Autograph letter signed : Portsmouth, New Hampshire, to Hector McNeill, 1781 Nov. 15.

Thanking him for his letter and assuring him of his friendship; referring to his efforts on his behalf saying "if I fail, I shall be more concerned on the public account than both yours and my own. I earnestly wish and hope you are or will be appointed; discussing the Navy saying "Between ourselves it is my opinion the Marine of the Continent has never in its operations, appeared to have any National Object in view. I shall not pretend to determine who has been to blame for this, the Directors or the Actors? -- but, I think it is self-evident, it has upon the whole done nothing for the Cause and less for the Flag. The public has been put to a great expense -- yet the poor Seamen have almost in every instance, been Cheated, while the public has reaped neither honor nor profit; And the whole result, to counter-ballance [sic] the dishonor of the Flag and the loss of the Navy, only appears to have augmented the purses of the Agents, besides enabling a few of the Actors, perhaps not the first in merit or abilities, to purchase Farms &c!"