Sir

I have receiv'd &. communicated to my Lords Commiss^rs: of the Admty your Letter of the 7^th Sep^r. informing them of the arrival of the Badger &. that you had remov'd Cap^tn Everitt her Commander into the Antelope Capt^tn. Judd having been oblig'd to quit her on account of his ill state of health & appointed Lieu^t. Mich^l. Everitt to succeed to the Command of the Badger &. M^r. Manley Dixon Lieu^t. of that Sloop in his room which I am to acq^t. you meets with their Lordships approbation&. it is their direction that you give them firm Commiss^ns: conformably thereto.¹

I have likewise receiv'd your Letter of the 25^th. Oct^r. &. laid the same before their Lordships who approve of your sending the Porpoise, at the request of the Governor of Jamaica, to remove Troops from one Part of that Island to another &. of your giving the like assistance in future, when the Governor shall apply for it, &. does not interfere with other more essential services.²

Their Lordships likewise approve of the Orders you have given, upon the Badgers arrival in so bad a Condition, for repairing her if possible &. if that could not be done of your purchasing another armed Vess^l. as you intend to serve in her room.³

I am also to signify their approbation of your having ordered a Vess^l. to be purchased for the men expeditiously watering the Ships as the Sloop Flying Fish is not of herself sufficientfor that purpose.⁴

Their Lordships are very much pleas'd with the account you give of the Gallant behaviour of M^r Jordan who you appointed to act as Lieu^t. in the comm^d. of the Racehorse Armed Sloop (during the Indisposition of Lieu^t. M^c.Namara) in taking a Rebel Privatier of 12 Guns &. also with that of his Officers &. People &. they approve of your intention of giving him a Commiss^n. appointing him a Lieut^t.5

Your Letter of the 17^th Nov^r. by the Packet has likewise been receiv'd in which you give an account that it having been found impracticable to refit the Badger &. she had upon survey been condemned You had ordered a Brig to be purchased into which you had remov'd her Officers &. People &. directed the Naval Storekeeper to draw upon the Navy Board for the Amount of her purchase, &. the Master Shipwright to refit her as an Armed Vessel which I am to acq^t. you their Lordships approve of.⁶

They also approve of your stationing an Armed Vessl. constantly in the Bay of Honduras during the Present Rebellion as the Inhabitants of those parts had represented to you that an American Privatier had been there &. cut out three of their Vess^ls. &. of your having always an Armed Vess^ls. at Turky Island to prevent the Rebels having an Intercourse with the Inhabitants of those Islands if the Ships &. Vess^ls. under your command will enable you to do it consistantly with other Services.⁷

You have their Lordships approbation of purchasing an Armed Vessel in Lieu of the Ostrich (which you had sent home with a Convoy) & of your giving M^r. Jordan the Command of her with a Lieu^ts. Commission.⁸

My Lords approve of the assistance you order'd to the Ship laden with Provisions for the Government Service bound to Pensacola which had put into Jamaica, with His Maj^ts. Ship the Daphne, with the loss of her foremaster. . . .⁹ I am &c.

P.S.

Their Lordship have acq^d. the Comittee of West India Merchants with what you mention in your Letter of the 17^th Nov^r. respecting the sending Convoys thro' the Gulph at that Season of the Year: