been formed here for the importation of
tobacco, who have made such proposals to the Farmers-General, as
induced them to suspend the signing of their agreement with us, though
the terms had been settled, and the writings drawn. It seems now
uncertain whether it will be revived or not. The company have offered
to export such goods as we should advise, and we have given them a
list of those most wanted. But so changeable are minds here, on
occasion of news, good or bad, that one cannot be sure that even this
company will proceed. With a universal good will to our cause and
country, apparent in all companies, there is mixed a universal
apprehension, that we shall be reduced to submission, which often
chills the purposes of serving us. The want of intelligence from
America, and the impossibility of contradicting by that means the
false news spread here, and all over Europe, by the enemy, has a bad
effect on the minds of many, who would adventure in trade to our
ports, as well as on the conduct of the several governments of Europe.
It is now more than three months, since Doctor Franklin left
Philadelphia, and we have not received a single letter of later date,
Mr Hodge having left that place before him.

We are about purchasing some cutters, to be employed as packets. In
the first we despatch, we shall write more particularly concerning our
proceedings here, than by these merchant ships we can venture to do,
for the orders given to sink letters are not well executed; one of our
vessels was lately carried into Gibraltar, being taken by an English
man of war, and we hear there were letters for us, which the captain,
just as he was boarded, threw out of the cabin windows, which floating
on the water, were taken up, and a sloop despatched with them to
London. We also just now hear from London, (through the ministry here)
that another of our ships is carried into Bristol by the crew, who,
consisting of eight American seamen, with eight English, and four of
the Americans being sick, the other four were overpowered by the eight
English, and carried in as aforesaid. The letters were despatched to
Court.

From London, they write to us, that a body of ten thousand men,
chiefly Germans, are to go out this spring, under the command of
General Burgoyne, for the invasion of Virginia and Maryland. The
opinion of this Court, founded on their advices from Germany, is, that
such a number can by no means be obtained, but you will be on your