself of the intelligence it may contain, for the benefit of His Majesty's Service, and in like manner you may Open any Letters from me to him.

And if you should, at any time, on your Cruise, have a Suitable Opportunity of Writing to the Admiral, by any of His Majesty's Ships, going to the General Rendezvous, you are to avail yourself of it, and transmit to His Lordship your proceedings to that Time, with every intelligence you may have obtain'd (and your Opinion of the Authenticity of it) relative to the designs and operations of the Enemy by Sea and Land, with an Account of the Captures &c^a. you may have made in the Form annexed, and the State and Condition of the Ship under your Command: The intent being that His Lordship may have the Earliest Intelligence possible; if it can be made known to him, sooner by yours, than thro' my Hands.

I herewith enclose to you such Intelligence as may be Necessary for your information, which you are at all Times to keep as Secret as possible: And if you should find it necessary for His Majesty's Service to Communicate the same to any other Captain, you are to deliver with it, the same Injunction.