Honored Sir
As I am not well assured of your having received my first letter in the Providence — I have taken the liberty of inclosing a Copy. — I must here Assert that it is both Unjust and inimical to the intrest of the Service that any Person or persons belonging to the Navy should share in Prizes when they were themselves Absent and out of harms way when the Capture was made — by this damned Unpreceqep.ted Association 2 which was effected by Fellows who have consulted their Personal Safty ever since, the Navy hath received more real injury than the sum Total of all the benifit which hath Accrued from their past or which is likely to Accrµe from their future Services — for prize-money is thereby become so very intricate and perplexed — that the greatest part of the Seamen deserted immediatly After their return from New Providence — And those poor fellows who have faithfully Served the term of their Enlistment Are detered from Entering as they have not recd, nor is their any prospect of their receiving a Shilling of Prize Money — so that it makes my heart Bleed to See them half Naked at this Severe Season. — Such an Association was never known to be binding for more than a Single cruise therefore in the present Case it is hieghly requisite that it Should be Set Aside and Some happy expedient fallen upon to induce the Seamen to enter chearfully into the Service for an Unlimited Time.
I did not 'till a few minutes ago hear of this Opportunity by Mr Cumberland Dougall [Dugan] of Baltimore and As he is to set out immediatly I am obliged to curtail My letter otherwise I had considerably more to Add —
I Inclose in this Packet a Copy of my letter lately forwarded to the Marine Board with an Estimate of the Expence of Altering the Alfred — But I must repeat my Opinion, that She is now much better calculated for the Merchant Service than She can be made for War and as She is calculated for Stowing Tobacco She would make a good remittance to France. — My prize the Mellish Transport, as she was lately a Bomb in the English Service, would make a better Ship of War than the Alfred from the Ben[d]s downwards She is one Solid Bed of Timber She sails as well as the Alfred and is not near So Crank so that her lee Guns would be servicable when the Alfreds will not. — I understand that there is a Quantity of Nine Pounders to Spare at New London -and the Mellish would Mount 18 or 20 on one Deck — the Alfreds Guns are-of such a Variety of lengths and Sizes that it is both difficult and dangerous to Fight them and the Nine pounders are all too long for Sea Service — should You resolve to convert the Mellish into a Ship of War I believe she may be fitted better here than at Dartmouth where she now is. — I will esteem the honor of hearing from you as soon as may be convenient — and it will Always give me pleasure to receive and Obey your Commands. — I understood by the report of Captain [Nathaniel] Falconer that I was Appointed to one of the Ships at Philadelphia — And Mr [Abraham] Livingston is Also of that Opinion. Perhaps they have been mistaken — however I submit My Appointment as well as my Rank and destination entirely to You — As I am well Assured that if I have any Merit or Abilities they will not be Overlooked or Superseded — I have the honor to be with Grateful Esteem and Respect Sir [&c.]
[Endorsed] Boston Jany 16th 1777 Copy of a letter to the Honble Robt Morris Esqr by Mr Cumberland Douggal. —
