Admty Office 14 Apl 1777
Sr
Vice Admiral Amherst Commander in Chief of His Majts Ships at Plymouth, having in his Letter of the I0th Instant, represented to my Lords Commissrs of the Admty that the Small Pox having broke out among the Rebel Prisoners on board the Burford, he has ordered such as are attacked with it to be immediately sent to the Hospital, but that he is nevertheless apprehensive of its spreading amongst the Ship's Company, I am commanded by their Lordships to send you the encloseq Extract of Admiral Amherst's said Letter 2 for Lord Suffolk's information, as his Lordship will thereby see how necessary it is, that my Lords sh[ould] receive as soon as possible His Majesty's Pleasure for confin[ing] the Rebel Prisoners on Shore instead of continuing them any longer on board His Majesty's Ship I am Sr [&c.]
Php Stephens
[Endorsed by Lord Suffolk] sent to the [Attorn]ey & Sollr Genl
1. PRO, State Papers, 42/50, 94-95.
2. The extract of Vice Admiral Amherst's letter read: "Captn (George] Bowyer having informed me that the small Pox has broke out amongst the Rebel Prisoners; I have given directions that such as are attacked with it be immediately sent to the Hospital. But as very few of the Americans have ever had that disorder, I am apprehensive of it's continuing so long in the Ship as to Effect such of her Company as may not have had it, & the same inconvenience must attend their being removed into any other of the ships in Commission," PRO, State Papers, 42/50.
