(N^o. 26)
The Hon^ble: Sir William Howe.
Sir,

The inclosed Duplicate of my Letter to you of the 4^th. instant,¹ by the Packet, will inform you that His Majesty has been graciously pleased to acquiesce in your Request of Leave to quit your Command, and return to England, provided Sir Henry Clinton shall not have left America before that Letter reaches your hands. I now avail myself of the Opportunity of a Ship of War, dispatched express for the purpose of conveying to you and Lord Howe, in the speediest manner, Advice of the salutary measure under the consideration of Parliament, of which you will be fully informed by my separate Letter of this day's Date,² to add, to what I have expressed in my former Letter, that His Majesty, from the Experience He has had of your Zeal and Attachment, to His Service, has the fullest Confidence that whilst you continue in the Command, you will lay hold of every Opportunity of putting an End to the Rebellion, & inducing a Submission to legal Government, by a due Exertion of the Force under your Orders.—Every means will be employed to augment that Force, and I have the Satisfaction to acquaint you that His Majesty has received the most uncommon Testimonies of Affection and Support in the Prosecution of the War, if the Obstinacy of the Colonies, in rejecting the generous Terms now held out to them, shall make it necessary to continue it, not only from Parliament, but from the People in general.

Several Noblemen & Gentlemen of extensive Influence, and some great Cities, have undertaken to raise new Corps, and in London, Bristol, & many other Towns, considerable Sums have been subscribed to be given in Bounties to Recruits for the old Regiments; nevertheless as the Season must be far advanced before so large Reinforcement can be sent out as might be sufficient to enable you to act at any distance from the Sea Coast His Majesty's Intentions are that you should begin your Operation as early as possible by detaching such a number of Troops as can be spared, consistent with the defensive Plan you have proposed, and, in Conjunction with the Fleet, may be sufficient to attack the Sea Ports in the Province of Massachuset's Bay, Connecticut, and New Hampshire, for the purpose of destroying their Ships of War and Privateers, by which the Trade of this Kingdom has been so greatly annoyed, and incapacitating them from fitting out others with the like Intent.

You will therefore lose no time in concerting with the Admiral the best means of effecting this very essential Service. I am &c^a.