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Sir, I have the pleasure to acquaint you, that, I Anchor'd off of the Neversunk the 11th but was not able to get up to the Town untill the 16th The Viper is not yet arrived nor can I imagine what is become of her, she was left by the Royal George Sloop the 18th November off the South End of Nantucket Sholes.
Your Orders relative to the detaining of the Asia are received, and flatter myself I shall be able to place both Ships, so as to answer your Wishes; The People of New York not having, as yet made any attempts to Fortify, leaves it in my power, to place the Ships in such a situation as to deter them from putting into execution any Plan they may have form'd to do so; and also to secure the Ships, as not to suffer any great inconvenience from Ice.
By an Article, Sir, in your Additional Instructions you order me to Seize and send to Boston all Vessels loaded with Provisions, Rum, Live Cattle, Hay, Salt, Lumber, Molasses, Fuel or Any sort of Naval Stores; New York being situated upon an Island, almost every Article mentioned by those Instructions are daily passing to the Town in small Vessels; but as I cannot imagine your Intention by those Orders, wen: to distress a Town, which at present furnishes every necessary we ask for, and I believe from what I have already found, and learn'd from Governor Tryon and Captain Vandeput would even go so far (had we Transports or Sloops to give Convoy to their Vessels) as to supply Boston with Cattle and other necessaries; This being the particular situation of the Town, I shall defer putting the said Instruction into execution, untill I receive your further Orders upon that head.
I mentioned to you, Sir, before I left Boston the great use I foresaw Vessels would be of here, but even then I did not see it in so clear a point of View as I now do, the want of which, obliges me to send this Convoy to the Southward of Long Island, which I am apprehensive will prove fatal to some of them, but dare not trust them through the Sound, having certain information, that, the Rebels have a Brig of Twelve or Fourteen Guns, & several other small Vessels cruizing there; we have also information that the Congress are determined to attempt the stoping up the Navigation between the Hook and the Town; This I do not apprehend they will be able to Effect; and I shall use my utmost endeavors to prevent it, but the Season is now so far advanced, that it will be extremely dangerous sending Open Boats below the Narrows (the place aimed at by them) which is at least Twelve Miles from the Ships, this I should hope, Sir, wou'd induce you to dispatch immediately, a Schooner, and enable me to defeat a project which altho' not altogether Effected may prove detrimental to the bringing large Ships up to the Town.
The Charlotte sailed for Virginia the 17th by whom I wrote to the Commanding Officer of His Majesty's Ships there, to recommend his dispatching her immediately back, upon a supposition you were anxious to know the State they are at Virginia in; as to the Privateers not fitting at Philadelphia I do not apprehend any consequences to any of His Majesty's Ships; the largest of them, is a Ship of 350 Tons only, and pierced for Thirty two Guns, Nine & Six Pounders; from this it is not unnatural to form a Judgment of the others, which in my opinion they have rendered less Formidable by the great number of Guns they have Crouded into her; nor from what I am able to learn do I believe they will venture out untill the Spring, from the following reasons, first, they are not yet Manned, Seamen not chusing to enter upon such a Service; they have had Bills stuck up in this Town, and have by Stealth in the Night, got some Men but not any Number; Secondly the Delaware will be very difficult of entrance after the expiration of this Month, on account of Ice, and I do not see they can possibly have any other Harbour from South Carolina to Boston; to the Northward of that, they have Harbours, but the Winter is too far advanced for them to have any view to the Northward of Boston; Enclosed is all the Intelligence we have as yet been able to collect respecting of them.
I Enclose you a Letter taken out of the Sloop Seized from North Carolina; it not only contains some information respecting the Motions of Lord Dunmore but also serves to shew the Tyranical usage of the Rebel Party; The Man by whom it is wrote is Chairman of the Provincial Congress and both him and the Gentleman who has suffered are well known to Governor Tryon.
I beg leave to remind you, Sir, of an application Capt. Vandeput has made more than once, Slops for his Ships Company, who are now suffering extremely for want of them, nor is it in our power to assist him, the Demand being so large which I herewith enclose, as also the Weekly accounts and Reports of the Vessels Seized, the Two Sloops are so very deep that I do not think it safe to venture them round at this Season of the Year, therefore shall keep them untill the Spring, or untill I have an opportunity of sending them by the Sound to Rhode Island.
Enclosed is a Letter from Capt. Vandeput containing all the Intelligence he has been able to collect, since his last writing. I am Sir [&c.]
Phoenix at New York, 18th Decr 1775.
