Cruizers, Fenders, Frigates without Number? But if their good Fortune should escape all these Risques, have We harbours or Rivers, sufficiently fortified, to insure them Security while here? In their Return to their own Country would they not have the same Gauntlett to run? In short, if We Stop our own Ships, have we even a Probability that the Ships of foreign Nations, will run the Venture to come here, either with or without the Countenance and Encouragement of their several Courts or States public or private open or secret? It is not easy for any Man precisely and certainly to answer this Question. We must then say all this is uncertain.

Suppose then We assume an intrepid Countenance, and send Ambassadors at once to foreign Courts, what Nation shall We court? Shall We go to the Court of France, or the Court of Spain, to the States General of the United Provinces? to the Court of Lisbon, to the Court of Prussia or Russia or Turkey or Denmark, or where, to any, one, more, or all of these? If we should, is there a Probability, that our Ambassadors would be received, or so much as heard or seen by any Man or Woman in Power at any of these Courts. He might possibly, if well skill'd in intrigue, his Pocketts well filled with Money and his Person Robust and elegant enough, get introduced to some of the Misses and Courtezans in Keeping of the statesmen in France, but would not that be all.

An offer of the Sovereignty of this Country to France or Spain would be listened to no doubt by either of those Courts, but we should suffer any Thing before we should offer this. What then can We offer? An Alliance, a Treaty of Commerce? What Security could they have that we should keep it? Would they not reason thus: These People intend to make Use of us to establish an Independency, but the Moment they have done it Britain will make Peace with them, and leave us in the Lurch, and we have more to dread from an Alliance between Britain and the United Colonies as an independant state, than we have now they are under one corrupted Administration. Would not Spain reason in the same manner, and say further our Dominions in South America will be

Prey to these enterprizing and warlike Americans, the Moment they are an independent State? Would not our Proposals

and Agents be treated with Contempt? and if our Proposals were made and rejected, would not this sink the Spirits of our own People Elevate our Enemies and disgrace Us in Europe?

If then, it will not be safe to Stop our own Ships entirely and trust to foreign Vessells coming here either with or without Convoy of Men of War belonging to foreign States, what is to be done? Can our own People bear a total Cessation of Commerce? Will not such Numbers be thrown out of Employment and deprived of their Bread, as to make a large discontented Party? Will not the Burthen of supporting these Numbers, be too heavy upon the other Part of the Community? Shall we be able to maintain the War, wholly without Trade? can we support the Credit of our Currency without it?

If We must have Trade how shall We obtain it?

There is one Plan, which alone, as it has ever appeared to me, will answer the End in some Degree, at first. But this is attended with So many Dangers to all Vessells, certain Loss to many, and So much Uncertainty upon the whole, that it is enough to make any Man thoughtfull. Indeed it is looked upon So wild, extravagant and romantic, that a Man must have a great deal of Courage and much Indifference to common Censure, who should dare to propose it.

"God helps those who help themselves," and it has ever appeared to me since this unhappy Dispute begun, that We had no Friend upon Earth to depend on but the Resources of our own Country, and the good sense and great Virtues of our People. We shall finally be obliged to depend upon ourselves.

Our Country furnishes a vast abundance of materials for Commerce. Foreign Nations have great Demands for them. If We should publish an Invitation to any one Nation or more, or to all Nations, to send their ships here and let our Merchants inform theirs that We have Harbours where the Vessells can lie in Safety, I conjecture that many private foreign Adventurers would find Ways to send Cargoes here thro all the Risques without Convoys. At the Same Time our own Merchants would venture out with their Vessells and Cargoes, especially in Winter, and would run thro many Dangers, and in both these Ways together, I should hope We might be supplied with Necessaries.

All this however Supposes that We fortify and defend our own Harbours and Rivers. We may begin to do this. We may build Row Gallies, flatt bottomed Boats, floating Batteries, Whale Boats, Vesseaux de Frize, nay, Ships of War, how many, and how large I can't say. To talk of coping Suddenly with G. B. at sea would be Quixotism indeed, but the only Question with me is, can We defend our Harbours and Rivers? If We can We can trade. [No signature.]

SAMUEL ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

PHILADA., Octob. 7, 1775

DEAR SIR, - Yesterday Capt. Read arrived here from London which place he left the 5th of August and Falmouth the 11th. He brings Advice that there is not the least Appearance of a Relaxation of Ministerial Measures; That the [King] speaks of them with the utmost Satisfaction; that 2000 Troops are raising to be sent to America immediately, either to Boston or New York. The Parliament is to meet in November when a Bill will be brought in to enable our most gracious Sovereign to send for and employ 16,000 Hessians, to subdue his Subjects in America. The Necessity of the times requires the utmost Activity and Vigor on this side of the Atlantick.

Pray get ready our Colony Accounts with all convenient speed. I am now in Congress and can add no more than that I am with the warmest Affection, your Friend,

JOHN ADAMS TO JAMES WARREN

SAML. AD.

October the 8, 1775

DEAR SIR, -You will not think your Time misspent in Perusing any Plans for the Service of your Country, even altho they may prove, upon Examination chimerical. There are two Channells only, through which Vessells of large Burthen, can pass, to and from Boston; one, is between the West Head of long Island and the Moon: It is a mile Wide, but incumbered with Rocks and too