[Extract]
Martinequa Novr 2nd 1776
...With regard to fiting My Sloop with Guns it is Verey Defecult to geet 3 or 4 pound Canon but I have Boughte Six 3 pounders with Careges all Compleat and Expect 4 More in two or three days with some Swiv[e]lls but thaire is so many Vessells Fiting From this Island that small Canon is Verey Dear Mine when all Compleate will Cost Not less then Seven Hundred Livers Apair Small Arms of the Best Qualety is Sixty livers I have Purchest 100 arms that Has ben in Youse but are Verey good with Good Bayenots for thirty livers P piece the Other Hunderd I shall Endevere to geet of The Best Qualety I Have purchest Five Thousand of Powdr at two livers P pound & Expect the rest at that rate or Some thing Lower Which is Considerable Lower then has been Purchest for in Martineque For One Year Past at present I am fiting My Sloop in the Best Maner with Sails And Rigen & Shall geet Ready & Shall make All the Despatch that is passable and Sail the First opertunety which I Hope wonte be longer then the 15th of this Month But it is Verey on Certain as thair is two Ships [and] Three Tende[r)s a Crusing of[f] this Island and som Times Comes withen Reach of the Forts but The Reasson is the French Fregett that was Keep the Coste Clear and to proteck't the Americans was Dismasted and is Now Reparing In Point Peter Gardeloupe thaire is now two Privateers from Philedelphia lying in St Pers And Two More a fiting Oute Yesterday Arived A Fr[i]get and Two Transports with three Hundrd French Solders From France and thair is 4 Thousand More Expected Every Day and it is Expected that War will be declard with in Six Months Between France & England we have Recd the On Hapy news of New York being taken which seems to Afect the French Verey Much as thay are Verey fearfull that amereca will be forste to give up to England or that the Despute being setteld and then thay Say that thay will have two powers in Stead of One to Encounter with-- But as long as they Have Aney Hops of the Amerecans standing to thair Entegerity thay will Suply us with Everey Nesecery We wante-
1. Letters to the Governor, 1776-1777, vol. 9, R.I. Arch. Waterman, commanding the sloop Diamond, owned by Governor Cooke, had arrived at Martinique on October 16 to find a dull market for his cargo of flour and fish.
