Number 26.
Sir

On the 9th, 10th and 11th of this Month, by two Packets and the Thames which arrived on those different Days in Succession, I received your several Letters, with the Orders from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty, as recited in the Schedule annexed.

The Captains, inferior Officers and other Persons in the Fleet concerned, will be made very happy when I have Opportunity to communicate the Approbation of their Conduct signified by their Lordships Directions

The earliest Instructions have been sent to the different Stations for intercepting and seizing the foreign Armed Ships under the Circumstances in their Lordships Orders of the 6th of last November described: And for preventing the Landing of Monsr. De Coudre supposed to have taken his Passage in a Frigate from Havre, correspondent to the Tenor of your Letter dated the 2d of the following Month. Due Regard will be equally had to the Contents of the other Dispatches received as before mentioned.

The Thames meeting with much bad Weather on her passage from England, had been separated from all her Convoy; One Transport with Cloathing excepted. Two more, with the same Lading are since arrived. But no Intelligence has been obtained of the Elephant Store-Ship, from the time of her Separation two Days after the Convoy left the British Coast; Nor of the Unity Ordnance-Transport which parted from the Thames the 11th of January.

The Want of those Stores, but of Cordage more especially, becomes now so considerable, that it will greatly affect the Employment of the Cruizing Ships: Tho' due Care has been taken, as I have more particularly explained in my Letter of this Date to the Commissioners of the Navy, by Conversion and other Expedients, to continue the Use of the serviceable Stores in every practicable Extent.

The Weather becoming more temperate with[in) the last fourteen Days, the Transports have been moved into the North River. Every suitable preparation is making for the further Appointment of them, [as] the Exigencies of the Services dependent on the future Motions of the Army, may require. And the Season now approaching, I most anxiously wait the Arrival of the Naval Reinforcement which may have been intended for carrying on the conjunct[ive] Operations of the next Campaign: As some time will be requisite for refitting, and otherwise getting them in Readiness for that Service.

Many small Armed Vessels were necessarily employed during the past Winter Months, for keeping an open Communication to the Winter-Cantonments of the Army in the Jerseys, by the Channel of the Raritan; And in the Sound, for protecting the Coasting Vessels with Supplies of Provision ancl Fuel for the Town of New York, from Long Island. Most of those Vessels were Captures chiefly manned from the Eagle. One of them, fitted for War, and so employed by the Rebels, was some time since dispatched with Letters to Sir Peter Parker. On her return, she was run onshore in a Snow Storm, and wrecked off the East End of Long Island. Several of the Crew suffered very much from the Severity of the Cold; But.only Two lost their Lives by Excess of Fatigue. I must request to know their Lordships pleasure, in what Proportion they will think fit that any Satisfaction for the Hire and casual Loss of Vessels so taken for His Majesty's Service before Condemnation, should be made to the Captors; a Valuation of the Vessels having been previously adjusted.

The Saint Laurence Armed Schooner being very much out of Condition, and from any Service she can be expected to render in her ill-suited Construction, not meriting the Expence of Labor and Stores that would be requisite to fit her for Sea; I have judged it expedient to order a Bermuda Sloop named the York, of somewhat larger Dimensions and capable of very active Service, to be purchased at a reasonable Price, for a Tender upon the Fleet. And as she will be furnished with Twelve or fourteen Four pounders, I hope her Force and reputed Sailing Properties will render her very successful in the pursuit of the smaller Armed Vessels with which the Rebels are often able to distress the Trade of His Majesty's faithful Subjects, with Impunity. A second Sloop of nearly the same Dimensions, which has been weighed in Haerlem Creek, where she had been scuttled and sunk by the Rebels, is fitting with the same Intent; and the Command thereof given to Lieutenant Knight, lately released from Confinement in the Eastern Provinces. No Expence to the Crown will attend this Appointment, except for Wages, Provisions and the necessary Stores.

On the 17th. Instant the Hinchinbrook arrived with Dispatches for the General from Governor Tonyn. This Armed Vessel being equally ill adapted for Sailing as for War, and in Condition little different from the St Laurence, the same Reasons subsist for declining to engage in any further Expence on the Repair of this Schooner also. The Furniture and Stores of the Schooners will contribute to the arming of the Tenders meant to be substituted in place of them. And as the Officers and Companies of the former will be turned over to the latter, in both Instances, no Increase of Expence will be incurred on the Head of Wages by the Change: Unless from any Addition made to their Complements occasionally: This Consideration, I hope, will further induce their Lordships to approve of my Proceedings in these respects. Such Use will be made of the dismantled Vessels, as the State of them upon further Examination will admit.

The Repairs and Refittings of the Cruizing Ships, Flat-Boats, and other incidental Services performed under the Inspection of the temporary Officers of the Yard, will be shewn in a great Measure by the Progress transmitted under Cover with this Letter. The Swan has been entirely refitted; And some Attempt would have been made in the same View, with relation to the Rose, Scorpion, Thunder Bomb and Raven, if it had been practicable.. The first is wholly unfit for Sea; And the others will require more Assistance than our time or Means will admit, for putting them into a proper State of Service. with respect either to their Hulls or Stores.

The Disposition of the several Ships which have been lately ordered from this port, with the State and Condition of them according to the last Reports, will be shewn in the different Returns enclosed.

