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To go on an expedition against the Persians. He has been trying all
he can to tempt me to go with him, promising me a Vessel
of some force to be entirely at my Command to Cruise about
the Caspian Sea where I please and 150 other Inducements
but I like not the object of the expedition nor the Commander.
Had it been otherwise I might as you may say have been mad enough to have gone.
These are all the places where Ships for War are built. As to
Ships of Commerce, the Commerce itself is in such an undigested
confused and insignificant state except here in the Baltic that
there are no Ships at all belonging to the Country any where
else. Here they have a few and seem to be endeavouring to
have more. They are however diffident of their own Countrymen
and too jealous of Strangers to make any rapid advances.
The neutrality of the Flag and the air of importance which
they assume to foreign powers operate a little, and have
made them fit out a parcel of the most awkward & ill built
Vessels existing which had been before employed in carrying
Goods only between Petersbourg & Cranstadt, & send them to
England and other Countries. Some of these have dropt to
pieces at Sea and others have been nine or ten months in
making their Voyage, so that the Insurance is higher upon
them on account of the physical danger of the Sea than it
is upon English Ships notwithstanding the latter being exposed
to the danger from Enemies.
These matters I hope to be able to get a better account
of to send you one day or other, with some account of my
late Excursion and the other things which I have promised.
In answer to your letter dated May 7th Copies of Code as well
as everything else to be directed to Sir James Harris, neither
need they be sealed up, but every thing private to be sealed
in the Packet within the Box. My name only on these packets
but Sir Jame's only on the outside of the Box
Agency is I dare say at an End, unless I can think of
of Jockying Baron Klopmann, one Letter being opened, another
having miscarried, & together with the Change of his circumstance,
from the Visit of the Prince of Prussia and the death of D's —
put away Russian Dutchess, added to the intrigues of this same
is the cause of this Change. If I was much disposed
for I cod him as much harm as I before thought of doing him good
but I have no such Ideas.
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Identifier: | JB/539/098/002 "JB/" can not be assigned to a declared number type with value 539.
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1780-10-14 |
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539 |
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098 |
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002 |
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Correspondence |
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Samuel Bentham |
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