Sir

I Beg leave to acquaint their Lordships that the 11th Instant the Pacquet that went to Senegall Arrived here by whom I received their Lordships Original letters about Purchasing two more Vessels for His Majesty's Service, and calling them one the Stork and the other the Ostrich, which two Vessels I did purchase as soon as I received their Lordships duplicates of those Original Ones, and Named them the Stork and Ostrich according to their Lordships Order[s] My first Lieutt Peter Rainier I made Master and Commander into the Ostrich, & Lieutenant Fras L' Montais my Nephew & Second Lieutt Master & Commander into the Stork, and Mr Isaac Geo: Manley one of my Midshipmen Lieutt of the Ostrich, and Mr Samuel Symes another of my Midshipn Lieutt in the Stork. the two Ships I purchased are about the Size of His Majestys Sloops; the Ostrich 16 Guns, & the Stork 14 Guns, and hope they will answer the Purpose they are designed for, and I have Ordered them to be fitted for Sea with all possible Dispatch, for the Ostrich I gave £4147 .. 17 .. 2. Sterlg and for the Stork I gave £3240. Sterlg Exlusiv[e] of their Ordnance Stores, and ordered Mr Holman the Storekeeper at Greenwich to draw on the Navy Board for the Money to Pay for them agreeable to their Lordships Orders, and hope it will meet with their Lordships Approbation, and the Ordnance Stores for the Ostrich came to £352 Sterlg and for the Stork came to £267 Sterlg which sums I gave an Order to Mr Robt Benton His Maj[s] Storekeeper of the Ordnance at Kingston to draw on His Board for the Money to Pay the Above Sums; I further beg leave to asure their Lordships that I shall pay due Attention to their Orders, which I shall give to the Captains that goes Honie with this Convoy; I beg you will acquaint their Lordships that His Majesty's Ship the Solebay one of Lord How's Squadron Captain Symonds being Careened & fitted will Sail through the Gulph with the Convoy that sails from Bluefields to go through the Gulph on the 20th of this Month, and she will Convoy several Vessels loaded with Rum to New york for the use of His Majesty's Army under the Command of the Right Honble General How. — I beg leave to acquaint their Lordships the 14th Instant His Majesty's Ship the Southampton Captn Garnier arrived here from Cork, and brought all his Convoy Safe in, and I shall take him under my Command & Employ him in the best Manner I [can] for His Majesty's Service, his Main Mast is Spru[ng] but I hope it will do for his first Cruize, I beg le[ave] to send their Lordships a list of Officers made since my last by His Majs Ship Maidstone Captn Gardner and the State & Condition of His Majesty's Squadron under my Command, and how they are disposed of, the Boreas, Aeolus, Diligence, & Race Horse are out on a Cruise, The Hornett, Ostrich, Stork & Porcupine Careening and fitting for Sea, The Antelope, Winchelsea, and Southampton in Port in case they may be wanted on immediate Occasion. I likewise beg leave to send their Lordships a Coppy of my Orders to the Captains of His Majs Ships under my Command that goes to England with the Convoy

I am with Great respect Sir [&c.]

1. PRO, Admiralty 1/240.