Sir

I have been so exceeding ill ever since my Return from below, & the weather is so intollerably bad for my disorder That I cannot without certain injury to my wretched health Stir abroad today: Therefore I am in hopes the committee will indulge me unless there is an absolute necessity for my presence wch I can hardly think will be the Case

Upon considering the business as it now stands I am of opinion the nature of our intended enquiry became totally changed by the publication of the officers,³ It was the Commodores duty to have attended the board as soon as possible & given an Accot of the transactions of the fleet. but he neglecting that duty & much altercation arising without doors the Board, as I conceive wish'd to have as decent an Accot of the engagement as possible that by some publication from them they might quiet the minds of the public & favor the character of the Officers far as they could without transgressing the truth.

The Attack made by the Capts against the Committee of Safety hath made it necessary in some measure for the board to justify themselves to the publick, Therefore in my opinion it would be very prudent for the board to postpone taking up the matter on the last ground untill tuesday or wednesday next ー & just in general acquaint them. that when the board required their attendance they had no expectation Of being cal'd upon by them to justify their conduct to the publick,⁴ but wanted to have collected from a general inquiry materials to have made a publication of the whole transaction without any design of blaming the officers ー & they may be dismiss'd very decently in my opinion upon some such Ideas as those ー one reason wch induce's me to think the posting the enquiry off a day right is that I am fearful there has not been time to collect sufficient evidences of many facts wch may be discovered from those volunteers from the floating Battery & ship on board the Gallies during the Engagements. Mudian Dick ー & Garret should be examened the former supplying almost all the Gallies with rounds of Cartridge during the first engagement ー Capt [Thomas] Forrest was also on board & present at the council cald to plan an Attack on the Ships at Night & will I dare say be able to recollect tha[t] not the least objection was Made to an Attack on the score of Amunition. when I sat down to address you I did not think of being so prolix but I hope you Sir in particullar & the Committee in general will excuse it in their most Obdt [&c.]

P.S. If you read this yourself perhaps it will not be needful to trouble the board with it ー