profitable than any other, and
they may at least carry back in safety many of the stores wanted,
which is a most capital object, should the other be laid aside.

Every day's experience confirms to us, what is pointed out indeed by
nature itself, the necessity of rendering America independent, in
every sense of the word. The present glorious, though trying contest,
will do more to render this independence fixed and certain, if
circumstances are seasonably improved, than would otherwise have been
effected in an age. The manufacturing of any one necessary article
among ourselves, is like breaking one link of the chains, which have
heretofore bound the two worlds together, and which our artful enemies
had, under the mask of friendship, been long winding round and round
us, and binding fast. Thus, as founderies for cannon, iron as well as
brass, are erecting, if they are at once erected large enough to cast
of any size, we may in future be easy on that important article, and
independent on the caprice, or interest, of our pretended friends for
a supply; and to forward this we shall take the liberty of sending
over some of the most skilful founders we can meet with.

The jealousy which reigns among the maritime powers of Europe, with
their narrow, weak, and contemptible system of politics, prevents our
being able to procure ships of war; to remedy which, you have with you
timber, iron, and workmen, and we must send you over sailcloth and
cordage, as fast as we can. The importance of having a considerable
naval force, is too obvious, to need our saying more than, that we
conceive no apparent difficulty or obstruction ought to deter us from
pushing it forward to the utmost of our power. We have sent you by a
former conveyance a plan of a frigate on a new construction, and now
send you the duplicate, which we submit to the judgment of those
better skilled than we pretend to be in naval affairs, but imagine
that on our coast, and perhaps anywhere, ships constructed in some
such manner may be as formidable as those of seventyfour guns, and it
is certain they will cost us less. The vessel building in Amsterdam
is on this plan, which we hope will be in readiness for service this
fall or autumn.

We are, with the utmost respect, &c.

B. FRANKLIN,
S. DEANE.

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FROM THE