[Extract]

Mr Alexander Taylor/Calton Hill near Edinburgh/

Per Capt Smith in a Jamaica Snow to London & p Mrs Wells from Georgia

... Your House is again empty, Mr. Miller having quitted it, with the Province the 11th November, and I fear t'will so remain both without a Tennant & a Purchaser, until the dispute between Great Britain & America is finally Settled, and which I fear must end in much Bloodshed, for as the last Petition from the Continental Congress to the King (tho very Condecending) has been refused an answ[er] and Warlike praparations on the Side of Government still going on. ー America thinks it necessary to follow their example, in preparing for the most Vigorous defence, having alr[eady] Secured the whole of Canada in their Interest, and possessed themselves of vast Military St[ores] and Ammunition by Importation, Manufacture, & Conquest. many Armed Vessells being now Cruising, to take every Transport & Storeship they can meet with, and in which they have already been very Successful. ー this Province hath not been idle, having Three Armed Vessells near Ready, Two Regiments of Soldiers, and One of Artillery to Man the [illegible] Batterys [are] finishing at Gadsdens, Prideaus, and Beales Wharves, besides the Three Forts at Ropers and White Point, now in excellent Order, Fort Johnson is also very Strong, another Battery of heavy Cannon near finished, between that and Mr Lambolls Place, a small Battery is also fixed on Hadderrals or Barskdales [Barksdales] Point, and a large One just begining on Sullivants Island, and all this to prevent Ships of Warr or Troosp from coming up to Charlestown, where if they do get footing, we expect they'll immediately destroy it by Fire, and the fear of which hath already occasion'd a General Remove of Wives Children and other Valuables into the Country ー so that Charles Town always heretofore lively & busy at this Season of the Year, is now Melancholy to behold, houses Shut up, Wharves & Stores all empty, Trade not carried on, Places of Worship almost deserted, Scarce a Woman to be seen in the Streets, Men continually on Military Duty, and no other Musick but Drum & Fife daily Sounding. ー our trust I hope is ultimately on the Great Ruler of the Universe, whose Just Providence hath hitherto been favourable to our cause, & through his Strength hope we shall yet come off conquerors. ー...