[Extract]

...Your favor of the 24th Septr or rather the Copy of it was handed us yesterday by Capt Lockhart of ー the Brigt Cornelia & Molly which arrived here safe and we have this day sold the Molasses at Publick Vendue for upwards of 6 P Gal & Mr Harrison & your Limes for 401 to 50 P bbl they are rather plenty You see it is hard to form just opinions concerning adventures in our present situation, when we wrote You in July there seemed little Chance of getting any thing safe and almost ever since the Coast has been quite clear so that the spirit of enterprize has seized most People & they are making or trying to make Fortunes, their Attempts will probably have the happy effect of procuring us many supplys that we stand much in need of

...We are fearful the Farmers General of France will have so many offers for supplying them with Tobacco that instead of expecting to pay prices suited to the risque of Exporting it, they will begin to think it is in their power to engross our whole Crops on their own terms for you cannot conceive how many proposals made to them have come to our knowledge, however when they answer your letter transmit us a Copy and if they leave room for doing any thing you may depend we will back you properly ー You desire us to point out the Articles wanted and were to send you patterns but we answer as we did in our former letter that this is not necessary We are in great want of all kinds of European Manufactures especially for Winter Wear nothing can come amiss, Silks are perhaps the least demanded of any thing especially in Winter. French Wines do not sell well unless they are of the very best quality and its best not to meddle with them unless you imported them from France on purpose and coud depend on having the best.

Nails, Glass (Window Glass) as well as Glass Ware is wanted. Some Coarse Hats, Coarse Stockings & Soldier's Shoes wou'd sell well, all kind of West India produce is and will be dear, notwithstanding the great Number of Prizes taken with those Commodities, all sorts of woolen Goods must answer well this whole Winter & every kind Goods fit for warm weather will sell well all the year round; therefore we think you cannot be at a loss.... We think our Publick affairs wear a better aspect than when we wrote you last, therefore no need to stop any thing from coming this way. If many Goods are arrived for us from Europe send them forward by the best Conveyances, and advise our T. Morris the Vessells, Masters & value by each. We have now fixed him in the Mercantile line in France during the present troubles and you may keep up a Constant Correspondence with him, perhaps he may soon have it in his power to supply both you & us with all the Goods that will be wanted from thence. We have given orders for a little Vessell to be sent you from Maryland, another from Carolina with Rice & Indigo and shall keep sending and ordering as many as we can. You dont seem to write as if you approved much of Mr Harrison being joined with you in Consignments and Capt. Lockhart says the business of his Vessell was not well attended to or he might have been here some weeks ago, this shoud not happen Vessells now sail at a monstrous Expense and the dispatch ought to be quick. If you cannot at'tend closely you had better get Mr Harrison or some other to do the business or hire an excellent Clerk to assist you. When any Vessells of our Concern or recommendation arrive we know you will exert yourself to serve them & Comply with the orders but pray dispatch them for Vessells being scarce delay hinders your own reimbursement.ー

The Cornelia & Molly shall go back to you but not on Publick account as we want to throw Funds into your hands indeed we shall make you many Consignments as possible.

We think if you cou'd hire a small fast sailing French Vessell and dispatch her immediately for Carolina Consd to Mr John Dorsius Mercht there with a Cargo of Powder, some linens Checks &c. you will make a Golden Voyage. You may Interest us half or two thirds, there is some British Cruizers on that Coast but if the Vessell is small she may easily escape by lying Hull too every Morning at Day break untill she can see all round her, she will see the Enemy when they cannot see her and by setting their course avoid em. She shoud not cross the Gulph Stream untill in the Latitd of Charles Town & then run right in, dont lose a Moment in executing this Scheme if you do execute it & we hope you will, pray take care to have a trusty faithfull Master, you can order back Rice & Indigo & ship the latter Ordr Mr Thos Morris or his order at any Port you please in France, he will have agents at every Port, therefore you cannot go amiss, but we believe he will fix with Messrs Pliarne Penet & Co at Nantes instead of Mr Schweighauser all the rest as mentioned to you before. Capt. James Robinson the Bearer of this has orders to take in any Goods you have to ship & if you shou'd not have enough to fill him on the Publick Account, you had best put some onboard on your & our account, but if you fill him on Publick Account, then hire if you can some Vessells to sail under his Convoy which you can ballast with Limes & Molasses & put onbd such other Goods as you think proper, indeed We think you cannot do better than to keep Chartering French Vessells to come this way, they can navigate cheaper than our Vessells & consequently can afford to take lower freights & they shall all go back to you with Flour Lumber Tobacco &c. In short when Cargoes arrive either one way or t'other, the Proffits are now so great it is well worth risquing largely for one Arrival will pay for two three or four losses therefore its best to keep doing something constantly. We are Sir [&c.]

Willing Morris & Co.