[Philadelphia] October [30] 1775
Estimate of the Expence of fitting for the Sea The following Shipps of Warr on a Three Mo Cruize
(Viz) One of 24 Gunns 9. 6. & 4 pounders with 200 men, &c, &c
The Sailors Wages are set at Five Dollars each, in addition to which I propose that one third the Value of all prizes taken be shared between the Officers and Seamen ー
The Enemy have not a Naval force Now on this Coast equall to the foregoing, if the Asia, Somerset, & Boyne be put out of the Question ー These Three Shipps are ordered home and Forty Gunn Shipps and downward are to be employed on the American Station for the future ー it is evident if they cruize in a Fleet they will not be formidable to Trade, and if single they will be liable to be attacked by an equall if not Superior force of the Continental fleet ー Connecticut has fitted out Two & Rhode Island Two, these joining with the Two from the Massachusetts and those which other Colonies & Individuals will fix for the Sea will go near, to form a Naval force equall if not Superior to what the Ministry will think of sending to America the Next season for they dream as little of Our meeting them, on the Sea as of Our invading Canada, and though their Naval power, & resources be ever so great in Brittain, they must inevitably be defeated the Next Campaign in America if We get early to Sea, these Shipps, and with them surprize, & intercept their Transports, or any considerable part of them, this effected, the distance between Us & Europe will put it out of their power to recover the blow, untill the season is over ー
What will be the Loss to the Continent if these Vessels should be so unfortunate as to make no prizes? ー I answer the Three Mo Wages and provisions will Amount to nearest one Third of the Gross Sum or sixty Thousand Dollars, and the ware & Tare will make up Ninety or one half which is a large Computation ー but if by means of this Force the Coastwise Trade only is protected to say Nothing of securing the introduction of Ammunition &c under their protection ー
The freight of Flour only to the Army will amount to a great part of the Sum, as every Barrel which they consume at present pays at least 12 Dollar Transportation more than if carried by Water 40,000 Barrels transported will save Sixty Thousand out of the Ninety Thousand Dollars and other Articles will doubtless Amount to as much more ー it is a fact that more than 40,000 Bls. of Flour have been consumed the present Season ー
But the probability of Captures is much, in favor of the adventure The Transports unsuspecting danger will sail without Convoy every prize of this kind is of double advantage ー it weakens & disappoints the Enemy, strengthens & encourages Our Army ー
It is good policy now to set on foot a Naval Force,under proper Regulations, & the reasons for it are ー
At least Ten Thousand Seaman are thrown out of employ in the Northern Colonies ー these with their Owners, & the various mechanics, dependant on this extensive branch of Business cannot possibly long rest easy, in their present destitute, distress'd Situation, their Shipps rotting & their Families starving ー They will not revolt from the Cause but reprisal being justifiable as well by the Laws of Nature as of Nations, they will pursue the only method in their power for indemnifying themselves, and Reprisals will be made ー
This will at best be but a kind of Justifiable piracy & subject to No Law or Rule the Consequences may be very pernicious ー
The first fortunate Adventurer will set many more on pushing their Fortunes ー
Is it not more prudent, where the Loss can, at most, be so trifling to Turn this Spirit, this Temper, this Necessity of the Times down its right & proper Channel, and reduce it while in its infancy to Rule & Order before it become thro Want of Regulation, unmanageable.
