for as, if true, no punishment can be too
great for the traitors; so, if false, none can be too heavy for
the villain, who has dared to allow his pen to write such a
paper. Perhaps I ought to stop my letter here; but I feel too
much to rest easy for a moment, when the honour of the Navy, and
our Country, is struck at through us; for if nine [ten]
Captains, whom chance has thrown together, can instantly join in
such a traitorous measure, it is fair to conclude we are all
bad.

As this traitorous agreement could not be carried on but by
concert of all the Captains, if they were on the Stations
allotted them, and as they could only be drawn from those
Stations by orders from me, I do most fully acquit all my
brother Captains from such a combination, and have to request,
that I may be considered as the only responsible person for what
is done under my command, if I approve of the conduct of those
under my orders, which in this most public manner I beg leave to
do: for Officers more alert, and more anxious for the good, and
honour, of their King and Country, can scarcely ever fall to the
lot of any Commanding Officer: their Names I place at the bottom
of this letter.

For myself, from my earliest youth I have been in the Naval
Service; and in two Wars, have been in more than one hundred and
forty Skirmishes and Battles, at Sea and on shore; have lost an
eye, and otherwise blood, in fighting the Enemies of my King and
Country; and, God knows, instead of riches, my little fortune
has been diminished in the Service: but I shall not trouble your
Lordship further at present, than just to say--that at the close
of this Campaign, where I have had the pleasure to receive the
approbation of the Generals of the Allied Powers; of his
Excellency Mr. Drake, who has always been on the spot; of Mr.
Trevor, who has been at a distance; when I expected and hoped,
from the representation of His Majesty's Ministers, that His
Majesty would have most graciously condescended to have
favourably noticed my earnest desire to serve Him, and when,
instead of all my fancied approbation, to receive an accusation
of a most traitorous nature--it has almost been too much for me
to bear. Conscious innocence, I hope, will support me.

I have the honour to be,

My Lord,

Your Lordship's most obe