[Extract]
State of Rhode Island & Providence Plantations.
Hon'ble Gent.

The invasion of this State hath obliged us to keep either the whole or a very considerable Part of our Militia upon Duty; and as it is very difficult to prevail upon Men to enlist for a long Term of Time when they receive large Bounties upon short Inlistments, especially in the exhausted State of this Government; we were obliged to give enormous Sums to engage Men in our Continental Battalions. — Six Seamen, Europeans, and Residents inthis State who received Three Hundred Dollars each or more having formerly sailed with Abraham Whipple Esq Commander of the Continental Frigate Providence were desirous of entering on board his Ship; Upon which Capt Whipple agreed to receive them and to exchange for them Six Marines who preferred the Land to the Sea Service and desir'd that the exchange might take place, wch accordingly did. Joseph Merry one of these Six Marines, who so enter'd received the Small-Pox, at the Hospital in this State, deserted from it and we are informed is now in the Hospital at Taunton. — As in this Case the State will suffer the loss of the Bounty we desire you to send us an Order by Mr Mumford (to whom we refer you for a more particular Account of this Affair) for the delivery of the said Joseph Merry to such Officer as we shall appoint to receivehim.

We have been favor'd with Mr President Powell's letter of the 21st Instant relating to some Prisoners sent here from your State to proceed to Newport. — In Answer to wch we would observe that a considerable Body of Men being stationed here, and the Continental Frigates being in this Har­ bor it frequently happens that measures are in Contemplation, which make it necessary to stop all Communication with the Enemy to prevent their gaining Intelligence of our Designs; by which means the Prisoners are detained at considerable Expence, and other Inconveniencies arise. We are therefore of Opinion that it will be more prudent to send your Prisoners by the Way of Dartmouth. . . .