[Extract]

Dear Sir I have been so exceedingly harrassed with Public business'of var-ious kinds that it has not been in my power to be so good a Correspondent to you as I always intended, but as you know my situation you'l make allowances & excuse it. I am much Concerned that we have been so unfortunate in our Remittances to you. One ship whose Cargo Cost £6000 Curry and upwards has been taken sometime since this Cargo was intended for Cadiz to address of Messrs Duff & Welsh with orders to hold the Nt.pceeds at your disposal but as they will never receive it you need not write to them on the Subject,² Since that a Brigt Charming Polly (first Capt McFaden [William McFadden]) Capt [Philip] Lacey has been taken on this Coast with a Cargo of near £3000 Curry that was bound for Bourdeaux Consd to Messrs Delap with orders to Account with you for the Ntpceeds³ besides these Genl Washington has unloaded either two or three Vessells that were loaded on purpose to make Remittances to you and their Voyages by this means are broke up. other Cargoes are & have been necessarily detained by the Men of War on our Coasts and in our Bays &c, hitherto you will think your self unlucky in these untoward Circumstances and you have really been so, but this must not dispirit us for you may depend on it, I will persevere in making you the necessary Remittances with all possible Expedition, and you will in the end be fully Convinced of my attention to you

By this Conveyance I remit sundry bills to Messrs Saml & J. H. Delap Amounting to £2000.0.9 Sterlg with orders to hold the same at your disposal the amount being towards the Indan Contract and you will apply it accordingly, by other Conveyances I shall remit more bills as fast as I can get them ー in the mean time I hope you will appear in such a respectable character as to be able to obtain all the Indian Goods on Credit untill the remittances get safely to hand these Goods will be exceedingly wanted and I most sincerely wish you may not have lost one mom[ent] in obtaining & sending them out....

I have in a former letter told you the whole Continent wou'd be in want of Woolen Goods the ensuing Winter and you may depend that sufficient supplys cannot be sent out in time. We have lately got in a most Noble Crop of Flax and every body that understands cleaning & manufacturing of it are employed this will furnish large quantitys of Coarse Linens, but Linens of about 2/ to 3/ Stg p yard, good shirting Linens Table Linen, Ravens or other Duck fit for Tents, Sail Cloth of all sorts, Cambricks, Lawns, Muslin &c will all Continue to be much Wanted, all sorts of Cutlary Ware, Coppers Tin & Lead & every kind of Goods fit for Winter Wear must bring any price I therefore propose that Tom⁴ & you shou'd try yours and our Credit jointly and propose to some of the most Wealthy Houses in France to ship out quantitys of suitable Goods to Martinico & Cape Francois to be reshipped from thence hither, I dont care how much Value you send the more the better especially if you can get Insurance made on the Value from the West Indies here against all Risques we will employ good Vessells in transporting them hither and it will very often be in my power to obtain Convoy as our Frigates will frequently be Cruizing in the West Indies. I wou'd propose that you shou'd immediately send off as large a Value as you can in Winter Goods & an assortment every Month afterwards suitable for the Season at which they may be expected to arrive.

These Goods may if you please come out 2/3ds on account of Willing, Morris & Compy and 1/3d on your Acct You must fix with those that Ship them the length of the Credit and the Interest to be paid for their advances as well as their Commission &c. you1 observe that British Manufacturers were before the present Contest shipped from England in the greatest abundance for 2½ pCt Comn on 12 Months Credit, after which 5 pCt Interest to Commence if the payments were not then made; I am very sensible we cannot expect that Confidence from French & other Foreign Merchants now, that we formerly enjoyed with the Merchants in England, but I know that all Trading People do & must run Risques & that they are content to do so, when paid an equivalent, now when it is Considered that from our late Non-Exportation agreement, and from other interruptions to Commerce, it is not possible we can Remit bills previously or have proper Funds in Europe, it will not be thought strange that we shou'd under such Circumstances seek for Credit, and if our Cause is Crowned with success (which I think must be the case sooner or later) there is little danger in trusting us or indeed none at all, & that on the Contrary if we shou'd be unsuccessfull the Goods may be stopped in the West Indies for you may be sure we will not order them from thence unless we see perfect security in sending. I say when these things are attended to, not half the danger will appear that may at first be imagined, now if the Goods arrive safe we can sell them instantly for ready Money at very high prices and wou'd immediately Invest the Money in the purchase of Tobacco, Indigo, Flour wheat & such other produce as may suit the Fren[ch] Market. If Insurance can be made on these Products against the Risques the Remittances will thereby be Rendered Certain & the payment for the Goods speedy I hope therefore you will exert Yourselves to the utmost to Effect this plan and if any French or Dutch Houses choose to join you in it they may be a third, you a third & we a third or in any other proportion you like better. At Martinico Wm Bingham Esqr & Mr Richd Harrison will Receive & forward the Goods at Cape Francois Mr Stephen Ceron[io] or in his absence Mr Jno Gaignard.... You may depend that the pursuit of this plan deserves your utmost exertion & attention so farr as your mind is engaged in the making of Money for there never was so fair an opportunity of making a large Fortune since I have been Conversant in the World And you may assure yourself and all Concerned in this matter that I will manage whatever comes here to the utmost advantage and make the most immediate Returns for the Value, therefore I hope you will execute something Considerable without delay... there are many changes in Congress since you left us some for the better & some Worse. Our Frigates are really fine Ships and the Marine Committee have it in charge to Report ways & means for encreasing it and this can be done with great facility & dispatch, so that you may expect these States to become very formidable on the Seas next Summer or Sooner...