Draft letter written by Banks to Lord Sandwich, ca 30 May 1772 (Series 06.001) - No. 0006

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without suffering myself to controvert this opinion of the navy board "that the ship will be very fit for Sea" altho many able seamen concur with me in doubting it. I must be allowd [sic] to say that the Ship will then be if not absolutely incapable at least exceedingly unfit for the intended voyage.

we have pledgd [sic] ourselves, my lord to your Lordship & all this nation to undertake what no navigator before us has even suggested to be practicable; we are to attempt at least, to pass round the Globe in through seas of which we know no circumstance but that of their being tempestuous in those