Sir

I am Commanded by His Excellency to acknowledge your favor of yesterday by Capt. [Moses] Brown, which brings an account of a Sloop from Boston bound to Annapolis Royal having fallen into our hands,² it is his Excellencys pleasure, that you take an accurate inventory of all the goods on board & as soon as you Conveniently can transmit them to Head quarters, where there is no doubt, that when Sold, they will bring a better price than they wou'd at your place  the general will at finishing the sales make such satisfaction to those two resolute fellows who first ventured on board, & to the rest who engaged in that adventure, as in such cases is proper & customary  he desires me sir to assure you he approves much of your Conduct in this affair & doubts not from your Character that he will have further reason to do so, in your Agency, which I sincerely hope will be of Consequence to you & to the public ー as to the people found on board, it is his Excellencys pleasure that on their giving the best security they can that they will not act against America, they be discharged takeing with them their cloaths & necessarys, except the Captain & owner who you will please to send to Head Qrs for examination, let the vessel be laid up at the Wharfe untill further orders, we heard of Manlys being at Plymouth as yet unsuccessfull, providence has sent us a good supply of wine by a vessel from Philadelphia being stranded at Eastham with 120 pipes 118 of them saved which are ordered to this place,³ I am with great regard Sir [&c.]