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.
The aim of Transcribe Georgian Papers is to produce useable text documents of the manuscript materials and not critical editions. Please be aware this document may contain errors in the transcription.
Found an error? Please report errors and issues in the transcription to transcribegpp@wm.edu.
for it’s [[addition]] ^ positively [[/addition]] sailing was the 10th of July, which was printed in all the news papers, and they knew it as well at the Cape, as the Merchants and planters at Jamaica did), and probably to the end of the first week in this month, for having been seen entering the windward passage on the evening of the 5th of last month, he cannot have made the best of his way. We might have had Six or Seven & twenty of the Line at Sea, so soon as the combined fleet left the Cape (which we should have had, between that & the 10th. but for the information received of Admiral Pigots coming which so disturbed the Commander in Chief, he knew not what he did) and upon finding the Spanish squadron at the Havanna, Six or eight Ships might have been left off Cape Antonio to wait for the Convoy, which would [[addition]] ^ have [[/addition]] sufficiently strengthened Admiral Graves, and insured him safety into the Lattitude of Bermuda; and even late as Admiral Pigot sailed, 16 or 18 Ships of the Line, might have been at New York a fortnight ago, with full protection for the Convoy Left behind This information from the Express boat, brought Adml Pigot to a determination to wait no longer for the Prizes; and in order to take good care of them, he left, the Endymion of 40 Guns, the Southampton of 32, and the Sybil of 28, for their protection when the former, and the little Germain Sloop, would have been a sufficient safeguard to them; but this proves how very intent the Admiral is, on securing his property in the prizes; but if officers cannot be found, that will make the glory of their King and country, to take place of every other consideration, there [[catchword]] is [[/catchword]]
