fhip to import into America, from any place from whence the fame may be legally imported thither, all articles of provifion for the fupply of his Majefty's fleets, armies, or garrifons, or for the ufe of the inhabitants of any town or place garrifoned or poffeffed by any of his Majefty's forces, according to the direction of the late act of Parliament, I am, &c. Mr. Jackson. JOHN ROBINSON.

Mr. Robinfon's Letter to the Admiralty, that the Board are of opinion the Admiralty may grant Mr. Merry the Licence be prays for, dated 26th March, 1776,

SIR,

THE lords commiffioners of his Majesty's treasury having returned the confideration of your letter of the 21ft inftant, together with the fpecifications of the cargoes of the fhips Princefs Royal, le Soye Planter, Mentor, Lord Rochford, and the Refolution, for which Mr. Anthony Merry has applied to the board of admiralty for licences to proceed to America; and having been attended by Mr. Merry this day thereon, I am commanded by their lordships to return you the fpecifications, and to acquaint you, for the information of the lords of the admiralty, that my lords are of opinion, that the board of admiralty may grant licences for the faid fhips, in respect to the cattle and live ftock prayed for, and to all other articles of provifion, for the fupply of his Majefty's fleets, armies, and garrifons, or for the use of the inhabitants of any town or place garrifoned or poffeffed by any of his Majesty's forces; and I am alfo directed to defire you will acquaint the board of admiralty, that the lords of his Majefty's treasury are of opinion, that if all the licences, which fhall hereafter be granted, be confined to articles of provifion for the supply of his Majefty's fleets, armies, or garrifons, or for the ufe of the inhabitants of any town or place garrifoned or poffeffed by any of his Majefty's troops, according to the directions of the act of Parliament, and agreeably to the opinion of this board, fignified in my letter of the 15th inftant, it will not be neceffary to tranfmit to this board the feveral applications made to the board of admiralty for licences. I am, &c. J. ROBINSON. Copy of a Letter from Sir Grey Cooper to Mr. Merry, dated 26th January, 1776.

1

Mckfon.

SIR, Treafury Chambers. I HAVE laid before the lords commiffioners of his Majefty's treasury your propofal for chartering four hips, to be

fent

fent to Mogadore to load cattle, and from thence to tranfport them to Boston, or to fuch other place in North America, where the commander in chief of his Majesty's forces fhall direct them to be landed, and delivered for the use of the army and I have alfo fubmitted to their lordships confideration, your estimate or calculation of the cost of four cargoes of 100 oxen, and 300 fheep, in each fhip, to be fo laden, transported, and delivered; and I am commanded to acquaint you, that they would have wished that you could have undertaken to perform this fervice by contract, at a certain ftipulated rate; but as you reprefent, that the particular circumftances under which this fupply is to be provided, and the many contingencies to which the execution of it muft be liable, render the undertaking to contract for the delivery of the cattle and sheep, at a certain rate, impracticable; and as their lordships are moft anxious that his Majefty's forces in America fhould be fupplied with fresh provifions from every place where there is a fair probability of fuch fupply being obtained and conveyed to the army, I have it in command to authorize you to provide four veffels properly fitted for this fervice, and to purchafe the cargoes according to your propofal, on account of government; and to fhip and tranfport them, under the direction of captains well acquainted with the trade of Mogadore, experienced in the manner of transporting live cattle, and with orders to deliver them to fuch perfon or perfons as fhall be appointed or directed by the commander in chief to receive them at Boston, or wherever his Majesty's army fhall be at the time of their arrival in America: And I am further to affure you, that on your producing proper vouchers for each particular charge, confirmed by your letters of advice, and copies of the letters and orders which you may write or give in the execution of this bufinefs, you may depend on the regular and punctual payment of all monies by you fo expended; and on your rendering a general account, fuch commiffion will be allowed you, as fhall appear to be adequate to the bufinefs done, and the fervice performed by you to the public. I am, &c.

Anthony Merry, Efq;

(Signed) GREY COOPER.

Copy of a Letter from Sir Grey Cooper to Mr. Merry, dated 24th February, 1776.

SIR, Treafury Chambers. SINCE my laft letter I am directed by the lords commiffioners of his Majefty's treafury to acquaint you, that if from any advices or intelligence you may have received you shall

have reafon to apprehend any disappointment in obtaining cargoes of live cattle for your fhips at Mogadore, their lordships authorize you to load the four fhips which you have chartered, with oxen, fheep, and hogs, at any port or place in Great-Britain, Ireland, or America, from which the fervice may be performed moft fpeedily and advantageously; and in cafe the charters for two veffels, which you have ordered to be made in Spain by Conful March, fhould have been executed, you are directed to give fuch orders refpecting them and their deftination, as may fecure their cargoes from all rifque by insurance. I am, &c. Anthony Merry, Efq;

(Signed)

GREY COOPER.

Copy of a Letter from Sir Grey Cooper to Mr. Merry, dated 28th February, 1776.

