Sir George Rooke, Admiral of the Fleet, proposes to us that if there is no opportunity of buying Beverage Wine for the short Beer, for the Men belonging to the Squadron with which he is going on Service, the same may be paid to them in Water Money. We direct you to give the necessary Orders to the Victualling Commissioners and that they furnish Money for this Service with all dispatch. You are to direct that no time be lost in putting the Provisions on board the BENJAMIN hired Ship in regards to her sailing to Spithead.
Sir George Rooke hopes to be ready to sail in 7 or 8 days, and we direct you to cause the greatest dispatch to be made in completing what is yet to be done to the Hospital Ship, so that she may proceed to join him before he leaves Spithead.
We are informed by the Victualling Commissioners that not only the Water Casks and Oil, but all the other species of Provisions are in readiness to put on board the Ships mentioned in the margin, whose bottoms are fitted or ordered to be fitted for the West Indies. We direct you to give orders to them to put the Water Casks on board them filled with water, and that the Oil and other Provisions be lodged at Portsmouth in constant readiness to be put on board when required. We direct you to cause the ESSEX PRIZE and SPY Brigantine to be paid off and will direct you to pay off the other Ships mentioned in your letter of the 17th inst when the service will admit it.
Ships in the margin:-SHREWSBURY, CHICHESTER, NORWICH; CANTERBURY, YARMOUTH, NEWARK, DREADNOUGHT,DUNKIRK and OXFORD.