Sir

When I had the honor of attending the Board on the 23d Ulto I understood, thal:! it seemed to be the wish of their Lordships, that I should appeal to the Court of Admiralty in America for the value of our Ship & Cargo, which Lord Dunmore originally detained for the use of the Army & Navy under his Command in Virginia, and as his Lordship has acknowledged that the Flour had been made use of in Virginia before the Tryal and acquital of the Ship & Cargo by the Commissioners whom his Lordship appointed, & that the Wheat has also been made use of for the Supply of the Navy & Army at New York, where the Ship is now unjustly detained by the Master of a Transport whose Authority for taking or detaining I confess myself to be a Stranger to, not knowing that LeHers of Marque have yet been granted. I must now beg leave to make application to The Lords Commissi0ners of His Majestys Treasury for the payment of the Ship & her Cargo upon entering into Bonds of Indemnity with sufficient security to their Lordships, against any payment to be made by the present Piratical Captor, or by any other person whatever I need not again Sir, trouble you, or their Lordships with what I have suffered by this illegal detention of my property, nor repeat the fatal consequences which have attended it, as I presume they are already so well known that they need no further command. I shall only add that I am Sir [&c.]

[Endorsed] Read 4th Feby 1777 ー Done