[Extract]

If We must have Trade how shall We obtain it?

Our Country furnishes a vast abundance of materials for Commerce. Foreign Nations have great Deamnds for them. If We should publish an Invitation to any one Nation or more, or to all Nations, to send their ships here and let our Merchants inform theirs that We have Harbours where the Vessells can lie in Safety, I conjecture that many private foreign Adventurers would find Ways to send Cargoes here thro all the Risques without Convoys. At the Same Time our own Merchants would venture out with their Vessells and Cargoes, especially in Winter, and would run thro many Dangers, and in both these Ways together, I should hope We might be supplied with Necessaries.

All this however Supposes that We fortify and defend our own Harbours and Rivers. We may begin to do this. We may build Row Gallies, flatt bottomed Boats, floating Batteries, Whale Boats, Vesseaux de Frize, nay, Ships of War, how many, and how large I can't say. To talk of coping Suddenly with G.B. at sea would be Quixotism indeed, but the only Question with me is, can We defend our Harbours and Rivers? If We can We can trade.