A Letter was wrote to Clement Lempriere Esqr-

South Carolina November 1st 1776

Sir/

The Commissioners of the Navy having been Informed, that you have Engaged with his Excellency, the President to Build a Row Galley  for this State, They desire that you will as soon as Possible, Acquaint them by Letter on what Terms you are to Build the said Galley, the Particular Dimensions, when she is to be finished, and what Quantity of Iron will be wanted to Compleat her -   I am Sir [&c.]

Edward Blake 1st Commissr

Copies of the above Letter were sent to Paul Pritchard, James Black, & Stone & Russell,

The following Letter, containing Orders for Capt. Pickering was reported to the Board by Mr. Hall, the same being read was agreed to.

Navy Board Chas. town 2 Novemr. 1776.

Captain Thomas Pickering

Your Commission as Captain of the Brigantine of War Defence will be delivered you with this, together with Commissions & Warrants for your Lieutenants & other Officers, which you will have read to your ships Company that they may know who to Obey in their different stations & then deliver them to each Officer respectively before you proceed to Sea -You will also receive from the Clerk of this Board the following Papers Rules of Descipline & good Government to be observed on board the Vessells of War belonging to the state of South Carolina, which you will Cause to be frequently read to Your ships Company -Instructions for the Captain or Commander of any of the Vessells belonging to this State, -Instructions for the Lieutenants -Instructions for the Master Instructions for the Purser -Instructions for the Carpenter -Directions for the Gunner & Armourer -Directions for the Boatswain & Sailmaker -which you will deliver to the Different Officers after Making your Clerk enter them in a Book for that Purpose

The Defence having her Guns, Amunition, stores and Provisions on board & being every way equipped for a Cruize You are hereby directed to embrace the first favorable Opertunity of proceeding to sea, And after you are over the Barr, Steer along the Coast untill you arrive off St. Augustine keeping a good look out for a Sloop Commanded by one Osborne which has been fitted out from thence & is said to be Cruizing upon this Coast which you are to use every Possible means to take After you have been off St. Augustine You are to proceed to Cape Francois in Hispaniola, where there is the greatest reason to Think you may procure Seamen, which is in the most particular manner recommended to you & that you use every endeavour to ship as many as your Vessel can Conveniently bring, for which purpose there is put on board the Defence 16 Casks of Indigo Amotg fo £ £7032..10.. Currency which upon your arrival, You will put into the hands of Mr. Duraseau, or the most capital Merchant there to sell for Cash, that You may be enabled to pay the Bounty to the Seamen you may Ship, & purchase such provissions & necessaries as you may want, after which You are to procure a quantity of stores necessary for the Navy, that is, such which cannot be procured here, for Instance, Canvas, Twine, Quadrants, Paint, Oil, Compasses, sand Glasses, Slops for Seamen, 6 & 4 lb shot, & Grape Shott, the remainder of the money to be invested in good Muskets with Bayonets, which you are carefully to examine, as some which are not proof have been sent out to the French West Indies, You will bring with you proper accots. of the sale of the Indigo, & Vouchers for the Monies Laid out -If You should Meet Mr. Provoaux at Cape Francois, & he has purchased any heavy Cannon for the use of this State, You are to take two of them in the Defences hold & shott for them, if it can be done without any detriment or disadvantage to the Vessell, -In case of Your Death the command is to devolve to Your first Lieutenant & should he fall the 2d: Lieutenant succeeds, & so in rotation -You haveLiberty to cruise for three Months from the time of your sailing, during which You are to sink, burn, Take, or destroy any ship, or Vessel, belonging to the King of Great Britain, or the subjects of Great Britain, Ireland, the British West India Islands, East & West Florida, Hallifax, Quebec, or Newfoundland, observing that any Prizes which you may take, a Carefull good Officer is to be put on board as Prize Master, Together with a Sufficient Number of Men to Navigate them to Charles Town or any convenient inlet in the State of South Carolina where all Your prizes are to be sent; should it happen that you are fortunate enough to take a prize, or prizes, early in Your Cruize near the Islands, it is recommended to You, to send her forward, and go into any French or Dutch Port that may be most Convenient, & supply Your Vessel with more Men, Continuing your Cruize till the Time Limited, unless You think it necessary to convoy any Prize you may take to this Coast, in which case it is left to your own Discretion, so that you do not Exceed the Limit of your Cruize, allowing for usual Passage from Your Cruizing Ground which is Left to Yourself to chuse & to return by the way of St Augustine, & scour the Coast from thence to this Port. -You are to Treat any Prisoners you may take, with the greatest Humanity & Tenderness, & upon no Consideration, suffer the Honour of the American Arms to be stained by any Act of Cruelty or Inhumanity, if any Seamen that you take are Inclined to enter into the Service, give them the Bounty, & allow !hem the same wages as Your other Men receive, from the time they sign the Attestation -You are to take every Opportunity that may offer, to advise the Commissioners of the Navy where you are, & of Every Transaction that may happen, worth Communicating to them -Your Letters are to be directed, To Edward Blake Esqr. First Commissioner of the Navy Board Charles Town So Carolina