Whereas I have Intelligence that 18 Carriage Guns and 200 Men, a Sloop of 14 Guns, and four or five other Vessels are fitted out at Providence to attack the King's Ships, and that from New London and Dartmouth Vessels are also fitted out with the same Design, and whereas fifteen Transports with Troops are daily expected to arrive from England, who not expecting Rebels or Pirates on the Coast, may be unprepared and thereby fall into their hands; You are therefore hereby required and directed forthwith to proceed to Sea in his Majesty's Ships under your Command and cruize from the Back of Nantucket Shoals to the West End of Long Island and look for the said Transports, And when by speaking to the Nautilus who is cruizing off the Hook, or by any other certain Intelligence you can learn that they are all arrived, you are to repair to Rhode Island and put yourself under the Command of Captain [James] Wallace of his Majesty's Ship Rose, and follow his Orders for your further proceedings. In case of your meeting with any of the Transports you are to order them to repair immediately to Boston, apprize them of their danger from the Rebels and convoying them fairly into the Bay of Boston return in quest of the Remainder until the whole are arrived, when you are to proceed as above directed. You are also to seize and send to Boston all Vessels you may meet with having provision of any kind, Melasses or Salt on board.

Should you by any Accident neither meet the Nautilus nor any of the Transports, you are not to cruize longer than three Weeks, from the time you get round the Shoals, but at the expiration of that time proceed to Rhode Island.

Given under my hand on board his Majesty's Ship Preston at Boston the 27 June 1775