[Extract]

There was an action at sea between the Frigate Glasgow and some American Privateers that dared attack her. The fight was obstinate, but both parties separated without much damage. The frigate returned to a port of Rhode-Island, and the Privateers to the Port of New-London in the province of Connecticut.²

The number of horses being embarqued for America amounts to thirteen hundred at the rate of 12 tons per horse. The freight cost is 13 shillings and 6 pence per ton, and the freight for fodder costs 5 pounds Sterling per Ton. As you can see, My lord, this [is] quite an expense for this one item, the least important in this famous expedition. When we recall that the original purpose behind this enormous expense was to impose a small tax to America, we seem to see an Alchemist of a new kind throwing into his crucible everything he can gather that is made of gold and precious metals in order to turn it into lead: this ruinous and mad war is the reverse of the Philosopher's stone for England.