the prime agent, who proposed something in the way of
supplying the Colonies with military stores from Prussia. I shall
confer further on the subject with him and write you. I have drawn up
a memorial on the commerce of America, and its importance to Europe,
and shall present it tomorrow to the different personages concerned. I
shall send a copy, if I can get one made, by this conveyance. The debt
of the Colonies in carrying on the war is a common topic for
ministerial writers, but permit me to assure you at the close of this
long letter, that the demand for land in America, if its liberties are
established, will more than compensate the whole expense. I will in a
future letter be more explicit on this important subject, but am well
convinced of the certainty of this fact, "that the advance in the
price of lands in America, if the Colonies are victorious, will more
than reimburse the expenses of the war." I have nothing material to
add. Never were a people more anxious for news than the people of
this kingdom are for news from America, and surely you will put me
down as one of the first in the roll of American heroes, when you
consider my situation, plunging into very important engagements, which
I can by no means avoid, yet without funds to support them. But I will
not enlarge on this subject, and only say, that I have met with every
possible encouragement from every person I have seen, whether in or
out of office, and I believe no person in the same space of time ever
conferred with more of both. My being known to be an American, and
supposed to be one of the Congress, and in business for the United
Colonies, has introduced me beyond what almost any other
recommendation could have done, which I mention to convince you of the
attention paid here to the cause of the United Colonies, and how very
popular it has become in this country.

I have repeatedly seen Mr Hopkins, formerly of Maryland, now advanced
to be a brigadier general in this service; he talks of coming out to
America; should the Duc de Choiseul, who is his friend and patron,
come into the lead of administration, he might come out to advantage.
Insurance from London to Jamaica is 20 per cent. If a few of our
cruizers should venture on this coast they might do very well, as they
would find protection in the harbors of this kingdom. Coming
ostensibly for the purpose only of commerce or otherwise, no questions
would be asked, and they might wait until an opport