Whereas the King has been pleased to appoint the Earl of Carlisle, William Eden & George Johnstone Esq^rs. (together with the Commanders in Chief of the Fleet and Army in North America for the time being[)]¹ his Majesty’s Commiss^rs. to treat, consult & agree, upon the means of quieting the Disorders now subsisting in certain of the Colonies, in pursuance of the Authority vested in His Majesty by the Act of the present Session of Parliament for that purpose, And whereas, in pursuance of His Maj^ts. pleasure we have appointed His Maj^ts. Ship the Trident to carry them with their Suite, Servants & Baggage to New York,² You are hereby required & directed upon the arrival of the said Ship to give every aid and assistance in your power to the Commiss^rs. abovenamed in the execution of their Commission during their residence at New York, And, if there is any proba[bi]lity of their remaining any considerable time in North America, You are to direct Commodore Elliot to return immediately in the Trident to Spithead, and to remain there until he receives further Order, sending Us an Account of his arrival and proceedings, But if there is not any such probability & the said Commissioners shall be likely to return soon to England, you are to detain the said Ship at New York, in order to bring them back, and to give Commodore Elliot directions for that purpose, so soon as they are ready to embark, taking care to give Orders for them their Suite, and Servants to be victualled during their continuance on board, in the same manner as the said Ships Company shall be victualled.
Given &c. the 11^th. April 1778.

By &c. P.S.