Letter from Rear-Adm. Sir Samuel Hood to General Jacob de Budé, writing from various locations and detailing his activities, expressing frustration over the general lack of action by the British fleet and the failure to take opportunities against the enemy, complaining about Adm. Pigot's inexperience, reporting on illness on board his ship and his own need for exercise, and commenting on the whereabouts of Prince William and his ship.
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August 24th. On the 21st in the afternoon we gott a fair wind, which carried us through the Gulph, in the course of the night, but at day light we lay too contined laying too till noon, and afterwards went only under Our Topsails, because a little Polacca was missing, which astonishes everyone that has called upon me, and leads them to conclude the Fleet has been delayed, from a consideration to a few hundred pounds. When I took the liberty of suggesting to Admiral Pigot a long while ago whether it was not advisable to leave a ship to bring the prizes on, his answer was, they will never gett to New York, if they are not [[underline]] towed, [[/underline]] why far better would it be, my dear general, they never should, than that the fleet should be be delayed a single day, on their account. Fortunately yesterday afternoon we fell in with a small schooner from Charles Town, with dispatches from General Leslie to General Campbell at Jamaica; upon which I gott a note from the Admiral to say the French Squadron has been seen ten days ago, in Lattitude of the Delaware, steering to the Northward, supposed for Rhode Island; why not for New York? for though I do not think it very [[underline]] probable, [[/underline]] Yet it is [[underline]] possible, [[/underline]] particularly, as we are told the Island is invested, by an American Army. The Idea is destressing, when we might have been a head of the Enemy, with a far superior Squadron, and had a very fair chance for intercepting them. It is pretty evident Vaundreuil has cruized for the Jamaica Convoy (for the [[deletion]] [[unclear]] [[/deletion]] [[underline]] fixed [[/underline]] time [[catchword]] for [[/catchword]]
