The Commiss^rs of the Navy Board at Boston

Gentlemen 

We have received your Sundry Letters of the 12^th 24th & 29^th. ultimo and of the 4^th 7th & 8^th Current to which we shall now reply in their order.¹ To yours of the 12th Ultimo. Our letter to you of the 11th instant will convey our Instructions for every possible endeavour being exerted in preparing for Sea the Continental Vessels of war in your department and for sending them out one after another to join the Squadron of France under the command of vice Admiral the Count DEstaing therefore we hope before this will reach, that you will have dispatched the Warren and that others will shortly follow. We enclose herewith A Set of Signals received from the french Admiral, Copys of which you will deliver to our Commanders enjoining great Secrecy and in case of necessity that they destroy them.² We approve of your having purchased A Schooner for bringing round the flour and Iron from Senepuxent. In a Letter from William Smith Esq^r our Agent in Maryland of the 15^th instant is the following Paragraph. “I am sorry to inform you there is the greatest reason to beleive Captain Whippy of the Schooner Loyalty is Captured by the enemy in his outward bound passage from Senepuxent-he had on board upwards of 900 Barrels flour and A quantity of bar Iron, and I am informed he was imprudent as to go to sea when three of the enemies Cruizers were in sight-they were seen in chase of him, and as he is so dull a sailor, there is very Small hopes of his having escaped–The Swan Captain Stiles arrived from Boston at Senepuxent about the 23d ultimo, his Cargo of flour and Iron was all ready and doubt not she is dispatched before this.” Should the Schooner be taken it will be a disappointment and we think Captain Whippys conduct will be highly reprehensible.³– 

To yours of the 24^th ultimo. The estimate of Monies wanted in your Department hath been laid before Congress who have granted the full amount we therefore send you five hundred & Twenty four thousand by the Bearer according to his Receipt enclosed⁴-this large sum we hope will be fully adequate to all your wants, and enable you to prosecute with vigour the business of your Department, we have no doubt but that you will render the expenditure thereof as beneficial to the public as possible. 

To yours of the 29^th Ultimo. We are much pleased to hear of Captain Scimmers Success and the arrival of his Prizes.⁵ To prevent delay and inconvenience hereafter as was the case with regard to the Brigantine Resistance being without a Commander, we empower you to appoint to any Vessel under 20 Guns any Captain that may be unemployed in your department. We shall lay before Congress the Sentences of the Courts Martial relative to Captains Manly and M^cNeill.⁶ The Account you give of the Hampdens Stores has determined us to Countermand the Orders we formerly gave to build a hull accomodated to them therefore we desire you may drop that plan.⁷ When a proper opportunity shall present and you may think M^r Pecks⁸ Talents in the construction of Ships will be useful to the Public, you will please to give us notice. We shall overlook Captain Waters mistake and consider his appointment the first opport^y.⁹ We enclose herewith an order of the Board of War to their Agents in the Eastern States to furnish you with Blankets, Duck, Oznabrigs Coarce Linnen, Stockings and Coarse Cloths, lead Copper &c: which they may have in their possession, and you may want for fitting out the Ships of war in your Department. As most of these articles are essentially necessary for the Army and will be much wanted in the Winter we request you will be sparing of them as possible. To yours of the 4th instant. We enclose herein A Resolve of Congress of the 15^th November 1776 respecting the Bounty allowed for Men and Guns taken from the enemy at sea.¹⁰ It is the opinion of this Committee that Men of war and Privateers are the only Vessels that comes within the meaning of this Resolve, therefore on all Vessels coming within this discription the Bounty is to be paid but none other. We have ordered the Navy Board here to make a return of the British Seamen that are Prisoners within their district, when they do we shall attend to your proposal of Exchanging them for ours at Halifax and will write you.¹¹ For the present we desire you will engage Pilots for our Ships of war on the best terms you can. We wish to know your reasons for having Pilots established in the Navy-we apprehend they are founded on some local custom with you with which we are unacquainted.-You will also inform us what pay and share of Prize Money should be allowed to Pilots. We never have allowed any Commission to any of our Captains for disbursing Money, and would by no means have that Custom introduced. As we do not think proper that the Public should be concerned with individuals in Vessels of War we cannot accept of M^r Ginons proposals.¹² 

To yours of the 7^th instant. We do not approve of going into the custom of allowing travelling expences to the officers of the Navy, but on account of the particular circumstances attending Lieutenant Leeds¹³ of the Navy Brig Resistance we make him a gratuity of the amount of his account viz £56.7.9 which you will please to pay. 

To yours of the 8^th instant. As you think the ship Queen of France will do for a Cruizing Ship we desire she may be equipped accordingly and the Command of her given to Captain Joseph Olney. The One half of the sea Books you mention you will please to send forward to this place. 

It is our desire that you have the accounts of the building fitting &c of the Hancock & Boston frigates compleatly settled and examined and sent forward to us. It is also our desire that you keep seperate and distinct accounts of all Vessels ordered to be built within your Department, and that you regularly furnish this Committee with the Cost of each when fitted for the Sea; and that afterwards you keep seperate and distinct accounts of the Disbursments of each Vessel and furnish us with them in that manner. You will direct the Commanders that sail by your Orders to inform this Committee of all occurrences that may happen on their Voyages. 

You will please to hold a Court of Inquiry on Captain Johnstons conduct relative to the loss of the Continental Brig Lexington of which he was commander.¹⁴ M^r. Bradford the Agent at Boston hath lately remitted to us a bill drawn by Otis &c Andrews on the Clothier General James Mease Esq^r. at this place for 29.651⅓ Dollars being for Prize Goods which they purchased of him-we desire you will inform M^r Bradford, that he is to charge this Bill to your Board and not to the Marine Committee, as he and all other Agents in your department are to settle their transactions with you. We shall shortly transmit you the Money for the above Bill. We are Gentlemen [&c.] 

P:S: we send this Letter by Post being anxious to communicate the contents-the 254000 dollars shall be sent off immediately after it