Eagle In the Delaware
October the 8th: 1777.
Number 38.
Sir,
On my Entrance into this River the 4th. Instant, I received your several Letters with the Orders from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty sent in the Bristol and Experiment which arrived at New York with the Zebra, Buffalo and the Ships under their Convoy the 25th: of last Month: The Dates and purport of them being as noted in the Schedule annexed.
The Warrants to the Vice Admiralty Court in Nova Scotia, New York, Bermuda and East Florida, will be forwarded according to their Lordship's Intentions by the earliest Opportunit[ies.]
The Purchase professed to have been made by Noel Virant de Castelane, appearing to have been transacted with Persons then resident, and in actual Rebellion, in the Province of New York, the whole of the proceeding was held to be fraudulent and illegal. The Petitioner was not kept in Suspense for a longer Time than he required to collect the Proofs in Support of his Claim; being immediately informed of the Exceptions to the pretended Validity thereof; And the Vessel was stopped in consequence, and employed as a Seizure for the King's Service. It is true that he frequently renewed his Application for the Vessel to be restored; But no just Cause having appeared for making any Change in the former Decision, the Vessel was not surrendered to him.
The original Commission appointing the Rear Admiral Sir Peter Parker to that Rank, having been transmitted to him and received; I have herewith returned the Duplicate which arrived in the Bristol.1 The special Commission for taking the Command of His Majesty's Fleet stationed at Jamaica, and Instructions with the other Documents enclosed therewith, will be forwarded to him, And he will immediately proceed for that Island, as soon as he can be consistently relieved from the Charge of the Detachment under his Orders, employed at and adjacent to Rhode Island.
The Viper not being yet returned from the St. Laurence, and Lieutenant John Graves2 (appointed to succeed the present Commander in that Sloop3) having had Leave to return to England, upon his Application to that Effect, ( of which he was directed to acquaint their Lordships upon his Arrival) I am unable to obey their Lord ships Commands in those respects. I nevertheless retain the Commission until their Lordships are pleased to signify their further Intentions therein; Or that I hear of the Return of the Viper to Europe, if the Captain should be so directed.
Their Lordships having in their Approval of the Appointments made by Vice Admiral Young in the Ships of the American Squadron signified their Sense, of their Customary and special Assignment of the particular Ships which are to constitute the Squadrons destined to be employed under, the Direction of the respective Commanding Officers on the different Stations abroad; And, in the same manner their Sense of their Instructions [to] those several Commanders for nominating to the Vacancies, Emitted, as I always conceived to the Ships of their respective Squadrons so defined: I have only to report on the Matter of your Letter of the 25th: of June; that I shall communicate to the Officers present, their Lordships pleasure to confirm them in the Employments to which I had appointed them that they may not suffer any Disappointment on that Occasion.
The Captain of the Zebra4 dying the Night of his Arrival at New York, Lieutenant Orde5 of the Eagle has been nominated to that Vacancy. I am [&c.]