This will be, not only preventing, a Licentious roving, or piracy, but will be turning Our Enemies Weapons upon him ー
Should private adventurers take up the Matter, every one will soon make his own Laws & in a few Years, No Law will govern, the mischief will grow rapidly & Our Own property will not be safe, ー
Such Adventures are already desired upon, Witness, several Captures made by the provincials without order or direction ー
This calls upon Us to be taken up & regulated at the first setting o[r] it will afterward be out of Our power Our Coasts will swarm with roving adventurers, who if they forbear plundering of Us or Our immediate Friends, may thro Necessity invade the property of the Subjects of those with whom We wish to stand well, & bring Accumulated Mischeif on these Colonies ー
Can there be a scheme, or plan, by which, the above proposed, Naval Armament may be equipp'd, without burthening these Colonies, or interfering with their other important & Necessary Operations? I think there may, & therefore take leave to propose ー
I. That a Committee of persons skill'd in Maratime Affairs be Appointed to fitt for Sea with all possible dispatch the foregoing Vessels of Warr that They have power to Commission proper persons to command the same and to Constitute such rules, Ordinances; & directions as they shall judge best for the well regulating such Naval force, subject to the revision, & Alteration, of the General Congress, or such board as they may hereafter appoint for that purpose ー Also to give the several Commanders from Time to Time such Instructions for their Conduct as they shall judge Necessary Subject to the Controll of the Congress ー
II. This Committee shall receive from the Continental Treasury the Sum of in Bills emitted solely for that purpose & made redeemable as hereafter provided for, and that sd Committee receive after the rate of p Cent on the Sums by them disbursed, in executing said Trust for the Congress ー
III. These Vessels shall cruise, only to protect the Trade of these Colonies from the insults of Ministerial Cutters, & Shipps of Warr, & for intercepting, & seizing such Vessels as shall be employed to Transport Stores, or shall have Stores on board for the Ministerial Forces employed against these Colonies ー
IV. The neat proceeds of all prizes after deducting the Shares of the Captors shall be by the Committee Accounted for to the Congress, by them to be applied toward sinking the Bills emitted for that purpose ー all Convoy Mony, or for freight, shail be applied to the same purpose but of these the Officers & Seamen shall have no Share ー Whatever Stores, or Vessels, which on being found Useless for the present & shall be judged proper for Sale, they shall be sold for Gold, or Silver, or those Bills emitted for Naval purposes & the Neat [net] Amount of the Sales shall be applied to discharge & sink the Sum first Granted for these purposes
V. The Vessels of Warr already fitted out by any of these Colonies or Individuals or such as may hereafter be fitted out & shall join any part of the Fleet belonging to the Continent shall during their continuing with such Fleet or any part thereof be under the same Orders & Regulations as sd Fleet are, & be subject to the Directions of the cheif Commander of the Continental Fleet then present, and all prizes taken, they or any of them present, & assisting ー shall be divided by the proportion of Gunns & Men in the respective Shipps or Vessels present ー
VI. That the first Commissioned Captain be stiled Commodore and be considered as, & have the powers of a Commander in Chief, under the Congress, or sd Committee over sd Fleet ー
I have now run over the outlines of a Naval Establishment, the American Exchequer, may have No Money to spare, for such an Adventure ー That is not the Question ー is it Necessary, if so, let Us look for Ways, & Means, I would have the Money, struck for the use of the Navy, be kept as a distinct affair, & the Bills be sunk, or discharged independant of other Concerns. ー if there should be any prizes they will help to pay off the Bills, The Sales of the Vessels, after the Cruize, if the Congress should not incline to keep it longer, in pay, will go farr in paying off the Bills. Suppose to make out the One half only, it is very probable, that selling, even at this discount with the Convoy Money, Freight & prizes, that the whole will be discharged ー but in case this should fail & the whole at the end of Three Mo be sunk, will not the forcing Our Enemy to keep their Naval force collected in a Fleet give such a free access to Vessels bringing the Stores We want, be an advantage adequate To this Sum? I think it will & more ー
The Bills emitted should be paid off in three annual payments, and suppose to render the payment certain without burthening the public it be, by Three annual Lotteries, in which Case, whatever the Fleet may bring in, may be applied to the repairing of it, & increasing, if Necessary This will take off all popular Objection in point of expences ー
The Continent may be alarmed, at an additional expence, if a Navy be set on foot at Continental Charge, but a provision for sinking the Bills, by Lottery, will burthen no one, and it can be done with the greatest Certainty, by putting the Lottery, in effect, into Three Classes obliging the fortunate Adventurers in the first to receive a certain Number of Tickets in the Second in payment, in proportion To The Value of the prizes drawn, by which, a Sale will be insured, of so large a part of the next that the drawing will be punctually complied with ー
Estimate made At [Phila]delphia Octo 1775
