My Lords,

I am commanded to signify to Your Lordships His Majesty's Pleasure, that You give immediate Directions for Transport Vessels to be provided of sufficient Tonnage to receive on Board about 2700 Infantry, and to convey the same to such Parts of North America as shall hereafter be specified — Allowance of Tonnage for the Men Women Servants and Camp Equipage must be made in the same Proportion usually allotted to His Majestys own Troops; And I must farther desire, that in order to facilitate the Conduct of this Business your Lordship's will as soon as you can specify to me the names and respective Tonnage of the several Vessels engaged.

Your Lordship's shall have due Notice of the Times and Places of Embarkation and Rendezvous with such other particulars as may be necessary for your Information. In the mean Time I have only to add that I expect to receive His Majesty's Commands to direct the several Vessels destined for this Service to be forwarded in different Proportions to the Ports of Bremerleh Stade and Willemstadt so as to be respectively in readiness for actual Embarkations about the 20th January — if the Navigation is open at that Time. I am &ca Suffolk.²