[Extract]

Gentlemen Since my last under the 15 Instant ² I have been at Salem and have made a strict scrutiny into the affair of the Sloop James Capt Gillis late master and find that the owners of the privateer wch retook her ³ did not know she was fitted on account of the Continent, the letter which you supposed to be wrote by the Salem Committee to Eddington ⁴ was wrote by the owners, a state of the Case I now inclose you which on examination I find to be real facts The Sloop will be sold to morrow at Auction and I have wrote to one of the owners to purchase her if she goes off at £ 120 Sterling she is not worth more than £ 170 being a small Sloop & badly equip'd, I shall be glad to receive your orders relative to the improvement of the Sloop in future if she should be bought for the Continent. — Wou'd it not be worth attention to send her to Eddington for a Load of Naval stores, tar is 42/ pr Barrell, we are in continual want for the Navy. —

I this moment receiv'd advice from Dartmouth of the arrival of a Brig ⁵ with provisions &c sent in by the Alfred, who had taken a Ship of the same fleet which consisted of six sail from England bound for Quebeck, she has on board_three thousand stand of Arms three thousand suits of Soldiers cloathing besides many Military Implements — Capt Jones of the Alfred writes that the Brig was the last of the fleet which was not taken who took the other four he does not mention, the Brig left the ship ten days since — I hope to have the pleasure of congratulating you in my next on her arrival.