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Sir  In pursuance of your Orders of the 11th of June, after sending the Transports to Boston, Entered Delaware Bay the 20th July, the 22d Anchored off Newcastle in the River, as the best Situation for inspecting the Trade, and having Command of the Town, did by that means obtain Refreshments, two of the Congress being Inhabitants, yet the Spirit of Opposition at Philadelphia and the Country round was such, that they expressed great dissatisfaction at my being there, and were ready to enter into any violent Act that should be pointed out to them, this with the intricate Navigation of upwards of 30 Leagues from the Sea, and being solely at the Mercy of a Philadelphia Pilot, kept us in a constant alarm, but I was daily in expectation of some Reinforcement from You, Sir, or at least a Schooner by whom we might have made our Situation known. ー On the 13th of August at Night, as I have been informed, the Ship Hope passed us with a fresh of Wind and strong Flood Tide, with Major [Christopher] French, [a] 1st Lieutenant and a Volunteer, with Packages of Military Cloathing on board;² upon hailing, they told the Officer on Deck, that they had nothing but Ballast in, and was Eleven Weeks from Ireland: had I had the least intimation from the Major or his Party of their Situation, should certainly have slip'd and followed her up, but at the time I was acquainted with it, twas too late for me to demand Restitution, they were then in the Hands of the Philadelphians who were determined to support this hostile Act, had my Orders permitted me to have Attacked the Town. Have ever since endeavored to prevent any future fraud by making every Vessel Anchor; as I had but one Eight Oar'd Boat, the others being of insufficient Force to prevent being run away with, it was a very difficult and tedious task, as the Trade carried on in the Delaware at this time is equal to all the rest in America, and this to a great City of 50,000 Inhabitants, with several other Towns near to its Banks; this delay made them talk high, my Seizing the Tryall Schooner belonging to one of their Committee, Mr Miffling, and a Sloop with Coffee, gave them a pretext, and brought them all in Arms; the Son of the Owner who I had given leave to come onboard, after giving him my reason for Stopping the Schooner; desired he might be permitted to speak with the Master, which I granted; sent Lieutenant Browne onboard after him, who on his going away heard him confirm that the People were in Arms, and that 4,000 had offered their Service to his father to make the Attack, and that some Lives should be lost on the occasion; I wanted no confirmation of their readiness or Numbers to remove any one Single Deck Ship, and therefore with the general Voice of my Officers, thought it most adviseable for the good of His Majesty's Service not to put it to the trial, but to make the best of our way to Boston with our Prizes, and make a Report of the Situation and preparations making at Philadelphia to oppose his Majesty's Arms.

At this time by our Purser's Account and others, two row Gallies carrying one 18 Pounder in the Bow and 40 Men each, including Twenty Rowers, Seven more finished, and to be compleated to Twenty as soon as possible; an Establishment of £90,000 is appropriated for Building and Manning them during the open Season: their Trade stops the 10th of September, and the Seamen will be taken up for that Service and Artillery &ca ー Two fire Ships Compleat, near four hundred Sail of Shipping, about Thirty of them from 4 to 500 Tons burthen, several of them with Ports to take Guns in, with about 2000 Seamen; Twelve Pieces of Cannon mounted in the Market Place from: 12 to 24 Pounders ready to be carried to any Spot by the Sailors and one Company of Artillery; Twenty large Cannon in a tier and Carriages ready for Mounting them; Three Battalions making about 2200 Men well Cloathed and Armed for the Guard of the Town; and I am told that from the Entrance of the Capes to the Town, not less than 3 or 4000 more meet and exercise Twice a Week, at Glocester Point they have Triangles almost finished, which 'tis supposed will effectually stop up the Passage of the Narrows, and may be effected in one Tide.

I am satisfied Sir, that if a sufficient Force can be spared to enforce Obedience from the Town, 'twould be a means, from the great Number of people of Consequence residing there, and many Friends that dare not at this time shew themselves with their very great Attachment to the Town of Philadelphia, of making the Colony of Pennsylvania very quiet, and a great Number might be Recruited for His Majesty's Service. The Taxes Levied by the Congress, has caused no little dissatisfaction, for they say if they are to pay Taxes why not to the King, and save the Cutting of their Countrymen's throats; there being a great Number of Old England People in the Province, Emigrants and Servants from Ireland, that would with some little Encouragement join, but now Kept under by the Congress, and their violent Partizans: A Squadron would remove the first and Checque the Spirit of the Latter, and I should be very glad to have the Honour of shewing the Way. I am Sir, [&c.]