JB/539/088/001

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Petersbourg 3d Octr O.S. 1780

Hon:d Sir

I received a letter by the last post from a Mr Barstow a capital merchant of Dantzic
with whom I contracted a friendship during my stay at that place. He informs me of
the death of the late English Resident or rather Commissary there, and knowing at the
same time the attention which I gave to the Commerce and general state of that Republic
during the time I passed there, he proposes to me my seeking applying to succede in that
appointment myself, giving me hopes at the same time that I should not find so much
difficulty in obtaining it, owing I suppose to its not being considered as very desirable
on account of the small profits attending it.

Dantzic you know I suppose, Sir, used to yield a considerable part of our Naval
stores: particularly its plank has always been esteemed above all other foreign Timber.
At present we receive a great deal of such articles from thence, and notwithstanding
the oppression of its powerfull neighbour its Commerce appears to be sprouting out
again under the cover of its Neutrality.

With respect to the business of the place of English Commissary there, I do
flatter myself that the knowledge I have of naval concerns, Shipbuilding and Marine
Oeconomy in general may be considered as qualifying me in a particular manner for such
an Office. The connections I have made in Poland in my late tour are such as
might be turned to some considerable account. I could by these means procure to the
Merchants a trade of Ship timber oak plank and even masts through a channel
not yet opened, from a part of Poland which they have not yet explored and which
promises to yield naval stores of several kinds. To draw the export of these articles
to England instead of permitting them to go to the supply of our foreign neighbours
cannot but at this time be highly desirable. I have an idea also with respect to

Identifier: | JB/539/088/001 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
Date_1	1780-10-03	Marginal Summary Numbering
Box	539	Main Headings
Folio number	088	Info in main headings field
Image	001	Titles
Category	Correspondence	Number of Pages
Recto/Verso		Page Numbering
Penner	Samuel Bentham	Watermarks
Marginals		Paper Producer
Corrections		Paper Produced in Year
Notes public		ID Number
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