Whereas it is intended that Lord Viscount [Richard] Howe, Vice Admiral of the Blue, shall proceed from Spithead in the course of next Month with a considerable Body of British and Foreign Troops to reinforce the Army under the command of General [William] Howe, and that his Lordship shall take upon him the Chief command of His Majesty's Ships and Vessels employ'd, and to be employed, in North America, and co-operate with the General in such Measures as shall be judged proper to be taken to quell the Rebellion which unhappily subsists in some of His Majesty's Colonies there; You are hereby required and directed to assemble at Boston such of the Ships and Vessels under you command as can be spared from other necessary Services, and continue with part of them in that Port and to keep others cruizing off that part .of the Coast to meet his Lordship, until he arrives, taking care that they be held in constant readiness for the Sea; But if you also learn that his Lordship instead of going to Boston, as is now intended, shall have proceeded to some other Port in North America, You are to concert with General Howe what part of the Naval Force it might be proper to leave at Boston in case he qimself should continue, or should leave any part of the Army there, and proceed with the remainder to join Lord Howe at the Port where you learn he is: Or, if it should be the General's Intention to proceed with the Troops from Boston to the Port where his Lordship with the abovemention'd Reinforcement shall be, you are, in such case, to give all necessary assistance in embarking the Troops and to convoy the General and thein to such Port accordingly.
Upon joining Lord Howe you are, to deliver to him atteste.d Copies of our instructions to you, and of such orders as you shall have received from Us which remain in the whole, or in any' part unexecuted, And to furnish his Lordship with such Information as may be necessary or in any degree useful to him in the execution of the important Service in which he is to be employed; And you are to put yourself under His Lordships command and follow his Orders for your further proceedings. Given &c the 29th. March 1776
Sandwich J Buller Lisburne
By &c G. J. DS. Sent same day to Lord George Germain's Office to be forwarded from thence with his Lordships dispatches Duplicate ー signed Sandwich ー Buller ー Palmerston by the Canceaux Triplicate signed Sandwich Buller H Palliser. by Commodore Hotham