Speedwell Sloop Dover 23d Decr 1775
Copy
Sir You'll be pleased to inform my Lords Commissrs of the Admty that the Hawk a Brigantine from Amsterdam bound to St Thomas's a Danish Island in the West Indies belonging to North Carolina, Thos Tingey Master having put into this Port, as he says to procure him a Mediterranean Pass, that upon my going on board her and examining her papers, found her to be American property, I therefore in consequence of their Lordships Order to me dated the 9th of September last as well as from a probability of the Act having passed for making all American Property lawful Seizure ー have seized and detained her, and have herewith inclosed an exact Copy of the Ships Register (the Original being lodged with the Collector of this Port as I find it is customary upon any foreign Vessels coming into this Port) 2 as also an account of her Cargo as delivered me by the Master and shall be glad to have their Lordships directions for my farther proceedings herein, I am &c
Rd Pearson
PS the Wells Cutter is just arrived from Portsmouth
1. PRO, State Papers 42/49.
2. The register, dated November 21, 1774, showed the Hawk to be of about 100 tons burden; a square sterned vessel built in Port Roanoke (Edenton), North Carolina in 1774, the property of Francis Hardy of Edenton and William Lowther of New York. Tingey was appointed master, November 29, 1774, ibid.
