My Lord

On the 17th of last Month, I had the honor to receive by His Maj'ts Ship Active your Lordships Letter of the It Novr with a List of the Transports ordered to return to England under Convoy of that Ship & the Fowey, two days after I received the Original & Duplicate of your Lordships Letter of the 23d Octr the former by the Post from Ireland the latter by the Fowey; And on the same day came to hand from the Fowey your Lordships Letter of the 5th Novr all which Letters & the several Papers which came inclosed therein were immediately after received communicated to my Lords Commrs of the Admty for their Information.

On the 30th of last Month their Lordships had the satisfaction to receive by Captn [Christopher] Mason whose Sloop had put into Dartmouth your Lordships dispatches of ,the 23d Novr giving an Account of the Progress & Success of His Majts Forces against his Rebellious Subjects in the Provinces of New York & the Jerseys, and they are pleas'd to command me, after expressing their congratulations on the aforemention'd Success & their approbation of your Lordships Zeal & atten\tjon in the conduct of that part of the Service falling under your particular direction, to acquaint your Lordship they have the highest pleasure in finding the Officers & Seamen belonging to the Ships under your command were animated & acquitted themselves with a Spirit that has induced your Lordship to speak of them in Terms so highly commendable, and it is equally agreable to their Lordships to be inform'd that a like Spirit was shewn by the Seamen belonging to the Transports.

Captn Mason at the same time deliver'd to me two other Letters from your Lordship dated 25th & 27th Novr the former containing Copies of your Instructions to Sir Peter Parker for his conduct in the command of the Expedition against Rhode Island, and the latter enclosing the disposition of the Squadron in No America, the State & Condition of the said Squadron, and also a State of the Supernumeraries on board the several Ships, all which were immediately communicated to their Lordships for their information.

I send your Lordship indosed a List of the Ships which sailed on the 5th of last Month from Spithead, under Convoy of the Thames for New York, since which it has appeared by a Letter received from Captn [Thomas] Fitzherbert of the Raisonable that he met the said Ship on the 21st 89. Leagues West from Cape Finisterre with all her Convoy except the Elephant Storeship & one other Ship whose Name Captn [Tyringham] Howe on account of the bad Weather from the time of seperation could not inform him of.

The Navy Board are collecting in addition to the Stores your Lordship will receive by the aforemention'd Storeship a further Supply of all sorts for the use of the Squadron under your command, which will sail under the first Convoy that offers after the same are ready; There are also providing & will be sent in the Transports intended to carry a Reinforcement of Troops Twenty flat Boats, and there will be put on board the said Transports four Hundred Chaldron of Coals to be distributed on their arrival amongst the Pursers of such of His Majesty's Ships as your Lordship may see fit.

Captain [Charles] Douglas of His Majts Ship the Isis (on whom His Majesty has been pleas'd to confer the Dignity of a Baronet) arrived on the 9th of last Month at Spithead, as did the Blonde at Plymouth on the 14th There have likewise arrived from Quebec the Bute & Lord Howe arm'd Vessels, and inclosed your Lordship will receive a Copy of the Letter Sir Charles wrote on his arrival, acquainting my Lords with the reasons for the said Ships return to England, & giving an Account of his further proceedings as Senfor Captain in the River St Lawrence which Letter their Lordships think is necessary for your Information. I likewise send your Lordship herewith Copies of Instructions which Sir Charles Douglas on his leaving Quebec gave to Captn [Richard] Pearson of the Garland for his conduct in relation to the Services to be carried on there, til' he could receive directions or Instructions from your Lordship, and with these Papers you will receive Copies of five others all relating to the Service on the Station aforementioned, & explaining those to be carried on upon the Lakes so soon as the Season shall permit thereof.

In one of the aforemention'd five Papers your Lordship will observe that the Captains of the Triton, Garland and Viper are to lend great part of their Complement of Men to be employ'd on the Lakes, and on this Account their Lordships propose to send a Ship early in the Spring with Supernumeraries sufficient to supply the places of the Men so lent that the Ships may be enabled to proceed on any Services your Lordship shall think fit, and they are pleas'd to direct me to recommend it to you to consider if under the circumstance of Lending so many of their Men it may not be adviseable to send a proper Number of Commiss'd & Petty Officers with'them, and in case you shall think fit to direct the same to be done, their Lordships are of opinion it will be further necessary that you direct their different Captains to bear other Commissd and Petty Officers in the room of those disposed of as aforemention'd acquainting me for their Information with the Orders you give that such directions may then be sent to the Navy Board with respect to the paying the Parties for the time they act in such manner as their Lordships shall see fit. I am &c.

Vice Adml Lord Visct Howe, New York.
By the Packet.
Duplicate sent by the Albion the 4 March