Whereas we intend that you shall be employed to raise Voluntfer Seamen & Land[s]men in and about London for the Service of His Majesty's Sloop Hornet at Woolwich,.You are hereby required and directed to observe the following Instructions. Vizt

1st

You are to hire a proper Room for a Rendezvous and to apply yourself with. the utmost diligence to the aforesaid Service; causing Bills to be printed and stuck up inviting such Voluntiers to repair thereto; And taking care not to receive any but who are of strong bodies and in health the Seamen not under eighteen or above Fifty and the Landman not under eighteen or above Twenty five years of Age.

2d

You are from time to time, to send such Men as you may procure together with their Chests and Bedding under the care of one of your Petty Officers on board the above Sloop whilst in the River Thames, taking care to transmit at the same time, to her Captain a List of their respective Names & times of entry, wherein the Seamen are to be distinguished from the Landmen in order that they may be enter'd in her Books for Wages accordingly.

3d

You are to deliver daily to Captn [James] Kirk who is appointed to regulate the Service of raising Men in Town an account of the Number of Men raised, distinguishing therein the Seamen from the Landmen, also how many you have procured in the whole & how many since the Account immediately proceeding.

4th

You are to subsist the new rais'd Men til' such time as they shall be sent on board the Hornet at the rate of nine pence a day each which is to be in full for their Lodging also And, the better to enable you to carry on this Service, you are to keep the eight first good Seamen who may enter constantly in Town with you, in order that they may be employed in assisting you & the Petty Officers in raising other Voluntiers; allowing them one Shilling and three Pence a day each for their subsistence which is to be in full of all charges and claims for Refreshments, Drink Money &c. transmitting their Names and times of entry to the Captain of the Hornet that they may be enter'd for Wages accordingly, on the said Sloop's Books; sending them on board her under the care of one of your Petty Officers when you shall be order'd to break up your Rendezvous; And as a rowing Boat to go amongst the Shipping may give you a better opportunity of inviting Men to enter you are to hire a proper Boat for that purpose on the best and cheapest terms you can & to employ such of the eight Men abovemention'd as you can best trust in rowing her amongst the Shipping accordingly under the direction of one of your Petty Officers. With respect to your own Subsistence and that of your Petty Officers you are at liberty to charge Two Shillings and nine pence a day for your's, and to pay the said Petty Officers One Shilling & nine pence a day each for their's, during the time you and they shall be employ'd as aforesaid.

5th

As the nature of this Service may require some other disbursements you are to use all possible frugality and good husbandry therein for no unreasonable or unnecessary Experice will be allow'd; And for your better guidance in this matter, you are to observe that your charges for the following Articles must not exceed the rates against each express'd Vizt.

Stationary Wares, printing fixing up & dispersing invitation Bills not to exceed £ 1.10. .0, upon coming on Service for the first Month; nor to be more than 7s. 6d P. Month afterwards

To your Petty Officers for their trayelling Charges in coming from, & returning to the Ship 3d P. Mile.

6th

And in order to enable you to make the above disbursements (of which you are to be very particular in keeping & transmitting monthly to the Navy Board a regular Account) you are to apply to the said Board for an Imprest of Twenty pounds which we have order'd for you; and when the same is expended, you are to let us know it in order to your being supplied with more if it shall be found necessary, And as soon as the above Service shall be over, you are to deliver to that Board an Account of all your disbursements making an Affidavit at the foot thereof in the following form Vizt

"This Deponent maketh Oath that the Sum charged against each particular Article in the above Account was expended for the purpose mention'd in such Article and no other."

Given under our Hands the 1st of April 1776.

Lieut. Cuthbert Collingwood of His Majts Sloop Hornet in Town ー

By &c. Geo. Jackson, D.S.