Sir

Having in my Letter of the 10th instant only generally acknowledged the Receipt of their Lordships Orders and your Letters by the Phoenix, I intend this Letter as a particular Reply to such Parts of either as I think require it. Their Lordships directions in your Letter Sepr 5 to land the private Marines from the Ships ordered home, until the private Men of the Battalions ashore are compleated to One thousand Men, shall be punctually obeyed; but I could have wished their Lordships had directed me to have compleated the Ships first, for, according to the present arrangement, it is probable that the Deficiencies in the Battalions ashore will always require more Privates to compleat than the number of Marines on board the Men of War, who may be sent to England. Their Lordships are so well acquainted with the use of Marines on board his Majesty's Ships, and at this time they really are of so much consequence to us, that it is with Reluctance I order them to be landed while the Ships continue short of their Complements.

I am happy in their Lordships Concurrence with my opinion respecting any Ships or Vessels going to England upon the requisition of any Governor of his Majesty's Colonies: and I have accordingly signified their Lordships directions on that Subject to the Officers under my Command.

Their Lordship's indulgence of Potatoes and Carrots will be extremely acceptable to the Officers and Seamen, and I shall most certainly endeavour to get them Turtle, Oranges and such other Refreshments as can be procured in the manner their Lordships have recommended.

Agreeable to their Lordships directions in your Letter Sepr 6. I have fully considered whether an Hospital Ship would be of Service in the Fleet, to which I beg leave to reply, that I flatter myself Halifax, Boston, Rhode Island and New York, will in all Events continue in our possession; and that good accomodation and refreshment may be always procured in each of these Places for the Sick, (the present time at Boston excepted): But an Hospital Ship willbe useful to receive Patients afflicted with Epidemical Diseases, or those who cannot safely be trusted on Shore, or to move occasionally with the Squadron, and even to be constantly in Harbour will, in my opinion, be of considerable Advantage to the Fleet, and in hot Weather be more comfortable to the sick, who are not Scorbuticks, than their being on shore, especially at Boston, where I think the situation and size of the present Hospital is ill adapted either for the convenience or health of the Patients; but at present it cannot be enlarged. For these Reasons I am of opinion an Hospital Ship will be of Advantage to the Service, and I think the Empress of Russia Transport to be the fittest for that purpose of any that are at Boston. But I submit to their Lordships consideration, whether an Hospital Ship might not be fitted and stored during the Winter in England, and be at Boston perhaps at the same time [in the Spring?]  I should be honoured with their determination on that Subject; and that by so doing she might be well provided with Medicines and necessaries, and every Material for the Accomodation of the sick, which cannot be procured here; and also have skilful Surgeons appointed to her, who being on the Spot would naturally furnish themselves with many very useful Articles this Country does not afford.

The Falcon, Hunter, Senegal and Otter Sloops, are without Surgeons Mates; the rest of the Squadron are compleat. The Ships employed within the four New England Governments and particularly about Boston have by means of their Press Warrants picked up a few Men from their Merchant Ships, in lieu of whom I have generally given some of those belonging to the Ships and Vessels detained. We have hitherto avoided as much as possible entering American Seamen on board the King's Ships, knowing from Experience they will seize every Opportunity of making their Escape, or of assisting their Countrymen in Rebellion. I therefore hope we shall be able to compleat the Ships without being obliged to take Americans, or to have men sent purposely from England. But I shall from time to time put on board the Kings Ships going home as many Americans as can be conveniently carried; these I would humbly propose to be distributed by their Lordships Order among the Men of War on Home Service, those bound to the East Indies or Coast of Africa; but on no account to be sent back again to America. By this means we could in some measure drain the Country of its Seamen, who are generally sober, hardy Fellows, and furnish the Kings Ships with Britons on whom we can have more Reliance at this time than on native Americans.

I beg leave to observe that by the true construction of their Lordship's Order dated the 2d of September, no Captain is authorized to detain any Ship or Vessel bound from the Colonies direct to Great Britain or his Majesty's Islands in the West Indies, or such as are returning from either of these Places to any part of the Continent; provided their Papers are such as the restraining Acts require: And that this Liberty evidently allows the Rebels to import Salt, Sugar, Melasses, Rum, all kinds of Cloathing, Naval Stores, and many other Articles they greatly stand in Need of, and which, if they are allowed to import, will enable them to carry on the War longer and with more Vigour than if all importation was totally prohibited. I can assure their Lordships that the Congress allow Provisions to be exported only for Arms and Ammunition, and for the Articles I have already enumerated, most of which they are greatly distressed for, and are absolutely requisite to keep their Army together. I therefore hope their Lordships will approve my deferring to carry the Orders abovementioned into execution, until I am honored with their Lordships further Commands thereon.

We have had a remarkably wet Autumn, and lately so much blowing Weather, that I fear the Ships coming from England will be roughly handled; and that, the intended Reinforcements arriving so late, very little can be done this Fall. I am &c