Janry 14th 1764

My Lord,

I had not the Honour of the Duplicate of Lord Egremonts letter of the Ninth of July Last the Original having not Come to hand untill Last month after my return from the Congress at Augusta, of which your lordship had advice by our Joint letter upon our return to Charles Town to which I refer—and Since my return had no proper Conveyance to Acknowledge the receipt of it with the Act, proclamation and other papers inclosed.

Your Lordship may depend upon my giving all possible Incouragement to the Commanders and all other officers of the Revenue in Detecting and preventing all such pernicious Illicite Trade Carryed on with foreigners to the prejudice of the British Trade with these Colonies after the Immense Expence and Debt incurred in defence of our Civil and Relegious Rights and Liberties and future Safety of the Extensive British Empire on this Continent and Islands; and therefore the Confinement of our Trade for the benefit of Britain against foreigners is a Tribute we ought to pay to our protectors—

However I can with Justice Say that an Illicite Trade with foreigners has Scarcely been Known in this province, not one flag of Truce granted during the late war, nor any provisions or other goods Carryed from hence to Supply our Enemies; the great abuses that have been Committed have been from the Northern Colonies with Holland France and the French and Spanish American Colonies; I don't doubt but Several of these foreign Commodities have been imported here, by Small Sloops and Schooners from the Northern Colonies but as the Northern Collectors have given them Regular Clearences as British Commodities legally imported there, they Cant be Seized or Detected here; the Chief part of the Illicite Trade in South Carolina has been Carry'd on to Saint Augustine and Havanna which by returning Bullion was not so prejudicial to Britain. We have had but three Seizures in this province in the Nine years that I have been here, and Since the two Sloops arrived here there has been but one Seizure made of a Small pilot boat upon her return from Charles Town; where she had landed me, upon my going to the Congress which is not yet determined, as they brought Some British goods from thence without a Regular Clearance, but reported them to the Collector, however the officers of the Hornett Sloop Seized her; but as no fraud was designed I apprehend Seizing Such Coasting boats where no fraud was intended, was not the Intention of Sending Sloops here, but to prevent Illicite Trade with foreigners, for foreign goods in this Colony which has so Extinsive a Sea Coast and So many Inlets for Small Vessells, and Navagable Creeks and Branches upon the Several Rivers, before they Arrive at the place where the Collectors and Naval Officers reside; as they are no Tide officers or Searchers allowed, how can they be Detected so that I Should advise that Some officers should be fixed at portsmouth near Ocacoc Bar; through which all Vessels must Come to the three Northern Collectors as I apprehend the British parliament may lay Duties upon goods imported into the Several Colonies to Support the Troops Necessary to Secure our great acquisitions on this Continent, as also to Support the additional officers of the revenue.

I formerly gave Several Hints to the board of Trade, that when the American Colony Trade Should Come, under Consideration, they might have it in their thoughts, to which I shall refer by giving a further enlargement to the Act of Navigation by allowing the importation immediately into Ireland of Several of the enumerated Commodities Such as Naval Stores of all Kinds for which they give Bullion to the Northern Nations as also Iron and rice of which very little is taken Via Britain and Surely it would make good returns to Britain Should the Colonies be allowed to Carry to Spain Portugal and the Streits all Kinds of Naval Stores and Other non enumerated Commodities which they now have from the Northern Crowns and to return with wine Oil fruit and Salt and the ballance in Bullion would be remitted to Britain in return for their manufactures and also to Carry all Kinds of Lumber and provisions, to the foreign Islands in Return for Sugar Rum and Molasses which will pay a foreign Duty, and will be a good return for our British Manufactures and to re Export to foreign marketts, These are the Chief things I Can think of to Increase our British and Colony Trade—

I am with great Respect my Lord

Your Lordships

Most Obedient and

most Huml Servt—

Arthur Dobbs

Janry 14, 1764.
Governor Dobbs

R. March 22d
(Copy Sent to Mr. Grenville, 26th March)