[Extract]

Since you left us, our Colony has sometimes been divided, on Questions that appeard to me to be important ー Mr C [Thomas Cushing] has no doubt a Right to speak his opinions whenever he can form one; and you must agree with him, that it was highly reasonable, the Consideration of such Letters as you have often heard read, which had been assigned for the Day, should, merely for the Sake of order, have the Preference to so trifling Business as the raising an American Navy ー I know it give you great Pleasure to be informd that this Congress have orderd the Building of thirteen Ships of War, viz five of 32 Guns, five of 28 and three of 24 ー I own I wishd for double or treble the Number, but I am taught the Rule of Prudence, to let the fruit hang till it is ripe, otherwise those Fermemtations and morbid Acrimonies might be producd in the political which the like Error is said to produce in the natural Body ー Our Colony is to build two of these Ships ² ー We may want Duck ー I have been told that this Article is manufacturd in the Counties of Hampshire & Berkshire ー you may think this worth your Enquiry. ー

Our Fleet which has been preparing here will be ready to put to Sea in two or three days; and it is left to the Board of Admiraltey ³ ー to order its Destination ー May Heaven succeed the Undertaking ー Hopkins is appointed Commander in Chiefe ー I dare promise that he will on all Occasions distinguish his Bravery, as he always has, and do honor to the American Flag ー