By the Commissioners for executing
the Office of Lord High Admiral
of Great Britain & Ireland &c.

Whereas you have represented to Us by your Letter of the 22d instant, that upon considering in what manner it may be most proper to victual the Prisoners to be committed to Forton & old Mill Prisons you are of opinion that the Allowance which was made for the subsistence of Rebel Prisoners under the care of your Board in the Year 1745, Vizt

appears to be too scanty, and have therefore proposed the Scheme of Diet that was settled last War for the Prisoners of War, (a Copy of which is hereunto annex'd) as the most proper method for Victualling the Prisoners to be confined in the above Prisons, with no other Alteration than putting the Bread at I lb a day instead of 1 ½ lb a day, and establishing Water instead of .Beer, We do hereby approve of the said proposition, except what relates to the substituting Water instead of Beer, and require and direct you to cause the Prisoners who may be committed to the said two Prisons to be Victualled in every respect agreable to the said Scheme except in the article of Bread of which they are to have only one pound P day each instead of the quantity in the said Scheme mention'd as you have proposed.

Given under our hands, the 30th of April 1777.

By command of their Lordships
Ph^p Stephens

[Enclosure]
Table of Victualling Prisoners of War.