St Eustatia 19th November 1776 —
Gentlemen
I Have by different oppertunitys lately Advised you of the Change and turn that has taken place here by Goverment in favor of the American States. Now our Flag flys current every day in the road
The Merchants here were Always complaining of Goverment untill they would give as much Protection and Indulgence here to us as the French and Spainards do. The orders from the States [General] and Great West India Company to this Governour for the Prohibition of the Export of Powder and other Warlike Stores Expires the 28th Instant. It's made Publick and the Governour is daily expressing the greatest desire and Intention to protect a trade with us here — Indeed they begin to discover their Mistake and are now very Jealous of the French's running away with all their Trade. All kinds of goods and Warlike Stores are very Plenty here and much more Reasonable than they are at the French Islands & All your goods purchased here, and at a very great expence & Risque too they are [sent] up to Martinique to be reshipped to Maryland in your Vessels as they all Arrive there. Your Flower, Bread and Tobacco is all sent down here to be sold as this is allways the best Markett for your Produce especially Tobacco which this is the Only Markett for, All these goods are burthened with a very heavy freight from Martinique here and Never fail to suffer great Abuses in the way, Hhds broken all to pieces & the Tobacco hove loose a Shore &ca &ca indeed its lessened in Value 50 p Cent — All this I have often mentioned in Sundry of my last letters to your Honourable House — I have Enclosed all my own private accounts by three different Vessels, I hope you have received some of them and Flatter my self they will be Approved off as I must assure you I never omitted doing any thing that has ever been in my Power that cou'd serve my Country
Sir's on Mr [John] Crocketts arrival here I intended to have returned home and left him to Settle my Affairs here, but my Circumstances are such that our Creditors would not Consent to my leaveing this place untill our debts were discharged. I shall endeavour to content my self untill it may suit you . Enable us to Wind up what we have done for our State here & will render every Service in my Power during my stay; tho I must inform you that I dislike my Station and would be happy if it was to be in my power to leave it very soon — I have endeavoured allways to Encourage all the Trade & Speculations that was possible to any part of the Continent, and particularly to our.State as perhaps you may have observed and I have engaged into some Concerns very largely, in order to enduce others to Speculate to our State Vizt in particular in two Ships ordered to be purchased in Baltimore and load out from there — One of them I engaged to be a fifth and the other a Fourth Concerned, this was purely to serve my Country, and my engagements otherwise-will Scarcely Admit of my being Concerned. This I inform you off with an Expectation that you would take the Risque, Profit or Loss of[f] my hands. The Plans of the Voyages are good & we will Attend to and see them well Managed &ca Mr John Crockett is to return and is the Bearer of this he is well acquainted with all Matters here that you may wish to be Advised off & to him please to be refered, Should he at any time want a sum of Money to execute any orders he may receive, I Hope you will not hesitate to let him have it as I assure you Gentn that he will.not call on you for it Unless it is to Execute orders that he may Receive from me or through my Recommendation &ca. I shall In future send my letters under Cover to Mr Crockett who will imeadiately wait on whomsoever you may direct him to with them. Our Mr R. H. [Richard Harrison] is at Martinique and has lately dispatched several of your Vessels with very Valuable Cargoes &ca. I am doing all I can to send home Salt & have borrowed many large Sums of Money in order to join with Merchants here to hold part of their Vessels & Cargoes to induce them to send in Salt. We never had any orders fo join your Honourable House into Partnerships or perhaps we shou'd have chose to Interested you before ourselves—Indeed we are as the Saying is Makeing one Nail drive another & Shoeing the Horse, for when we were able to pay of[f] one Debt it give us a Credit for Twice as much, which Credit we allway Modestly made Use off —.
Capt Robertson [Isaiah Robinson] of the Continental Brig Andrew Doria arrived here three days agoe and Saluted the Fort with eleven Guns the Salute was returned from the Fort with 18 Pounders and the Capt most graciously received by his Honour .the Governour and all Ranks of People. Its esteemed here by the first Gentlemen a favor and Honour to be Introduced to Capt Robertson — all American Vessels here now were [sic wear] the Congress Coulours. Tories Sneak and Shrink before the Honest & Brave Americans here —
Robertson and his Officers & Crew make so good an Appearance in every Respect & such good order Observed, that it gives the Greatest pleasure to the friends of our States and Strikes the Tories with terrour and Confusion — Gentlemen we have the Honour to be [&c.]