[Extract]

Dear Sir Inclos'd is a Postscript to the Pensl Journal which came to me this Day under Cover from my Uncle, & I forward it least you may not, as I suppose you will, have it so soon by the Western [Mail] -He tells me he is inform'd by a Gent who applyd to Tryon for a permit to take his Passage in the Packett which he coud not Obtain, that he saw in a Vessel 150 fine Recruits Shipd from New York to Halifax, who slip of[f] in the Night & its suppos'd are Recruited privately ー If so, the Congress will undoubtedly find means to prevent it in future - Tho' my Humanity would sometimes induce me perhaps to furnish them with the necessarys of Life, they shoud not have a single Mortal Man who I coud keep from them ー He adds an Express has arrivd from the Capes, that 3 Men of War were standing up their Bay, suppos'd to be bound to New Castle to Water ー The Post says they lay of[f] Reeden Island Monday Night [May 6] ー Some Man Dr Thompson saw at Church Hill this Day, told him they pass'd New Castle Yesterday Morng. ー Boltons Waggoner as Mr M'Combs tells me confirms this Accot ー He says he was at New Castle when they did so ー That the Wasp had been down below, called to them as she pass'd & told them they were coming,
² that they presently hove in sight, & pass'd with firing a Single Gun, that is the Roebuck a 20 Gun Ship & 5 Tenders ー seemingly in Chase of the Wasp & a Brigg, who were far ahead ー It cannot be that they intend an Attack on Phila, neither can I think they show up there by way of diverting the Forces from New York, to make an Attack on that place, because either woud surely be postpon'd, till the grand Armament or the Van of it arriv'd ー I do suppose Provision Water & fuel may be their Errand, a View of the Wasp & Brigg, may have induc'd them up the River; & they may be inclin'd to feel the Pulses of the Inhabitants by giving an Alarm ー Whatever be their Intention we must soon hear, & hostile or not, it will keep their Blood from Stagnating & I have wrote my Uncle, I shall not be surpriz'd to hear that many are on the Scoutt for Retreats, & that I shall be on the lookout for him, tho' I guess as I have done sometimes, that they will not come into this Quarter ー If the 45,000 Men arrive the only difference is that we shall have more ー [three or four lines obliterated]Peace, but the appearance of Foregners may [force] Independence, tho' it may be, they ought not ー Their System will be to shut out all Correspondence by blocking up our Trade, I suppose, & in that Case, I shoud think we ought not to throw it in their way, but put them to living on their own Means by laying up our Vessels by the Walls, & witholding every kind of Supply from falling into their hands ー But can this be done I ask? Can we support the Struggle by our own Internal resources? If not, its time to look about us ー I have few fears from their 45,000 Men, but in my own Mind, I give up the geting Quebec, or holding it, if we have got it, & if so, they'l presently command Canada & of Consequence, in due Time the Savages, & I am not ashamd to own that I think their Navy in front, & those Devils at our Backs with the Assistance they woud give them woud be rather too much for us ー If ever it comes to Tryal & they must take part, from good Policy, they must be against us ー I was about going on at a round rate with my absurd Conjectures & nonsense, but I will not add on Subject, only that if they do their Duty, we shall be perpetually alarmed by their Cruizers & small arm'd Vessels; agst whom we are not prepar'd as I woud have been had I had the Direction ー And I will tell you, that had I the direction of their Naval force, I woud harrass every Bay River & Inlet on the Continent throughout the Season ー what shoud hinder me?...

The Congress shoud buy the Defence
³ & join her to Hopkins's Squadron if that coud be where she might take her Chance with them ー [Also] I believe, & we shoud lay out the Money in a No of small tenders, to be a Match for theirs, who will otherwise do us a World of mischief & keep us under perpetual Alarm.ー