SIR, Treasury Chambers. IN confequence of your laft letter, in which you apply, that all goods put on board the armed fhip which you have purchased, and the four other veffels which you have chartered as ftores or provifions for his Majefty's forces in America, or for the use of the inhabitants of fuch towns or places as fhall be in their poffeffion, fhould be paid for in the fame manner as the oxen, theep, or hogs, furnifhed by you for that service, upon your producing proper bills of lading, and invoices of fuch goods, I am commanded to acquaint you, that upon your producing fuch bills of lading and invoices, warrants will be ordered for the monies which it fhall appear that you have disbursed in the purchase of fuch goods, together with the commiffion ufual in fuch cafes. I am at the fame time

to direct you to take care that the goods which you fhall purchafe, and fhip for this fervice, be fuch as may be carried to America as ftores and provifions for the army, or for the use of the inhabitants of fuch towns and places as aforefaid, purfuant to the exceptions in the late act of Parliament, and in conformity to the licences which may be granted to you for that purpose. I am, &c.

GREY COOPER.

Copy of a Letter from Mr. Robinson to the Secretary at War, to know if the Articles for which a Licence is prayed for by Mr. Anderson, are Stores for his Majefty's Troops in America, dated 24th March, 1776.

MY LORD,

MR. Jackfon having, by directions of the lords of the admiralty, tranfmitted to me for the information of the lords of VOL. IV.

F

his

his Majefty's treasury, a fpecification of the cargo of the ship called the Jamefon and Peggy, for which Mr. James Anderfon has applied to the board of admiralty for a licence to proceed to America, and Mr. Anderson having attended my lords, and informed them that the feveral articles applied for are ftores for the use of the army, and that he was sent over by General Howe and the officers, to provide them for their fervice, I am directed to tranfmit the fame to your Lordship, and to defire that your Lordfhip will please to acquaint me, for the information of this board, whether the feveral articles for which a licence is prayed for by Mr. Anderfon, are stores for the ufe of his Majefty's troops. I am, &c.

JOHN ROBINSON.

Copy of a Letter from the Secretary of War to Mr. Robinson, on Mr. Anderfon's Application for a Licence, dated 28th March, 1776.

SIR,

War-Office.

I HAVE juft received your letter, inclofing a fpecification of the cargo of the fhip Jamefon and Peggy, which I herewith return, and am to defire you will be pleafed to acquaint the right honourable the lords commiffioners of his Majesty's treasury, that Mr. James Anderfon was fent over by General Howe, and the officers at Bofton, to provide ftores for the army there; and that the ship above-mentioned has been appropriated, by order of government, to carry the faid ftores to North America.

As General Howe has not tranfmitted to me any lift of the articles ordered by him, or the officers under his command, I cannot take upon me to affure their lordships, that the feveral articles for which Mr. Anderfon defires a licence, are intended for ftores for the ufe of Majefty's troops. I am, Sir, Your moft obedient humble fervant, BARKINGTON.

Copy of a Letter from Mr. Pownall to Mr. Robinson, about Mr. Anderfon's Application for a Licence, dated 3d April, 1776, Whitehall.

SIR,

I AM directed by Lord George Germaine to tranfmit to you a memorial prefented to his Lordfhip by Mr. James Anderfon, who, with the approbation of General Howe, has been appointed, by the commanding officers of the different regiments at Bofton, to procure here, and convey to America, fundry ftores and neceffaries for the use of the said regiments,

and

and as it appears by a letter to me from Lieut. Gen. Hervey, a copy of which I enclose, that there can be no doubt of Mr. Anderson's having proper authority to provide these ftores, and that they are intended folely for the use of the King's troops; I am to defire you will fubmit it to the confideration of the lords commiffioners of the treasury, whether it may not be neceffary to give immediate orders that the licence he had obtained be returned to him. I am, Sir, Your moft obedient humble fervant,

John Robinson, Esq.

J. POWNALL.

Copy of a Letter from Mr. Robinson to G. Jackson, Efq. dated 4th April, 1776.

SIR,

I am commanded by my lords commiffioners of his Majefty's treasury to tranfmit to you, for the information of the lords of the admiralty, the inclosed copies of letters from Mr. Pownall and General Hervey, relative to an application from Mr. James Anderfon, for a licence for the fhips Jamefon and Peggy, laden with fundry ftores for the ufe of the army at Bofton, and to acquaint you, for the information of the lords of the admiralty, that my lords are of opinion, that under the particular circumftances of this cafe, a licence may be granted for the faid fhip, on his giving the fecurity offered in his memorial. I am, &c,

G. Jackson, Esq.

J. ROBINSON.

Copy of a Letter from Mr. Robinson to John Pownall, Esq. dated 4th April, 1776.

SIR,

The lords commiffioners of his Majefty's treasury having taken into confideration your letter of yesterday, with the inclosures relative to the licence applied for by Mr. James Anderfon, to export fundry ftores to America, for the use of the King's troops there ferving under General Howe. I am directed by their lordships to acquaint you, for the information of Lord George Germaine, that they are of opinion, under the particular circumftances of this cafe, a licence may be granted on his giving the fecurity offered in his memorial, and that I have, by their lordships' order, fignified the fame to the admiralty, and returned the licence tranfmitted to the board of treasury. I am, &c. John Pownall, Efq.

J. ROBINSON.