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Sir I have received your Letter of the 19th Instant and am extremely sorry to acquaint you, that the Accounts you have had of the dreadfull Disasters which have happened in this Island are too true, for on the 5th Instant about one or two in the Morning a Fire broke out in the Town of Basseterre and from the fury and continuance of its Progress consumed all the Storehouses except one or two, and most valuable Buildings therewith the Pro- visions and Lumber contained in them and their adjoining yards, being nearly the whole that were for Sale in this Island, and in the Night of the next Day great Mischief was done by Inundations from excessive Rain and a Storm of Wind that blew at the same Time has injured the Canes and Ground Provisions tho' no Buildings were thrown down.

These Calamities which gave great Occasion to apprehend a Famine, induced me to grant my Licence dated the 9th Instant, for two Vessels named therein, to bring Provisions and Lumber from St Eustatius, but limitted the Continuance of such Licence to fourteen Days from the Date. I heartily ivish the immediate Wants of the Inhabitants may be supplied by this Means.

Your Attention to them under their great Distresses merits their gratefull Acknowledgements, and should they point out to me any Method whereby you may be serviceable I will most readily communicate the same to you.

The Apprehensions of many that an Insurrection was intended from some Fires happening in two or three Estates at the Time the Town was in Flames, occasioned me to write to you the same Day by a hired Vessel to desire, if his Majesty's Service wou'd admit it, you woul'd be so good to Order one of His Majesty's Vessels, to repair with all convenient Dispatch to our Assistance, but as we have heard Nothing of the hired Vessel since I must suppose she was lost in the Storm on her passage to Antigua. I have the honour to be Sir [&c.]