[Extract]

It is now I imagine near three Weeks since your Provincial Council broke up and I take it for granted you have sent an express with the account of your deliberations to your Delegates here, we expect it dayly and are Anxious for its Arival. I hope you have fallen on some method to furnish your Soldiers with Arms and Amunition, those Articles are very Scarse throughout all the Colonies, I find on enquiry that neither can be got here, all the Gunsmiths in this Province are engaged and cannot make Arms near so fast as they are wanted, Powder is also very Scarse notwithstanding every effort seems to have been ex[ec]uted . . .

. . . some Ships and Vessels that are fitting out at the Charge of the Continent will enhance our expences amazingly, by which you may Judge we have but little expectation of a reconciliation. I can assure you from all the Accounts we have yet received from England we have Scarcely a dawn of hope that it will take place