Dear Sir,

I am now to acknowledge the receipt of yours of the 4^th of March and the fourth of this month. 

The Boston hath on board a pretious cargoe.¹ May she carry it safe to France! The Enemies ships do indeed swarm in the Seas of America and Europe; but hitherto only one of our Frigates hath been captured on the Ocean. Two have been burned in North River, two sunk in Delaware, one captured there, and one in Chesapeak.² The Alfred we are just informed was taken on her passage home by two frigates in sight of the Rawleigh. The particulars of this capture and why she was not supported by the Rawleigh we are ignorant of. I hope Cap^t. Thompson is not culpable.³ I entertain a high opinion of him. The Columbus is a trifling Loss,⁴ and I should not much lament the Loss of the Alfred if her brave Captain, Officers and men were not in the hands of a cruel enemy. Our little fleet is very much thinned. We must contrive some plan for catching some of the Enemy's Frigates to supply our Losses; but we must take care not to catch tartars. It is reported that Cap^t. Biddle of the Randolph, in an engagement with a sixty gun ship, was blown up.⁵ We have been so unfortunate that I am apt to believe almost any bad news; but this report I cannot believe. I fear for the Providence. I know but little respecting her captain, and only one of her other officers.⁶

General Burgoyne and his family are allowed by Congress to go to Britain on their parole,⁷ and Co^l. Anstruther to Rhode-Island to solicit an exchange between himself and Co^l. Ethan Allen, if an exchange of the latter for L^t. Co^l. Campbell should not be agreed, which is the case; so that Anstruther must return on his parole.⁸ I know nothing about the Hessian Officers you speak of, but presume they had permission to go to Newport from proper Authority. 

I am sorry to hear that we are so much neglected by our Sister States, and hope that the arrival of the new General will be attended with favorable circumstances.⁹ He is an officer of Spirit and I trust will take due care of the State and the tories. When Thomas Cranston Esq came off the Island, he played the hypocrite so artfully as to induce some people to believe that he had changed his principles.¹⁰ I wrote to one whose credulity was imposed upon by him my Sentiments on the occasion. Sooner will an AEthiopian change his Skin or a Leopard his spots, than Tories will become Whigs. I am told that he came from Newport to make a conveyance of his Estate to his son, it may be so, but such a fraudulent conveyance will not I trust protect it from confiscation. The ten other infamous scoundrels you have given me the list of I never had the dishonour to be acquainted with. I am of your opinion that some persons of consequence in the Towns of S. and N. Kingstown are busy in procuring men for Whitmore's regiment, and by proper management it may be, if true, fully known.¹¹ The way might be this. Let Gen^l. Sullivan bribe some artful persons who are connected or will connect themselves with those who are supposed to be disaffected in said or any other towns to converse with them on the subject of our political disputes, and fall in with their sentiments, in this way they may become acquainted with the principals among the Tories, and after having obtained sufficient proof to convict them they may be dragged forth to public view and receive the punishment which such perfidious miscreants deserve. A plan of this kind was successfully executed in the State of New York, and cannot fail of success in any state provided proper persons are employed. It is of great importance that the Tories should be known not only to prevent the mischief they may do, but that the States where they lurk may have their Estates to enable them to discharge the debt contracted by a war which they have encouraged, and are still supporting by every means in their power, against their country. If you approve of the measure I have hinted for detecting our internal secret enemies I hope you will mention it to General Sullivan. 

If it should be thought proper to have an addition of one to your Board, it would have more weight coming from the board than from a member in his private capacity, and I don't know any Gentleman who would be more agreeable to Congress than M^r. Whipple.¹²

We have nothing new, but a melancholy account of the Randolph's blowing up in an engagement with a fifty gun ship. It is supposed that every Soul perished. 

Inclosed is the last York paper which contains weighty manoeuvres.¹³ It ought to be immediately reprinted in Providence. you will therefore deliver it to the Printer so soon as you shall have read it.

I am with great Respect