Enclosure: Extract of a letter from Captain William Tollemach Commander of the JERSEY in the Downs in which he relates that several Commanders of the Merchant ships with him in the Downs are complaining of the lack of bedding, water and water casks for the Soldiers aboard their ships stressing that they have received threats that unless the shortages are swiftly made good the Soldiers will cut the ships' cables and run them ashore. They also complain of a pending shortage of food and demand to be supplied from Dover or any other base on the grounds that should the wind become favourable and the ships be ordered to sail their plight will rapidly become worse and that they will be forced to abort the voyage. They also plead for a more equal distribution of their number between the various ships.