Their Lordships have been already informed concerning the General Appointments of the Ships composing the Squadrons under the Commodores Sir Peter Parker and Hotham. I have but few Particulars to relate respecting the Proceedings of the first. Different Extra Services for protecting Transports detached to procure Supplies of Fuel and Forage for the Troops at Rhode-Island, have prevented the Frigates from being employed on Cruizing Stations in the Extent proposed: And the Expedition terminating last Year with the possession of that Island, many Ships of different Classes, which it would be desirable to employ for other purposes, must now be necessarily detained for the Security of that important Post.

Commodore Hotham proceeding in the Preston according to the Tenor of his separate Orders of the 23d of December 1776, left Rhode Island with the Brune the 13th of January. He anchored the 19th in Chesepeak Bay; Where by his unexpected Appearance, an Opportunity offered for seizing a Ship laden with about five hundred and Fifty Hogsheads of Tobacco intended for Nantz. He was there joined by the Phoenix. The Emerald was afterwards sent to him from Rhode Island, and the Daphne from this Port.

Leaving the Phoenix and Emerald off of Chesepeak Bay, He sailed for the Delaware the 11th of February with the Daphne and Brune. But both the Bower Anchors of the Brune being so badly welded that they broke in taking up; added to the want of Water, which could not be procured on the Southern Stations, He was induced to send the Frigate back to this Port.

The Phoenix, under the same Circumstances, was obliged to leave her Station. But as soon as Captain Parker can be supplied with Water, and the absolutely requisite Assistance of Stores, he will return to Chesepeak Bay.

Commodore Hotham arriving off the Delaware the 17th of February, was forced away from that Station by strong Northerly Winds which prevented his Return until the 11th Instant; And an Opportunity was thereby afforded for an Armed Frigate fitted by the Rebels with several Trading Vessels, to put to Sea from that River. The Commodore taking an American Ship with Ammunition and other military Stores from Nantz, soon after his Return as aforesaid, He thought fit to direct Captain [St. John] Chinnery to see the Prize in Safety to this Port. Several other Captures have been made by the Ships of this Southern Squadron; In Number from Twenty-five to thirty, which have been mostly sunk or otherwise destroyed. I have reason from different Relations to believe, that the small Squadrons under Captain Hamond and Captain Davis, have made as many more; But the Particulars not having been yet transmit[ted,] none of these Captures are added to the General List herewith enclosed.

Some French Vessels trading, or attempting to trade, in the Ports of the disaffected Colonies, have been sent here. But as no Court of Admiralty for trying the Legality of the Seizures can yet be held at New York, And the King's Service does not admit of Men to be spared for the Removal of those Captures to any Port in His Majesty's Allegiance, great Waste of the Cargoes by Theft and Decay in all the Vessels detained, is likely to ensue, to the Prejudice of the Claimants in whose favor the Decision of the Property may be hereafter determined.

The Daphne and Thames have been dispatched off the Delaware, to join the Preston; which Ship will be very soon obliged to return here for Water and the Refreshment of her Company, now very sickly, as I find by the Commodore's last Advices of the 21st Instant. And I have the Mortification to observe, that the same Scorbutic Complaint is lately become more general in the Fleet, by the Want of fresh Provisions which could not for some time past be procured: Neither for the Ships which compose the Eastern (under Sir Peter Parker) or Southern Squadrons; Nor those fitting and detained at this Port, or stationed on the adjacent Coasts.

The Roebuck having been met with at Sea the 18th of January far advanced on her passage to Antigua, I daily expect to hear of her Arrival off the Delaware with some of the other Frigates under Captain Hamond's Orders.

I have been restrained by different Accidents, in the Use I proposed to make of the Vulture and Hunter Sloops on the Coasts of the Southern Provinces this Winter. Captain Mackenzie, then employed with the Lizard and Vulture in the Bay of Fundy, having very injudiciously consented at the Desire of the Inhabitants, to let the Vulture winter at Annapolis contrary to the Appointment of Sir George Collier, the Sloop was soon after frozen up. And the Hunter being ordered at General Massey's Request, to escort a Vessel with Provisions for a Detachment of Infantry posted at Spanish River, so late as the 13th of November, has been detained there or at the Island of St Johns, from the same Cause; as Sir George Collier informs me he had heard nothing of her since.

I shall very soon have Occasion to appoint a Convoy for the Nottingham Store-Ship now at Halifax, and some Transports with Recruits; prevented from making their passage last year to Quebec. I shall by that Opportunity send Instructions to Captain [Richard] Pearson, conformable to the Tenor of their Lordships Commands signified in your Letter of the 14th of January; And take Care to give You the earliest Advice of his proceedings 1n consequence.

The Mellish Store-Ship being separated from the Richmond, was taken soon after by the Alfred Armed Ship, as I understand, and carried into Boston. The Armed Ship was chased on her Return by the Milford; but without Effect, by Means of the thick Weather that critically happen[ed] and secured her Escape.

The General meditating an Attempt by Surprize, to take or destroy a considerable Magazine which the Rebels had formed at Peekskill about forty Miles up the North River, a Corps of Troops commanded by Colonel Bird, embarked in four Transports and proceeded up the North River the 22d Instant; under the Conduct of Captain Ferguson in the Brune, with the Dependence, and another Galley fitted for the Occasion. The Enemy upon the sudden Discovery and Approach of the Armament next Day, set Fire to a part of their Magazines and Barracks before they retreated. The Troops, after they landed, did the same to the rest: Whereby this plentiful Deposit of Provisions, Stores and other Necessaries of various Kinds, was totally destroyed; with no other Loss than two Seamen who were missing when the Troops re-embarked the succeeding Day.

I am with great Consideration, Sir [&c.]

[Endorsed] R 8 May/ (7 Inclosures)