Sir

I take the earliest opportunity by his Majesty's Sloop Hunter going Express to England to desire you will inform my Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty of the safe Arrival of the Convoy under my Command.

After acquainting their Lordships of the Swift Victualler being unfortunately burnt, I saild with the rest of the Convoy, from Portland Road, the 21st March, and on the 13th April struck Soundings on the Banks of Newfoundland, having the preceding Evening passed by several large Islands of Ice and many small drifted pieces. On the 19th I made Cape Ray on the West end of Newfoundland, where I fell in with a vast quantity of drifted Ice which with great difficulty we sail'd thro', & some of the Convoy were for a considerable time stop'd by it  we kept forcing thro' till the 24th when we got clear of it ー On the 29th in the River St. Laurence between Anticosti and the South Shore, I spoke with his Majesty's Ship Niger and a Transport from Hallifax having a part of the 47th Regiment onboard for Quebec ー Being very desirous to gain early information of the Situation of that Place I made Sail a head of the Convoy, ordering them to make the best of their way to Isle Coudre, and on the 4th of May I sent a Boat onshore opposite the Isle of Bic, where I got intelligence that Quebec was closely beseiged, and that the Isis and some other Ships were gone up a few days before. my Convoy by passing on the North side of Isle Bic where I was becalm'd got ahead of me, & I received an Order from Captain [George] Talbot² to wait at Coudre (on my arrival there) for farther intelligence, and to take care of any Ships of his own Convoy or mine that I shoud meet with ー On the 7th, I anchor'd at Coudre with Two Victuallers, and having there received a Letter from Captain Hamilton³ dated the 6th that they were apprehensive of being storm'd again, I left Orders for the Bute and British Queen who were a few Leagues a stern of me to follow as soon as possible and with the two Victuallers Anchor'd before the Town the morning of the 10th Instt: ー

I have great satisfaction in acquainting their Lordships that the Officers commanding the Convoy paid the strictest Obedience to the orders they received from me and that it was entirely owing to their assiduous attention that I was able to arrive with them at so early a Season. ー Capn [Thomas] Pringle who now commands the Lord How as an Armed Ship, having arrived at Isle Coudre before me on hearing the Town was closely beseiged, and knowing of what consequence the reinforcement he had on board might be, proceeded immediately up to the Bason, and Anchor'd before the Town the 8th instt. I am happy upon this occasion to acknowledge the great assistance I received from him upon the passage from England, not only in keeping together for some time a part of the Convoy which was unavoidably seperated from me in the foggy Weather we met with, but also upon every occasion shewing an Alacrity in the Service we were employ'd upon which must recommend him to their Lordships Notice as a diligent and active Officer. I have the Honor to be Sir [&c.]