[Extract]

We have wrote fully to our Mr Thos Morris respecting Insurances & desired if he can effect Insurance on Ships & Goods from the West India Islands to this Continent & Vice Versa, to inform you of it immediately. We have wrote him & several of our Friends to send us letters News papers, Goods & Merchandize, Via Martinico under your care & we beg your particular care of them. You will know the Events of War are most uncertain, our American affairs have not at this time so pleasing an aspect as we cou'd wish & shou'd they grow much worse, it may not be a desirable thing to bring property hither, therefore we are determined to give you early information of such material Changes as may happen, at present we Continue in oppinion that Mr Bealle shou'd ship all his Goods back in this Sloop Independance as the Captain has orders to Receive onboard whatever you desire, or if there are other Good Conveyances you may divide them sending part to the care of Messrs Hewes & Smith at Edenton No Carolina, part to Mr J. H Norton at Wmsburg Virginia & the rest by Capt [John] Young, the whole however to be forwarded to Mr. Norton in Virginia agreable to Contract. We also Continue of opinion that you shou'd ship back by the Independance the Value of Two Thousand pounds in dry Goods taking care to buy in this parcell as many Woolens of every kind as possible, for Woolens are exceedingly wanted any Number of Blankets the more the better, Rugs, Cloths, &c &c nest to these Sail Cloth, Coarse Linens, Warm Coarse Stockings and inshort any thing fit for Winter Wear.... We sold the Goods by Capt Wickes for 100 PCt adva[nce] on the Invoice & intended to send You Actt Sales by this Conveyance but cannot the purchaser complains that many things were laid in very dear at Martinico. If you think.proper you may write to our T M [Thomas Morris] under Cover to Messrs Delap advising him the Value of the Goods you ship back by this or any other Vessell & desire him to procure Insurance if he can Effect it against British Cruizers at about 10 to 12½ pCt on such Vessells as the Independance, or for 20 to 25 PCt on unarmed Vessels, & if Mr Bealle & you judge it most prudent you can do the same with respect to his Goods, but we are really of opinion there is not much danger of this Sloop which is well Armed & Sails very fast We think you shou'd give her the utmost dispatch in your power & as its probable that another will soon follow you can prepare more 'Goods if any fit for Winter can be got. We mentioned above that it is possible our affairs may go so wrong that the property will be safer with you than with us, We hope this will not be the case nor is there any present danger of it, but its well to be guarded at all points & if such event is like to happen we will Contrive you the earliest Notice of it, to prevent your Shipping Goods either on your or our Account at any time when they might be likely to come into the Jaws of the Enemy. It may be well therefore that You make some strickt Friendship with a Man of known Integrity & honor into whose Trust You can safely Commit any property that may be in your hands shou'd such unhappy News come to you This Friend shoud recive & Cover it as his own untill You order otherways, for if America proves unfortunate in this Contest, We doubt much if the French Govermt. will protect her Agents, or if they do it may not be Safe to have much property in their power, but all this is meer apprehension you'l keep it closely to yourself & only take the previous measures for such a Cover without imparting Your Design to any person living....