Gentlemen

I gave you a hint in my Letter of yesterday of our fitting out two armed Vessels for the protection of our trade, it looks very probable to me that if there were a few Vessels propperly armed and mannd along the Coast in different parts it would be a great means of proteckting our own trade and allso of picking up many of the provision Vessels that they the Men of War take this way and send round to Boston  many of those Vessels are sent Round with but five or six hands in each and With nothing more than a Small arm a piece to defend them and further as the Enemy think we have no force that dare put out of our harbors some of their Store Ships come Without Convoys and there is a possabillity that we might pick up one of them if we had a Vessel or two to Cruize in their way  these things are droped Gentlemen for yr Consideration

from Yr most [&c.]