Lord George Germain, one of His Majts principal Secretaries of State, having transmitted to Us a Copy of a Letter which his Lordship had received from Governor Tonyn, dated at St Augustine the 18th of March last, inclosing a Copy of one which His Excellency had receiv'd from Governor Brown, dated at Fort Nassau in New Providence the 4th of that Month, giving an Account, that the 8. armed Vessels therein described, laden with Troops from Philadelphia, had appeared off that Island, that Morning, for the purpose of carrying away by force His Majesty's Powder & Stores; that they had landed 500 Men and were in possession of Fort Montagu; that he expected a Visit from them at Fort Nassau before the next Morning and that finding the disposition of the Inhabitants such as could not be depended upon he had thought proper, with the advice of His Majesty's Council, to ship and send away the Powder to St Augustine, where it arrived on the day of the date of Governor Tonyn's abovemention'd Letter, and we having, since that, received a Letter from Lieut. [William] Grant commanding the St John Schooner, dated at St Augustine on the 18th March last, upon the same Subject & inclosing a Copy of a Letter which he had written to Vice Admiral Shuldham upon the occasion; 2 We send your Lordship Copies of all the said Letters for your more particular information and do hereby require & direct you, in case, from the Intelligence your Lordship may have received, it shall appear that the Rebels are in possession of the Bahama Islands, to take such measures as your Lordship shall judge proper to dispossess them; provided the other Services your Lordship may be employed upon will admit of your doing so.
Given &c. 22d May 1776.
J. Buller Palmerston H. Palliser
By &c. PS. By the Repulse.
