Gentlemen

The Navy of the United States increasing in the Number of its ships, & Force, it is of the utmost importance to direct the Cruises of the Shipps of War which belong either to the States or individuals so, as to annoy, & alarm the Enemy the most effectually, and at the same time to encourage Our brave Officers, & Seamen by the Value of the prizes. The West India Trade was so much intercepted the last Season, That besides endangering the Credit, of every West India house in England and absolutely ruining many, it greatly helped towards sinking the revenues of Great Brittain, which it was confidently asserted the other Day, in the House of Commons, & was not contradicted by the Minister, had sunk the last year one Million below the usual incomes. This Trade, cannot be attacked the coming Season to equal advantage, as it will not be by any degree so large, & will be armed, & under Convoy, but as the Commerce, of Great Brittain, is very extensive, good Policy dictates that We attack it, in more than one Sea, & on different Coasts. The Navy of G Brittain is not sufficiently Numerous to infest the whole Coast of North America & at the Same Time Guard their Own, much less protect and convoy their trade in different Seas. We have not the least doubt but That Two or Three of the Continental Frigates sent into the German Ocean with some lesser swift Sailing Cruizers, might intercept and seize great part of the Baltic, & Northern Trade, could they be in those Seas sometime in August at farthest, and the Prizes will consist of Articles of the utmost Consequence to the States. One Frigate would be Sufficient to destroy the whole of the Greenland whale Fishery & take the Hudson's bay Ships returning. In a Word they are unsuspicious, & unguarded on that Quarter, and the alarm such an Expedition would give, must raise the insurance in England at least Twenty p Ct since Capt Cunningham's [Conyngham] adventure occasioned 10 p Ct to be given on the Passage Boats from Dover to Calais. Capt Cunningham having been put in Prison, & the prizes restored, they are again lull'd into security ー The whole western Coast of England, & Scotland, & indeed almost the whole of Ireland, is at this Moment, unguarded, either by Shipps of Warr or Troops, except a few Sloops or Cutters to watch Smugglers; We submit to the Congress, the following plan, to send three Frigates loaded with Tobacco, for Nantes, or Bordeaux and that they be manned & Commanded in the best possible manner ー That on their arrival in either of the above Rivers, they make but little appearance of Strength, & endeavor to pass for Common Cruisers, while they were refitting, which should be in different Ports, near each other, intelligence might be had of the position of the British Fleet, & of the Circumstances of the different Towns on the Sea Coast, & of the Merchant Ships in them, in Consequence of which a blow might be struck, that would alarm, & shake Great Brittain, & its Credit to The Center ー The Thought may appear bold, & extravagant, yet we 'have seen as extraordinary events within These Two years past, as that of Carrying the War, to our Enemies doors ー As it appears extravagant, it will be, in consequence, unexpected by them, and the more easily executed ー The Burning, or Plundering Liverpool, or Glasgow would do Us more essential Service than a Million of Treasure & much blood spent on the Continent. It would raise Our reputation to the highest pitch, & lessen in the same degree, that of Our Enemies ー We are confident it is practicable & with very little danger, but Times may alter, by the Time of the Arrival of the Frigates, yet in that Case their Cruise on this Coast bids fairer to be more profitable than on any other and They may at least carry back in safety, many of the Stores wanted which is a most Capital Object should the other be laid aside. Every days experience confirms to Us, what is printed and indeed by Nature itself, the Necessity of rendering America independant, in every sense of the Word. The present glorious tho' trying contest will do more to render this independance fixed, & certain, if Circumstances are seasonally improved, than would otherways have been effected in an Age. The Manufacturing of any one Necessary Article among Ourselves is like breaking one link of the Chains which have heretofore bound two worlds together, & which Our Artfull Enemies had under the mask of Freindship been long winding round, & round Us, & binding fast. Thus as founderies for Cannon, Iron as well as Brass, are erecting; if they are at once erected large enough to cast of any Size, We may in future, be easy on that important Article, & independant on the Caprice, or interest of Our pretended Freinds for a Supply; and to forward This We shall take the Liberty, of sending over some of the most skilful Founders we can meet with. The .Jealousy which reigns among the Maritime Powers in Europe with their Narrow, wea.k & contemptible System of Politics prevents our being able to procure Ships of War ー To remedy which, you have with you Timber, Iron & Workmen, and We must send You over Sail Cloth & Cordage as fast as We can ー The importance of having a Considerable Naval force is too obvious to need our saying more, Than, That we conceive no apparent difficulty, or obstruction ought to deter Us from pushing it forward, To the utmost of Our power.

We have sent You by a former Conveyance a plan of a Frigate on a New Construction, & Now send You the Duplicate which we submit to the Judgement of Those better skill'd than we pretend to be in Naval Affairs; but imagine that on Our Coast, & perhaps anywhere, Ships constructed in some such manner may be as formidable, as those of 74 Guns, & it is certain they will cost Us less. The Vessel building in Amsterdam is on this plan, which we hope will be in Season for Service this Fall or Autumn.

We are with the utmost respect, Gentlemen [&c.]