[Copy]
Honble Gentn

I beg leave to acquaint You that I have received from the Levant 72 Prisoners, most of them very ill of Billious Fevers, their disorders being much aggravated from the total want of Bedding & the extreme filth of the Privateer, insomuch that they are swarming with Vermin; I have taken every precaution possible to prevent any infection from spreading among Our Men, by keeping them intirely seperate; I have lost two, but have had the pleasure of seeing 15 so well recovered as to be able to discharge them off the Sick List; it was my intention to have discharged them to the Alarm, but Capt [William] Hay did not ch use to receive them, I therefore applied to him, by Letter (a Copy of which I have enclosed) to know how they were to be disposed of, and received the enclosed Orders I accordingly appointed No 23 [ward] for those People; Capt Hay's Purser demanded of me Bedding for the Men discharged; I mentioned to Capt Hay the small Quantity I had in Store which might be very much wanted for the Sick, but he sent me the enclosed' Order, which I accordingly complied with; I beg leave to submit it to Your consideration, whether a further supply of Bedding is not necessary, also to receive Your Instructions in every point relative to these People, as it is most likely We shall have many more of them. I am Honble Gentn

Gibraltar 24th March 1777

[Endorsed in Commissioners' Office] Originals sent to the Admiralty the 18 April 1777 —