Since I had the Honor of writing to you last, I have received a Letter from Monsieur de Bouillé, the new Governor of Martinique, a Copy of which I now send to your Lordship.

Monsieur de Kersaint, who brought me this letter seemed to be particularly commissioned to assure me that The Marquis de Bouillé disapproved very much the Conduct of his Predecessor, The Comte D'Argout, The line now adopted, he said, was to permit no public armaments by the Rebels in any of the Ports of his Government, and still less to permit any prizes made by them to be brought in and sold there, That however, I must not be surprised, if such things sometimes happened in the remote Bays, it being impossible to watch every part of the Coast in such a manner, as to prevent them, particularly as these abuses commonly pass in the night time, and are managed by Smugglers and Buccaneers, equally interested in eluding his Vigilance, and ours. Monsieur de Kersaint concluded by saying that the Marquis de Bouillé was a man of honor and above conniving at any thing he disavow'd. I have mentioned these particulars to your Lordship that by Comparing this Language with Other informations you may form a better idea of the real intentions of the French in this Quarter of the World — For my own part, I imagine they will still continue to play the same game, but that it will be play'd with more decency and address than when Monsieur D'Argout dealt the cards — I am the more disposed to think so, because I have received accounts that even since the new Governor's arrival, one or two Vessels of ours, have been taken by the Rebels and carried into Martinique or St Lucie in such a manner as was almost impossible for him to be a Stranger to, but from the negligence of some persons and the disertion of Others, who might prove the facts, I have not been able to authenticate them properly, and I am determined never to commit the dignity of this Government by making an ill grounded or a defective complaint.

On Wednesday the second Instant, Vice Admiral Young arrived here and set sail again for Antigua the Monday following. I had a good deal of conversation with him on the subject of the many captures and losses Sustained by the Islands under my Government, and earnestly repeted to him my request for his protection. He assured me of every assistance in his power, but lamented that the ships under his Command were inadequate to the service. Of this indeed we had very sufficient Evidence, for even whilst the Admiral was lying here and his flag flying on board a 50 Gun Ship, Both Tobago and the windward parts of this Island, were hourly insulted by a number of small Privateers which either took our small Craft when they ventured to sea, block'd them up in the Bays, or cut them out as they lay at Anchor. Thus all the Navigation of the Coast was interrupted. No produce could be brought round to the Ports for shipping home, and many Vessels have been disappointed of their loading for this Convoy - The Government Sloop which might have afforded us some assistance was unluckily absent, having been dispatched to Antigua with some prisoners a few days before, And it was with infinite concern we beheld the Admiral unable to protect us - He was under a necessity of returning immediately to English harbor, but if that had not been the case, a large ship like his, could not have acted with efficacy against these Picaroons, and as for his other Vessels, none of them were in the Neighborhood, or likely to appear. They sometimes call in here but are scarcely ever seen cruizing for any time near this Island or Tobago; As we lye so far to the Southward and are quite out of the track of the American Trading Ships, there are no prizes to be met with in these parts to reward the Services of ships of War, and that circumstance has been hinted at by some discontented people here, as a reason for our being neglected, but I should be extremely sorry to entertain even for a Moment so injurious an Idea — Your Lordship will however permit me to offer it as my humble opinion & I offer it with the utmost submission and deference that it will be almost impossible to afford the Southern Caribbee Islands, the necessary protection by sea, untill they are made a distinct command from the flag at Antigua. On the mere inspection of a Map, This may not Perhaps appear evident at first sight, but no true judgement can be found of a point of this kind, from any Chart or Draft whatsoever — The nature of the Wind and the setting of the Currents in this part of the West Indies are such, that all Science and Speculation are baffled, all foreign experience is contradicted, and none but a practical Navigator or Geographer on the spot can form any just Idea of them — The Druid Sloop of War, was Six Weeks, with­ out being able to get to Barbados from Antigua and the Beaver not long since made several attempts to reach Tobago but could not accomplish it.