Gentlemen

My last to you was by Lieutt Rathbun of the 8th instant ー Since which I hear the Cabot has Sail'd with as many Men as Captn Olney would carry ー I have had an Account from Swansey that the Ham[p]den will be soon repair'd the defect was in the after part of her Keel I hope soon to get her out as her Crew keeps by her ー The Warren is now against Patuxet with 112 Officers and Men onboard the Providence about 130 ー the Columbus about 20 ー and the Sloop Providence but a few the Alfred is repairing fast at Boston, and Captn Hinman informs me that he has the most of his Men Shipp'd ー I this day spoke with an Officer belonging to the Lady Washington Privateer, who got into Salem last week She took a Ship² about the 20th Jany last from London bound to St Christophers, who Sail'd from England in Company with 18 Transports with Hessian Troops onboard under Convoy of the Glascow [Glasgow] Man of War, bound to Jamaica, but Suppose to be designed for New York in the Spring ー General Spencer has faild of getting a Sufficient Force to attack the Enemy at Rhode Island; which I suppose is owing to an Uneasiness there is between the Gentlemen of this Town, and the Country People ー on account of the high prices of Goods ー I could heartily wish that those people who have made Fortunes by this dispute, would use their Interest for the publick Good

I have lately understood by two or three Officers of the Ship Warren, who came Voluntarily to me; that they had been Induced to Sign some paper or Petition greatly to my Disadvantage; which they were perswaded to by some of the Gentn of this Town, I suppose the Owners of the Privateers, who I am sorry to Say are greatly prejudiced against me since I endeavoured to get an Embargo laid upon Privateering in order that the Continental Ships might be Mann'd ³ ー And as for Captn [John] Grannis who I understand is gone to you with it, I am well perswaded he never has been onboard the Ship three nights together, nor I believe ten days this five Months past and all that he can have against me as we are entire Strangers, is that after . several times desiring him to go onboard and do his duty, as the Ship was liable to be attack'd at any time, I at last threaten'd to break him and get another man in his Room if he did not ー Upon which he went onboard but staid only two Nights ー And this single thing must Convince every Impartial Person, that for an Officer of a Ship to leave her without the knowledge of the Captain or Lieutenant, when She was in danger of being Attack'd every day being within ten miles of Some, & twenty of ten or twelve Men of War, some of them Stronger than her, two hours fair Wind would have brought them along Side; and to go such a Journey without first endeavouring to Remedy the Evil if there was any, Cannot be a Friend to his Country, but must act upon some private View, which I make no doubt he did to Serve some of the men perhaps that made him, much in the same manner as they finished the Ships, who have Cost Your Agent near if not quite £4000 ー which was absolutely Necessary for them before they could be ready for the Sea ー and that you will Soon be Convinc'd off by his Accounts, which he says you will have Soon ー and they are near if not double the Prices first Contracted for, owing to some of the very Committee that built the Ships, taking the Workmen and the Stock agreed for, off to work and fitt their Privateers; and even threatening the Workmen if they did not work for them ー I am very willing to come to you to answer for my Conduct with Such of the Committee who built the Ships as I could Name ー but not with the poor Men who only Acted as Machines to a Sett of Men who I wish I could Say I thought had any other principle but Avarice ー and it would have been full as well if some of the Officers had brought in such Accounts for Enlisting Men, that they might have been Settled with on any other Terms, but Signing that Paper against me. And it will be well if you don't find them Extravagant, as the Committee did not chuse to pay them, but gave em Orders on the Agent for the Money ー Inclosed you have a Copy of one of the Officers accounts ー and I believe you will find in the Committees Account whenever it comes to hand, another large Sum and all for Enlisting men; but few of whom ever came onboard the Ships, though I can't Say they did not go onboard the Privateers ー Whenever I am call'd for I think I can Speak the Truth, and not Stab a Man in the dark ー

What the purport of the Complaint which Capt Grannis may have brought is, I do not know, but as the Men that Sign'd it know bui\little, and are worth less as Sailors, all I shall say more is to Inclose a Copy of what three of them Voluntarily Sign'd being Conscious they had done wrong ー

This one thing I can Say, and with Truth, that I engag'd in thi}dispute on no other design than to Serve my Country ー and I still am determind not to desert the Cause ー but whenever You or the Congress think you can get a Man in my Room that will be of more Service to the Cause than I can You have my Leave, and in Justice to the Country I think you ought to do it-' and I shall still Continue to do what Good I can, in a less Envy'd and less tronbleSome way-I am with great Regard Gentlemen [&c.]

To the hon. John Hancock Esqr
Presidt of the Marine Committee
at Philadelphia or Baltimore