John Clevland. Rear Admiral Knowles has reported on the condition of Port Royal Yard...

John Clevland. Rear Admiral Knowles has reported on the condition of Port Royal Yard in Jamaica and the number of artificers to be kept there in time of peace. We asked Mr Hinde, former Storekeeper, and Mr Alderson the late Master Shipwright there and are of the opinion that it will be necessary to add 3 or 4 shipwrights and as many caulkers to the numbers proposed by Rear Admiral Knowles. Propose a number of the King's negroes should be kept as labourers rather than use the men from the ships and that the women and girls should be sold and the boys put to work and trained for caulking and in the use of the axe and adze. There has never been a Master Attendant in peacetime so do not propose one now and do not propose to increase the salaries of the Officers. List of the proposed establishment. Have considered Mr Knowles proposal to move the storehouses from Kingston and Greenwich to Port Royal and do not think it wise. Recommend keeping all the stores at Greenwich and letting the storehouses at Kingston.