I beg leave to Inform your Honours that I Sail'd in the State Sloop Republick from Nantasket on 9th Octor on A Cruze, meet with Nothing remarkable till the 12th. when Accidentally jibed on the Main boom & broke him off 6 feet from the Mast at the same time Carried away part of our Head peice. the Next day got fitted & Main sail bent Again proceeded on our Cruze till the 14th in the Lattde. 40: 0 Longde. 68: 18 West spake a Schooner from Cape Nicholor Mole bound for Nova Scotia was taken by two Privateers & bound to Providence 2 we Altered our Course to the Eastward on the 19th saw a Brigantine standing to the Westward in Lattde. 39:39 Nth Longd 64:46 West Gave Chace but our Sloop proveing so Crank that we Could not carry sail, & Night Comeing on we lost sight of the Chase -on the 22d Lattd. 40: 42 N Longd 61 : 28 Wt we took A Schooner from Anoplos [Annapolis Royal] bound to the West Indies Commanded by John Akins, put Onboard Saml Mayhew prize Master & Nine men, took Ori.board the Capt & three of the crew & Orderd the Schooner to some port in this State. that night spake A Privateer Brigantine from Beverly Smith Comander.3 on the 24th in Lattd. 42: 58 N Longd 56: 36 W we Took the Ship Julias Ceeser, Commanded by Ezariah Uzuld from London bound to Hallifax took the Capt & 22 Men Onboard & put Onboard the Ship my 2d Lieut. & 14 Men left Onboard the Ship 2 Gentlemen Passengers the Mate & 2 hands. the Sloop being in such A Shattered Condition & haveing so many -Prisoners Onboard I thought It Expedient to put Away for Boston with my Prize & on the 31st it being Very dirty weather & Blowing,hard lost sight of my Prize & in the Morning found our Main boom sprung. on the 3d Novr Arrived safe in Boston Harbour. Prisoners brought in with us are the Capt of the Ship, the Capt of the Schooner & twenty five men

I beg leave to Represent to your Honrs. the true State of the Sloop Republick her boon [sic] carried away, one of the Chain plates broke, her sails & Rigging much shatter'd oweing to her Labouring much in A sea, togeather with her being Very Crank & A bad Sailing Vessel upon the Wind render her as I Humbly Conceive (without some Alteration) unfitt for the service of the State, but as it is my Opinion that she may be made a serviceable Vessel with proper Alterations I therefore pray your Honors to take the same into Consideration & Order such as your Honors shall think Necessary & as in Duty bound shall ever pray &c

[Endorsements]

In Council Novr 5th 1776 Read & thereupon Ordered that Moses Gill & Willm Phillips Esqrs with such as the Hon'ble House may join be a Comittee to take the Above Representation of Said Jno F. Williams under Consideration & Report what is necessary to be done thereon relative to Said Sloop -Sent down for concurrence

John Avery Dpy Secy

In the House of Represent[ative]s Novr 6, 1776

Read & Concurred and Colo Orne Mr Drew & Mr Nye of Sandwich are joined

T. Dalton Spkr pro Tem ⁴

1. Mass, Arch., vol. 211, 119-20. Date is approximated and based on endorsement. 2. The schooner Property taken October 10, 1776 by the Rhode Island privateers, the sloop Montgomery and schooner Eagle. She was condemned as a legal prize on November 18, 1776, Admiralty Papers, vol. 9, R.I. Arch. 3. Elias Smith commanded the Massachusetts privateer Washington, commissioned October 3, 1776. 4. The committee found the Republic unfit, and recommended that the state "dispose of said Sloop for the most She will fetch, and that some more Suteable Vessell, be Procured for said Williams ... ," Mass. Arch., vol. 211, 118, 121.