Dear Sir

I have already wrote you a Political letter & intend this as Commercial: Since you left us the Men of Warr have given us an oppertunity of trying the use of our Galleys or Gondola's, the Roebuck of 44 Guns & Liverpool of 28 Guns came up the River opposite to Wilmington Creek for fresh Water, our little fleet checked them there but not knowing their own strength or not having sufficient Confidence in it, they kept at too great a distance the first day, but the second they begun to know themselves a little better and attacked them again very smartly they drove the Roebuck on sho[re] & with good management might have taken her, however they greatly damaged that Ship & obliged both her & the Liverpool to push back again to the Capes & from thence to Sea, leaving behind them a Transport Brigt which our People took from them, all this you'l think, has little to do with Commerce but thats a mistake, for in Consequence of this Action all the Fleet of Merchantmen have got safe out to Sea, several Vessells have got safe in and we have some trade Received & Consequently a better prospect of making remittances to you than at the time you Sailed. Our Cruisers are also got out and I expect will he very serviceable. we continue increasing their Numbers & shall Constantly go on making additions to our Navy but we Want our Seamen home again. The Congress has Voted a Bounty of Eight Dollers to be paid to the Owners of every Vessell, for each Seaman they bring in over & above the proper Number that Navigates the Vessell which you'l make known all over Europe if you can & Seamens Wages in the Merchant Service here is now at 16 Dolers p Month. The Polly Capt M'Fadden [William McFadden] has been long detained & the Rascall of a Capt left her and persuaded the Seamen to do the same She is now Commanded by Capt Philip Lacey and I hope is got out to Sea before this date,

the Contractors for Ind[ia]n Goods will Continue making Remittances in the best manner they can and I will by a future Conveyance furnish you a full state of what has been done but at present I really have not time. TheScarcity of Goods all over this Continent affords a fine opportunity to private Adventurers, but the difficulty at present is how to Contrive Remittances, during the Summer. You know it is far more difficult than it will be during Winter, I therefore propose that you shou'd engage Messrs [Samuel and J.H.] Delap or some other good House of Reputation & Capital, to ship any quantity of Woolens & Linens, Pins, Needl[es] &c. [as] are suited for the Consumption of this Country that you can possibly prevail on them to send either on your & our Account in [Seconds,] or on your, their & our Acct in Thirds. let the Goods be shipped immediately in French Ships as French property to Martinico & Consigned to the Friend or Correspondant of those that ship them with orders to Reship the same from Martinico for our address here; let the shipper there apply to Mr Bingham or Mr Richd Harrison of Martinico as they will always know of the best Conveyances and I will take care there shall be such very frequently the ensuing Fall, probably in Armed Ships of Warr, sufficient to defend themselves. You may depend the Goods if once introduced here will sell for immense proffits and at the same time be most usefull to America. The persons who engage in this business must put Confidance in us for they must trust us but you can enter into any obligations they may think necessary that we will most faithfully Remit & with the utmost expedition our share of the Cost & your & their share of the Nt proceeds. The Goods will Command instant pay & we will not detain it one moment. I think also that you might get the whole Risque Insured either in France or Holland, from France to Martinico You need only Insure against the Common dangers of the Sea, from Martinico here. All Risques of Sea & Capture or Seizure is not worth more than 8 to 10 PCt but the Trade will afford you to give 50 PCt if needfull or more, and I wou'd wish the whole Adventure to be Insured in this way. If you find it needfull send for my Brother Tom² & let him join you in the Securetys to [those] that ship the Goods  and if you cannot prevail with any one House to go Sufficient lengths engage several of them prevailing on each to go as farr as possible for if you ship the Value of several hundred thousand pounds Sterlg the Goods will all sell well, however if you can send us in this way £ 20 to £ 50,000 Stg it will yield Fortunes to us all, and you may depend on my utmost exertions to get the Goods safe in, to Sell them well and to make speedy Remittances, this affair deserves your utmost exertions to accomplish it & under that Recommendation I leave it with you being Dr sir [&c.]