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[Page 3]
effects are severely felt; with that it is like every other article in the colony, the merchant puts his own price and so does the retailer. Rum has been paid to labouring people at thirty shillings per bottle. How is it possible that the colony can flourish when such things are allowed; two Spanish prizes are here with spirits and wine, from the coast of America it is sold in the country for 1/6 per gallon and retailing at 6/- per bottle. I have not yet been four months in the Colony and in that time there has been upwards of fifty thousand gallons of spirits brought into it. From all these circumstances you will easily concede what a confused state we are in, and likely to continue for some time, untill [until] the stores are once independant for a whole year, and a steady, persevering man as Governor the Colony never can flourish. I am very sorry to hear by the Friendship just arrived from the Cape of Good Hope that the Porpoise was obliged to put back, it is a very great disappointment to me and some of King's friends in this country but if he does not bring out a commission to supersede the old Gentleman he has no idea of quitting the country. King will in that case have to return to his old Government. From what I can understand the Barwell carries home heavy Bills on Govt and complaints on all sides, the issue of which I hope will induce Government to take some very decisive steps in putting a stop to such abuses as have and are daily carrying on in this Colony, in the state we are in at present an officer can not live on double his