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Sir, By Captain Graeme who arrived the 17th I had the Satisfaction to receive your favor of the 12th giving account of the early and effectual Possession of Rhode Island; An Event which I esteem of great Importance towards a more speedy termination of the unhappy Contest maintained by the deluded People of this Continent.

In order to extend the Benefits of that important acquisition, it will be expedient to disengage as many of the Ships of War under your Command, as soon as they can be conveniently spared, from a longer Attendance on the Service for which they were placed under your separate Direction. Wherefore in consideration of the State of the Asia, subsequent to the late accident of grounding off Fisher's Island, on your junction with the Transports in the Sound; and the Condition of the Experiment caused by the Action in Charles Town Harbour; I am to desire that the earliest opportunity which a necessary Suspension of your operations with the Squadron for the further purpose of your former Instructions affords, may be taken, for having those two Ships cleaned and refitted. And that You will thereupon immediately direct the respective Commanders to repair forthwith to the Port they can first most conveniently gain in England; But to Plymouth in pref erence, if circumstances permit: Being o[f] such their Arrival to make the same known to the Secretary by express, that they may receive the earliest orders from the Lords Commissioners of the Admiralty for their further proceedings. But before the dismission of those Ships on that occasion, you will please to draft from one or both of them, such a Number of Marines as will complete the Complement of Marines on board each of the Ships remaining with You short thereof. The same resource is to be taken for furnishing the Naval or Ordnance Stores, which can be spared with propriety for supplying the Deficiencies of your Squadron in such respects. These two Ships should not be detained longer than the End of the first Week of the next Month, but from absolute Necessity, or some adequate benefit to the King's Service impending In order that they may be returned to this Coast early enough in the ensuing Spring, for the further purpose of this appointment.

You will likewise please in the same Circumstances, to deliver the Orders and separate Instructions enclosed herewith to Commodore Hotham. And as I conclude the Emerald and Brune may be spared for the same Service, I desire You will give the necessary directions to the Captains of those Ships to put themselves under the Command of Commodore Hotham accordingly; One condition however that they also are not wanted for any present occasion whereof I am not advised. And as the Harbour of Newport will become the chief Port of Rendezvous for the cruising Ships during the Severity of the ensuing Winter. Season; You will be furnished with other Frigates from time to time, to act under your orders, as I have opportunity to make my intentions known therein to the several Commanders.

There was an original Mismanagement in the transaction with the Persons in Authority in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantation, respecting the Mode of carrying the proposed Exchange of Prisoners into execution; By the appointment of Block Island for the Place of mutual delivery of the Prisoners to be there exchanged. Hence the pretension of Mr Benjamin Stelle cannot well be disputed. I therefore think it fit that he should be immediately dismissed; Having it made known to him that his detention has been occasioned by the want of timely notice from Captn Furneaux, who was prevented therein by the tempestuous Weather that succeeded the Agreement, and afterwards forced him back to this Port. Mr Stelle's fruitless attendance off of Block Island, has been an unavoidable effect of the same Cause. But in order to prevent such disappointments in future, and (which of course it is desirable to conceal from him) to secure to the King's Service the benefits which were the primary objects of giving countenance to such an Intercourse with the King's rebellious Subjects, You will please to apprize him that the further Exchange which may be made of Prisoners on either Side hereafter, will be conducted under your direction: In manner as I shall have the honor to explain to You more fully in a separate Letter. You will please further to acquaint Mr Stelle for the Information of his Employers, that the 36 Prisoners as by the enclosed List have been set at liberty in Connecticut, in consequence of Advice I had received from one of the Persons discharged that several British Prisoners had enjoyed the same benefit in pursuance of the agreement with Captn Furneaux. The number so released not being then properly ascertained to me, I did not wait for that formality, and find by the List you have transmitted (which I therefore herewith return) that 11 are due on the Part of his Employers.

It is with much concern that I have been advised from the Contents of Captain Macartney's Letter of the necessity Captain Fielding deemed himself under to resent the Insult offered to the Flag of Truce he sent to N ashawn Island, in the manner therein stated. If the Inhabitants were conscious of the Deference paid by all civilized Nations to an Intercourse proffered under the Sanction of a Flag of Truce, they certainly merited the severest Treatment. But as I rather suppose they are of a Class wholly uninformed in such Distinctions, I much wish that other expedients had been taken to apprize them of their Misconduct; and that Extremities, which could have no immediate advantage to the King's Service attending them, had been at least postponed.

Nevertheless as things are now circumstanced it becomes necessary that the motives for proceeding to such severities, should be made generally known, Lest an impression should be taken of the King's intentions with regard to the ignorant and misguided part of his disaffected Subjects, different from His Majesty's most gracious purpose in such respects.

You are therefore requested to use every seasonable means, for making those motives, so generally known. And if the Circulation thereof cannot be advanced through the Channel of any intercourse which the Inhabitants of Block Island may probably hold with those of the Elizabeth Islands, and of the adjacent Coasts of the Continent, it is my earnest desire that it may be made an Object of particular Attention, and every requisite facility given to promote it.

And for the same beneficial purposes, You are at liberty, in respect of these Instructions, to grant, and it is advisable to take all suitable Opportunities to allow, the Inhabitants dwelling upon the Coasts adjacent to the Stations of the Ships under your command, the use of their ordinary Fishing-Craft or other means of providing for their daily Subsistence and Support; where the same does not seem liable to any material abuse. And in your Signification thereof to the several Captains, I must desire You will also recommend to them, to encourage and cultivate all amicable correspondence with the said Inhabitants, to gain their good Will and Confidence, whilst they demean themselves in a peaceable and orderly manner. And to grant them every other Indulgence which the.Limitations upon their Trade specified in the Act passed the last Session of Parliament for restraining the Commerce of the rebellious Colonies therein mentioned, will consistently admit: In order to conciliate their friendly Dispositions and to detach them from the Prejudices they have imbibed to the Subversion of all legal Authority in the different Provinces concerned.

