(Copy)

Sir, I have duly received your very acceptable Letter of this date and have the pleasure of Congratulating you upon your safe Arrival in His Brittannic Majesty's Ship of War the Seaford in the road of this Island, & hope I shall have the Honor of receiving the dispatches of His Excellency Vice Admiral Young from your hand to morrow forenoon any Hour you will be pleased to mention.

I am much concerned that any report should have prevailed here, or elsewhere, capable of determining you to decline giving or receiving the Ordinary Marks of that friendship and cordiality, which have long Subsisted & I flatter myself will long continue to Subsist between His Brittannic Majesty & their High Mightinesses, the Lords States General of the United Netherlands, my Masters; As it neither is, nor ever hath been the Custom of this Port to demand the Passports of foreign Vessels, Merchantmen entering this Port & Saluting the Fort have been always Saluted in return as such, that is with two Guns less than the Salute given; but I can boldly affirm that no Insult hath been knowingly offered or intended to the King your Master, which induces me to presume, that upon reflection you will see cause to Suspect many of the Informations you may have casually received, and believe that I shall be extremely happy in showing those distinctive Marks of Attention to the British Flag, which Subsisting treaties between two Nations in Amity have established; and in returning the Salute, when you will be pleased to honour my Fort with it, with the same number of Guns. I have the Honor to be &c