Gentl

As I had determined to take the Liberty to give you My Crude thats on some Matters by Genl [Esek] Hopkins, whose dispatch in geting Away gave Me No Time² ー I now Imbrace the same by Capt Whipple³ ー The Importance of an Open & free Communication from all the United Colonys to the Grand Continental Army by water thro' this Colony, tho' of but a Short duration would be of Vast Consequence, in Communicating supplys of all kinds of Provisns &c from every Colony to the Army, would be giving all a Chance in that way & wo'd prevent Any Jealousy of Undue Advantages, wch some to the Southward may think the New England Colonys have Over them ー On the Other hand if the Isld of Rhode Isld should be taken possestion of by our Unnatural Enemys, (as Is Justly Apprehended) Consequently Connanicut & all the Other Islands in the Nariganset Bay, said Communication by water in & out, to this port would be Intirely Shut up, And this Colony Swallow'd up & ruined, & If the enemey should get Possestion As Aforesd, & of this Town, its most natural to think, they would drive the Inhabitance from these Farms on the Sea Shore on both sides the Bay, In wch Case they would have Acquir'd Such Advantages as being in the Hart of the Country wch they Could not easily be removed from

This Colony of it self is Insigniffecant Compaired with the whole, or some Single Colonys, but Its Communication & situation &c of the Utmost Importance ー We are now Infested with a Fleet whose Commander is the most Inhuman of all Mankind⁴ he has got Some of the best Pilotes for this Bay, & the Coast eastward or Westward, perhaps that Can Any where be found, they have bin so long in the Colony that they have Contracted Such Genl Acquaintance & knowledge of the Bay, that others might never be Able to Acquire As our late Colony Law agst Communicatins with the enemies will prevent it ー I hardly dare Mention it, but by way of Query will do it whether Any thing better Can be done than first, with a United Force Sufficient to Come & take all the enemy's Fleet in this Colony, wch you Must be sensible May be very easily done, wch together would make a Considerble Maritime force ー This would give time to throw up some Considerable Fortification which would Enable Our Forces to keep possestion of the Isd of Rhode Isd Agst A much More Formidable Aray than at Prest & profision for the Grand Army May Soon be thrown in for Many Months ー

It would take but few days to Come here & accomplish the Work & procee[d] after elsewhere, with the greatest ease. But if it be thought of Most Consequence to go Southward first, the News will Soon get to the Northwd And our Matropel[o]us taken possestion of by the enemies wth Such a Force by Sea & Land before Our Fleet Could return at the Insuing Season, that it would be out of the Power of Our Forces to do Any thing with them ー This Colony have done Nothing of Consiquence by Land As yet in its Own Defence, & I think Something of the kind recomended by the Grand Congress is Necessary for as yet they seem som what fearfull of the Expence, Tho' the Prest Comdr in Chief & Genl Assemy are Harty in the Cause as Any Goverment ー But it May be worth Considering whither there ought Not to be Someplace in the Governmt (if passable) made Intirly Secure, as a place of resort &c. Our Furnace Cos Letr to Mr [Stephen] Hopkins, A few days ago will Inform you of the Governmt Apotg a Comtt to Treat Abot Some Cannon to be made here, or got else where; But as we that are new in the Affair Cant Make them So Cheap As they wo'd Come from England, fear they will not order Any, & at Prest dont see that we Can give Any Other Terms than what they Can be Made for in the Western Colony ー Therefore it Should be known as Soon as Maybe what they can be Made for there

But what Shall we do for the One thing needfull, without wch Cannon will be of no servis ー Have the Contl Congress who Sits at the fountain Head of Wealth, & the Means of Procuring this Nessary Articles by Sending in to all parts of the World where its to be had ー as the West Indias has been Sufficiently provd to fail, Several Voyages we have as Merchts bin consern'd in that Way, wch have Intirly faild tho' unlimited orders as to Price, & One Vessel now Out there on the Govermt Acct that has bin gone long enough to have got a lode from France or Spain ー A Brigg of Brothr Jno Browns bro't in lately from Surinam A bot 45 C wch was all she Could get (as the Dutch are bot of[f]), tho' there was provisn made by Several Merchts to purchased a large Quy to be Bro't by her if to ben got

The Salt Petter Buisness Seems from Any knowledge we have to be a work of Time ー if any thing new Turns up to the Westwd we Expect it will be Pub lished, Our Assemy have Appotd Jos Brown, Jabez Bowen & Jos Snow Jr to Carry it on ー Is there any known place in Europe where it May be got with any thing we have to purchase it with? ー Our Compy have now by them upwards of Eight Hundred Boxs SpermeCeti Candls, wch was all made from last years Stock, this would send for Powder Arms &c & Other Necessarys if permitted, to send them to the Most likely Places ー this being An Article of Intire Superfluaty, would by No Means Strengthen the hands of Our Enemies or enable the West Indians in the least to keep back Any Assistance that Can be Expected by Any Means from them Carrying Hard Money out by Vessels in Balast, under pretents of getg in Debts Will be found to be of very bad Consequence as twill Drean the Continent of all its Hard Cash, & have a fatal Tendancy to Depretiate All its paper Currency ー If this be permitted by the Congress, as we know its Practised from Phia N York &c, we Ought to know it, as its not bin done here or Stoped for the future every where ー

Our Assembly at the last sessions, Past a secret Vote under very severe Restricttions for the Carryg out of Produce, but to be under Bond & oath not to return without the Amunition &c as Stipulated, But since this a Resolve of the Congress Appears Agst Any Exportation of Produce Except from the Colonys ー to each other without Orders from the Congress this Made me Mention of havg the Sperm. Candles &c wch wod be App[l]yd that way if permited ー If the Number of Frigets Come from Engd as mention In the papers twill be Allmost Impassable to get Vessels In after the Crewsers get out wch Makes it Necessry all Vessels design'd After Powdr &c to go emediatly ー Its hoped iff the Troubles are like to Convince the Congress will Negotiate in Person upon the Mattr with Some foureign Nattions by Some Gentln of sufficient Powers, Not only to get a sufficentcy of Amunition &c but All Other Needed Assistance wch probly will Soon bring on a Quarel wch May Devert Our Unnatural Enemies Another way Ought there not be Some resolves, to prevent the Depretiation of paper Curry? Some of the So Colonys don't So freely take this <Jolonys bills, Sho'd Not there be a Resolve to Make all passable in every Colony  Might it not be best to Recomend to all if Colony who Sho'd Issue Any More Money during the prest Contest, to Make the bills to specifie So many Dolers as the Conti Money ー wch will prevent perplexity in Assertaing the Value of any Colonys Mony ー Whither it Might riot Ansr Some Good purposs for each Colony that Can get & Spair the Men to Send As near as Convenent there Quoto of Men into the Grand Army, in that Case those Govermts Most Exposd wo'd have More there Own Men for there own Defence & our people this Way will not keep in the field for so low wages as talked of to the Southwd ー I had purpos'd to talk'd with Genl Hopkins Abot the Sperm Candles &c, as he had Mentiond some thing of the Kind some time Ago but time would not Admit ー And his Ingageg, as Commandr at Newport prevented its beig put in Execution

I have wrote the more fully & freely, as twas Mention'd by Gov. [Samuel] Ward when here, & time wont admit of Shortg the foregoing long Scrawl ー But Can Assure you Gentln its the sentiment of Most thinkg People this way who have knowledge of all the Particulars & where Desirous they Should be Mentioned ー I am &c

[Endorsed] Rough Copy a Letter to the Hbl Step. Hopkins & saml Ward Esqs

Novr 21st 1775 P Abm Whipple