Dear Sir

Duty obliges me to Acquaint you with the Situation I found our Little navy in, on my entering into that Department, you Remember sir, I hinted in a former Ltr that it wanted great Regulations. I found the Captains all at variance Each taxing the other with being a thief and a Robber, and all open mouth'd again Ayers [John Ayres] for being a Coward, the Unhappy disputes among those Captains has been the means of loosing two transports owing to a dispute between the Capts [Daniel] Waters and [William] Burke, who were Vulgar enough to quarrel on the Sabbath morning in hearing of their Boats Crews on a Wharfe at Marblehead, and wou'd have got to Blows, had not people prevented it. two Sail Appearing Burke went out and gave Chase, came up with them and Engaged them for a very considerable time, whilst Waters Look'd on and was only an Idle Spectator, for want of his Assistance the ships are lost to us, and Waters has sundry times Solemnly declared he wont sail in Company with Burk, tho not in my hearing.²

The Sailors are uneasy, they Complain thev've been Choud'd out of their prize money by the Agent Colo [Jonathan] Glover. by being told that their shares wou'd be but trifling and have bot them for a fourth part of their real value; Those Complaints have been handed my by Mr [Jeremiah] Powell Mr [Henry] Bromfield and others of our fellow Citizens. you'l please to observe sir I was not known to those people, for when I Recd. myoders to Act they were aboard, I emediately on Receiving your orders to call on the Agents for a Settlement Obeyed yr directions, and shew to Colo Glover That Paragraph of your Letter, Yet when those prizes were brot. in he came to Boston and us'd all the Rhetoric he was master of to endeavour to perswade me that my Appointment was to Superintend over the whole, but that they were still to Act as before, I reply'd that I shou'd be guilty of the greatest unpoliteness and ingratitude to my Constituents and in short shou'd disgrace my self to Suffer Colo Glover to incommode him self, so much as to leave his home to do my Business whilst I was only a Spectator; he Reluctantly gave up the point and went home may I hope for so much Indulgence from you sir as to say at what Period I commenc'd Agent; it was After my Appointment the powder ship was taken, so were the two prizes wch were Carried into Lyn with provision & wine³

I beg leave to ask if a captain shou'd be wanted for either of the Scho[one]rs wou'd not the Service be impeded, as General Ward says he has no power to commission, its true he gave Capn [John] Skimmer a Breveat, But he wou'd be much better pleasd with a proper Commission

The Fleet wch has been so long parading before our harbour is (I believe) gone off. I sent a message to the General Wednesday morng to enquire if he had inform'd Commodore Hopk[ins] of the Fleet being in our Bay, he answer'd in the Negative, on wch I emediately dispatch'd an Express, but I find he was gone to Philada the Governor Called the Commee of Safety together, and Confer'd with the Person who had the Command of the ships But he refused mooving without the Consent of Capt Bidle [Nicholas Biddle], who was out on a Cruise, General Ward wrote too by the Express I sent ー

I see not the least probability of coming at any money from Mess Glover & Bartlet for the Reasons offered in my last. that they know not the amount of the Ordnance Brigs Cargo nor the value of the English Goods taken by order of the General, they say, these suppose, they shant have more money than wil pay the people.

As it must be known to the Enemy that the Fleet and Army are gone hence, I beg leave to offer a hint for your Consideration, would it not be improving the Schooners to Advantage to send two or three of them a months Cruise to the Southward in pursuit of Jamaica ships, long experi[ence] has taught me to know the track of those vessells in their homeward bound voyage, and I am Convinced that in a month Cruising they may take as many as they could man with double their Compliment of men, therefore, it wou'd be expedient to carry a Greater number for that purpose ー this is the proper season to meet them but it will soon be past ー

I am Sorry to Acquaint you Sir, that the Fleet have carried their trophies off with them, for Fryday last [June 28] they sent a boat ashore to the Light house Island and carried off the pendant & Jack that was fix'd to two staffs erected for that purpose, our people saw them from the forts, but thought it best not to fire on them,⁴ At last one of the Coal vessells is arriv'd here, And the other put out from Newbury Saturday last, but the wind has not favour'd her, and she is not yet got in. I will have her loaded in twelve hours after she arrives, the Reason of this long detention was, the fleet being before the harbour. I am fearful you will think I am too prolix, I therefore take my leave by earnestly wishing for a Continuance of your health being with the Strongest Attachment [&c.]