Sir,

We find by our Bankers Account that you have received upwards of one hundred Thousand Livres of the public Money,¹ for which there is no account from You among the Papers Left by M^r Deane—

Captain Cunningham of the Revenge writes Us,² that you have claimed that Vessel as the Property of M^r Ross and You, and under your direction. It appears too, as well by a Letter from the Merchant at Corogne into whose Hands the prizes made by that Ship were put, as by one dated from thence and Signed by the Remainder of the Crew,³ that you have assumed to yourself the produce of those prizes, and the distribution, of the prize-Money. In the Execution of this, the Ship’s Company complains of great Injustice; and that in Consequence of your Conduct, the Vessel is almost entirely abandoned.

We wish to hear You, before We determine upon the Justice of these Complaints and the propriety of your proceedings. We therefore desire to have your State of the Matter, and the Orders under which you act, as soon as possible. The Vessel being confessedly half public property, We shall direct Captain Cunningham touching his future conduct—It is our desire that the full Prize Money be distributed among the remaining Officers Seamen and Marines, and who engage to abide by the Vessel, without any deductions, or reservations, that are not already just. We are &^c.