Your letter of 29 August advised us that the fitting and refitting of ships and vessels at Portsmouth is much retarded since officers of the Ordnance and the Victualling do not provide sufficient numbers of men to take out ordnance and stores and to put it back on board. The ships cannot be dispatched with the haste that the service requires. You are directed to give orders to the Commissioners of the Victualling to provide sufficient numbers of vessels and men for putting on board such provisions as shall be required for ships to be fitted or refitted for sea.