Sir

Herewith you'll receive Duplicates of what I wrote by the last Pacquet, and I beg leave to acquaint their Lordships that His Majestys Ship Pallas, the Honble Captain [William] Cornwallis arriv'd here the 21st of last Month, that he left the Atalanta at Barbadoes, and expect her arrival every Day.

I beg leave to acquaint their Lordships that the Squirrel did not arrive with the Company of the 50th Regiment that I inform'd them I had sent her for 'till the 27th of last Month being detaind by exceeding hard Gales of Wind, & Lee Currents. I immediately order'd the Embarkation of those Troops, & they would have Sail'd the next Morning for North America, agreeable to their Lordships directions, had I not received a letter from the Governor & Council desiring the Detention of the 50th Regiment for a few Days, as they had just received an Account of an Intended Insurrection of the Negroes of the Parish of Hanover, which I complyd with, and Inclosed I transmit their Letter, for their Lordships information I this day received another Letter from them; informing me; that from the Papers & Information laid before them, there did not appear, any longer a Necessity; for the further detaining that Regiment. I have therefore given Captain [Charles] Thompson, of His Majestys Ship Boreas; orders to proceed with the Three Transports to New York, & if Major General Howe; should not be arriv'd to gain the best information he is able of his Destination, and proceed with the Transports (as we have Accounts of the Troops leaving Boston, the Middle of last March, otherwise I should have directed him to have gone there; agreeable to their Lordships orders) and after he has seen them in Safety, at New York, or wherever Major General Howe may be, to return and Join me with all possible dispatch. I have likewise order'd the respective Masters of the Transports to apply to Vice Admiral Shuldham, or the Commanding Officer of His Majestys Ships for such further directions as he shall think fit to give for their return to Great Britain with the Commissiond & Non Commissiond Officers, and Invalids, which I hope will meet with their Lordships approval.²

I likewise orderd Captain Thompson to take under his Convoy; all such Merchant Ships & Vessels as were bound to England or North America, and see them in Safety as far as layd in his way.

I beg leave to acquaint their Lordships that I judged it more for hisMajestys Service & the Safety of the Trade for the Pallas to take the July Convoy than for her to have gone with the Transports to North America, as she would be able to see them clear home, & more especially as I have received an Account of the Rebels having taken Three of our Homeward bound Trade, this Account came by a Letter from the Agents to the Royal Assiento Company at the Havannah to Mr Foord (one of the principal Merchants here) who communicated it to me, & Inclosed is a Copy of their Letter for their Lordships information³

I likewise beg leave to acquaint their Lordships that when I received the express from Captain Barkley, the 5th of last April informing me of the Intention of the Rebels of Intercepting our Homeward bound Trade, I sent for Mr Foord and desir'd he would communicate it to the rest of the Merchants, and t the same time gave it as my opinion that it was extreem hazardous trusting their Ships without a Convoy, especially those with Bullion, which however they paid no Attention to, I am exceeding sorry the Trade has suffer'd through their Misconduct, & hope the Antelope will fall in with those Privateers.

I have the pleasure to inclose their Lordships a Letter I received from Lieutenant Cobb, of the Florida Surveying Sloop, from Pensacola, informing me of the Rebels, being totally Routed out of Canada.⁴ I further beg leave to acquaint their Lordships, that I have order'd William Platt (which I've before acquainted them; of my having apprehended for an Act of Piracy) with the three Evidences, onboard the Pallas, & have given Captain Cornwallis directions to dspose of them as my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty shall direct: by her I shall transmit them the several Affidavits.

With regard to the Disposition of His Majestys Ships & Vessels under my Command, I beg leave to acquaint their Lordships, that the Maidstone has Careen'd and that I shall fit her for Service as fast as possible The Squirrel in her last Cruize for the Troops, has Sprung her Fore Mast in such a Manner, that she must have a new one before she can proceed to Sea. The Racehorse Sloop which I have lately purchased is gone to the North Side of the Island, for a Company of the 60th Regiment, in consequence of an Application from the Governor⁵ ー the West Florida is fitting for the Mississippi, the Porcupine Schooner, I shall order to be Careen'd as soon as the Maidstone Hauls off, and employ them in the best manner possible for His Majestys Service, as I shall a Brig which I have order'd to be purchased, she is a very fine Vessel of about 130 Tons burthen, and capable of bearing a Master & Commander; with proper Officers, & Eighty Men. I submit it to their Lordships consideration puting the Racehorse & her; on that Establishment as they are both fine Vessels, and am, with great respect, Sir [&c.]