Sir.ー

We have considered the Contents of your Letter of the 11th Inst & in compliance with your request we Shall order the Brigt: Comet & Schooner Defence, on a Short Cruize, to call off Winyah Bar & take your two Vessel[s] under Convoy to the edge of Soundings ー the Signals which you have recommended shall be adopted, & we desire you will be ready to come out of port on Sunday, & that you keep a good look out for the Vessels in order to Save the Powder which may otherwise be wasted by firing of Guns ー & as you will now have less occasion for Gun powder & our own wants & the very great want of that article in our Neighbourhood becomes every day more alarming, we shall take it well of you, if you will not avail yourself of the permission which we gave you to take fifty pounds weight from the public Store at George Town. if you could feel our circumstances we are Sure you would not take one grain. ー We wish you a Successful Voyage.ー

By order of the Council of Safety

If your Vessels are not quite ready for Sea, we would advise you to send an advice Boat to meet our Vessels near Winyaw Bar by which you will write to Capt [Joseph] Turpin & Tufts ー Your Boat Should make your Signals but by no means delay our Cruizers by long waiting