[Extract]

... No Arrivals of Powder or Arms since my last; or any Account of our Fleet - tho from their present cruizing Ground we hope they will fall in with Ld Cornwallis & the Transportsー

Notwithstanding the Act of Parliament for seizing our Property & a thousand other Proofs of a bitter & irreconcilable Spirit ー there is a strange Reluctance in the Minds of many, to cut the Knot which ties us to Great Brittan particala[r]ly in this Colony & to the Southward - Tho no Man of Understand[i]ng expects any Good from the Commissioners, yet they are for waiting to hear their Proposals befor they declare off ー However yesterday I was informd Letters had been sent to France to know what Encouragement we might expect from that Quarter. Our Coast is yet clear, it is a golden Opportunity to make Provision for the War which I hope will not be lost. ー If the other Provinces had done any Thing like this in the making of Arms this Winter we should have been tolerably provided - We shall by the 1st April have made 4000 Stand since last October every Part [done] here - We are casting Cannon & there is more Salt Petre made than in all the Provinces put together. - Six Powder Mills are erecting in different Parts ー The two near This City deliver 2500 lb P Week & are now in very good Order.ー