[Extract]

. . . great Numbers of the Whalemen are gone on Voyages which we permitted after haveing taken Bonds for the Landing their Oil & Bone in some Port here other than Boston, & Nantucket. Some of them are in the Army, & Sea Coast Service many of them, & the greater part of our Fishermen & Seamen at Home & in no Service Earnestly wishing to be Employed in the Privateering Business. what Numbers might be Inlisted on that Service I cant readily Compute, but I have no difficulty in supposeing that at least three Battalions might be raised in this Colony. the taste for it runs high here. As to ships & other vessels, I believe there are great Numbers very suitable to Arm Already on hand. Almost every Port of any Consequence could furnish more or less, either great or small. perhaps Ships might be difficult to find that could mount 20 Guns or Upwards, but Vessels to Carry from 6. to 16 Guns I think we abound in, & I think they would soon furnish us with others. these Vessels are of all Burthens, drafts of water, & dimensions & are many of them Excellent Sailors, & may be either purchased, or hired, on very reasonable Terms. I think the General gives only 5/4. p Ton p Month. I am not Acquainted at Haverhill Newberry &c. but from what I have heard Vessels might be Built there, safe & with great dispatch, and perhaps at Kennebeck and No River &c &c. we have no want of the best Shipwrights. as to the Time for Compleating them, much will depend on the winter but they may be ready as soon as wanted in the Spring if Immediately engaged in. As for your Next Question, the Names, &c. of those fit to Command, I am not quite so ready to answer  You know we have not practised Privateering so much here as they have in some of the other Colonies & it is A Business I never was Concerned in, but I have no doubt that many fine Fellows can be found, who have been Masters of Vessels & at some time in their Lives served on Board Men of War & Privateers. I have one Capt Sam[p]son [Simeon Sampson] in my employ who has serv'd in both, & perticularly with Capt [John] Mcpherson the last War. him I. would venture A Vessel with. there is [Daniel] Souter who you know. Time wont premit me to recollect many others, but from the Nature & Circumstances of this Colony there must be many. I will Endveavour to recollect some for my Next. I am glad to see the Policy of Congress turned this way, & to see you Engaged  you must know I think you qualified for any thing you will undertake.