August 17, 1776

A letter from the Dutch Caribbean island of Sint Eustatius, extracted in the Pennsylvania Evening Post, speculated about the impact of independence on ports around the Atlantic. The author wrote with anticipation of the day when “the Congress declares its independancy to the European states,” and speculated that “France waits only for that event, to assist” the colonies in their fight with Great Britain.

This extract also acted as an advertisement for Paul Fooks, the translator. In a postscript, he noted that he had provided “a true translation of the original,” which remained in his possession in Philadelphia. Whether Fooks was the initial recipient of the letter or if someone had passed it along to him is unclear. Fooks announced himself as an “Interpreter of the French and Spanish Languages.”

The Pennsylvania Evening Post
Printed by Benjamin Towne

Extract of a letter from St. Eustatia, dated the 28th of July, 1776.

I HAVE acquainted you, by my former from Martinique, of the good disposition the French are in towards the continent of America, and how willing they are to admit and welcome all vessels from thence, for which purpose they have now by them and daily import all sorts of goods in demand with you, particularly powder and other warlike stores, which they may purchase and ship without any difficulty, and it is more than probable that if the Congress declares its independancy to the European states, and offers to open their ports to foreigners, your ports will be crowded with them from all parts. And it seems that France waits only for that event, to assist you in your defence.

We have at present no other news than what is brought by a Dutch ship arrived without two days here from Amsterdam, viz. That the French, Spanish and Portuguese, are making great preparations for war by land and by sea, as well as the States General. That the Spaniards had marched an army to the frontiers of Portugal, and had sent to sea a fleet of sixteen sail of the line, the destination of which was not known, and that they send considerable numbers of troops to their colonies. That the states of Holland had absolutely refused to renew the prohibition for the exportation of powder, &c. to the colonies, or to cede to the English the four Scotch regiments the states have in their service, nor furnish them with a number of men of war which the British Court had required of them. The vexation occasioned by this in the British Ministry induced them to take several Dutch ships, amongst which are two that sailed from this island, which were carried to London, and another to St. Christopher’s. In consequence of this the Dutch have armed forty ships of war, and ordered sixty more to be built, with the greatest diligence in their different ports, and to raise twenty thousand men to augment their land forces, &c.”