Having made, from the number of Frigates under your Orders, the dispositions requisite for blocking up the Ports of New London, Westward; Those in Buzzards Bay, Eastward; And the Channels from Providence and the adjacent parts communicating with your present Station; No means offering for getting possession of, or destroying the Armed Vessels of the Enemy, collected in those Retreats, It will be next incumbent to provide similar Restrictions on the New England Ports. In these several instances, I conceive it will be expedient to suggest proper places of Anchorage for the cruising Ships to retire to at times, for enabling them to keep at, or near their Stations, during the ensuing Winter Season.

In respect to a suitable Provision for the necessary restraint upon the New England Ports, Out of the Frigates You may have from time to time with you disengaged from the several Services previously noted in the preceeding paragraph, a sufficient number (I trust,) will remain, to be successively appointed for this important object. Very secure anchorage I am told, may be found for them in Cape Cod Bay; under Cat-Island, near Marblehead; As well as Mount Desert to the Northward, occasionally. It will become the several Captains to consider and avail themselves of the best Use to be made thereof, for inten::epting the Armed Vessels fitted by the rebellious Colonists in their Passage to and from the adjacent Ports; and for the re-capture of the Prizes made on the property of His Majesty's faithful Subjects inhabiting other Parts of the British Dominions. A further care will be requisite in these last Appointments, that the Force of the Frigates may be sufficient to guard against the hazard of Insult, from a too superior Enemy; reduced as the Rebel Colonists are now become, to assemble their chief maritime Strength at Boston. In this view I shall submit to your Consideration the propriety of appointing two Frigates to keep together, nearer the Coast, for being able to secure a seasonable Retreat at all times either under Cape Cod, Cat-Island or the Isle of Shoals; on such appearance of bad Weather as threatens otherwise to force them from their Station. The other Frigates (whereof I judge that two at most will be a sufficient number) ordered for the same Service, may be stationed separately off St George's Bank in different Latitudes; Or from 20 to 30 Leagues Eastward of the former: The several Captains being advised of such their respective Appointments.

To correspond with this Intention, and to furnish more sufficient means for suitable Reliefs of the several stationed Ships acting under your Orders, directions will be sent for the Cruizers lately appointed from Halifax to the New England Coasts and assembling occasionally at that Port, to rendezvous during the ensuing Winter and repair for the necessary supplies of Provisions and Water, at Rhode Island. The Captains returning from those Coasts will furnish Lights for a better Choice of proper Stations (if necessary) for the several purposes aforesaid; and your Ability and Judgment will profit thereby, for amending the appointments accordingly.

In the attempts made to derive advantage from an Exchange of Prisoners, there is reason to suspect that the disaffected Americans with whom that matter has been hitherto transacted, have countenanced if not assisted, the escape of the returned British Prisoners. Wherefore I am to desire You will please to authorise and inform the several Captains of the cruising Ships; That in case by the capture of any Trading Ships of the Rebels, or Ships armed for War they shall be encumbered with a number of Prisoners not inclined to enter for the Service, they are permitted to exchange the same against any British Prisoners, Officer for Officer claiming equal Rank in the said Armed Vessels, and Sailor for Sailor, as by any communication for that purpose which they may have opportunity to open with the Inhabitants of the Provinces having such British Prisoners in possession, they are able to effect. But if being unable to make such advantageous exchange, they are likely to be forced to quit their Stations because of the number of Prisoners they may have on board, they are, in that case, equally permitted to land such of them as were not taken in Arms; in the Provinces to which they belong, or where more convenient with respect to the purpose of their cruising Instructions.

And for his encouragement in a faithful Discharge of the Duties he shall so undertake, he will be allowed five shillings a day during the time of his continuance in the management thereof; upon the Certificate of the Agent Victualler, to whom he is to make report of his proceedings from time to time.

And as the said Victualling Transports are taken up on monthly Pay, which is to be continued until their return to Deptford, unless the Masters shall desire to be discharged abroad; In which last Case they are to be respectively allowed one Month's Freight after their discharge; It will be for the Advantage of the King's Service that the Transports should be cleared of their Lading as soon as may be. Wherefore if any Stores can be provided on Shore wherein the several Articles of Provisions can be safely deposited and secured from Fire, or other such destructive Accidents, it is advisable to adopt that Expedient for the earlier Discharge of the Ships; Putting them under Convoy to be seen 50 Leagues into the Sea, and there left to prosecute their intended Voyages or to proceed on their return to Europe accordingly.

For supplying the Cruisers under your Orders with Naval Stores, the same Facilities do not off er. One Store-Ship may be daily expected to arrive from Halifax. And I have already sent Directions for another to be appointed for this Port also; Whence I flatter myself I shall soon be sufficiently assisted in the Articles of Sails and Cordage. But of Masts, Plank and Spars of different Dimensions there is the greatest Want. I shall be glad to have Advice if any Provision can be made thereof at Rhode Island, and for the repairs that may be necessary to the FlatBoats, the due care of which you will permit me to recommend to your particular Attention. I have the honor to be, with great regard [&c.]

[Endorsed] Copy. Letter to Sir Peter Parker Dated 22d Decem: 1776. No 1. In Lord Howe's Letter of the 15 Janry 1777