Copy.
My Lord

I am honored with your Lordships Instructions of the 22d, and also with your Letters of the 26th and 27th of last Month, and shall do my utmost to obey your Lordships Orders and fulfill your Intentions in every particular. The Senegal and Tryal arrived the 2d Instant in the Evening, and the next Morning the former returned to her Station; Captain [Roger] Curtis finding by Lieutenant Brown's Orders that the Dispatches he was charged with were of great consequence, and hearing that a Cartel Vessel had passed the Tryal bound for New London, he took them from Lieutenant Brown, and brought them to me.

I have delivered to Captain Caulfeild [Toby Caulfield] your Lordships Commission appointing him Captain of the Bristol, for which I must beg leave to return your Lordship my most grateful Thanks. Commodore Hotham has received your Lordships Order and separate Instructions: I have put the Brune under his Command, and shall send the Emerald after him, as soon as she can be spared. December the 14th a Consultation was held, at which the Generals Clinton, Lord Percy and Prescot, Commodore Hotham and myself were present; it was then determined that the Season was too far advanced, and the Weather too severe for the Troops to act. It therefore becomes me in the first Instance to provide against the Escape of the Rebels from Providence and Taunton Rivers; In the former I am told there are about Fifteen small Privateer Sloops, from Eight to Twelve Guns, besides all the Ships and Vessels mentioned in the List I had the Honor to transmit to your Lordship by the King's fisher, Except the Ship Jane of Twenty Guns, which I am informed is now at Swansey up Taunton River; and as from the several Services your Lordship requires to have performed many Frigates will be wanted, I shall keep as few here as the important Service of blocking up the Rebel Vessels will demand. And for this purpose, I think that three Frigates, besides the Three Fifty Gun-Ships will be necessary; which I would propose to station after the following Manner, as established Guards. Viz: One Fifty in the West Passage, One off Newport, and one to the Southward of Dyer's Island. One Frigate to be advanced to the Northward of Dyer's Island, another to the Northward of Hope Island, and the third in the Seakennet Passage.

When all the Ships intended to sail soon are gone, we shall then have only the number left that I beg leave to recommend for an established Guard. Those Ships will be for the present — the Chatham, Renown, Centurion, Diamond, Cerberus and Sphynx. The Diamond arrived the 14th of December and I directed Captain Feilding to place her in the best Situation for blocking up the Passage between Warwick Point and Patience Island. The 2d Instant it blowing hard at S E, the Diamond was obliged to veer to a whole Cable, and the Ship having hardly more than Room to swing from it, and the Wind shifting suddenly to SWbW, she tailed the Ground on the Ebb-Tide, the Anchor coming home a little, being in loose Ground. She got off the next Day without any apparent Damage, except from five Shot which hulled her, as by Account enclosed. The Sphynx is at present to the Northward of Hope Island, and when the Diamond has stopped the Shot-Holes under Water, and is ready to move from this place; she will be stationed to the Northward of Dyers Island, and the Emerald will proceed to join Commodore Hotham. The Rebels drew some Cannon down to Warwick Neck, and sent a Gally and a small Sloop ² down from Providence, but these last did not venture within Gun-Shot. This Garrison being in great want of Wood, and the General having contracted for a Supply from Shelter Island, near Long Island, the Ambuscade sailed the 25th December for Shelter Island with ten Transports under Convoy. The King'sfisher has Orders to see the Tryal Schooner (Lieutenant Brown having Dispatches from General Clinton and myself to your Lordship and Sir William Howe) as far as Plumb Island, and then proceed to Shelter Island, and take under his Direction such Transports as may remain there after Captain [John] Macartney sails from thence with as many as are now loaded. As the Carysfort's Cruize is almost finished, should the Ambuscade arrive before the Niger, I shall send her off New London, and the Niger to block up the Ports in Buzzard's Bay.

I have dismissed Mr Stelle with the Cartel Sloop and he seems well satisfied with the Reasons for his De[tention] I have apprised him that the further Exchange of Prisoners on either Side hereafter will be conducted under my Direction. We have settled the Account of the Thirty six Prisoners enlarged by your Lordship, and the Balance is Thirteen due on the part of his Employers. In my Instructions to the Captains of the Cruising Ships, they shall be permitted to exchange Prisoners, agreeably to the Mode adopted by your Lordship. I shall use every Means in my Power to make known and explain to the Inhabitants of the Elizabeth Islands and the adjacent Coasts of the Continent, the Reasons for our Ships proceeding to such Severities on their unwarrantable Treatment of our Flag of Truce. I have from my first Arrival granted Licenses for Fishing; but the Weather has been so bad, that we have not as yet benefitted by them. The 6th Instant the Kingsfisher arrived with the Nine Victuallers mentioned in your Lordships Instructions; I have appointed Mr John Read the Purser of the Chatham Deputy Agent Victualler at this Port, and shall be particularly attentive to have the Ships unloaded and discharged here, or sent home at the Option of the Masters, as soon as possible. I have paid due regard to the Flat-Boats, and indeed every Care is necessary to keep them in order. Many of them suffered the Day after the landing; it blew hard at NW. They are hauled up on Goat-Island, and repairing under the Inspection of the Carpenter of the Chatham. They will all except Two or Three be soon I hope in excellent Order. I never saw a place so bare of Naval Stores of every kind. We have found Plank sufficient for the purpose, but are in Want of Tar, Nails and Iron-Work; the Tar cannot be procured as yet, tho' many Stores have been searched; but the Nails and Iron-Work we shall be able to make with two of the Ship's Forges, which are now employed for that purpose. Your Lordship knows how We are circumstanced with respect to Slops and Naval Stores.

I shall be glad of your Lordship's Instructions relative to the payment of Artificers, and also for any Naval Stores that may be got here. Your Lordship will receive herewith the following papers: Viz: Sentence and Minutes of a Court Martial held the 14th of December last on Mr Francis Goold, Boatswain of the Ambuscade. State and Condition of His Majesty's Ships &ca List of ten Transports gone to Shelter Island for Wood under Convoy of the Ambuscade. List of Prizes and Vessels retaken. Account of Shot fired at the Diamond. An Acount of Stores taken out of the Asia and Experiment — Also of Marines &ca

Your Lordship will see in the List of Ships retaken &ca the Betty Transport, which was under Convoy of His Majesty's Ship the Flora: the Master was suffered to remain in her, but all the Crew were taken out. She has been pillaged by the Rebels, and her Sails and Rigging so bad, that she is not fit for Sea, nor do I believe she can be tolerably fitted here for the purpose of being taken again into the Service. Some Men from the Chatham have the Care of her, and the Master continues onboard.

There are Precedents to go by in these Cases, but as I do not know any, I beg to be instructed by your Lordship, and to receive your Directions. By the Charter Parties, the King pays a Value stipulated for Ships that are taken, when in His Service; and I am doubtful whether she now belongs to the King, or whether she ought to be given up to the Master, who is willing to take her in behalf of the Owners, and They to settle the Damages with the Crown. The Experiment sailed the 8th Instant and the Asia will receive General Clinton on board to-morrow, and proceed as soon as possible. I have the Honor to be With true Respect My Lord [&c.]

[Endorsed] In Lord Howe's Lre of 13 Febry 1777