Letter [copy?]from Rear-Adm. Sir Samuel Hood to General Jacob de Budé concerning the claiming of a Dutch convoy by Capt. Reynolds, Capt. Harvey and Lord Charles Fitzgerald, Hood's disappointment at not having the confidence of Sir George Rodney and his opinion of him, his actions with regard to possible enemy attacks on Tobago and Martinique (with a hurried postscript reporting that an enemy force was off Tobago, and that he was 'going to Seek the Enemy'), and interaction with Gen.Vaughan over a possible expedition to Curracoe.
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,, that De Grass's appearing off St: Lucia was to ,, draw Sir George's attention that way, without ,, meaning to fight him, while the Ships to ,, windward did their business without [[symbol]] [[symbol]] [[symbol]] ,, interruption, and if they took Tobago, would ,, probably visit Barbadoes, where little or no ,, defence could be made; That as St: Lucia ,, had now nothing to fear from a second attack; ,, I concluded Sir George would clear the way as ,, he went, and not leave an Enemy at his ,, back; it therefore struck me very forcibly, ,, that the whole of His Majesty's Ships in this ,, Country should be kept together. Two reasons opperated very strongly in my mind for this measure, The [[underline]] One [[/underline]], that if the Enemy had made an attack upon, or were hovering about the Island, every Ship must undoubtedly be taken, by one Division going to Windward, another to Leeward and the third to steer for the Center of the Island. And if DeGrasse should find his Bait had not taken, by drawing Sir George Rodney towards St. Lucia he would certainly think it an object, to go for the protection of the Ships [[catchword]] with [[/catchword]]
