[Extract]

N^o. 55.

My Lord.

By the Advices which since I had the Honour of writing to your Lordship, I have received from Ferrol & the Corugna, I find that G Cunningham & his Prize quitted Ferrol on the 17^th of last Month; not however without strong Suspicion of his having sold the Prize to the Master of a French brig, who was probably to take possession of her at Sea. The Success Captain Fletcher had been ordered & sent out of S^t Andero and the Hawke privateer had under pretence of Repairs put into the Coruna & had received orders to quit that Port. Three Prizes which that Vessell had made & brought in, were ordered out & had sailed it is said for Bilbao. I have likewise heard that Cole of the Oliver Cromwell being questioned about his Capture of a French Ship,¹ had declared that her being laden with woolen Goods, made it absolutely necessary for him to take & send them to America, as he knew that Washington's Army was in the greatest Distress for want of all manner of Clothing.

The general Circumstances relative to the Privateers which I have mentioned have been communicated to me by M. Florida blanca by the Note of which I enclose a Copy [and] Translation;² as well as of the Answer which I immediately sent to it.

When I came to talk to him on this subject, I must say that he seemed ashamed of the excuse he was making for the Stay of the Revenge at Ferrol. The Governor pretended the Orders had not reached him, that the Vessel had not been supplied out of the King's Stores, but what he laid most stress on, was the closeness with which he pretended Our Ships watch the entrance of the Harbours. I pointed out to him the insufficiency of this excuse, and repeated my expectations that such cases would not arise again, and he promised me that they should not, and that all Sales should really be prevented....³ I have the Honour to be [&c.]