Letter signed : London, to Thomas Prior, 1746 June 14.

Discussing at length the ways in which they might spend the grant given to the Dublin Society by the King; discussing the recently imposed glass tax, an invention to make starch from potatoes rather than flour and the opportunities through manufacture to create jobs; saying 'The late additional tax upon Glass here, as it must considerably raise the price of glass bottles Imported into Ireland, seems to point out the manufacturing of them, which consideration, with a small premium added to it, would in my mind set up such a manufacture. Fine writing and printing paper are often talked of together, and the specimens you gave me before I left Dublin, prove that nothing but care & industry is wanting, to bring that manufacture to such a perfection, as to prevent the Importation of it, from Holland & through Holland from France, nay I am convinced that you might supply England with a great deal of it if you pleased, that is, if you would make it (as you could do) both good & cheap. Here is a man who has found out a method of making starch of Potatoes, and by the help of an Engine of his own Invention, to make a prodigious quantity of it in a day, but here is an Act of Parliament which strictly prohibits the making starch of any thing but Flour. Have you such an Act of Parliam't? If you have not, and that you Import your starch from England, as I take it for granted you do (for you Import every thing you can) if would be well worth this mans while to go to Ireland, and advantageous for you that he should, his starch being to my knowledge and experience, full as good & abundantly cheaper than any other. These are the sort of Jobbs that Irish people of Ireland should attend to, with as much Industry & Care as they do of Jobbs of a very different nature. These honest Arts would solidly increase your Fortunes and Improve your Estates, upon the only true permanent foundation, the publick good. Leave us here & your regular Forces in Ireland to fight for you. Think of your Manufactures at least as much as your militia, & be as much upon your guard against Poverty as against Popery; take my word for it you are in more danger of the former than the latter;" expressing his hope that the Bishop of Meath is succeeding with his charter schools; encouraging him to "Go on however you & our other friends, be not weary of well doing, and if you cannot do all the good you would, do all the good you can;" asking him to send his regards to the Bishop of Cloyne and to Doctor Madden."