[Extract]

Sir, ー  Your Excellency's letter of the 14th instant is now before me, the contents of which I have duly considered. When it came to hand our small sloop-of-war was out upon the cruise which I mentioned to your Excellency in a former letter. She hath since returned. The sending her on the enterprize you proposed could not be done, without some new and further powers from the General Assembly, which sat here last week; and the nature of the business was such that I did not think proper to lay it before so large a body. I therefore procured a committee to be appointed to transact all business necessary for the common safety during the recess of the Assembly, particularly with power to employ the two vessels of war in such service as they should think necessary. The committee is summoned to meet this day before whom I shall lay your letter. At present the undertaking appears to me to be extremely difficult. The most suitable man we have for the purpose is confined to his bed by sickness. We have accounts that a number of vessels have sailed lately from Boston, which we apprehend, are designed to plunder the stock along the coast. The General Assembly have ordered it all to be removed from all the islands in this Colony excepting Rhode Island. We have now about three hundred men employed in that business . . .

The vessel our small sloop was cruising for, arrived on the 28th inst., at Norwich. She hath brought powder, lead, flints and small arms. What quantity of each I am not certain. They are now on their way by land.