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TO THE PRESIDENT OF CONGRESS.

Philadelphia, 1st November, 1778.

Sir,

I think it unnecessary to make an apology for sending you the enclosed
estimates and reflections made on two of the most important and
interesting subjects, and for desiring the same may be communicated to
Congress. Should that honorable body approve of any or all of them, I
shall be very happy, and if they should not they will excuse me for
having given them this trouble, when they reflect, that the desire of
throwing some light on these subjects has been my sole motive.

The providing for the redemption of our money, and the establishment
of a marine, are objects, which in my view, far exceed in the
magnitude and extent of their importance, any that are at present
under public consideration; they greatly depend on each other, and
permit me to say, all our future operations in a great degree depend
on them. We cannot pay the interest of any considerable loan without
commerce, which cannot be revived effectually without a marine force
of our own, which may I am confident be formed on the enclosed plan,
and be ready in a short space of time to act with vigor. Great Britain
has long had the empire of the ocean, and in consequence the whole
world has been her tributary; her own bad policy and the present war
will deprive her of that empire; at this important crisis it depends
on the measures taken by the United States, whether they shall succeed
Great Britain or not in this extensive dominion. Reason, observation,
and experience authorise me to say, there is not in the world any
power so capable of it, and as the United States can never aim at
foreign conquests, but simply to guard their own coasts, and to
protect the commerce of their subjects, their superiority at sea can
never give just cause of jealousy or offence to any other nation. I am
confident that a fleet of forty sail, to consist of twenty such large
ships as I have described, and twenty frigates, will be more than
equal to this purpose, and such a fleet may be got to sea in the
course of the coming year, if the materials wanted from Europe can be
procured, which, if immediately applied for, I have not the least
doubt of.

I have the honor to remain, &c.

SILAS DEANE.

_P. S._ I am still without the honor of any answer to my letter of the