Sir,

I am to acquaint you of my Arrival at this place with His Majesty's Ships under my Command and the whole Fleet of Transports, Victuallers, and Storeships, under their Convoy, fortunately without any loss or separation the 3rd Instant, and that His Majesty's Troops under the command of General Howe were landed on that day and the next on Staten Island without any Opposition or interruption, the Inhabitants having immediately on our landing surrendered and put themselves under the protection of His Majesty's Arms, Two hundred of them are Embodied and the whole Island have taken the Oath of Allegiance and fidelity to the King, and I have the pleasure to acquaint you that a party of Sixty Men with their Arms made their Escape from the Province of New Jersey a few days ago and joined the King's Troops.

General Howe having yesterday represented to me that it would be attended with many salutary consequences if Two of His Majesty's Ships were Stationed U:p the North or Hudson's River to cut off and intercept any Supplies coming to New York, to give protection to His Majesty's well disposed Subjects, and answer many other good purposes, I have given Orders to Captain Parker of the Phoenix taking the Rose under his Command to proceed the first favorable Opportunity upon this Service, tho' from the number of Batteries they will have to pass it will be an Arduous and important undertaking, but I hope will be attended with the wish'd for success. Their Lordships will please to observe there will then remain with me for our future Operations only the Chatham, Asia, Centurion and Greyhound Frigate, which I hope will be sufficient, as it appears to me the General does not think himself sufficiently Strong to proceed further 'till the Arrival of the reinforcements under Lord Howe, and Commodore [William] Hotham, which my Cruizers are Stationed off Rhode Island and other places to intercept and direct hither.

I am sorry to find myself under the necessity of sending you the disagreeable Intelligence I received from Captain [John] Symons of His Majesty's Ship Cerberus whom I joined in my passage to this place, that four Transports, part of the Flora's Convoy (two of them the Crawford and Oxford,) have been taken in their passage by the Rebels, one of which was retaken by Captain Symons, but after the Troops had been removed out of her into one of the others, and in this Ship he found a Journal of the Prize Master, who was a Lieutenant of one of the Rebel Vessels which attack'd the Glasgow, and as an Account of that Action is mentioned in it, in justice to Captain [Tyringham] Howe I transmit it to you for their Lordships and your information.²

His Majesty's Ship Mercury with Dispatches for General Howe and me, from General Clinton and Sir Peter Parker arrived at Sandy Hook the 1st June, and not finding me there was Ordered to Halifax, which has prevented my receiving them and of consequence sending you a particular Account of Sir Peter's proceedings to the Southward, but by the information of Captain Parker of the Phoenix, Captain Montagu in the Mercury left the Bristol the 21st May, at Cape Fear, and was then preparing to proceed to Charles Town South Carolina.

The Light Horse not being ready to embark on our leaving Halifax for want of Forage, and the Tamer being hourly expected from the Bay of Fundy, having under her Convoy a number of small Vessels with that Article, I have directed Captain [George] Talbot of the Niger to continue at Halifax, and with the Tamer when the Transports are ready, to Convoy them to Sandy Hook, at which place I daily expect their Arrival.

The Savage which I left refitting as soon as she is ready, I have Ordered as a Convoy and protection for the Collery to be carried on at Spanish River in the Island of Cape Breton, for the Supply of His Majesty's Troops and the Inhabitants of Halifax, conformable to a Scheme of General Howes. I am Sir [&c.]