Sir

Having since the Letter I had the honour to write you of the 5 Septemr last received your several Letters one of the 25 July Two of the 5th August1 Two of the 3d of September, one of the 8th of October, and one of the 4th of November last giving an account of the proceedings of the Squadron under your Command and having read the same as they came to hand to my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty; I have it in command from them to acquaint you they are pleased to approve of your said proceedings particularly in the disposition made of the Ships and Vessels with a view to the suppressing of the insurrection intended to have been made on the Island by the Negroes.

As to what you have represented concerning the disposal of the Gun powder or ammunition which may be taken by the different Cruizers under your Command their Lordships not considering it as a matter cognjzable by them, do not think fit to give any directions upon it.

Their Lordships approve of your Orders to compleat the Complement of the Atalanta to 125 Men the same having been intended by their Lordships They likewise approve of your having purchased a Sloop for watering the Ships and have ordered the Navy Board to allow the sum which has been paid for her.

Your representations with respect to the State of the Stores at Jamaica are signified to the Navy Board for their information, and their Lordships doubt not but every endeavour will be used not only as to the quantity but the quality of the Stores requisite to be supplied It will occur to yourself that the complying therewith will be attended with difficulties at this period so many and large demands requiring to be supplied at the same time: and on that account their Lordships trust you will order the utmost care to be taken in the expenditure of those which may be sent for the use of the Ships under your Command.

The several Matters of Intelligence represented in your Letter of the 8th of October were transmitted to Lord Weymouth one of His Majesty's Principal Secretaries of State for His Majesty's Information.

Their Lordships think it of consequence that I should acquaint you that notwithstanding the very great number of Ships appointed to sail to England under Convoy of the Pallas the said Ship arrived at Spithead without bringing home one of them; And that the Squirrel has since arrived without one of the Ships with which she was charged, Which having occasioned great disappointments to the Merchants concerned in the said Ships Their Lordships, to prevent as much as possible, the like happening in future command me to signify their direction to you to order the Captains of the Convoys which you may hereafter send home to be particularly careful for their safety, keeping them together by every means in their power and on no account to leave them on pretence of their not sailing so fast as to be able to keep in Company their Lordships expecting that the Convoys shall in the course of the passage accomodate their progress to the worst sailing Ships that May be under their Care.

Their Lordships have appointed the Druid Sloop and Kent armed Ship to sail with the Trade from Cork for the Leeward Islands and .Jamaica; which they expect will be ready to proceed in a few days from this. The former is directed to stop at Antigua and the latter to continue her Voyage to Jamaica with the several Ships intended for that Island, where she is to be employed under your Command until the first convenient opportunity of your returning her to England with the homeward bound Trade And their Lordships have under consideration the appointing two other Convoys one to sail from Spithead as soon after the 20th Instant as the Weather will permit, the other from Cork as soon after the 20th of next Month, as may be convenient. I am &c

Vice Admiral Gayton, at Jamaica
(By the Packet the same Day)
Duplicate sent by the Packet 5 Febry