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November 9^th. 1762

Sir

I am desired by Don Pedro Bermudez to
present his Respects to your Honour & to forward a
present of a dozen of Wine which he sent to me with
the Inclosed Note; I have packed them up & put them
on board the Packet recommended to the particular Care
of the Master.

He had been very importunate with M^r Loyall
for fresh Provisions for his Men, but their victualling
ashore began only last Thursday; Cap^t Longbottom
said that he could ^not issue any particular Species of Provisions
for them without giving their whole Allowance, but
when they return onboard the Ship he will give a Cer=
tificate of the time they shall have been victualled
ashore, which I presume will be allowed for by the
Government: inclosed is a Copy of their Allowance on
board the Ship which is the same as for the Kings Troops,
and I intend to victual them here in the Same manner,
with the difference only of Butter or Hogs lard in lieu of
Oyl & Raisins which cannot be got.

The Commandant declines accepting of an Allow=
ance for himself & the other two Captains, which
reduces

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reduces the Number supplied here to 117; As provisions
of all kinds are dear here & beef in particular will
be still higher, I imagine their victualling will cost
about seven pence a Man p day; if your Honour shall
think two pence more reasonable Allowance for firewood,
which will be a troublesome & expensive Article, being
much wanted at present, with the hire of Negros carry=
ing their provisions & wood to them, for they will do
nothing themselves, & for my Trouble, I will take
the whole upon myself at that rate, viz nine pence
a man p day, which at our present Exchange I ap=
prehend must fall short of the Governments Allowance;
however I submitt this entirely to your Honour.

Don Pedro expects that a sufficient Quantity of good
Provisions for his Men for 70 days Allowance, shall be
put on board the Transport for their Passage to Cadiz,
& objects to those now on board; Cap^t Longbottom says
that on Complaint of this kind he is directed to call
a Survey of three Masters of Men of War, but as there
are not so many in the Country, he apprehends it
will be necessary for his Justification that your Honour
grant

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grant a Warrant for a Survey of his Provisions and
after the Report he will have a right to indent with
the Agent-Victualler for what shall be deficient,
but he thinks the Application to you will come more
properly from the Commandant who complains of
them than from him -

I shall punctually execute what Commands
you shall be pleased to honour me with, & am with the
utmost Respect,

Sir
Your Honour's most obd^t hble Serv^t.

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November 9. 1762

1.