“Chas. de Voigne tells me that Cape Breton is of such consequence to the French that they cannot do without it, and we may depend on their exerting their utmost endeavour to retake it; and if they should be unsuccessful, would never make peace without its reddition. We had lately a very considerable sale here for the cargoes of the prizes taken by Martin’s squadron some time since, and that of the _Elephant_. J. Colsworthy was at it, and bought a very large quantity of sugars on commission, as well as another Friend from London, whose name is Jonathan Gurnell. We must not be at all surprised at this, it being by what I can find grown a settled maxim that Friends may deal in prize goods. For on my attacking F. Jewel for being concerned in the purchase of the _Mentor_, which he bought in partnership with Dr. Dicker and Lancelot Robinson, he pleaded in his justification that Friends at London were clearly of opinion there is no harm in it; and that Jno. Hayward, a preacher, had given him a commission to buy prize Havannah snuffs. And brother Fox, who has done something in this way too for the good of his family, acquaints me that Friend Wilson, when here, seemed to be quite ignorant of anything wrong in the practice, and only advised in general that Friends should not act against their convictions. I am not at present disposed to make reflections, and therefore shall only say that I hope I shall be kept clear of it, as I believe it would bring a cloud over my mind. “I purpose next second day to set out for the west, and hope to be with thee about the 22nd proximo. But I shall not be able to stay as usual, as I must hasten to Looe, to ‘squire Sally to Redruth yearly meeting, from whence she purposes to go to Wadebridge, to pay a visit to her cousins. She talks as if she should not be able to spare time to see you at Penryn. But I believe she will be mistaken. “I had lately with me the person who hath discovered the china-earth. He had several samples of the chinaware of their making with him, which were, I think, equal to the Asiatic. ’Twas found in the back of Virginia, where he was in quest of mines; and having read Du Halde, discovered both the petunse and kaulin. ’Tis the latter earth, he says, is the essential thing towards the success of the manufacture. He is gone for a cargo of it, having bought the whole country of the Indians where it rises. They can import it for £13 per ton, and by that means afford their china as cheap as common stone ware. But they intend only to go about 30 per cent. under the company. The man is a Quaker by profession, but seems to be as thorough a Deist as I ever met with. He knows a good deal of mineral affairs, but not _funditùs_.