May it please your Excellency and Honors
Upon viewing the Ship Defence1 I think She has suffered through the neglect of the person left on board—Her upper-Works are quite open, & I fear her bottom much injured by the worm; I have been informed by several Captains that they have bit exceedingly this Summer—Mr. Wm. Smith & some others have made me an offer of £9000. provided you will include the undermentioned articles in the inventory
From the situation she appears to be in, and from the circumstances attending her laying here, she most undoubtedly must be every Day the worse—2 I have the Honor, to be [&c.]
C. W. Howard
Baltimore Augt. 3d. 1778
Ships Boats
Bowsprit
10 Carriage Guns wt. every thing compl.
Pigg Iron for Ballast
Complete suit of Saits
4 Swivels
10 Musquets
a sufficient quantity of Powder & Ball they paying first cost—
L, MdAA, Maryland State Papers, Red Books, vol. 9, no. 252, S989-14-49 (MdHR 4570-46).
1. Maryland Navy ship Defence. The Maryland House of Delegates had authorized its sale on 11 Dec. 1777. See Journal of the Maryland Council, NDAR 10: 709.
2. On 5 Aug., the Council wrote Howard informing him that they had "no Inclination to sell the Defence with the Articles desired with her, for the £9000 offered, but shall rather dispose of her otherwise. We therefore request you'll not delay or trouble yourself further on that Business." Maryland Archives 21: 176. On 7 Aug., the Council wrote Capt. James Thomas requesting that he meet with them to discuss taking Defence on a voyage to Nantz. Ibid., p. 180.
