been given for a Marshal of the Court of Vice
Admiralty in this Colony since one Mr. Gibbs was appointed to that
Office who hath been dead many years.[3]

[Footnote 2: By vote of the assembly, _R.I. Col. Rec._, VI. 107,
passed at the October session of 1757, Stephen Hopkins was instructed
to write to London requesting the appointment of a vice-admiralty
judge especially for Rhode Island, and recommending Col. John Andrews
to be the person. He wrote to Partridge, who on May 13, 1758,
acknowledges receipt of the letter, Kimball, _Corr. Govs. R.I._, II.
273, and on May 24 announces his success, _ibid._, II. 275, where also
is printed the warrant of the Lords of the Admiralty to Sir Thomas
Salusbury, judge of the High Court of Admiralty, to issue a commission
to Andrews. Thus Rhode Island was taken out of the jurisdiction of
Chambers Russell, vice-admiralty judge at Boston, who is commonly said
to have been judge for all southern New England from 1750 to 1767.
Andrews remained judge till the Revolution.]

[Footnote 3: George Gibbs, appointed marshal about 1743, _ibid._, I.
244.]

The General Assembly, sensible of the great Inconveniences and
Mischiefs likely to attend the Want of those Officers, as you will see
by their Vote accompanying this Letter, have directed me in their
Behalf to desire you immediately to make proper Application to the
Lords of the Admiralty, and use your utmost Endeavours to obtain a
Register and Marshal of the Court of Vice Admiralty to be appointed
and commissioned for this Colony.[4] You will also perceive by the
aforesaid Vote of the General Assembly that they desire the Office of
Register may be obtained for Mr. Thomas Vernon,[5] and that of Marshal
for Mr. William Mumford,[6] who have been the acting Persons in those
two Offices in this Colony for near Twenty Years past, and have each
in their several Duties of Office conducted themselves unblameably,
and in all other Respects maintained unblemished Characters.

[Footnote 4: Vote in _R.I. Col. Rec._, VI. 174.]

[Footnote 5: Postmaster of Newport. His diary during his banishment
thence as a Tory in 1776 has been printed in _R.I. Hist. Tracts_,
XIII. (Providence, 1881).]

[Footnote 6: Captain of Fort George, Newport.]

I am certain it must be needless for me to say any Thing further of
this Matter, since you will have the General Assembly's Order
concerning it, which must have infinitely Greater Weight in urging you
to prosecute this Aff