So Soon as the Number of Men on board the Ship you command shall Le completed to 650 for which we have given directions to Vice Admiral Sir James Douglas, You are hereby required and directed to put to Sea with the first opportunity of Wind and Weather, and proceed & cruize between the Start Point and the Isle of Wight to procure Men for His Majesty's Fleet, agreeable to the Press Warrant and Instructions which you have received, particularly from Homeward hound Merchant Ships; Victualling all such new raised men as your Ship's Company, during their continuance on board her; And when you have procured as many as she can conveniently contain, or have lent so many of her men as she can spare, to Merchant Ships, to navigate them, in lieu of those you may take from them, You are to repair to Spithead and dispose of the said new raised as the abovementioned Vice Admiral or the Commanding Officer of His Majesty's Ships there for the time being shall direct; delivering with them Lists of their names with notations thereon of the respective times of their coming into the Service; that they may be entered for Wages accordingly on the Books of the Ships wherein they may be appointed to serve, and sending to our Secretary an account of the Numbers procured.

During your continuance on the above Service, you are on occasions of bad Weather to anchor at St Helens, and to enquire for orders, and not finding any to the contrary, to return as soon as the weather will admit and cruize as above directed. Given &c the 1st February 1777.

Captn Hood ー Courageux ー Spithead
By &c
PS.