My Lord,

The Earl of Dartmouth having, in his Letter of the 2d of April 1774, signified to us His Majesty's Pleasure, that upon the Arrival of the Transport Vessels, then under Orders to proceed to Boston, the said Transports should either continue there, or proceed to the respective Places of their Destination, according to such Directions, as they should receive from Lieut General Gage, or the Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Forces in North

America, for the Time being; and finding that, in consequence of the said Directions, the Transports, which have ever since been sent with Troops to North America, have been considered as under the Directions of the Commander in Chief of the Army, which having, in many respects, been found prejudicial to His Majesty's Service, and being contrary to the constant practice of the Navy, which has always been, to put the Transports under the Direction of the Officer commanding His Majesty's Ships; We are to desire Your Lordship will be pleased to acquaint His Majesty therewith, and submit to His Majesty, whether, for those Reasons, it will not be adviseable, to order all the Transports, as well those now in America, as those which are going, or that may hereafter be ordered thither, to be put under the Directions of the Commander in Chief of His Majesty's Ships on that Station, and to follow such Orders, as he shall, from time to time, think fit to give them, for His Majesty's Service We are &c

Sandwich Palmerston H. Palliser