No 24.
My Lord;

In the evening of the 28. August a Ship with some of His Majesty's loyal Subjects and their Effects arrived at an Anchor of[f] this Bar from Cockspur.

The next morning, the Master and the Passengers being ashore, a rebel Brig, supposed to be one Turpin Commander of 16. Guns and a hundred Men run close to the Ship put three boats of their People into her and carried her off/

We have no naval force but the Saint John of four Guns, and Lord William Campbells Schooner of six Guns in this Port for repairs. The first was ten miles up North River cleaning, the latter without Men.

A Sloop pierced for fourteen Guns, belonging to Captain Mowbray, who has been in the Kings royal navy, and a person of much credit and esteem, the same I sent to Captain Berkley's [Andrew Barkley] assistance in February last at Cockspur, had arrived a few days before from the Islands. I engaged him to go out, sent for the St John Schooner in all haste, put ten Guns into the Sloop and endeavoured, My Lord, to Man her; finding it however a difficult task, a subscription was set a foot to encourage the Men to enter on Board, after our utmost exertion, about thirty Men were collected by night, and of them not more than ten Men the Captain told me fit to go to Sea. The Saint John made great dispatch, and by eleven at night was in the road towards the Bar, although she lay Keel out of the water, when my letters reached Lieutenant Grant.

Your Lordship cannot guess at my shock and mortification, for my zeal runs high on such occasions for His Majesty's service.

After applications my Lord to Admiral Shuldham, Sir Peter Parker, and to Lord Howe, for a sufficient naval force for the protection of our Coasts and Rivers, I am, my Lord, utterly in dispair of any maritime assistance. The Inhabitants are very uneasy my Lord, for the want of such support, and from the very strong reports from all hands, that the rebels intend to attack the Plantations on Saint John River, I have been under the necessity of taking Captain Mowbrays Sloop into His Majesty's Service, for the Protection of the Province, although it be attended, my Lord, with great expence, I have no alternative. Our Rivers are too large to be defended without Vessels upon them, by any number of Troops, less than an Army.

For these reasons, my Lord, I wrote to the Commanding Officer of His Majesty's Troops, of which the enclosed is a Copy, No 1, and to Lieutenant Grant of His Majesty's Schooner, No. 2.²

I hope your Lordship will approve these measures, I beg leave to assure you my Lord, in all cases and circumstances, my care and anxiety is to do right. I have the honour to be with the greatest respect, My Lord, Your Lordships [&c.]

St Augustine 8 Sepr 76

[Endorsed] St Augustine 8th Septr 1776 Governor Tonyn (No 24) R/ 19th Decr (2 Inclosures)