"In hopes of being of service to my Country & to some Friends I give you the following information w^ch. may be publish'd if you think proper,—

"One day this Week a Brigg Letter of Mark of 16 Guns¹ that sail'd from hence ten days before for S^o Carolina return'd with a large Jamaica Man w^ch she pick'd up from out of a Convoy this prize is Loaden with 400 & odd Hh^ds Sugar & 150 puncheons rum, besides Mahogany & pimento—they say to value of £20,000 Stg they have endeavourd to erase the Name from the Stern, but still remains a sufficiency to see, she was call'd the Manners, she is a long ship without a Head has Quarter Gal laries, close Quarters Boards & four Windows in her Stern—the Crew are close prisoners on Board the Brigg whose Name I cannot learn but is commanded by one Cross, this day they sent a New sail on the prize w^ch denotes they intend sending her out again—a practice—this they use with all prizes since the Clarendon & Hanover Planters—interuption & then return under French or some other Neutral Colours, or else after reaching some adjacent small port send the Goods thence in Barks it is said that Cross is determin'd to sell his prize for the first offer, may be made him & dare say wou'd not refuse £8 to 10,000 Stg for her tho’she may be actually worth three times the sum,—

“There are in this River Eight privateers the Mars of 18 Guns to sail in course of next Week as well the Liberty of 16 Guns in Concert with another Brigg, whose Name I cannot learn, Its really distressing to any good subject to see these pirates swarm in this manner & daily insulting the Brittish Flag—God grant the present troubles may soon subside—& then I woud be glad to see our perfidious Neighbours receive their Meritt for their underhand dealings. ["]