A ship from Liverpool has brought in here an American sloop, which she took on her passage; she was bound from New England to Martinico; her cargo consists of 50,000 feet of lumber, and 200 1. in hard dollars, to buy European goods with; by this means all the Spanish cash will find its way out of the continent of America to the islands. We have had several vessels here with lumber from St. Augustine, in East Florida, and, I assure you, very good, and well cut, which has been of the utmost service to us, and greatly reduced the price of that article, as from the scarcity at one time it would have fetched any money. I am told they only want some negroes to assist them in the Floridas, and they could almost supply all our islands. You will hardly believe the number of prizes the frigates and armed ships on this station have taken; they are estimated at above 150 brought into this port and the rest of the Leeward Islands.
1. Williamson's Liverpool Advertiser, December 5, 1777.